Study 1: Genesis 1:1-31

This first study on Genesis 1:1-31 emphasizes the foundational aspects of the creation narrative, focusing on God's power and sovereignty in creating the world out of nothing. It explores the significance of understanding God as Elohim, highlighting the plural nature of the Godhead, and the presence of the Holy Spirit from the beginning. The sermon encourages believers to see the continuity of God's character and His plans from the Old Testament to the New Testament, illustrating that God's creative power and authority are timeless. It underscores the importance of recognizing God's ability to create and sustain life and emphasizes that everything God created was inherently good. This understanding is intended to build faith in God's power to provide and fulfill His promises, even in seemingly impossible situations, reassuring believers of His continuous and unwavering presence and purpose in their lives.

Sermon Outline

Sermon Study Outline: Genesis 1:1-31

Chapter 1: Introduction and Context

• Timestamp: 00:00 - 03:25

• Introduction to the study of Genesis

• Welcome and opening remarks

• Mention of the Honduras outreach effort

Chapter 2: Importance of Scripture Study Methods

• Timestamp: 05:22 - 06:45

• Introduction to exegesis and hermeneutics

• Importance of understanding the original meaning and application

Chapter 3: The Author and Audience of Genesis

• Timestamp: 06:45 - 08:16

• Identification of Moses as the writer and God as the author

• Explanation of the Pentateuch (Torah)

Chapter 4: Genesis 1:1-5 – Creation of Light

• Timestamp: 09:04 - 10:06

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:1-5

• God’s creation of light and the separation of light from darkness

• The significance of God’s power in creation

Chapter 5: Genesis 1:6-13 – Formation of the Sky and Land

• Timestamp: 10:06 - 11:49

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:6-13

• Creation of the sky and separation of waters

• Gathering of waters and appearance of dry ground

• Vegetation and seed-bearing plants

Chapter 6: Genesis 1:14-19 – Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

• Timestamp: 11:49 - 13:20

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:14-19

• Creation of celestial bodies to govern day and night

• Discussion on the significance of these creations

Chapter 7: Genesis 1:20-23 – Creation of Sea Creatures and Birds

• Timestamp: 13:20 - 14:17

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:20-23

• Creation of sea creatures and birds

• God's blessing to be fruitful and multiply

Chapter 8: Genesis 1:24-25 – Creation of Land Animals

• Timestamp: 14:17 - 15:05

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:24-25

• Creation of livestock, wild animals, and creeping things

Chapter 9: Genesis 1:26-30 – Creation of Humanity

• Timestamp: 15:05 - 15:50

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:26-30

• Creation of mankind in God’s image

• Dominion over all other creatures

• God's provision for mankind

Chapter 10: Genesis 1:31 – God’s Declaration of Creation’s Goodness

• Timestamp: 15:50 - 16:45

• Reading and analysis of Genesis 1:31

• God's observation that everything He made was very good

• Reflection on the abundant goodness of God's creation

Scripture References

Colossians 1:15-16

• Timestamp: 35:56 - 36:58

• Context: Used to connect the creation narrative to Jesus, identifying Him as the image of the invisible God and the agent through whom all things were created.

Philippians 4:19

• Timestamp: 38:55 - 39:50

• Context: Illustrates God's provision and faithfulness, reassuring believers that God will meet all their needs according to His riches in glory.

Mark 4:35-41

• Timestamp: 44:58 - 45:58

• Context: Demonstrates Jesus' authority over nature, paralleling the creation narrative and showing that the same power that created the world can calm the storms in our lives.

Exodus 17:14

• Timestamp: 22:11 - 23:11

• Context: Highlights God's command to Moses to document significant events, showing the importance of recording God's works and instructions.

Exodus 34:27

• Timestamp: 20:31 - 21:15

• Context: Reinforces the idea of Moses writing down the commandments and other instructions from God, illustrating the transmission of God's word.

Reflection Questions

Understanding God's Creative Power

1. Question: How does recognizing God as the creator of everything (Genesis 1:1) influence your perspective on His power and authority in your life?

2. Additional Scripture for Meditation: Colossians 1:16-17 - "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
   

God's Order and Provision

1. Question: Reflect on how God established order and provision in the creation narrative (Genesis 1:3-13). In what ways do you see God's order and provision in your daily life?

2. Additional Scripture for Meditation: Matthew 6:31-33 - "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Humanity's Unique Role

1. Question: Considering that humans were created in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27), how does this shape your understanding of your identity and purpose?

2. Additional Scripture for Meditation: Psalm 8:3-6 - "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet."

God's Declaration of Goodness

1. Question: Reflect on God's declaration that His creation was very good (Genesis 1:31). How does acknowledging the inherent goodness in God's creation impact your view of the world and your role within it?

