Day 1: Genesis 1-3 (Creation and Fall)

So, as you have probably noticed, I didn't start reading my Bible how I would have liked. As is usual with me, I procrastinate and end up not starting and/or finishing something I really want to do. Rather than starting this reading plan last week liked I planned to, I waited and kept putting it off until today. I finally sat down and forced myself to open my Bible and spend about 30 minutes studying. And guess what. I'm glad I did! I tend to only want to start new plans or goals the first day of the week or the first day of the new year, so I was thinking about waiting until next Sunday, the first day of 2017, but I told myself that I needed to start reading now or I never would. So here goes...

Today, the reading started at the very beginning of the Bible; where else would be most appropriate for day #1? In this section (Genesis 1-3), I discovered how God created the world and everything in it in 7 days, His creation of man and woman, and their fall from perfection into a sinful state.

 

To summarize Chapter 1:

Day 1-- God created light (day and night)

Day 2-- God created the expanse/Heavens

Day 3-- God created the Earth, seas, and vegetation

Day 4-- God created the sun, moon, and stars

Day 5-- God created birds and creatures in the water

Day 6-- God created land animals and humans (male and female)

 

A part that I thought was interesting in this section was in Genesis 1:26 where it states, "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...'" Here is proof that God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit were in existence together before the beginning of time. This verse alone refutes the idea that some people have of God being alone in the beginning and/or Christ not existing until He was born in the manger.

 

In Chapter 2, it is important to note that after every day of creation, God looked at what He had made and "saw that it was good." On the seventh day, God rested from all He had created, showing us that as His creation, we, too, should take a day out of the week to rest from our work and activities that consume our lives the other six days of the week. Then, the story kinda backpedals a little bit and goes more in depth with the creation of Adam and his wife Eve, detailing in verse 7 that "the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." How special does this make you feel knowing that God breathed His very own breath into your body to give you life?? I think we often lose focus of our lives and our bodies when we become so focused on ourselves and take our eyes off of the fact that we were created by God and given His very own breath to live off of. Then, we see how God created Eve from Adam and said how a man must leave his family behind when he marries and becomes one with his wife (2:24).

 

In Chapter 3, we see how Adam and Eve fell from their perfect state into a sinful life. Satan enters the picture in verse 1, setting the reader up for the evil that he brings into the story. He knows that he can twist God's words to cause Eve to stumble by saying, "'Did God actually say...'" By putting a little bit of doubt into Eve's mind, he is able to gain control over Eve and make her do what he wants: sin. In verse 5, he tells Eve that "'you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'" Because Satan tried to do the same thing, become like God, and saw how he was punished forever, he tries to take God's perfect creation down in sin with him. How much can you relate to this? Have you ever gotten into trouble and tried to put some of the blame on your brother or sister? Do you ever twist someone's words to change the belief and/or opinion of somebody else? Here, Eve gives into her temptation because the fruit was a "delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desired to make one wise." This connects perfectly to 1 John 2:16 where John writes, "For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world." This verse shows us how Eve is tempted by Satan: through the desires of the eyes and the pride of life. Eve sees how great the fruit looks (the desires of the eyes) and knowing that the tree would make her wise (the pride of life), she gives in to the sinful temptation.

 

After we see Adam and Eve give in to sin, it says, "...the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God..." How often have we been in the same boat? How many times have you given in to that same old sin that keeps dragging you down and feel that the last place you can go is to God? How much shame do you feel when you look at how great God is and see how sinful you are? I've been there, and it is not a fun place to be. But you have to know, that no matter how sinful your thoughts, speech, or actions are, the one place you can always go is to God. While He has and will punish us for our sins, He offers us forgiveness for them. Forgiveness for the evil we have committed. Freedom from the guilt and shame we carry. Love for us that supersedes all of our wrongdoings. How amazing is that? At the end of chapter 3, God clothes His creation in the skin of an animal. The death and shedding of blood of this innocent animal to cover up the nakedness of Adam and Eve after they've sinned foreshadows how Christ is the ultimate sacrifice we need to save us from our sins. Christ had to be perfect and innocent so that when He was killed and His blood was shed we would be covered by Him and made perfect in the sight of our Lord and Savior. Always remember that God loves you and cares for you in your darkest moments, sending His Son to cover your sins so you can live with Him in eternity.