God Spoke - Next Steps
Series Summary
The first book in the Bible is called “Genesis.” Genesis means origin. The book of Genesis explains the origins of the universe, the creation of humankind, and even reveals why our world is still full of problems all these years later. This series will help you to learn more about God, His plan, and why you matter so much to Him.
Message Summary, God Spoke, Genesis 1
A hundred years ago, Einstein and others theorized that all matter/energy, space and time were created out of nothing. Since then, scientific discoveries solidify what Christians already knew. The universe is not eternal, but had a beginning. And a transcendent, first cause existed before and beyond this material universe. Therefore, Genesis begins with the words, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” God went on to order the universe with incredible complexity and fine-tuning so that life, culminating with humankind could exist. Much is revealed about God in these chapters. He is eternal, all powerful, intelligent and creative. He is personal (He exists in relationship) and wants a perfect relationship with people—God is love. And human beings are of the highest order, made in the image of God, made for fellowship with God and one another in paradise. This is the beginning of the story.
1) Share with the group one feature of God’s creation that amazes you.
2) God made people in His image. What does that tell you about people?
3) How does knowing that people are made in God’s image affect how you feel about yourself?
Consider This
The Bible doesn’t tell us everything we want to know, especially about science, but it does tell us what we need to know from a human perspective about God, ourselves, and redemption. The text here provides a strong case for creation in six literal days (young earth). On the other hand, Genesis chapter one is filled with Hebrew poetry that suggests a more figurative interpretation (older earth). Time isn’t a “to die for” issue for believers, but one they can discuss or even debate. After all, according to Einstein’s theory of General Relativity, time is not uniform, but relative, specifically to speed … We do know that God spoke this material universe into being and that is a “to die for” truth for Christians.
1) Hebrew poetry is filled with structural parallelism, two or more statements, with similar meaning, but slight variations. Like English, Hebrew poetry also utilizes repetition. In Genesis 1:3-13, (days 1-3), God creates order out of formlessness. Write below how God did this, observing the repeated words “separated” and “divided.”
2) In Genesis 1:14-31, God fills the creation with creatures and things. List below how God did this for each day (4-6).
3) What correspondence do you see between these two sets of days (1-3 and 4-6)?
4) What does this tell you about God and his creation?
In Genesis 1, the Hebrew word for God, Elohim, is actually a plural of another Hebrew word for God, “El”. Elohim is translated as God 2,326 times, but as gods 204 times. In other words, the very word used for God reveals the plurality of his nature—the Trinity—God the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit, three persons in one being, existing in a loving relationship from all eternity.
5) How many times is the Spirit of God mentioned in Genesis 1?
6) What pronouns does God apply to himself in Genesis 1:26? Compare these to the pronoun applied to God in verse 27. Why do you think the text uses these pronouns in these ways?
7) Read John 1:1-3. What was the Apostle asserting about Jesus by calling Him “the Word” in this passage? What insight does this statement provide for Genesis 1?
8) Read Genesis 1:26-27 and list everything these verses reveal about people in relationship to God and men and women in relation to one another.
9) Specifically, what does it mean to be made in God’s image (List God’s communicable attributes)?
10) How does Genesis 1:28 relate to God’s purpose for people and being created in God’s image?
11) Find the following repeated phrases. What do they reveal about God, the world, or people?
a. “Then God said, ‘Let …’” And, “it was so.”
b. “
Moving Forward
In Genesis 1&2, God created a paradise and sinless people in His very image. But Adam and Eve were not automatons. He gave them the ability to truly love God and one another. But this required a free will and the ability to choose to not love God. They had amazing food, beauty, all earthly pleasures uninhibited and life without end. There was only one tree which was forbidden. God placed Adam and Eve in the garden as His servants and warned them that life or death depended on whether they obeyed this one single commandment.
1) Read Genesis 2:9-13 and list the paradise like description of the Garden of Eden. Which is the most intriguing to you?
2) In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, the world is recreated even better. Compare the following verses and list the similarities and differences.
a. Genesis 1:2-5 to Revelation 22:5
b. Genesis 1:6-10 to Revelation 21:1
c. Genesis 1:14-19 to Revelation 21:23
d. Genesis 2:9 to Revelation 22:1-2
e. Genesis 2:12 to Revelation 21:10, 18-22
3) This week, read Revelation 21 and 22 and each day meditate on something about the paradise regained that brings you joy.