1. Listen to the Message

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. —Genesis 1:1-2

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” —Genesis 3:1-3

Creation

There are many views of Origins: Atheistic Evolution, Intelligent Design, Theistic Evolution, Old-Earth Creationism (Gap Theory), Progressive Creationists, Young-Earth Creationists, etc.

So, what’s at stake in the Creation debate, is the validity and trustworthiness of the rest of Scripture.

Genesis 1:1-2: “In the beginning God…”

When dealing with the Creation account, one should let the Bible speak for itself without inserting presuppositions.

At Coastal, we hold to six literal twenty-four hour days.

We believe the Hebrew word yôm in Genesis refers to a literal 24 hour day. Yom has many uses in Scripture. It can mean the time between dawn and dusk (today is the longest day of the year, referring to daylight). It can mean a general time frame (“back in my day”), or it can mean a literal 24 hour period. With the context of “evening and morning” and the addition of numbers “the first day, the second day”, we believe in a literal translation of 6-24 hour days of creation.

The Fall

Seven observations surrounding the fall: Suspicion, Shunning, Shame, Sentencing, Separation, Satisfaction, Salvation

Suspicion
Genesis 3:1-4: “Indeed has God said…”; “You shall not surely die!”

Shunning
Genesis 3:6: “She took from its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Shame
Genesis 3:7-13: “Their eyes were opened, they knew they were naked and they made loin coverings.” “I heard the sound of you and I was afraid…”

Sentencing
Genesis 3:14-19: v.15: immediately, the redemptive plan of God was revealed;
Serpent: “He will bruise (crush) your head…”
Woman: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth… Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
Man: “In toil you will eat of it, all the days of your life. …for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”

Separation
Genesis 3:21-24: “So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Isaiah 59:1-2: “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,”

The Cherubim, The Veil in the temple, The veil of Jesus’ humanity…
Hebrews 9&10

Satisfaction
Matthew 27:50-54: The sacrifice was made, the price was paid, the veil was torn and Christ’s glory was revealed

Salvation
There are two kinds of people, in the end: Those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell choose it. —C.S.Lewis
John 3:16-17; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 5:8-9

2. For further reflection and study

READ

DISCUSS
1. In your opinion, is the veractiy of Scripture linked to Genesis 1-11? How? Why?

3. Pray