Features Sampler: Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition - Flipbook - Page 7
page 5
1:3
Pss 33:9; 104:2
2 Cor 4:6
1:6
Job 26:10
Ps 136:5-6
Isa 40:22
1:7
Job 38:8-11
Ps 148:4
1:9
Job 26:7
Ps 95:5
Jer 5:22
2 Pet 3:5
1:10
Pss 33:7; 95:5
1:11
Gen 2:9
Ps 104:14
Matt 6:30
BEGINNINGS
•
GENESIS 1
3Then
God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light
was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light
“day” and the darkness “night.”
And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.
6Then
God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of
the heavens from the waters of the earth.” 7And that is what happened. God made
this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. 8God
called the space “sky.”
And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.
9Then
God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry
ground may appear.” And that is what happened. 10God called the dry ground
“land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let
the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that
grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and
THE BIBLE does not discuss the subject of evolution. Rather, its worldview assumes God cre-
ated the world. The biblical view of creation is not in conflict with science; rather, it is in conflict
with any worldview that starts without a creator.
Equally committed and sincere Christians have struggled with the subject of beginnings and
come to differing conclusions. This, of course, is to be expected because the evidence is very old
and, due to the ravages of the ages, quite fragmented. Regardless of what position we take, we
should avoid polarizations and black-and-white thinking. We must also be careful not to make
either the Bible or science say what it doesn’t say.
The most important aspect of the continuing discussion is not the process of creation but the
origin of creation. The world is not a product of blind chance and probability; God created it.
The Bible not only tells us that the world was created by God; more importantly, it tells us who
this God is. It reveals God’s personality, his character, and his plan for his creation. It also reveals
God’s deepest desire: to relate to and fellowship with the people he created. God took the ultimate
step toward fellowship with us through his historic visit to this planet in the person of his Son, Jesus
CHARTS & DIAGRAMS —
Christ. We can know in a very personal way this God who created the universe. As we open his
Hundreds
of features
help
Word and start getting to know him, we begin the most exciting and fulfilling
journey
imaginable.
the reader better visualize
difficult concepts or
needs over 200 million years to make one rotation. And there are at least another creator before God, and who
would have created
that being?
relationships
and also
show
Eventually we are forced to stop asking that question and realize that there
one trillion other galaxies in the universe.
their significance.
It has been said that the number of stars in the universe is more than has to be something that has always existed. God is the infinite Being
all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the world. Yet this complex who has always been and who was created by no one. This is difficult to
sea of spinning stars functions with remarkable order and efficiency. To understand because finite minds cannot comprehend the infinite. (For
say that the universe “just happened” or “evolved” requires more faith example, we can try to think of the highest number, but we can’t do it.)
than to believe that God is behind these amazing statistics. God truly did We must not limit the infinite God by our finite understanding.
create a wonderful universe, and he is worthy of our praise.
1:2 The statement “the earth was formless and empty” provides the setGod did not need to create the universe; he chose to create it. Why? ting for the Creation narrative that follows. During the second and third
God is love, and love is best expressed toward something or someone days of Creation, God gave form to the universe; during the next three
else—so God created the world and people as an expression of his love. days, God filled the earth with living things. The darkness was dispelled
We should avoid reducing God’s creation to merely scientific terms. on the first day, when God created light.
Remember that God created the universe because he loves us.
1:2 The image of the Spirit of God hovering over the surface of the waters
1:1-31 The Creation story teaches us much about God and ourselves. brings to mind a mother bird caring for and protecting her young (see
First, we learn about God: (1) He is creative; (2) as the Creator, he is distinct Deuteronomy 32:11-12; Isaiah 31:5). God’s Spirit was actively involved
from his creation; (3) he is eternal and in control of the world. We also in the creation of the world. God’s care for and protection of us are still
learn about ourselves: (1) Since God chose to create us, we are valuable in active through the Holy Spirit today.
his eyes; (2) we have an important role in the created order that includes 1:3–2:7 How long did it take God to create the world? There are two
ruling over other living things.
basic views about the days of Creation: (1) Each day was a literal 24-hour
1:1-31 Just how did God create the earth? Even among believers, period; (2) each day represents an indefinite period of time (even milthis is an ongoing subject of debate. Some believe God created it lions of years).
& does not say how long these days were. The real question,
in seven, 24-hour days. Others believe it happened over APPLICATION
millions of
The Bible
EXPLANATORY
NOTES
—how long God took, but how he did it. God created the
years under God’s direction. Almost every ancient religion
has its own however,
is not
story to explain how the earth came to be. And some Begin
scientistswith
try tounderstanding
earth in an orderly fashion (for example, he did not make plants before
attribute our origins to natural causes alone. The Bible doesn’t tell us light), and he created men and women as unique beings capable of
God’s Word, then show the
how it all happened, but it does show us one supreme God creating communication with him. No other part of our created order can claim
whatprivilege. The important thing is not how long it took
the earth out of his great love and giving all people reader
a special what
place into do
thatabout
remarkable
is being
read and
it. We may never know all the answers to how God created
the earth,
Godmotivate
to create the world, whether a few days or a few billion years, but
but we know from Scripture that God did create it. That fact
alone
givesto respond
that he created
the
reader
to it just the way he wanted it.
worth and dignity to each of us.
The “space between the waters” was a separation between the sea
what God is 1:6
teaching.
1:2 Who created God? To ask that question is to assume there was and the mists of the skies.