Now, the bible is divided into two parts- The new testament and the old testament. It isn't supposed to be read as a "story book." It can be read by studying random books, or you can just read different verses, what ever you'd like. For me, however, I have grown up in a Christian home, and so all of the "stories of the bible" are no vague memories. I want to rediscover what God's word has to say- from the very start.
And since this relationship is just now starting- Why not start with the beginning of the Word?
I am blessed enough to have an "ESV" study bible- which is called the English Standard Version (or 'Extra-Special Version' according to my youth pastor). In the beginning of each book, they give a summary of the themes, historical context, and a detailed list of what is covered in that book.
Now, I am a person who LOVES lists. I LOVE making lists, and checking things off lists :)
I am going to be following the provided list in my bible.
Now, I am a person who LOVES lists. I LOVE making lists, and checking things off lists :)
I am going to be following the provided list in my bible.
Here is how it looks:
I: Primeval History (1:1-11:26)
a) God's creation and ordering of the Heaven and the earth (1:1-2:3)
1) [1:1] -God created the Heavens and the Earth- the beginning of everything as we know it.
...
and thats as far as I've gotten. I am going verse by verse to soak in what each verse has to offer... so the point "1) [1:1]" is not the actual verse, but what I took from it.
a) God's creation and ordering of the Heaven and the earth (1:1-2:3)
1) [1:1] -God created the Heavens and the Earth- the beginning of everything as we know it.
...
and thats as far as I've gotten. I am going verse by verse to soak in what each verse has to offer... so the point "1) [1:1]" is not the actual verse, but what I took from it.
Here is what I have discovered so far:
God created everything in 6 days (rested on the 7th). At the end of each creation day it says "And there was evening and there was morning, the "third" day" So this implies that God had already established the order in which a "day" would take place. It would have the morning, daytime, evening, and night time- The entirety of a day. Some might argue that "God is not restricted by time," and while that is true, would it really be such a grand miracle and display of power if he had not created everything in our time frame of "a day" ? I believe that it took 6 days to create the world, and universe as we know it. And if God can do THAT much work in 6 work days... I should be doing a lot more than I am now, ha.
Day 1: God created Light, and separated it from darkness. Light= Daytime, Darkness= Nighttime. The in betweens would be called morning and evening, as preparation for daytime and night time. "and it was good."
Day 2: God separated the waters "below and above the expanse." This is the creation of sky and sea. In my mind.. its like a doodle idea. When someone draws an ocean, and then theres like a "space" before they draw clouds above it. That's how I picture the "expanse." It says "God called the expanse heaven" in 1:8, and I am not sure how to take that verse. It is planted right after verse 1:7 which says " And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse and the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so." So i'm not sure if the expanse is "actual" heaven or if it just references the sky/atmosphere as being "heaven." But nonetheless "It was good."
Day 3: God separated the waters, and land appeared. God calls the dry land "Earth" and the gathered waters "Sea." On the Earth, three specific things will grow- Vegetation, Seed plants, and fruit trees where their seed is the fruit. Everything then sprouts "according to their own kind" and "It was good."
Day 4: God declares that the there will be Light for the expanses- for day and night. and these will be the signs of the season, for the days and years. They are to give light upon the earth. God created two great lights. For the day= the sun. For the night= the moon ("...and the stars"). He places them in the expanse of the heavens. They are to rule over the day and night, and separate light from dark. "It was good." The way that the bible addresses "the stars" make it sound like an afterthought. Like, God was like "Sun, Moon.... Oh, and Stars.. EXIST!" Awesome.
Day 5: God created creatures of the sky- birds, and great creatures of the sea- fish and stuff.
"According to their kind" and it was Good. Then God blessed them -Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the sea and the earth.
Day 6: God created 3 specific creatures- Livestock, creeping things, and beats of the earth. He made everything "according to its own kind" and "it was good." The God said "Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness. Let man have authority over the fish, the birds, livestock, over the earth, and every little creature." [1:36] So God created Male and Female. Then he blessed him and said "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, have authority over every creature, over every living thing that moves" [1:38] The God told Man that he has given him plants and animals, birds, and fish for food. Then God stepped back, looked at everything and said "It was VERY good."
