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Genesis 1:1–6:8: The Creator shows why to ‘have no other gods before [Him]’

Some Bible versions translate Gen. 1:1 as “In the beginning, God created…” or “In the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth….” בְּרֵאשִׁית Bereysheet (Genesis) is not a science book. It is not designed to teach you how God created anything. The purpose of the beginning of Bereisheet is to teach us who God is, what He did and how powerful He is, much like Devarim (Deuteronomy) starts with reminding the people who God is and why the Ten Commandments say to have no other gods before Him.

Some Bible versions translate Gen. 1:1 as “In the beginning, God created…” or “In the beginning of God’s creating the heavens and the earth….” בְּרֵאשִׁית Bereysheet (Genesis) is not a science book. It is not designed to teach you how God created anything. The purpose of the beginning of Bereisheet is to teach us who God is, what He did and how powerful He is, much like Devarim (Deuteronomy) starts with reminding the people who God is and why the Ten Commandments say to have no other gods before Him.

Questions tackled in this study

  • Why did the death of Khanokh (Enoch) come after a shorter life than others of his time period? What does it mean that he was “taken” (Gen. 5:24) or “taken up” (Heb. 11:5)?
  • “Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.” (Genesis 4:26 NASB) Are they now starting to talk to God?
  • Was a human pair created on day six then Adam and Chavah (Eve) on day eight? Are there two creation accounts in Genesis 1–2?
  • Was there a different world between Gen. 1:1 and 1:2? Is this the reason why there are not dinosaurs around today?
  • Were Adam and Chavah created in one body then she was separated later?
  • In Gen. 4:23, Lamech boasts that he will be avenged sevenfold, compared with Cain’s punishment?
  • Why isn’t there mention of people having regular worship with God after the garden?

A lesson from the first recorded murderer — Cain — is that if we bring an offering to God while we still holding onto envy, jealousy and rage against someone, our gift won’t be accepted. The Creator doesn’t want stuff. Rather, the LORD wants our full devotion, and gifts are reflections of that.

Banner Photo: Fresco of God creating the sun, moon and stars. Fanefjord Church, Møn, Denmark. Wikipedia Commons, photo in public domain. 

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