Lesson 13 A Review of Biblical Creation with Respect to Other Bible Books
A. Overall Lesson Objective
•To review the impact of Genesis events as reflected in other parts of God’s Record.
B. Learning Competencies
•The biblical world view begins with the record of creation in Genesis, but God’s “very good” creation was poisoned by sin through the actions of man.
•God’s verdict about man since that time has not changed; we are in dire need of a Savior, whom He has provided if we call on Him.
•Thus, the cradle and context of the Gospel is what happened at the beginning, and it was God’s choice to make it plain in the Record.
•The Bible cites what happened at the beginning and shows the results over and over again, so we know our condition and His solution to it.
•Jesus makes mention of the effects and authenticity of Genesis, as do many of the New Testament books.
C. Lesson
Overview
The biblical world view begins with God’s record of creation in Genesis. Events in the early parts of Genesis, as mentioned at the beginning of this study, are found throughout the Bible. It is not a human decision or idea to make creation the cradle and context for the Good News of Jesus Christ; it is God’s decision. If you will review these scriptures that have been read in earlier lessons, note the references to the creation of the world, “all things,” or the universe: Hebrews 1:1-3; John 1:1-3, 10.
As you know from the lessons, something went wrong very quickly after God’s creating. The wrong was not in God; it was in man. The creation was originally all good, but something in it went bad that was a direct result of man’s disobedience.
As we saw in our analogy about the Master Chef making a special dish, He started with Himself and made everything by His command. He also made man after Himself, putting His imprint upon us. But man chose to do wrong because he wanted to be like God but without God, and he has been choosing to do wrong ever since. Creation and the Fall point to the need for something to be fixed in us. Christ in the heart of man is that ‘fix.’ Christ points to the same need in man during His eloquent talk with Nicodemus in John 3, in which He declares in legal terms, using the term “judgment” or “verdict”, that men love darkness. We now know where the Fall started and how bad things became, demanding God’s action after a few generations (the Genesis Flood). The family that emerged from the ark repopulated the earth, but the problem inside the heart of man had not changed. A few more generations led to God’s intervention again. Something remained drastically wrong in man.
Without the context of God’s creation and what happened to man in that creation, there is no need for a message of salvation. There is no message of salvation from God without referring back to what happened at the beginning, because it shows God as perfect and man as the sinner in need of help. As someone has said, if there was no Fall into sin, what is there to be saved from?
Is it a surprise that in recent years the drive is so strong that refuses to acknowledge that God had anything to do with creation? If He had nothing to do with creation, then He has nothing to do with men. Worse still, if creation, the Fall, and the Flood are not real, God is the chief of liars. However, the Bible indicates that another entity is the father of lies. There is no middle ground for the informed person who must decide. God is true, or He is not true. As true, God’s view of creation and what happened is the story of man and how he needs God.
It is impossible to separate the wealth of scriptures about the beginning of the universe and God’s view of man needing a Savior from the rest of the Bible. The biblical creation world view demands decision: believe what God has said or do not believe. The context of Christ’s message of salvation is the events of creation. The Gospel is all about God’s solution to the twin problems of sin and death. Genesis history tells us how sin and death entered the universe, and how they corrupted God’s once-perfect world. It also shows that we cannot blame God, ultimately, for the death, disease, and suffering in the world—we should blame sin.
In the next part of the lesson, there is no commentary. The scriptures can be understood because the language is plain. The issue is not whether they are true. The issue is whether a person chooses to believe they are true and acts upon that belief.
Selected Readings Referring to Creation or Events in Genesis
The selected readings are only a few that refer to biblical creation or the events in Genesis. Read them and answer the questions that follow. Underline any direct reference to creation.
Job 38:1-7
Psalm 104:6-9
Jeremiah 32:17
Isaiah 40:28; 42:5
Matthew 24:36-38
Mark 10:5-9
Acts 17:22-28
Romans 1:20; Romans 5:12-19
1 Corinthians 15:21-23
2 Peter 3:3-7
🦕 CT? When you consider the widespread reference to biblical creation in books other than Genesis and see how they are applied, what people groups, places, and times were represented? Why can that be extended to us? Use the verses as a basis for your explanation.
🦕 CT? What actions by any person can be reasonably expected if they want God? Use Acts 17:22-28 for the actions that you describe in your own words.
D. Assignment
Read John 3:16 and Hebrews 1:1-2, 10. Using phrases that describe Christ in terms of His being creator from Hebrews, substitute or add them to John 3:16 so that you have an expanded transliteration of the verse with multi-phrases that identify Christ as the creator.
E. Learning Activity
Using references provided by the teacher on Greek culture, describe the atmosphere and culture of the Athenians in Acts 17, where Paul gives definition to their understanding of an Unknown God. Then, explain how and why God is portrayed relative to His ability to create. This exercise can be done in teams, where each team presents.
F. Concluding Assessment
The message of God and the Gospel in the Bible is in the context of the record of creation in Genesis, and references to creation are found throughout the Bible.