1. Truth and Grace memory book catechism 1: “Who made you?” Answer: “God made me”; why start there?
2. Calvin: “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But, while joined by many bonds, which one precedes and brings forth the other is not easy to discern.”
3. Knowledge of God and ourselves given in Gen. 1-2
Genesis 1:1-2:3
I. WHO IS GOD?
1. What does this account assume about him (1:1)? He is a se.
2. How does he create? ex nihilo, by speaking; joke about scientists creating man out of dirt.
3. Contrast w/pantheism, panentheism (draw circles on board)
4. His lordship expressed in his creative work:
(1) Command
(2) Separation
(3) Naming
(4) Evaluation
5. Note how God created; 1:2 says “formless and void,” so God formed the earth (Days 1-3) and then filled the earth (Days 4-6)
II. WHO ARE WE?
1. How is the creation of man different from everything else?
2. Genesis 1:26-28: man is the image of God; what does this mean?
(1) Man is king of creation.
(2) Man is a steward of creation.
(3) Man is the son of God (cf. Gen. 5:1-3).
3. We are the highest of God’s creatures, but we are creatures dependent on God, accountable to him.
III. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF CREATION?
1. Gen. 2:1-3; why did God rest? Rest of satisfaction in work completed
2. Why isn’t the “evening and morning” formula repeated here? Seventh day is continuous.
3. Hebrews 4:9-11: rest that we must strive to enter.
Genesis 2:4-25
Two deficiencies:
No man to work the ground (v. 5)
No suitable helper for the man (v. 18)
I. CREATION AND PLACEMENT OF THE MAN, 4-17
1. Creation by God’s direct action, not lengthy process of evolution
2. Placement in the garden:
(1) To work it and guard it (part of creation mandate) (v. 15)
(2) To bless the man (v. 16)
3. One prohibition, the penalty of which is death (2:17)
II. CREATION OF THE WOMAN, 18-25
1. Adam gave names to all of the animals; what does this imply?
2. Creation of the woman from the man, also a direct act of God (1 Cor. 11:7-9).
3. The name named his wife “Woman”; what does this imply?
4. Institution of marriage as the beginning of a new family, a one-flesh union of a man and a woman (note the “separation” of Genesis 1:27 that shows order in creation).
1. What do you need for a kingdom?
King
Subjects
Realm
Is there a kingdom in Genesis 1-2? Yes!
King: humanity
Subjects: all living things
Realm: whole creation
2. God’s people (man and woman) live in God’s place (Eden) under his rule (spoken word) and blessing (Eden, perfect relationships in three directions: above, beside, below).
3. “Who made you?” “God made me.” Establishes that God is Lord, and we are accountable to him for the responsibility he has given us.
4. Whatever space is your dominion (a family, a home, a classroom, a business, your bedroom), rule over it as a faithful steward who is God’s image.