Overview Of Genesis 1-9

No matter which version of the Bible you open, you will see very similar wording, in GENESIS 1:1. ‘In the beginning, God created ....’

If you believe these first five words, you have the basics of a belief that will enable you to believe in the entire Bible as the true Word of God.

Let’s start this teaching by finding out why God created us in the first place. What is our purpose? Your purpose to living is to do the will of God. That includes many things, such as telling others about Jesus so they can come to know Him, but chief among the reasons we are here is to believe and have faith in Jesus so that we can be reconciled back to God.

As we begin our mid-week services, I thought it would be appropriate to use them primarily as a teaching tool. I will go through the Bible, taking books and giving you overviews of the book and specifics about some of the more exciting things within each book.

And I will begin tonight by doing that through the Book of Beginnings; the book of GENESIS. Now keep in mind that this will not be a verse-by-verse study of the entire Bible. It is a casual walk-through to get you familiar with God’s word, including the history of civilization.

Most people have never read the Bible at all, and those that have read it have not read much of it. And there are very few who have ever studied it.

By the time we are done, you will soon be able to tell the difference between a Hittite and a parasite, and you will be able to recognize the characters and events that took place, including the establishing of the Israelite nation.

You might want to take notes as we go along, so you can refer back to them later. I think we’re ready now, so turn with me to GENESIS 1.1.

In GENESIS 1:1 we find; The Creation

These are the five most-important words known to man: “In the beginning, God created …”

This first sentence is important for several reasons. First of all, it is a definitive statement that God exists. It does not try to debate the fact or argue the point. It flatly states that God does exist, even though many people have tried their best to deny it.

’In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.’

I do not have time tonight to read every Scripture or passage I refer to, so I would suggest that you write down the reference numbers, along with any specific questions you might have, and then study them when you get home.

GENESIS 1:3, through 1:25, tells how God separated the light from the dark, and made everything from the seas to the plants and animals.

What else do these verses tell us? They tell us that God created these things by His spoken word. He didn’t send a team of builders down here to get things ready. He called everything into existence with His spoken word. Throughout the Bible, we will see just how powerful God’s Word is.

In verse 26, we start reading about the creation of man. In verse 27, it says God created them both male and female. The first thing He said to them was to multiply. Then, God rested and called that seventh day holy.

JOHN 1:3, it tells us,

‘Through Him all things were made; without Him – nothing was made .’

So, God does exist and He is the Creator of all. To deny that would make as much sense as to deny that one plus one equals two. We could do it, but it would make no sense.

Now, let’s see what else GENESIS tells us.

CHAPTER 2 - The Creation of Man in Detail

In Chapter 1, we read where God spoke things into existence. That is the power of His mighty word. He spoke and it happened. He did this with everything except for man.

In verse 7, it tells how God formed man from the dust of the ground and then, instead of speaking life into us; he gently breathed life into us.

I heard a preacher once say that God thought so much of man, that He got down in the mud Himself and fashioned us by getting his hands dirty, and then He breathed life into us by kissing His loved creation.

God then planted a beautiful garden, called Eden, and He put Adam into this garden. He then saw that Adam needed a companion so God created Eve to be Adam’s mate in all that he did.

CHAPTER 3 - The Sin and The Fall of Man

Satan eventually appeared to Eve and deceived her into taking the forbidden fruit. When she had done so, she handed it to Adam, and like all normal husbands, Adam did what his wife told him to do, right? But Adam didn’t just blindly follow an innocent Eve into sin. Both knew full well that they should not be eating from that tree, but they did anyway. Why? Because Satan appealed to their vanity. He told them that if they ate from that tree, they would become as great as God. And we still carry that sinful pride and vanity today.