My Bible Study Guide On Genesis 1

Genesis 1 New International Version (NIV)

The Beginning
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and
empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  4 God saw that the light was good,  and he
separated the light from the darkness . 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called
“night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6 
And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made
the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it . And it was so. 8 God
called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And
it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw
that it was good.
11 
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear
fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.  12 The land produced vegetation:
plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their
kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let
them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of
the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to
govern the day and the lesser light to govern  the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the
vault of the sky to give light on the earth,  18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from
darkness. And God saw that it was good.  19 And there was evening, and there was morning— the fourth
day.
20 
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the
vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea  and every living thing with which the
water teems and that moves about in it,  according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its
kind. And God saw that it was good.  22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number
and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”  23 And there was evening, and
there was morning—the fifth day.
24 
And God said, “Let the land produce living creature s according to their kinds: the livestock, the
creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was
so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all
the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.  And God saw that it was good.
26 
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule  over the
fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,  over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
27 
So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.
28 
God blessed them and said to them,  “Be fruitful and increase in number;  fill the earth and subdue it.
Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the
ground.”
29 
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree
that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.  30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the
birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of
life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 
God saw all that he had made,  and it was very good.  And there was evening, and there was morning
—the sixth day.
 My Bible Study Guide On Genesis 1

Genesis 1:26-28
A BIBLICAL VIEW OF HUMAN LIFE

      Sadly, we are living in a world where human life has become a cheap commodity.   It has become
effortless to throw human life away before it ever appears in our world through abortion.   And, it is
becoming easier to discard those individuals that are seen as worthless and as being a drain on
society. 

      Today, I want to see what God has to say about human life.   I think His perspective should be
considered as we think about matters like the right to live, the right to die, abortion and euthanasia.   In
fact, not only should God’s perspective be considered, it should be the final say in these matters.   So,
today, let’s examine life from God’s perspective.   I want to preach for a few minutes on the subject,  A
Biblical View Of Life.  There are three statements I would like to make regarding this topic.
 
I. GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN THE CREATION OF LIFE

A.  Every Human Is A Special Being – Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 2:7 – One of the primary truths that come
from these verses is the fact that man is the product of God’s creative power and not the result of
random evolution.  Man did not evolve from a single-celled organism over the space of millions of
years; he is the special creation of God.   You will notice that all the other animals were spoken into
existence by the Word of God.  Man, however, was formed by God out of the dust of the earth and God
breathed life into the nostrils of man.   The fact that God singled man out for special care in the creation
lets us know that there is a vast difference between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom.
            Here is one of the greatest dangers in the entire system of evolution, as it is taught to our
children in public schools.  If people can be convinced that mankind is nothing more than the product of
random selection then human life looses all its value.   You see, if man simply evolved, then he is no
different than a dog or a cat.   You kill him and he simply ceases to exist.   There is no God.  Man does
not have a soul or a spirit that live one.   There is no heaven to be gained or a hell to be shunned.   Man
is nothing more than an animal and he can be eliminated if it becomes necessary.
            Those who hold to this view of things believe that man should live until his quality of life is over,
then he should be “put out of his misery.”  Once we start down this slippery slope, there will be no
turning back.  Today, it is babies and brain-damaged people; tomorrow, it will be the mentally and
physically challenged as well as the old and the infirm. That is exactly where our world is
headed!  There is more than one way to save Social Security and Medicare!
            Now, if the evolutionary theory was correct; there would be no problem with this
view.  However, it is a false view of life, death and eternity. We will talk about these matters more in a
few minutes.  For now, we need to remember that every human is a special being; he or she is here
because they are the special creation of God Himself!
B.  Every Human Is A Spiritual Being  – We are told that man was made “ in the image” of God.  This
does not mean that man looks like God; or that God has a body like we do.   It does mean that man was
created like God in that man is a tripartite being.   In the Godhead, there is the Father, the Son and the
Spirit.  In a man, there is the body, the soul and the spirit.   God is a three part being; man is a three
part being.  God has intellect, will and emotions, and so does mankind.
            This is the primary way in which mankind can be distinguished from the members of the animal
kingdom.  Every person who ever comes into this world has three parts.   They have a body, a soul and
a spirit.  Let’s take just a moment to examine each of these parts.
1.  The Body – The body is the vehicle with which we move through and interact with our world.   It is
the body that provides a home for the soul and the spirit while we are in this world.   Both humans and
animals have bodies.  When we die, our bodies return to the earth,  Gen. 3:19; Eccl: 3:20; Job 34:15.
 My Bible Study Guide On Genesis 1

