Bible Knowledge Project: Genesis 1

Read: Genesis 1
The opening chapter of the Bible starts with a grand declaration, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” There is no defense of God’s existence. There is only a statement that God created all things, visible and invisible.

God determined to create all things in the space of six days, and the account of it is given to us in 1:3-31. The following is a summary of the days of creation:

Day One: Light; Night and Day (1:3-5)
Day Two: Sky and water (1:6-8)
Day Three: Land and vegetation (1:9-13)
Day Four: Luminaries (1:14-19)
Day Five: Fish and fowl (1:20-23)
Day Six: Animals and humans (1:24-31)

In each of these acts of God, take note of the phrase, “And God said.” It is God who created by the word of his power and without means of any kind. He called all things from nothing in the space of six days, and all very good (Heb. 11:3; WSC Q9).

Of particular interest is the creation of man (1:27, Cp. 2:5-7). Humanity is the crown jewel of God’s creation, and they are distinct from all the other things that God determined to create. In the creation of man, he formed him from the dust of the earth, breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Man was made in the image of God and created in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. He was given commands by God (1:28-31): Be fruitful and multiply, and take dominion over the other aspects of God’s creation.

Assignment: Memorize those things created by God in the order they were made.