In the Beginning

The Creation of the World

Genesis 1:1-5 (ESV): Day One

Genesis 1:1–5 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

— Genesis 1:1-5 (ESV)

• What raw resources did God use to “make stuff”?
• Describe the difference in the existence of darkness and the creation of light.
• Discuss the idea of God’s creation exhibiting both art and science.
• What color comes to mind as you read this passage?

Genesis 1:6-10 (ESV): Day Two

Genesis 1:6–10 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

— Genesis 1:6-10 (ESV)

• What has God done on day two?
• What color comes to mind as you read this passage?

Genesis 1:11-13 (ESV): Day Three

Genesis 1:11–13 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

— Genesis 1:11-13 (ESV)

• What has God created here on day three?
• What color comes to mind as you read this passage?

Genesis 1:14-19 (ESV): Day Four

Genesis 1:14–19 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

— Genesis 1:14-19 (ESV)

• All created things serve a purpose. What is the purpose of the sun and the moon as described here?
• What color comes to mind as you read this passage?

Genesis 1:20-25 (ESV): Day Five

Genesis 1:20–25 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

— Genesis 1:20-25 (ESV)

• What has God created on day five?
• How has God blessed His creation in this passage?
• Here is not the first time it is mentioned but, from this passage, what can we see about God’s opinion of His creation?

Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV):

Genesis 1:26–27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

— Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)

• Note the subtle change of phrasing here. Before it has been “let there be…” and now He says “let us make…”.
  • Talk about the difference here.
  • To whom is He speaking?
• What does it mean to be created in the image of God?
• What does it mean to have “dominion over” the other created things?
• Why do you think that previously the created things are classified by species but here, talking about mankind, God specifically refers to male and female?
• What color comes to mind as you read this passage?

Genesis 1:28-30 (ESV):

Genesis 1:28–30 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

— Genesis 1:28-30 (ESV)

• Note how God creates and preserves. What has He provided for food for both man and everything that moves on the earth?
  • Does this mean we should be vegetarians?
  • Why are we not eating steaks and BBQ here in this passage?

Genesis 1:31 (ESV): Day Six

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

— Genesis 1:31 (ESV)

• Note that in verse 31, it is the only time that “very” precedes the “good”. What do you make of that?

Wrap it Up

• In light of this description of creation, what is your place in the world?
• Whose are you? To whom do you belong?
• Can others learn something of God and His nature from observing you?