2. Additional Scripture for Meditation: James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

God's Continual Presence and Power

1. Question: How does the consistent theme of God's presence and power throughout the creation narrative (Genesis 1:1-31) encourage you in your current circumstances?

2. Additional Scripture for Meditation: Hebrews 1:3 - "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."

Word Study

Elohim (אֱלֹהִים)

• Definition: The Hebrew word for God, often used to denote the plurality of majesty and the complexity of the Godhead.

• Context in Genesis:

• Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth."

• Significance:

• Elohim is a plural noun used with singular verbs, reflecting the concept of the Trinity and the multifaceted nature of God's character and power. It underscores God's supreme authority and sovereignty in the act of creation.

• Additional Scripture for Meditation:

• Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."

• Psalm 19:1: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

Bara (בָּרָא)

• Definition: A Hebrew verb meaning "to create" or "to bring into existence," often implying creation out of nothing.

• Context in Genesis:

• Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created (bara) the heavens and the earth."

• Genesis 1:27: "So God created (bara) mankind in his own image..."

• Significance:

• The use of bara highlights God's unique power to create ex nihilo (out of nothing), setting His creative acts apart from human creativity which relies on pre-existing materials. It emphasizes God's omnipotence and the miraculous nature of creation.

• Additional Scripture for Meditation:

• Isaiah 45:18: "For this is what the Lord says—he who created (bara) the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it..."

• Psalm 51:10: "Create (bara) in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
  

Tov (טוֹב)

• Definition: A Hebrew adjective meaning "good," "pleasant," or "beneficial."

• Context in Genesis:

• Genesis 1:4: "God saw that the light was good (tov), and he separated the light from the darkness."

• Genesis 1:31: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (tov)."

• Significance:

• Tov reflects the inherent goodness and perfection of God's creation. When God declares His creation "very good," it signifies not only the absence of flaw but also the completeness and harmony of His creative work.

• Additional Scripture for Meditation:

• Psalm 34:8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good (tov); blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."

• Nahum 1:7: "The Lord is good (tov), a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him."

Exegetical Study

Text: Joshua 8:30-31

• Prompt: Conduct an exegetical study on Joshua 8:30-31, focusing on the construction of the altar on Mount Ebal. Examine the historical and cultural context of building altars in ancient Israel. How does the command to use uncut stones (as prescribed by the Law of Moses) influence the understanding of the altar's significance? Compare this event to other altar-building instances in the Old Testament, such as those by Noah (Genesis 8:20) and Abraham (Genesis 12:7). How does this passage highlight the themes of obedience and worship in the context of Israel’s covenant relationship with God?

Questions:

• What was the purpose of using uncut stones for the altar, and what does this signify about the nature of worship and obedience in ancient Israel?

• How does the construction of the altar on Mount Ebal reaffirm Israel’s covenant with God following their victory over Ai?

• What similarities and differences can you identify between Joshua’s altar and other altars mentioned in the Old Testament?

Text: Deuteronomy 27:12-13; Deuteronomy 30:19-20

• Prompt: Investigate the theological and literary significance of the blessings and curses pronounced on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Analyze Deuteronomy 27:12-13 and Deuteronomy 30:19-20 in their broader context within the book of Deuteronomy. What was the purpose of dividing the tribes between these two mountains, and how did this act serve as a public reaffirmation of the covenant? Explore the implications of these blessings and curses for the Israelites' understanding of their relationship with God. How does the juxtaposition of blessings and curses enhance the gravity of covenant obedience?

Questions:

• What is the significance of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim in the context of Israel’s covenant renewal, and why were the tribes divided between these two locations?

• How do the blessings and curses serve as a reminder of the covenant terms, and what impact do they have on the Israelites' communal identity and behavior?

• What theological insights can be drawn from the choice set before the Israelites to choose life and blessings or death and curses?

Grace and Forgiveness on the Mountain of Curses

Text: Galatians 3:13; Romans 5:20

• Prompt: Explore the concept of grace and forgiveness as it relates to the idea of the altar being built on Mount Ebal, the mountain associated with curses. Analyze the theological connection between the curses pronounced on Mount Ebal and the establishment of an altar for forgiveness and fellowship offerings. How does this event foreshadow the New Testament understanding of Christ’s redemptive work as described in Galatians 3:13 and Romans 5:20? Examine the continuity of God’s grace and mercy from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Questions:

• What is the significance of establishing an altar for sacrifices and forgiveness on Mount Ebal, the mountain associated with curses?

• How does the concept of grace and forgiveness on Mount Ebal relate to the redemptive work of Christ in the New Testament?

• In what ways do the themes of grace, forgiveness, and mercy underscore the continuity of God’s covenantal relationship with His people from the Old Testament to the New Testament?