The Heart of God: Genesis (1)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

Read and meditate on Genesis 1 and 2.
Like the first chapter of a great novel, the book of Genesis sets the stage for everything else that happens in Scripture. An understanding of the basic themes and important doctrines of Genesis is, therefore, critical if we are going to able to follow the unfolding story told by the unifying threads of divine revelation.

For reflection
1.  How do the events of Genesis 1 and 2 help us gain some insight to the glory of God? What is suggested about God’s glory by the scope, variety, and complexity of the creation? From what we see here, how would you explain the glory of God?

2.  Genesis 1 and 2 begin weaving two of the major themes of Scripture: the glory of God and the creation of a people for God. How can you see that God’s glory is intimately related to His purpose in creating Adam and Eve? How would they benefit from living for His glory?

3.  Note the repeated use of the word good in Genesis 1. What does this tell us about the creation at this time? What does it tell us about God? How does the idea of goodness feed into the notion of God’s glory and of His purpose in creating Adam and Eve?

4.  How did God make it clear to Adam and Eve that He and they were involved in a special relationship? How were Adam and Eve different from the other creatures? Why are human beings uniquely suited for glorifying God?

5.  Review Genesis 1.26-28 and 2.15-17. How would you describe God’s plan for His people, so that they would glorify Him in the creation?

Summary
God and His glory are front and center as the Bible begins. God’s covenant begins and ends here. Everything that exists is from God, for His purposes and glory, and designed to manifest His goodness. How did God expect Adam and Eve to continue and even enlarge that purpose? Does His mandate to them have any continuing significance for us? Explain.

Closing Prayer
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Psalm 33.6-12

Next steps – Demonstration: What opportunities do you have for bringing the goodness of the Lord to light in your Personal Mission Field (Ps. 27.13; Eph. 2.10)? Talk with a prayer partner about this question.

T. M. Moore

Two books can help you gain a fuller understanding of the terrain we will be covering in this series. Kingdom Documentsprovides a concise overview of the primary teaching of the Old and New Testaments, and shows, through early Church creeds, how our forebears understand the primary teachings of God’s Word. (click here to order). I Will Be Your Goddevelops more fully the idea of God’s covenant and leads us to consider the practical implications of our covenant relationship with God (click here).

Visit The Ailbe Seminary, where our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, offers a parallel study of our theme in this series, using brief video presentations and the workbook God’s Covenant: An Introduction. All courses at The Ailbe Seminary are available without charge.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.