2.  The Soul – The soul is the seat of the will, the character, the intellect, the thoughts, and the
emotions.  The soul is where we reason, love, hate, want, etc .  The soul is what we refer to when we
speak of the mind.  Your soul animates your body and allows you to interact with your world and with
other people.  In short, your soul is that part of you that makes you who you are.   Your soul makes you
self-conscious.  There is a sense in which it can be said that animals have souls.   That is, they have life
within them and they are self-conscious and able to interact with the world around them.
3.  The Spirit – Here is where the similarities between man and animals end forever.   While the soul
makes us self-conscious; the spirit allows us to be God-conscious.  Every man that is born into this
world, is born dead spiritually, Eph. 2:1.  But, when the Spirit of God comes by and “quickens”, or
brings to life, the spirit which is within a man, that person will find his spirit reaching out in faith toward
God.  After salvation, the new spirit of life within a person begins to transform the soul part of
man.  These changes within the spirit and the soul demonstrate themselves in the action of the body.
            All of that is complicated, but think of it like this: “The " soul" and the "spirit" are similar in the
manner in which they are used in the spiritual life of the believer.   They are different in their
reference.  The "soul" is man's horizontal view with the world. The " spirit" is man's vertical view with
God.  It is important to understand that both refer to the immaterial part of man, but only the " spirit"
refers to the man's walk with God.  The "soul" refers to man's walk in the world.”[2] 
            When we leave this world, the soul and spirit return to God to be dealt with accordingly,  Eccl.
12:7.  The redeemed to glory, John 14:1-3.  The lost to Hell, Psa. 9:17; 2 Thes. 1:8-9.
 
(Note:  The fact that man is the special creation of God and that he was made in the image of God and
has the capacity to know God proves that man is a special creature in the eyes of the Lord.   This
establishes the fact that God is sovereign over the creation of human life.)
 
 II.        GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN THE CONTINUATION OF LIFE
A.  God Determines The Dawn Of Every Life  – God is in charge of when life is created within the
womb.  Notice a few instances of this in the Bible:  Gen. 29:31; Rebekah - Gen. 25:21; Rachel – Gen.
30:12, 22; Manoah and his wife – Judges 13:2-3; Hannah – 1 Sam. 1-2.
            When we think of childbirth, we think of it being just the product of a physical union between a
man and a woman.  It is far more than that!  There is a sovereign God behind the scenes that
determines whether or not that egg is fertilized.   He determines whether or not life begins,  Psalm
128:3-5.
            I realize that there are often physical issues involved as well.   Still, behind it all is the sovereign
will of God.  He opens the womb and He closes the womb according to His will.   He and He alone
determines the dawn of human life.
B.  God Determines The Design Of Every Life  –  Not only does God determine whether or not there
will be life; He also determines what that life will become.   He has a plan for every human that comes
into this world.  In Jeremiah 1:5, we read that God has his hand on Jeremiah and even had a plan for
the prophet’s life before he was ever born.   The same was true in the life of John the Baptist.   The Bible
tells us all about what he would be before he was ever born,  Luke 1:13-17.  We even read that God
was active in John’s life while he was still in his mother’s womb,  Luke 1:44.
            What you and I are in this life is not the product of random chance and hapless genetics.   What
we are in this life is the product of divine sovereignty. We are what we are because God determined it
to be the way that it is.  This was the conviction of David, Psalm 139:13-16.  Job also held this
view, Job 10:9-12.
            Even modern science, which tries so hard to destroy the very thought of God, confirms for us
that we cannot be the product of mere chance.  Notice these facts about your body:
      1.  The average body contains some 7.5 trillion cells.   It is far more complex than the most
advanced computer.
      2.  Each cell has 200 trillion tiny groups of atoms called protein molecules.
      3.  Largest molecule is called DNA.  Carries hereditary information from the parents to the
offspring.  Also carries genetic code.  It determines if you will be a man or a mammoth.
      4.  DNA in one cell is 6 feet long.   Total DNA in body would fill a box the size of an ice cube, but if it
 My Bible Study Guide On Genesis 1

were joined together, it would reach to the sun and back 400 times.
      5.  All our cells contain the information found in all the other cells.   Each cell in your body carries all
the necessary information for another you.
      6.  If the coded DNA information and instructions of one human were translated into English, it
would fill a 1000 volume encyclopedia.
      7.  In cell division the cell forms a rotating double helix.   It rotates at 75 turns per second.   This is
equal to straightening out a cathedral full of tangled microphone wire in under a split second.   Yet, the
cell’s duplication is so accurate that it is equivalent to a rate of less than one letter for an entire set of
Encyclopedia Britannica.
 
