Lesson. 1
Back to A Self Study Course for your Bible
AS WE TURN to the first chapter of the Bible, let us ask God to prepare our hearts and minds for receiving the message which He has caused to be written therein. We cannot stress too strongly the need of genuine prayer for understanding the Bible. The Bible is God's Word: He is its Author, and He is the final Interpreter, Let the student, then, make it a habit to begin his study of the Bible with prayer.
Read the first chapter of Genesis. Our purpose in this first lesson is not to study the chapter in detail, but rather, to obtain a panoramic view of its teachings. The great, primary emphasis here is upon the fact that God is the Creator of all things. How could Moses, who wrote these words, know that God was the Creator of all? He could know it, only because God had revealed the fact to him. Have you ever stopped to think that Christianity is the only religion which consistently teaches that God is Almighty and that He is the Creator of all? Other religions sometimes call their god a creator, but they also say that their god was created or that he was dependent upon some other god or force.
It is precisely at this first verse that Christianity parts company from all other religions and philosophies. Note how Moses stresses the fact that God is the Creator! He uses the word "God" thirty-two times in this chapter, and there are only five verses in which the word does not occur. Note, too, how the creative activity of God is stressed; it is said that God created, said, saw, divided, called, made, set, and blessed. Finally, we are told that God made everything good. The Divine approval rested upon the finished work of creation.
As you read this chapter, you will discover that we are not told how God created. The stress, rather, lies upon the fact that it is God Who created. There are, however, some things which we shall do well to note. The creating activity of God is divided into six periods of time, called days. In each one of these days, God speaks or commands, and by reason of this command, something is produced. Thus, in the first day, God gives the command, "Let there be light," and this command is fulfilled, "And there was light." These commands of God are called "fiats." The creation story is told in terms of a fiat and its fulfillment. The inspired commentary upon the method of creation is Psalm 33:9 which says, "He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast."
It would be well to keep in mind the fact that this chapter is in harmony with true science. There NEVER has been discovered anything which has disproved the statements of the first chapter of Genesis, We may well ask how Moses could have written with such perfect accuracy if he had not been inspired of God.
There are Babylonian creation stories which were once believed to be the source from which this chapter was derived. But very few hold to such a view today. The Babylonian myths are grotesquely polytheistic, and present a striking contrast to the supreme and stately simplicity of the Divine account of creation in Genesis one. This simplicity is not marred by the introduction of any myths, nor is there the faintest trace of the deification of the sun, moon, or stars. One is tempted to ask, "How could Moses, who lived in the midst of superstitious and idolatrous people, have kept this chapter so completely free from any taint of polytheism?" There can be but one answer, Moses was inspired of God.
EXERCISES
Upon what fact does this chapter place its primary emphasis?
How many times is the word "God" used in the chapter?
What are some of the activities which are ascribed to God in this chapter?
Does this chapter tell in great detail HOW God created?
Into how many periods of time is the creating activity of God divided, and what are these periods called? What it meant by "fiat"?
How many fiats appear in Genesis one?
Is the fulfillment of each of these fiats related?
Is there any phrase in this chapter which would suggest that God was satisfied with what He had created?
Divide a sheet of paper into six sections, each of which is to represent one of the "days" mentioned in Genesis one. Label these sections, 1st day, 2nd day, etc. In the first day write those things which the Bible says occurred in the first day. Do the same with each of the remaining five days.
Using the chart which you have just made, do you notice any resemblance or similarity between day one and day four? Between day two and day five? Between day three and day six?
OPTIONAL EXERCISES
Memorize Psalm 33:9.
Memorize Genesis 1:1-5.
Memorize Psalm 90.
Study carefully (and, if possible,) commit to memory question (and answer) number four of the Shorter Catechism, or question (and answer) number twenty-six of the Heidelberg Catechism. If the student will purchase both of these Catechisms, each of which may be obtained for a very small sum, he will find in them and excellent help to studying the Bible. They will also prove to be excellent devotional works.
The student will find that one of the best means of growing in grace is a study of the great hymns of the Christian Church. At the end of each lesson, therefore, we shall list two hymns with which he will do well to become acquainted. Study carefully the words of these hymns, read them aloud and learn to sing them. Have the family gather about the piano and let all sing these hymns together. The Church today is being cursed with a deluge of jazz which offends the sensibilities of any cultured person. Aside from being extremely poor in quality of music, this cheap type of thing is very often not even Scriptural. The best antidote to this modern onslaught of jazz in the Church is a return to the great heritage of hymns which we possess. The student is earnestly requested to study the hymns which are given after each lesson. In time of doubt, worry, and tribulation they will be a comfort to his soul; in time of joy they will be fitting instruments for giving thanks and rendering praise to Him concerning Whom they speak.
Although these hymns may be found in most of the standard Church Hymnals, yet we would call the student's attention to a popular book which contains every one of these hymns, The New Christian Hymnal, The numbers of the hymns here given refer to this book. The editors of this book have sought first of all to keep the book true to the Bible. They have made a "special effort to provide hymns which glorify God's grace in Jesus Christ as the sole cause of man's salvation, and to exclude those which ascribe some power or virtue to man and so fail to do justice to the sovereign character of that grace." The book is also a practical one, in that it provides a wide variety of various typos of hymns. If the student has no Hymnal before him, he cannot do better than to buy this book.
HYMNS FOR STUDY
No. 412: "Our God, Our Help In Ages Past."
No. 27: "Holy, Holy, Holy."
1 cf. Lesson 28.
2 Polytheism is the belief in many Gods.
3 By the word "myth" we mean a legend or traditional story which has no foundation in fact.