Genesis 1

We are starting our Bible study with Genesis 1.

The first book of the Bible begins with the words:  In the Beginning  and that is what the word Genesis means -- beginning.
Genesis starts out by telling us how the world was created and how man was created in the image of God.  It is widely believed that Moses was the author of Genesis.

Outline of Genesis:
I  Chapters 1 -11 History of the Human Race
The record of the four main events:
          1) Creation
          2) Fall
          3) Flood
          4) Tower of Babel

II  Chapters 12- 50:  History of Abraham and his descendants
The record of the four main characters:
          1) Abraham
          2) Isaac
          3) Jacob
          4) Joseph


Using the outline put the following events in order of occurrence:

Jacob
The fall
Abraham
Tower of Babel
Creation
Isaac
The flood
Joseph

Do you know what an atheist is?   (someone who denies the existence of  God)
The first verse in the Bible clearly dispels the idea that there is no God.  It states:  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Read Genesis 1: 26- 30

 

Genesis 1:26-30

New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,^[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

²⁹ Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

How was man considered to be unique in all of God's creation? 

1) Made in the image and likeness of God

2) Given responsibility over all the earth

3) God blessed man and woman

4) God communicated with them

5) made out of the dust of the earth, God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.

Read Genesis 2: 1-3

Genesis 2:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

How might we benefit physically and mentally from rest?

We need to rest for reflection which helps us receive new perspective and bring freshness for our work.  Our physical bodies need rest to remain healthy.

Object Lesson for letting God shape our life.

You need a roll of aluminum foil that is 12 inches wide.  Pull out 6 inches of the foil and tear it off.  Cut the 6 x 12 strip of foil in half so that you have two 6 inch squares.  Trim the corners on one of the pieces of foil.  Fold up the sides, forming the foil into a boat.  The sides of the boat should be between a half inch and one inch high.  Fold the other foil square into as tiny a square as possible.   Fill the clear bowl about two thirds with water.  Place the aluminum boat into the water and it will float.  Put the foil rectangle into the water, it will sink.  Take the foil square from the bottom of the bowl and set it into the boat. 

What to say:

Today we are going to let these two foil pieces stand for our lives.  Let's shape the first one into a boat.  First we have to trim off a little extra just like God sometimes has to do that in our life.   And then God will shape us and bend us to make us usable for Him.  Put the boat into the water and explain that is what happens when we let God shape our life for His glory.

Now we have another person that that says, "I don't need God in my life"  and completely shuts God out.  He does exactly what he pleases.  Put square of foil in water and watch it sink.

Fish out square of foil and put it in the aluminum foil boat.  This shows what it is like when a Christian helps someone out until God is able to form that person and shape them.

And that is what our life needs to be:  a life that is yielded to God, for His purpose and glory because that life can do a lot while on earth for God's glory.  We need to life a kind of life that honors God.