genesisguide

[genesisguide]

“God Created Man”

God Created Man

Genesis 1:26-2:3,7

Key Verse 1:26

Question 1

Read verses 26 and 27. When did God create man? What specific plan did God have for man?

The 6th day. There is a break in the pattern for the first time in Genesis. Up until now, each day has ended with, “He saw it was good, and then evening and morning”. However, here, He just creates man. He creates the plan, sees the plan, creates them, and then assigns them to a position or task. What we see is that humans have a special purpose.

“Make man in our image.” An image bears a resemblance to the original. When you see this person, you are reminded of someone else. Not necessarily in looks, or physical appearance, but maybe in character or spirit. When animals see us they are reminded of God. It is our duty to reveal God’s image to others.

—> What is God’s character like? Loving, patient, compassionate, righteous, sometimes stern. When you struggle for God’s purpose, you are great. Greatness is like this.

We were meant to be like God. Characteristics like honest and caring. But also sovereign. Free to choose, like God.

Monkeys and gorillas are smart, but they won’t come down and join civilization. Birds too are limited to their program, a certain domain.

Whereas humans can go on sea, underground, up trees. Animals live the same way as long as their environment allows, or they then become endangered if not saved by an animal rights group.

—> How do we reveal God’s image? To reveal God is to model good decision making, good travel manners, and to rule wisely. To rule wisely is to rule with compassion, with patience, and a shepherd’s heart.

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Question 2

Read verse 28. How did God bless the man?

Be fruitful. Increase in number. God’s Blessings is a command. His command is His blessing. He tells you what to do so that you know how to live and what directions to go; his command is like an engine moving you forward, or the voice of a General that calls you to attention. His mission or calling is a blessing.

God’s blessing is not pointless if you are seeking and following His commands. Pointless, perhaps, if you are just showing up at church and nothing else to seek and follow God’s commands.

The humans in God’s image are special. They are in His image, and sovereign. His desire is for there to be billions of people like this, as opposed to billions of sinful people.

This is a world that God wanted to make: A glowing earth where billions of people are serving God; but as it is, the world is dark, sinful, not shining as God intended.

Missionaries, even or maybe especially those in persecuted fields, are like shining balls of light. Fill the earth and subdue it. Whatever challenges come up, overcome them. Otherwise the world remains dark.

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Question 3

Read 2:7. How did God create the man?

Formed the body from the dust of the ground, but not yet alive. A sculpture. Only after God breathed into its nostrils did he begin to live. There is software and hardware; body and spirit; container and soul. The container is from ground, our flesh, but our soul is from God. The light is from God.

Right now the body and soul are in conflict. Flesh wants one thing, while spirit longs fellowship with God.

Romans 8:12-13, reads: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

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Question 4

Read 1:29-31. What does this passage show us about God’s provision? (cf. Matthew 6:33) Why was God very pleased with his creation on the 6th day?

The provision follows the command. The mission was given first. Then everything man needed to serve that mission was given to him. Originally humans were not suppose to worry about food. In paradise, you don’t worry about food. But now we have to worry about things likes paying bills and what to eat.

Regarding God’s provision, Matthew 6:33 says: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Priority 1 is to seek and spread His kingdom. The 2nd part is an inward and outward righteousness. Strive to be righteous like God.

It’s on the 6th day that, for the first time, He said it was “very good”. The day in which He created humans, He created His masterpiece.

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Question 5

Read 2:1-3. How is the 7th day different from the other days? (cf. Exo 20:8-11) What can we learn here about the purpose of the 7th day?

This day is different, He rested. He took a day to celebrate. Not because he needed a break. He proclaimed a universal holiday, a holy day. Holy means different, set apart. The seventh day is in Jewish tradition, Sabbath or Shabbat. It is a day to rest instead of continue the normal daily working.

—> What does it means to rest? It is rest for the whole spirit. This day is for Him! It is proclaimed before the Ten Commandments, the Commandments which were often fulfillled or broken by Jesus. This is higher than the Commandments. 1 way is to participate in the joy of creation.

Exodus 20:8-11, reads: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

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He gave them a reason why to keep it: to remember creation.

See Deuteronomy 5:12-15, which says: “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”

In Deuteronomy 5, the 10 Commandments are repeated, but this 1 part about remembering creation on the 7th day is repeated also. The purpose of the 7th day is to remember salvation. Worship whole heartedly then your soul finds rest. God wants us to be really serious about this command.

The whole point is to remember God.

#Genesis #Genesis 1 #Genesis 2 #Bible #Bible study #study guide

[genesisguide]

“God, The Creator”

God, The Creator

Genesis 1:1-25

Key Verse 1:1

Question 1

Memorize verse 1. What does “in the beginning” refer to? Why is the word “created” significant? What do you learn from verse 1?

The starting point of time and space. Verse 1 says “In the beginning”, not “at the beginning” which would indicate a specific time point; the 2 are grammatically different.

“In the beginning” refers to eternity. In eternity God chose a time to begin creation. His creation is what Genesis and the whole Bible is about. There is a beginning and an end as well as an end purpose to that which God created. We study the Bible to learn about it which God created.

