Genesis Chapter One: A Family Bible Study Guide

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth: and it was so.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth: and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps on the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

26 And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creeps on the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

It is a wonderful privilege to lead your family in exploring the foundations of our faith through the opening chapter of the Bible. 📖 Genesis 1 is a magnificent record of how our loving Creator brought the heavens and the earth into existence by His powerful word, establishing the week and preparing a perfect home for humanity.

Here is a Christ-centered study of Genesis 1 to share with your family:

🌟 The Source of All Creation: Christ the Word

To understand Genesis 1 we must look to Jesus. While the Father and the Holy Spirit were active in creation, the Bible reveals that God the Father created all things through His Son.

• The Eternal Word: Jesus is the "Word" who was with God in the beginning and is Himself God. John 1:1.

• The Active Creator: Nothing exists that was not made by Him. John 1:3.

• The Upholder of All Things: All things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, were created by Christ and are held together by Him. Colossians 1:16-17+1.

🌑 Before the First Day: Chaos and Darkness

In the very beginning, before the first day of time commenced, the earth existed in a dark, empty state called the "deep" or the "abyss." Genesis 1:2.

• The Spirit’s Presence: Even in this chaotic state, the Spirit of God "moved" or hovered over the waters, like a bird fluttering over its nest to bring forth life. Genesis 1:2.

• God’s Existence: Before the mountains were formed or the earth was brought forth, God existed from everlasting to everlasting. Psalm 90:2.

⏳ The Six Days of Literal Creation

God chose to work through six literal days, each consisting of an "evening and a morning" Genesis 1:5, 31. He did this to provide a pattern for our own lives and the weekly cycle. Exodus 20:11.

• Day 1: Light: God commanded light to appear, dividing it from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-5.

• Day 2: The Firmament: He created the atmosphere (Heaven) to divide the waters above from the waters below. Genesis 1:6-8.

• Day 3: Dry Land and Vegetation: God gathered the waters into "Seas" so dry land could appear, then commanded the earth to bring forth grass, herbs, and fruit trees. Genesis 1:9-13.

• Day 4: Sun, Moon, and Stars: God appointed the sun and moon to rule the day and night and to be for signs, seasons, days, and years. Genesis 1:14-19.

• Day 5: Sea Creatures and Birds: The waters were filled with fish and sea life, and the air was filled with every winged fowl. Genesis 1:20-23.

• Day 6: Land Animals and Humanity: After creating land animals, God performed His crowning act: creating man and woman in His own image. Genesis 1:24-27.

👤 The Image of God

The creation of humanity was a personal act of the Godhead. God said, "Let us make man in our image." Genesis 1:26.

• Perfect Beginnings: At the end of the sixth day, God saw everything He had made, and it was "very good." Genesis 1:31.

• Divine Relationship: Man was created to reflect God's character and to have dominion over the earth and all its creatures. Genesis 1:28.

🕊️ The Purpose of Creation Study

Studying Genesis 1 is not just about learning history; it is about knowing our Savior.

• The Power of the Word: "He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:9.

• A Sign of Knowledge: Hallowing the Sabbath, which commemorates this creation, is a sign that we may know the Lord is our God. Ezekiel 20:20.

• New Creation: The same power that created the world in Genesis 1 is the power that makes us "new creatures" in Christ today. 2 Corinthians 5:17+1.

I hope this helps your family see the beauty and power of our Creator-King! May your study of the Word be a "wellspring of life" for your home. Proverbs 15:4. ✨

The truth that God the Father created all things through His Son is a foundational principle of the universe, revealing a beautiful "circuit of beneficence" where the Father's life and power flow out through the Son to all created beingsDA 21.2. This relationship demonstrates that while the Father is the ultimate Source of all, the Son is the active Agent and Representative through whom that creative power is manifested6BC 1068.5+1.

🏛️ The Divine Order of the Godhead in Creation

The work of creation is a unified action of the heavenly trio, yet it follows a specific divine orderEv 616.4+1.

• The Source and the Agent: The work of calling all things into being is attributed to the entire Godhead, yet Scripture specifies that there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things 1 Corinthians 8:6ETI Creation.2.

• The Eternal Son: Christ is of the same substance and nature as the Father, possessing all the fullness of the Godhead bodily Colossians 2:9PTUK December 18, 1890, page 409.6+1. Because He is Divine by nature, He possesses the creative power necessary to bring life into existenceATO 127.1+1.

• The Word of Power: God upholds the entire universe by the "word of his power," a power that resides perfectly in His Son Hebrews 1:3AMS August 25, 1898, page 518.2.

🎨 Christ as the Active Creator

Every element of the universe was brought into existence specifically through the person of the SonETI Creation.2.

• Comprehensive Creation: By Him were all things created, whether they are in heaven or on earth, visible or invisible Colossians 1:16ETI Creation.2.

• The Origin of Life: All things were made by Him, and without Him, not a single thing was made that exists John 1:3.

• Pre-existence and Authority: Christ was before all things, and it is by His power that all things "consist" or are held together Colossians 1:17PTUK July 18, 1895, page 452.8.

🤝 The Oneness of the Father and Son

The phrase "through His Son" signifies a perfect unity of purpose and nature between the Father and the SonSITI April 1, 1889, page 186.74+1.

• A Personal Representative: Christ came to the world as a personal Savior to represent the personal God, being the "express image of his person" Hebrews 1:36BC 1068.5+1.

• Reflecting the Father's Will: Jesus testified that He did nothing of Himself but only what He saw the Father do, showing that His creative and redemptive works are the Father’s works being performed through Him John 5:19+1HOMI November 1891, page 9.2.

• The Shared Spirit: The Father and Son are united in this work because they share the same Holy Spirit, which is both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ Romans 8:9PTUK January 9, 1896, page 19.1.

✨ The Purpose of Creating Through Christ

This divine arrangement was designed to reveal God's character to all created intelligencesDA 21.2.

• The Law of Life: The principle that Christ receives from the Father to give to others is the great law of life for the universeDA 21.2.

• A Perfect Manifestation: Because in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, He was fully able to disclose the perfection of Jehovah and reveal His character of infinite love to humanity6LtMs, Ms 40a, 1890, par. 10+1.

• The Center of Attraction: By being the One through whom we were created, Christ becomes the natural center of attraction to draw us back to the Father after we were separated by sin6LtMs, Ms 40a, 1890, par. 10+1.

It is a glorious thought to realize that the same Savior who died for us is the very One through whom the Father spoke the world into existenceAERS 167.5+1. 🌟