God never changes. (Heb. 13:8, Mal. 3:6)  He made us for Himself, and in His eternal covenant He promises to love and care for His people forever. (Genesis 17:7,  Jeremiah 31:3)

     Clearly there are differences between the "Old" and "New Covenant," but our focus is on that which is essentially the same -- that from the beginning His grace and salvation have been extended on the basis of faith. (Romans 4)  Redemption was and is made available only through Jesus Christ and the cross -- first by promise, later by identification.

     God's most wise and wonderful plan for His people begins to unfold in Genesis and culminates in the Book of Revelation.  Following this thread of continuing revelation, we will come to see and know our Mighty Triune God -- His sovereignty, His wisdom, and His everlasting love and faithfulness toward all His people.

  Lord, "Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things..."  Psalm 119:18

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1.    Read John 1:1-5, 14.  What does this passage tell you about Jesus?

1-5. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being... In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."

 

14. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."

  2.    Read Colossians 1:15-19.

A.   By Whom were all things created?

 

vs.15-17: "He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible or invisible... all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.

   

 

vs.18-19: "He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead: so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.

    "For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself..."

 

 

C.   Describe Jesus Christ as you see Him in this passage.

 

 

D.   Reflect again on the message of v. 17.  What does it tell you about the participation of Jesus in history?

"And He is before all things and in Him all things hold together."

  3.    Read Genesis 1.

A.   Which verses show you that the Triune God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) were at work together in creation?

vs. 26-27: "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over the earth, and over every creeping things....  And God created man in His own image... male and female He created them."

 

B.  (Challenge) What does it mean to you to be created in God's image and according to His likeness?

 

 

C.  God gave man authority and, with it, responsibilities.  List some of both. (Remember to write the verse number.)  

 

vs. 28: "And God blessed them; and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

 

vs. 29-31:"Then God said, " Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seeds... and every tree which has fruit yielding seed, it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every things that moves on the earth which has life... and it was so."

     And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and t there was morning the sixth day."

D.  (Personal) What effect does the above truth have on your life today?

 

E. (Challenge) Underline in different colors* these phrases; "God created" (said, saw, made etc.), “it was good”, and “after their kind." How did this help you to see the total picture?

A. Define the words, "blessed" and "sanctified." (verse 3)

 

B.  (Personal) If you have chosen to respond to His love and are one of His people, you also are sanctified.  What does that mean to you in your relationship with Him?

C.     What were the two special trees found in the garden?

 

 

D.     God gave Adam a work to do in the garden.  What was it?  

 

E.       1. In v. 18 God refers to a basic need of mankind.  What is this need?  

 

2.  How did God meet that need in Adam's life?

 

3. How did Adam respond?  

 

4. Can a spouse fully meet our need "not to be alone?" How can that need be completely met?

 

5. (Personal) How does He meet that need in your life?

 

6. Read I Corinthians 1:9.  What great privilege and promise do you see here?

5.    Read Prov. 8:12-31. (Challenge)

A.  What do you learn about God and His desire and plan for fellowship within the Trinity and between Himself and man in verse 17 and 30-31.  

  

B.  (Personal) What is the response of your heart as you meditate (take time to think and reflect) on the above three verses?

   

  6.    Praise and thank God as you read Psalm 8. What was the state of David's heart as he spoke these words?

Next: Lesson 2 - The Fall of Man - Genesis 3-4   ~   Suggested hymn: This is My Father's World