(Note: What I am trying to get us to understand is the fact that every human that is conceived in the
womb is special!  Every person whether born or unborn is conceived with for a purpose .  Every human
life is precious and none are to be discarded out of hand.   Life must be protected and preserved at all
costs!
      That unborn child in that mother’s womb is precious!   That mentally incapacitated person in that
institution is precious!  That terminally ill individual is precious!  Regardless of their condition, every
human life is precious in the site of God and it must be defended from those who look at it as
something that can be thrown away!)
 
III.           GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN THE CONCLUSION OF LIFE
(Ill. Just as surely as the Lord God Almighty is sovereign in the Creation and the Continuation of human
life; He is also sovereign in the Conclusion of life.   Neither man not Satan has the power to create
life.  Neither has the ability to continue life apart from the sovereign will of God. And, neither has the
right to make the decision to end life.  Look at what the Bible says about this matter.)
A.  God Alone Appoints The Time Of Man’s Death – This is the clear teaching of Scripture, Job
12:10; 14:5; 14:14; 7:1; Psa. 39:4; Heb. 9:27 .  There is the evidence from the Old Testament
record, Dan. 5:1-13.  Belshazzar was told when he would die.   Jesus told a parable in the New
Testament that illustrates this truth for us, Luke 12:16-20.  Just as surely as the Lord has a plan
regarding the beginning and the middle of your life; He also has a plan for the end of your life as
well.  He knows the day, the hour, the minute, even the very second when you will breathe your last
and you will go out into the eternity you have chosen.
B.  God Alone Appoints The Terms Of Man’s Death  – Not only does God decide when we die; He
also determines where we will breathe our last as well.   Regardless of how you leave this world, you
will leave it exactly when, where and how the Lord has predetermined it will happen.   It was the Lord’s
will that Moses die alone with God on a mountain,  Deut. 34:5-8.  It was God’s will that Jacob die
surrounded by his children, Gen. 49:33.  It was God’s will that Paul die at the hands of Roman
executioners. 
 
            Sometimes people leave through tragedies.  Sometimes people die because of
disease.  Sometimes they go out of here by way of old age.   Sometimes they go suddenly with the
bloom of youth still on their cheeks.  But, however they leave this world, it is God’s will that must
determine the when, the where and the how, and not the will of men.   The only exception I think of to
that statement is capital punishment.   The Word of God is clear, when man murders his fellow man; he
is to pay for that crime with his own life, Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13:4.
 
(Note: Whether we are talking about murder, suicide, euthanasia or abortion, man has assumed the
place of God when he reaches out to take another human being’s life.   Each of these horrible sins ends
life prematurely, and each will be judged and punished harshly by God.
         Now, please don’t misunderstand me.  There are times when it becomes necessary to withhold
further medical treatment and just allow nature to take its course.   If you have had to make those
decisions, my heart goes out to you!   You have not committed murder, but you have simply placed the
matter into God’s hands if you have had to do that.   However, to put a helpless, voiceless woman to
death by withholding food and water is murder!  
 My Bible Study Guide On Genesis 1

 
Conc:  I hope you agree with me that human life is precious!  It is so precious that God sent His Son
Jesus into this world to save life through His death on the cross,  John 3:16-17.  We need to pray for
our nation and for our world.  We have taken the first steps down a slippery slope that will lead us
farther and farther away from God.   We have witnessed the dawn of a new day in our country where, in
the long run, no one may be safe from the death merchants.   We need to take our stand, cast our votes
and lift our voices in favor of life.  We can make a difference and we must! 
      God says that life is precious.   I say “Amen!”  I wonder who will join me at the throne of grace this
evening to call upon the Lord in intercession for our nation, our world and the helpless, voiceless
people who face death in the name of convenience, money and godless indifference.