God created everything in 6 days (rested on the 7th). At the end of each creation day it says "And there was evening and there was morning, the "third" day" So this implies that God had already established the order in which a "day" would take place. It would have the morning, daytime, evening, and night time- The entirety of a day. Some might argue that "God is not restricted by time," and while that is true, would it really be such a grand miracle and display of power if he had not created everything in our time frame of "a day" ? I believe that it took 6 days to create the world, and universe as we know it. And if God can do THAT much work in 6 work days... I should be doing a lot more than I am now, ha.
Day 1: God created Light, and separated it from darkness. Light= Daytime, Darkness= Nighttime. The in betweens would be called morning and evening, as preparation for daytime and night time. "and it was good."
Day 2: God separated the waters "below and above the expanse." This is the creation of sky and sea. In my mind.. its like a doodle idea. When someone draws an ocean, and then theres like a "space" before they draw clouds above it. That's how I picture the "expanse." It says "God called the expanse heaven" in 1:8, and I am not sure how to take that verse. It is planted right after verse 1:7 which says " And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse and the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so." So i'm not sure if the expanse is "actual" heaven or if it just references the sky/atmosphere as being "heaven." But nonetheless "It was good."
Day 3: God separated the waters, and land appeared. God calls the dry land "Earth" and the gathered waters "Sea." On the Earth, three specific things will grow- Vegetation, Seed plants, and fruit trees where their seed is the fruit. Everything then sprouts "according to their own kind" and "It was good."
Day 4: God declares that the there will be Light for the expanses- for day and night. and these will be the signs of the season, for the days and years. They are to give light upon the earth. God created two great lights. For the day= the sun. For the night= the moon ("...and the stars"). He places them in the expanse of the heavens. They are to rule over the day and night, and separate light from dark. "It was good." The way that the bible addresses "the stars" make it sound like an afterthought. Like, God was like "Sun, Moon.... Oh, and Stars.. EXIST!" Awesome.
Day 5: God created creatures of the sky- birds, and great creatures of the sea- fish and stuff.
"According to their kind" and it was Good. Then God blessed them -Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the sea and the earth.
Day 6: God created 3 specific creatures- Livestock, creeping things, and beats of the earth. He made everything "according to its own kind" and "it was good." The God said "Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness. Let man have authority over the fish, the birds, livestock, over the earth, and every little creature." [1:36] So God created Male and Female. Then he blessed him and said "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, have authority over every creature, over every living thing that moves" [1:38] The God told Man that he has given him plants and animals, birds, and fish for food. Then God stepped back, looked at everything and said "It was VERY good."
Day 7: Everything was completed. God finished His work that He had to do, then He rested from everything He had done. Then God blessed the 7th day, making it holy, because He rested from his work.
This is what I took from that section-
1: God is kind of like a painter. Usually a painter outlines what he is going to paint, then fills it in. The painting is not complete until every last detail is perfect to the painters own liking. So I am imagining that day 1 was like the sketch, and day2-6 was the filling in of the colors, fine details, and elaborate artwork.
2: God created time, seasons, measurement of time, and how the sun and moon would affect the earth.
3: The line "According to its kind" is mentioned over and over in reference to creating plants, fish, birds, and beasts. This leads me to believe that God created every species. Not a category of species like "Dogs" and then they "evolved" into different types of dogs,wolves, bears.. however far you want to take it. I believe, however, in natural selection- that the strong survive and then those genetic traits are passed onto their offspring. But that is totally different from "Evolution." Dogs were created as dogs. Wolves as Wolves, Bears as Bears and so forth. Also, "according to its kind" also leads me to believe that animals and plants were created for the environment they were in. So Polar bears were designed to withstand the cold. Camels were made to live in the desert. That idea.
4: God gave plants, animals, fish, and birds to be eaten. Vegetarians, GOD GAVE YOU MEAT TO EAT. You should be blessed to have it, haha. But do what you want.
5: It says "Let US make man in OUR image." This is the first hint to the trinity. The God the father, God the son, and God the holy spirit. Three in One. My favorite analogy is the Apple one. You have the peeling, the fruit part, and the core.. Yet all are made of one apple. That is how God is- Three parts in one. Also, since we are made in God's image.. It is right to assume that not only is the mans face, nose, eyes and limbs are a reflection of Gods image, but also our emotions and actions.
