By He Reads Truth
This Is the Old Testament is part of a twelve-week thematic overview of the entire Bible. As we read, we’ll gain a broader understanding of the redemptive story of Scripture. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of each day’s reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture each day.
What Is Genesis? The book of Genesis records the creation of the world, humanity, the Sabbath, the origin of sin and sacrifice, and the covenant promises God made with the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
How Genesis Fits Into the Story: Genesis is a book of new beginnings. It reveals the beginning of the heavens and the earth, of humanity, marriage, and work, of sin and nations and languages, and the beginning of our need for a Savior. In Genesis we see that all God’s creation was, in the beginning, thoroughly good; and in Genesis we see humanity’s first sin and the consequences of that sin. Our story of brokenness begins here in the first book of the Bible, as does our purpose and God’s covenant to redeem His people.
Reflection Questions:
1. What does Genesis 1:26–31 say about how and why God created humans?
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
5 thoughts on "Genesis"
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Charles Shinn says:
I can’t do it on my own. I am in need of a mediator to come between me and God. The first sin is repeated in every other sin even today. I… we make a conscious decision to try to make ourselves equal with God. Only through the redemptive blood of Christ am I saved.
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JRay says:
Genesis, what a great place for a fresh start to glean more about God in the creation story that was missed in other times through this book. God give me your eyes to see your goodness and faith to believe that you created the earth just as you told us. Not believing the lie that is evolution; in 6 days you created the heavens and the earth. You gave use the sun and moon to separate time so clearly a day meant the same as a day now. There were no millions of years here but literal days. Lord, please wake up the church from our lack of faith. I like what Billy Graham said when someone asked him if he really believed Jonah was swallowed by a whale and he said “it’s in the Bible right? If the Bible said Jonah swallowed the whale I would believe it”. If we will not take God at His word on creation why trust anything else the word says. God’s word is faithful and true, and just like in the story of mans fall, satan(the serpant) is a deceiver and evolution is one his greatest fabrications.
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Charlie says:
God created us as tenders and caretakers of His creation on this earth. Even before the fall, we were meant to cultivate and tend the land for it to bear fruit, just as God did (Genesis 2:8-9). We should feel most fulfilled while in worshiping God and meeting the purpose He has for us on this earth.
To JRay’s comment, I would gently challenge that it doesn’t matter if God made the earth in seven days or seven billion, but rather do we have the faith to believe He COULD create it in seven days. We should not confine God to evolution or a timeframe. God is outside of time and can choose to use His own creation to evolve or happen in the blink of an eye. The great deceiver doesn’t care about evolution, he cares about distraction from the creator and further separation of us as the created from Him. -my opinion
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Joe says:
Charlie, I think it matters quite a bit whether or not you believe God made the world in 6 days or 6 billion. The Word of God says 6 days and to not believe that you are not only, in essence, committing the same sin as in the garden, believing a lie (you will not surely die) over what God had said (you shall surely die.) Not to mention discrediting the other places in the Bible that state God created the world in 6 days. To propagate the idea of evolution is to take away mankind’s need of a savior not to mention to take away God’s glory of being The Creator. You also call into question the inerrancy of scripture, which is a scary and slippery slope. If you don’t believe the first chapter of Genesis how can you believe anything else written?
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Zachary says:
Light is separate from darkness. Even the darkness is great, light still shines. Our hope is that one day we’ll escape the darkness and we’ll in the Everlasting Light of the Lord. Hence, The Savior came that he might show us this light. Something new always comes out of the darkness when it is brought into the light.
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