In the Beginning
Read Genesis chapters 1 through 10
Genesis, especially this first section, is important to the rest of the Bible. It sets the stage for several themes that are played out in the rest of Scripture.
There are some who think that Genesis is strictly allegorical. While there may be some figurative language used, it should be clear that the writer of Genesis presented the material in the context of actual history. Note the words in Genesis 2:4 and Genesis 5:1 this is the account of (or the history of, or the book of—depending on the translation). There are places listed that are identifiable today, such as the Euphrates River in Genesis 2:14. The detail of people and place names confirms that the information was intended by the writer to be historical. At the same time, there are legitimate differences among even conservative scholars on how much of Genesis is to be considered precise history, and how much of it is to be considered to be a framework model for God’s creative action. In any case, the Genesis creation account is a marvelous and beautiful account of God’s handiwork.
Genesis begins by making it clear that everything was created by God—not by some random chance natural process. The awesome power of God is evident. The implication is that one cannot ignore the all-powerful God of the universe.
Let's consider miracles. The miracle of creation is the greatest miracle of all. Every human being that has ever lived has been awed by the universe of which we are a part. Concerning miracles, the Bible relates other miracles—some of which are done by God himself, others by his designated agents. Biblical miracles are not everyday occurrences. They are pointed actions used in important circumstances.
Some people discount biblical miracles as impossible. Yet just a little reflection should suggest that if God can create the universe, the other miracles in the Bible are a piece of cake. To say that the miracles of the Bible did not (or could not) happen is really atheism. If God exists, miracles are very much within the realm of reason.
We encourage the reader to examine ideas and follow them to their logical conclusion. For example, if the Creator God of the Bible really exists, what is the logical conclusion for your life—a concept we will explore further in this study.
There are many, many observations we could make about this section in Genesis. The Bible—some may say Judaism--has given mankind its fundamental understanding of human rights. First we note in Genesis 1:26-27 that mankind (both male and female) is made in God's image. Also, we see the roots of the concepts of adjudication and covenant. These things have meaning only as mankind being a steward of the earth as a subject of God. Such concepts are fundamental as prototypes of western civilization's understanding of human rights.
What makes humans valuable? The answer is here in Genesis. We are valuable because we are created by God in his image. If we are nothing more than the result of a long process of the struggle of the survival of the fittest, then morality becomes simply whover has the most power. But no! We say that even the most defenseless among us deserve respect!
Notice also as we begin our study the focus the Bible places on the concept of sin. Good and evil are very real. Note that God created everything good, indeed very good (Genesis 1:31). There is order to the universe. This order includes the proper relationship of man to God.
God created mankind and gave him a lot—a beautiful earth, indeed a garden. But God also gave man an interesting character trait--free will. Obviously, God could have created us as robots. But God’s desire is that we love and honor him out of our own free will. Our love for him would be bogus if we were wired in such a way that we had to do so. Love is not truly love if it is forced. So while God is perfect in his goodness, he gave mankind the ability to choose evil.
Now God laid out certain rules for his creature man, and then gave us the free will to respond as we might. God said to Adam and Eve that they must not eat from one certain tree in the middle of garden (Genesis 3:3). That didn’t seem like too big of an order, given that God gave them so very much else!
But the devil himself—the great deceiver and tempter—clothed himself as a serpent and talked Adam and Eve into disobedience. Satan lied to Eve (Genesis 3:4-5), and the world’s first human couple bought into the lie. Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation. And the rest, they say, is history.
Genesis sets the stage for the concept of good and evil. It makes it clear that God defines good and evil—not man. God makes the rules. It is noteworthy that God gives reasons for his demands. Here in the text God tells Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit because it would kill them.
A common question about Genesis concerns the extremely old ages of these early humans. Is that believable? The explanation is surprisingly simple. Remembering that God made everything very good, humans initially did not have all the harmful genes and diseases that we have today. So it is really quite reasonable to believe that these early people in fact lived to be hundreds of years old, as the Bible relates.
Is the Bible scientifically plausible? Walter Bradley is the author of a terrific essay entitled “Why I Believe the Bible is Scientifically Reliable.” His essay is one of several in a book entitled Why I Am a Christian; Leading Thinkers Explain Why They Believe, edited by Norman Geisler and Paul Hoffman. This book is a compendium of essays by 16 authors addressing many penetrating questions about the Christian faith. Bradley demonstrates that the events in Genesis are indeed consistent with science.
Still another interesting question arising from Genesis is—who is Satan? Christian understanding is that Satan is a “fallen” angel. Angels are creations of God. And like all his creations, they were created good. But just as mankind “fell away,” Satan fell away. According to the annotations in the Reformation Study Bible (page 693), “Satan is a creature, superhuman but not divine; he has much knowledge and power, but he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent; he is not omnipresent; and he is an already defeated rebel, having no more power than God allows him and being destined for the lake of fire."
When you think about it, you can see that the order of things as laid out in the Bible is within a logically consistent system. It explains how the universe came to be, by the hand of a pre-existent God. It explains how evil could result in a world created by a good God. And it explains why a savior (Jesus Christ) is a necessary complement to a fallen world.
