There is so much in Genesis 1 that it is important to read the whole thing before looking at the details. The chapter does not read like the ancient myths that were generated in the Ancient Near East. The story is not a scientific text. By that I do not mean that it is scientifically inaccurate. Telling us how God did it is not the focus. The focus of Genesis 1 is to tell us why God made the heavens and the earth. We only have essential details and broad strokes. God made the world for his purposes and mankind is the pinnacle of the creative process.
- Who exists before the beginning?
- What does God seperate on day one?
- How does God fill what he has created on day 1 with what he creates on day 4?
- What kind of God preexists Creation and creates in the way described here?
- Do you sometimes think that you live in a chaotic purposeless world? How would this passage give you hope?
Going Deeper
Observation
- Describe the earth before the first day of creation.
- After the creation of what is there evening and morning?
- What are created on days 2 and 5?
- What are created on days 3 and 6?
- Is there an evening to the seventh day?
Interpretation
- Are chaos and darkness sin?
- How was there something before creation?
- How are days 2 and 5 related?
- How are days 3 and 6 related?
- Are we living in the seventh day of creation?
Application
- Look up http://www.reasons.org/ . Do you find these people credible?
- Look up http://www.answersingenesis.org/ . Do you find these people credible?
- Look up http://www.theisticevolution.org/ . What about these?
- How do you respond to naturalist atheists like Richard Dawkins ( http://richarddawkins.net/ )
- How do you react to being told that Genesis does NOT describe how God created the earth but focuses on why?
- What does it mean for you if God preexisted and created everything?
Plymothian 