This is in contrast to looking at history as an endless flow of randomness, or believing that life is a walking mutation. Some people say, just live. They say life goes on and there is no end.

The World tends to think life just goes on and there is no necessity to acknowledge God’s existence; we just accept that God created us and now we are here. <— not so, there is a meaning and purpose to life which God creates.

Heavens are things above us, outer space; earth is the physical and visible world. However, the Bible does not focus on the heavens, and it is not about the earth. He created humans whom he loves so very much. That is why the Bible is about earth.

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There are 2 different meaning for the word “created”.

Asah is to make something from other resources. Verse 16 describes some of those resources: there are metals like iron, gases such hydrogen and helium which produce light, also oxygen. Wild animals like bears and wolves were made from the earth materials. Even Man is created from dust.

Bara is more true to meaning of create. Bara is to make something from nothing. We humans don’t really do bara. That’s something that God primarily does. In verses 1 and 21 we see that sea creatures including crabs and birds are created from nothing, bara. Out of nowhere they appeared. They are flowy and floaty.

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God is the origin and the cause of everything in the universe. Before you were born, God was considering what your life would be like. Your value is inherit; it comes from God just like my value comes from God. We are creatures of God. Nothing can change that truth.

Truth has to do with what and who you are, what you must do and where you are going, all of which can be found in the word of God.

Verse 1 tells me that God created it all. God has always been there, and what he wants is to meet us. <— that is God’s special revelation about himself. Therefore, the 1st thing we should know is, why did God create us? If anyone chooses to ignore the Word of God’s purpose for our life, then they are sinning. It’s a waste to know God’s purpose and not live for it.

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Question 2

Read verse 2. When god created the earth, how did it look? (cf. Jer 4:23) What was the Spirit of God doing?

Formless, empty and dark. Not round, but blobby. He created it, but it was not finished. There was water and then some dirt, all mixed. Devoid of life and defining features. No substance or content. No such thing as light. Everything was chaotic until God started arranging things into their own positions. Sea and land. God arranged it all until it all became harmonious.

When things are arranged appropriately, there is a framework and life is very beautiful. You know what to do and what not to do. It’s structure and form for your life.

Without the Word of God, people’s lives are chaotic and ugly and messed up. They do things they should definitely not do. Their lives become empty. So meaningless and sad, no purpose to their life. It ends up very dark and without hope.

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The Spirit was hovering over the waters, thinking. The Spirit God is 1 person of the Trinity. He was working continually even in the chaotic situation. Similarly, He is planning how He can make our lives so beautiful.

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Question 3

Read verses 3 through 31 and draw a diagram showing what was created each day. In the 6 days of creation, is there any external or internal order?

Day 1: Light and things that emit light

Day 2: Sky and waters.

Day 3: Vegetation on the land for animals that would come to live on the land.

Day 4: Stars in the sky, a sun to govern the day and moon to govern the night.

Day 5: Birds, sea creatures and every moving thing in the sea.

Day 6: Livestock, land creatures and wild animals. Also, man and woman.

We see there is order in creation. The progression is from the environment to things which can be supported in that environment. This shows that nothing was being created at random, but according to a blue print. Environment for monkey, then monkey. Foundation and framework, then life. Maybe we don’t always see his purpose, but there is no reason to have sense of meaninglessness. God has such a divine purpose for sending us into the world.

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Question 4

Trace the verses where the phrases “God said” or “And it was so” appear. What can we learn here about God? (cf. Heb.4:12; 11:3; Gen.17:1)

“God said” appears in verses 7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30.

“And it was so” appears in verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 22, 24, 26, 29.

God could have scanned existence into reality, or blew a wind that whisked everything together. Instead, unfancy, he says it and it happens. So we can trust and put our confidence in it. It carries salvation power.

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Question 5

Find the verses in which the phrase “according to their kinds” is repeated. What are the things that were created according to their kinds? What can we learn about God?

“According to their kinds” appears in verses 11, 12, 22, 24.

Vegetation, sea and air creatures, then livestock and wild animals.

There something like 17,000 kinds of butterflies, and 12,000 kinds of ants. Can you imagine designing so many unique creatures for yourself? He is so creative. Ants, for example, all have 6 legs, 3 body parts, and yet He never runs out of ideas for new models. He can create more things and more varieties of those things than we can.

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Question 6

Find the verses in which the phrase “And God saw it was good” is repeated. What does this expression teach us about the purpose of God’s creation? (cf. Ps.19:1; 139:14)

“And God saw it was good” appears in verses 4, 10, 12, 18, 25, 31.

If a thing did not please Him, He would delete it and redo it. The original purpose was to please God, and if it didn’t, he would rework it. We are here to please God.

This helps answer the question, what is our divine obligation? Our special purpose is to please God. Alternatively, a person can choose to please other people, but that is a rejection of God’s point of view. We are to be good to God. He is an expert in us. The goodness of creation reveals the goodness and greatness of God. The goodness culminates in the book of Psalms, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”.

Things will deteriorate in sin, but when things function according to their plan, it pleases God. If we seek to please God, then we begin to be good and show that to others.

#Genesis #Genesis 1 #Bible study #Bible #study guide