There are some who think that Genesis is strictly allegorical. While there may be some figurative language used, it should be clear that the writer of Genesis presented the material in the context of actual history. Note the words in Genesis 2:4 and Genesis 5:1 this is the account of (or the history of, or the book of—depending on the translation). There are places listed that are identifiable today, such as the Euphrates River in Genesis 2:14. The detail of people and place names confirms that the information was intended by the writer to be historical. At the same time, there are legitimate differences among even conservative scholars on how much of Genesis is to be considered precise history, and how much of it is to be considered to be a framework model for God’s creative action. In any case, the Genesis creation account is a marvelous and beautiful account of God’s handiwork.
Genesis begins by making it clear that everything was created by God—not by some random chance natural process. The awesome power of God is evident. The implication is that one cannot ignore the all-powerful God of the universe.
Let's consider miracles. The miracle of creation is the greatest miracle of all. Every human being that has ever lived has been awed by the universe of which we are a part. Concerning miracles, the Bible relates other miracles—some of which are done by God himself, others by his designated agents. Biblical miracles are not everyday occurrences. They are pointed actions used in important circumstances.
Some people discount biblical miracles as impossible. Yet just a little reflection should suggest that if God can create the universe, the other miracles in the Bible are a piece of cake. To say that the miracles of the Bible did not (or could not) happen is really atheism. If God exists, miracles are very much within the realm of reason.
We encourage the reader to examine ideas and follow them to their logical conclusion. For example, if the Creator God of the Bible really exists, what is the logical conclusion for your life—a concept we will explore further in this study.
There are many, many observations we could make about this section in Genesis. The Bible—some may say Judaism--has given mankind its fundamental understanding of human rights. First we note in Genesis 1:26-27 that mankind (both male and female) is made in God's image. Also, we see the roots of the concepts of adjudication and covenant. These things have meaning only as mankind being a steward of the earth as a subject of God. Such concepts are fundamental as prototypes of western civilization's understanding of human rights.
What makes humans valuable? The answer is here in Genesis. We are valuable because we are created by God in his image. If we are nothing more than the result of a long process of the struggle of the survival of the fittest, then morality becomes simply whover has the most power. But no! We say that even the most defenseless among us deserve respect!
Notice also as we begin our study the focus the Bible places on the concept of sin. Good and evil are very real. Note that God created everything good, indeed very good (Genesis 1:31). There is order to the universe. This order includes the proper relationship of man to God.
God created mankind and gave him a lot—a beautiful earth, indeed a garden. But God also gave man an interesting character trait--free will. Obviously, God could have created us as robots. But God’s desire is that we love and honor him out of our own free will. Our love for him would be bogus if we were wired in such a way that we had to do so. Love is not truly love if it is forced. So while God is perfect in his goodness, he gave mankind the ability to choose evil.
Now God laid out certain rules for his creature man, and then gave us the free will to respond as we might. God said to Adam and Eve that they must not eat from one certain tree in the middle of garden (Genesis 3:3). That didn’t seem like too big of an order, given that God gave them so very much else!
But the devil himself—the great deceiver and tempter—clothed himself as a serpent and talked Adam and Eve into disobedience. Satan lied to Eve (Genesis 3:4-5), and the world’s first human couple bought into the lie. Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation. And the rest, they say, is history.
Genesis sets the stage for the concept of good and evil. It makes it clear that God defines good and evil—not man. God makes the rules. It is noteworthy that God gives reasons for his demands. Here in the text God tells Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit because it would kill them.
A common question about Genesis concerns the extremely old ages of these early humans. Is that believable? The explanation is surprisingly simple. Remembering that God made everything very good, humans initially did not have all the harmful genes and diseases that we have today. So it is really quite reasonable to believe that these early people in fact lived to be hundreds of years old, as the Bible relates.
Is the Bible scientifically plausible? Walter Bradley is the author of a terrific essay entitled “Why I Believe the Bible is Scientifically Reliable.” His essay is one of several in a book entitled Why I Am a Christian; Leading Thinkers Explain Why They Believe, edited by Norman Geisler and Paul Hoffman. This book is a compendium of essays by 16 authors addressing many penetrating questions about the Christian faith. Bradley demonstrates that the events in Genesis are indeed consistent with science.
Still another interesting question arising from Genesis is—who is Satan? Christian understanding is that Satan is a “fallen” angel. Angels are creations of God. And like all his creations, they were created good. But just as mankind “fell away,” Satan fell away. According to the annotations in the Reformation Study Bible (page 693), “Satan is a creature, superhuman but not divine; he has much knowledge and power, but he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent; he is not omnipresent; and he is an already defeated rebel, having no more power than God allows him and being destined for the lake of fire."
When you think about it, you can see that the order of things as laid out in the Bible is within a logically consistent system. It explains how the universe came to be, by the hand of a pre-existent God. It explains how evil could result in a world created by a good God. And it explains why a savior (Jesus Christ) is a necessary complement to a fallen world.