Genesis

Lesson 1 w/AnswersIntroduction

This is a study of the book of "beginnings", i.e., Genesis. It is also a book of answers to questions such as: What did God intend when He created man? What is man purpose? What is the meaning behind creation? And how did we get from there to here, now that we know where we’re going?

Beginnings

As we study Genesis, many questions about our origins and the world around us will be answered through this book. Our purpose, creation itself, and God in three persons, can all be understood more deeply by studying Genesis. What exactly is "the fall of man"? Why is it that simply because Adam ate something that he shouldn’t have, that all of creation, including man, has suffered ever since? And how can we know that all of this is actually true? No one was present when God did all these things. All of this and much, much, more will come to light as we study this exciting book.

Along the way, we will look at some fascinating facts that you may not be aware if. How long did Isaac pray for his wife to have a child? How old were Jacob and Esau when Jacob tricked Isaac and stole Esau’s birthright? What do Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have in common? Did Christ exist before anything was created, and why is this important to know?

As we prepare to study this important book, there are many good resources available to help you, many good websites on creationism, and numerous books. Above all of them my personal favorite is Henry M. Morris’ The Genesis Record. The very first time that I read it I couldn’t put it down. It is exceptional in its scholarship, and in the straightforward way in which he takes you through the book. Henry Morris, as a scientist by trade, provides the reader with a scientific perspective that supports Genesis and the creation, and in language that is easy to understand. I highly recommend the book to you.

I would also be remiss at the beginning of this study if I did not point out some of the many ways in which Genesis is, or has been, interpreted. Two of these ways in particular are (1) theistic evolution and (2) literal creation. There are many others, some of which we will touch on during our study. But at the outset, I want you to know that I take a purely literal approach to studying and applying the text found in Genesis. I actually believe that when God’s word says that it took six days for the creation, and on the seventh God rested, that is literally and factually what took place. To my complete surprise, years ago when I first read Henry Morris, I was pleased to learn that he had begun as a theistic evolutionist; but following his research on the science behind the creation, he too now applies a literal translation, and supports that view with science in his book.

Henry Morris cites at least 14 things that have their origin in the book of Genesis. It is a fascinating list, which I quote for you here as a way of giving you an idea of the breadth and scope of the material that we will cover as we study the Book of Genesis. He lists the following:

  1. Origin of the universe
  2. Origin of order and complexity
  3. Origin of the solar system
  4. Origin of the atmosphere and hydrosphere
  5. Origin of life
  6. Origin of man
  7. Origin of marriage
  8. Origin of evil
  9. Origin of language
  10. Origin of government
  11. Origin of culture
  12. Origin of nations
  13. Origin of religion
  14. Origin of the chosen people
    15.

Before we begin our study, read what Genesis 1:1 says, then consider the following questions:

  1. What was created and who did it?
    1. ANSWER: This passage tells us that God created everything, the heavens and the earth. This means that everything that exists, whether seen or unseen, visible or invisible – all things were created by God. Nothing existed before God created it.
  2. Was Christ present at creation? What do John 1:1-5, and verse 14; and Colossians 1:15-17 tell us?
    1. ANSWER 1: John writes that, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." [NIV]
    2. ANSWER 2: Colossians states: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." [NIV]
    3. ANSWER 3: The facts that (1) Christ was present at creation, and (2) that all things were created through Him is supported in many verses in the Bible. This is important because it shows us that even before God created anything, He knew that he would have to come down to earth as Jesus, i.e., Emmanuel ("God with us"), to die on the cross and be resurrected, in order to save His creation, and mankind. This was all determined before He created anything; all before Genesis 1:1.
  3. On the first day of creation, something is created that is not specifically addressed in Genesis 1:1. What do the following verses indicate to us that must have been created on the first day? Genesis 3:1, Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19.
    1. ANSWER 1: (Genesis 3:1) Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?" [NIV]
    2. ANSWER 2: (Isaiah 14:12-15) How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. [NIV]
    3. ANSWER 3: (Ezekiel 28:11-19) The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:’ ‘'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’" [NIV]
    4. ANSWER 4: Clearly, we can see from these verses that the heavenly realm, the angels, must have been created when God created "the heavens", although they are not specifically addressed. The only way that Satan can show up in the Garden of Eden and, through the serpent, tempt Eve is if Satan existed before the creation of the things on the earth. We know from our study of angels and the verses above that Satan rebelled, determined to place himself above God, and with him many angels followed. These fallen angels, called demons, all had to exist before Eve was confronted with the temptation by Satan.
  4. Henry Morris points out that Genesis 1:1 is the "foundational verse of the Bible". As he points out, if a person believes Genesis 1:1, he or she will not find it difficult to believe everything else in the Bible. Therefore, think about this: if a person believes Genesis 1:1, what do they NOT believe in?
    1. ANSWER: It would then be impossible for them to believe in evolution, atheism, and polytheism, just to name a few. Essentially, all other belief systems or worldviews begin with matter that pre-existed in some form. Henry Morris writes, "the forces of nature (or the gods and goddesses personifying them) then begin to bring about the cosmic changes which developed the world into its present form".
  5. Understanding the chronology of Creation and the chronology of the Old Testament will help us better understand the likely date of creation. For starters, name one or more examples of archaeological finds that have disproven some aspect of the Biblical chronology of events.
    1. ANSWER: There are none. To date, all of the archaeological discoveries have confirmed the Biblical chronology. None have ever disproven even a single event.
  6. As we have seen in previous studies, a thorough understanding of the Old Testament provides us an excellent chronology of events from the creation through the flood, then to Abraham, from there to David, and finally to the birth of Christ. However, when did it all start? This is a question that scholars have tried to answer. See what you can find on Archbishop James Usher. What date for the creation of the earth did he believe was correct? What are some of the other dates of creation offered by other biblical scholars?
    1. ANSWER 1: Usher computed the date of creation to be 4004 BC. Others have computed various dates, as Henry Morris writes: "Jewish, 3760; Septuagint, 5270; Josephus, 5555; Kepler, 3993; Melanchthon, 3964; Luther, 3961; Lightfoot, 3960; Hales, 5402, Playfair, 4008; Lipman, 3916; and others."
    2. ANSWER 2: In general, due to perceived gaps in some of the Genesis chronologies, most biblical scholars put the age of creation at no older than 10,000 BC; and many, as you see here, list it as much younger than that, i.e., in the 5000-3000 BC range. All much too young for evolutionists, who estimate the earth’s age in millions of years.

In our next lesson, we will begin to examine the order of the creation, as we begin a verse-by-verse study of Chapter 1 of Genesis.

As we close this lesson, let’s remember one important fact: not only did God create everything, He did it with a plan, in a specific order. We were not created out of chaos. We did not suddenly emerge from ooze. We were created by the God of the universe, and for a specific purpose, a purpose which will become crystal clear as we continue our study of this important and powerful book.

Thanks for studying with us.

Yours in Christ,

Wes

[2010]

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