GENESIS 1:1-10
Apollo 8 entered orbit around the earth on December 24, 1968. During that "evening", three astronauts spoke to Americans on live television. During their broadcast, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders showed viewers images of the earth and the moon from their position in outer space. At that moment, it was the largest audience for a television program in history.
They knew it would be. When Frank Borman received a call from a NASA official, he was informed that "...[M]ore people will be listening to your voice than that of any man in history, so we want you to say something appropriate.”
Important? What would be an appropriate message for that very specific occasion? While looking out the windows of the vessel, the three astronauts took turns reading from Genesis.
William Anders:
We are now approaching lunar sunrise and, for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you. ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.’
’And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 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. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.’
’And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.’ And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas – and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.
We understand the importance of water to survival, but we may not think much of its importance in the process of creation. This is true in ancient literature from the Near East, as well. The Egyptian god, Ptah was said to have played a role in creation, supposedly using water that already existed to create the universe. A consideration of the Mesopotamian point of view that the gods Apsu, Tiamat, and Mummu were responsible for stirring watery chaos in the process of creation. But water is not god, and in there are not multiple gods who fought. Instead, a single God (capital G) created everything with calculated purpose.
In verse eight, a translation may use the word sky for heaven. The Hebrew term is shamayim, referring to heaven or heavens. It may be difficult to find an English word to portray the exact meaning of this term, but in context, it refers to what we see above us. It is the region of our visible creation that includes the sun and moon, as well as birds and clouds.
GENESIS 1:11-24
God is sovereign and does not need to battle anyone to create the universe. In Genesis 1:21, He creates "sea creatures", but they are never in rebellion with God. They are not, for example, the dragon portrayed in Canaanite literature (known as Baal).
GENESIS 1:25-31
What does it mean to be created in God’s image (1:26)?
GENESIS 2:1-3
Where was Garden of Eden? (around modern Bagdad)
Says the Iraq Museum International:
Though we may not at first perceive it, the past and the present do not exist in sealed compartments, separated from each other by some artificial and impermeable barrier. Instead, time is fluid: the past can spill into the present in the form of memory, and the present can pour back into the past seeking guidance. But, as it washes over that past, the present can also erase its outlines or even willfully destroy its foundations. The stunning looting of the Baghdad Museum and the repeated rape of archaeological sites throughout Iraq offer ample proof of the latter, for what is stolen is not just so much merchandise for sale, but an entire people’s collective memory, a priceless substance they desperately need to protect them, for a civilized people’s heritage is its best armor against the assaults of barbarism.
What does it mean to say God rested (2:2)? (See Exodus 20:8-11)
GENESIS 2:4-17
What is significance of the fact that a mist went up from earth and watered whole face of ground (2:6)?
What are 2 trees of special significance mentioned in Genesis 2:9? Explain purpose of trees.
We could sing Before Jehovah's Awful Throne at this point.
In Genesis 2:15, there is a command to cultivate and tend. We make note of this, especially since Adam and Eve have not yet sinned at this point. Work was not something to be avoided even in the beginning. In fact, a note in the English Standard Version Study Bible states, "Productive work is part of God’s purpose for man in creation. Man’s role is to be not only gardener but also guardian."
What does die mean in Genesis 2:17?
GENESIS 2:18-20
Genesis 2:18 presents a blunt Genesis 1:31. God brings animals to Adam, but none of these is fit for man. What is God looking for? A Hebrew word helps here: 'ezer. We sing a song that highlights that word within the word Ebenezer, which means "stone of help". The word means helper, the one who supplies strength an area that is lacking.
Never does the term imply that the helper is either stronger or weaker than the one helped (in this case, Adam). “Fit for him” or “matching him” is also not the same as “like him”. The connection of note is that the wife is not her husband’s clone but complements him (That's complements, not compliments, though compliments are nice, too).
GENESIS 2:21-25
Adam speaks his first recorded words (NASB):
“At last this is bone of my bones, Can you think of any human relationship that is closer (or should be closer) than that of a man and a woman in marriage? All kinds of points can be made from these verses in regards to current cultural trends. What are some of those points? |
Concluding Questions
How aware are you of the created world in your everyday life?
What is your first impression of God?
What should your response be to Creator (See Romans 1:20-25; Hebrews 11:1-3)?