6:God gave authority of the earth to MAN! HOW GREAT IS THAT!?! I feel overwhelmingly blessed that God trusted man enough to give him authority over the earth! Wow. What a great responsibility. But it also says for man to subdue it. I think this implies that he expected mankind to treat the earth with as much respect and wisdom, not to waste and be greedy. This makes me sad, to know that Man has soiled the very thing we were given a responsibility to take care of :(
7: God says constantly "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the lands!" To birds, fish (except in the sea of course), animals and Man. This I think would go against population control. God wants us to multiply, but be fruitful. He also created reproductive organs for a purpose, not just for pleasure. That is why "1+1=1" or Sex=offspring. ha. My views on marriage and stuff will come later. But basically, God blessed us with the ability to reproduce. We should not take advantage of that, nor abuse that.
8: The way God mentions the creation of the stars like an after thought leads me to believe that God has blessed us with that beauty. Stars are gorgeous. the universe is gorgeous. But, I believe that the universe was created not for "some other beings" or anything. I believe the universe was created so we could be in awe. We can't even picture how far the universe expands.. and GOD IS BIGGER THAN THAT! That blows my mind!
I read this section of the bible on a sunny day, out in peace and quiet, along side a stream that lead into a forest. The sun was shining, the skies were blue, the earth was green, and the animals and birds surrounded me. It was amazing.
God has blessed us with such an amazing world. I do not want to take advantage of that blessing.
Step two.
2: God created time, seasons, measurement of time, and how the sun and moon would affect the earth.
3: The line "According to its kind" is mentioned over and over in reference to creating plants, fish, birds, and beasts. This leads me to believe that God created every species. Not a category of species like "Dogs" and then they "evolved" into different types of dogs,wolves, bears.. however far you want to take it. I believe, however, in natural selection- that the strong survive and then those genetic traits are passed onto their offspring. But that is totally different from "Evolution." Dogs were created as dogs. Wolves as Wolves, Bears as Bears and so forth. Also, "according to its kind" also leads me to believe that animals and plants were created for the environment they were in. So Polar bears were designed to withstand the cold. Camels were made to live in the desert. That idea.
4: God gave plants, animals, fish, and birds to be eaten. Vegetarians, GOD GAVE YOU MEAT TO EAT. You should be blessed to have it, haha. But do what you want.
5: It says "Let US make man in OUR image." This is the first hint to the trinity. The God the father, God the son, and God the holy spirit. Three in One. My favorite analogy is the Apple one. You have the peeling, the fruit part, and the core.. Yet all are made of one apple. That is how God is- Three parts in one. Also, since we are made in God's image.. It is right to assume that not only is the mans face, nose, eyes and limbs are a reflection of Gods image, but also our emotions and actions.
6:God gave authority of the earth to MAN! HOW GREAT IS THAT!?! I feel overwhelmingly blessed that God trusted man enough to give him authority over the earth! Wow. What a great responsibility. But it also says for man to subdue it. I think this implies that he expected mankind to treat the earth with as much respect and wisdom, not to waste and be greedy. This makes me sad, to know that Man has soiled the very thing we were given a responsibility to take care of :(
7: God says constantly "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the lands!" To birds, fish (except in the sea of course), animals and Man. This I think would go against population control. God wants us to multiply, but be fruitful. He also created reproductive organs for a purpose, not just for pleasure. That is why "1+1=1" or Sex=offspring. ha. My views on marriage and stuff will come later. But basically, God blessed us with the ability to reproduce. We should not take advantage of that, nor abuse that.
8: The way God mentions the creation of the stars like an after thought leads me to believe that God has blessed us with that beauty. Stars are gorgeous. the universe is gorgeous. But, I believe that the universe was created not for "some other beings" or anything. I believe the universe was created so we could be in awe. We can't even picture how far the universe expands.. and GOD IS BIGGER THAN THAT! That blows my mind!
I read this section of the bible on a sunny day, out in peace and quiet, along side a stream that lead into a forest. The sun was shining, the skies were blue, the earth was green, and the animals and birds surrounded me. It was amazing.
God has blessed us with such an amazing world. I do not want to take advantage of that blessing.
Step two.
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