Scripture is God’s story. He is the central character and the author of it all. Yet, as a loving God, we’re invited into the divine story God has been writing since the beginning of time. [Tweet this]
Will you go back to the beginning of God’s story with me?
Beginning today, we will spend the next six weeks diving into Genesis, using the accompanying DVD Bible study: Pursuing God’s Love: Stories from the Book of Genesis.
To whet our appetite for what God has in store for us, here are four things to know before you read Genesis 1-3:
- Feeling discouraged or defeated? Genesis may be just the book to encourage you. Many scholars believe that Genesis was written for a people living in exile and meant to refute the false theological claims of the Babylonians. In the first chapter of Genesis, we’re reminded that God is the Lord of all. [Tweet this]
- Genesis probably wasn’t the oldest written book in the Bible. Many scholars believe the book of Job predates Genesis.
- On the first day of creation, evening came before morning. Some believe this detail is reflective of the Jewish day, which begins at sundown rather than sunrise.
- Men and women have the same number of ribs anatomically. But since Adam and Eve were the first people, it’s always fair to wonder, did they have bellybuttons? [Tweet this]
- The Hebrew word for “knowing” is yodea, which can also be translated as a respectful reference to a divine being. The temptation of the serpent in Genesis 3:5 can be interpreted as a promise to become “divine beings, knowers of good and evil.”
Here’s your homework for Week One: God Rising:
- Watch Session One (God Rising) on the Pursuing God’s Love DVD (18 minutes) and begin working through the homework. (Special sneak peek below!)
- Read Genesis 1-3.
- Come back to MargaretFeinberg.com on Thursday, the same day you can enjoy the Midday Connection podcast on the session, to discuss what God’s revealing to you along the way. (To subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss a beat, click here).
If you have a blog, consider linking up with MargaretFeinberg.com each Thursday and share what God is teaching you through the book of Genesis!
FOR DISCUSSION: Answer the following questions as a comment to this blog post. Feel free to ask questions, reply to others’ comments, and post prayer requests.
- Imagine you had the opportunity to stand alongside God on one of the days of creation. Which day of creation would you most like to experience?
- Adam and the woman fell for the serpent’s lie that God isn’t good or doesn’t really love them. Deep down inside, do you really believe God loves you?
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Click here to pick up a copy of the Pursuing God’s Love DVD and Workbook
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Pursuing God’s Love: Stories from the Book of Genesis Online Bible Study LINKS:
Session One: MONDAY | THURSDAY
Session Two: MONDAY | THURSDAY
Session Three: MONDAY
Session Four: THURSDAY
First, thank you Margaret for posting the first video. I was tardy in ordering my study and don’t have any of it yet, so I was very happy to still be able to begin on time. That was very gracious of you.
I think that deep down I don’t really believe that God loves me. I know it intellectually, but I’m not sure I actually believe it. I teach students with special needs and this past year was so, so hard. I felt sometimes like a walking wound. And I too often responded like someone in pain. I recognized that I was only adding to the stress in the room, and started making changes. Reading the whole Bible for Lent i think saved my sanity. The year ended better, but I still feel guilty for my mistakes. And I am in fear that I will repeat the same mistakes again. I don’t want to be a poor witness for The Lord, but I fear that is what will happen. I think The Lord has timed this study so that I will be filled with His Love just in time for school to start. I will try to look for Him to be my hero!
Margaret,
I’m so excited to plow into Genesis! I know God is going to speak volumes and I’m sure I will be linking up on Thursdays through the study. Thank you for your servant heart and your willingness to teach others. (Plus the incredible discounting that had to occur to provide us with the great deal on the studies!)
Blessings,
Felecia
Yes, thanks for the discount as well. I’m a bit nervous about the linking up on Thursday. It will be a new experience for me. I’ve never done that before. Will I just click on some button?
Yay! I’m so happy your joining us, Elisa!
Praying big and bold prayers over you this morning, Elisa. That God would overwhelm you with his love over the next six weeks. That you would not only just know you’re loved, but feel the soft pinch of his presence each day. That in the midst of mistakes and mishaps, you can rest with the feeling of being fully and wholly loved just as you are. Hug to you sweet friend!
Felecia,
You are such a blessing to me! Thank you for your constant encouragement and the friendship that spans miles. Can’t wait to read your post on Thursday!
Yes– there will be a link that says “Click here to enter.” Then you’ll enter your name and web address and then it will add a link to the blog post so others can go read what you’re learning and what God’s teaching you.
I think the day of creation I would most like to witness would have to be Day 4– when God hung the sun and the moon and slung comets and shooting stars. Breathtaking! Imagine the night sky lighting up as God tosses galaxies and hangs stars. Amazing!
Oops – I’m so excited I missed the question! 🙂
I would have loved to be there (and perhaps we all were!) with the Spirit – or in the Spirit – when the earth was formless hovering above the watery depths. The nebulous time before God said, “Let there be light.” Imagine that crack – that bang – that whoosh when light filled the heavens and the earth. OH! The joy of it! It kinda makes me cry! 🙂
What if I don’t have a web address? I want to join in, but I don’t know how. OK, I’m going to try without one. Deep breath……
Not a problem, Elisa! You don’t have to link-up to participate. Just comment on the blog posts each week to interact with other readers instead!
How might things have turned out differently if Adam and Eve had eaten of the Tree of Life before the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
Elisa- I hadn’t thought of that question! What an interesting thought!
That would be pretty amazing. I know when I consider the vastness of space, I’m awed. I just cannot comprehend it.
We certainly serve a WONDERful God.
Thank you for posting the 5 different things to o whet our appetite for what God has in store for us, here are four things to know before you read Genesis 1-3.
1) Imagine you had the opportunity to stand alongside God on one of the days of creation. Which day of creation would you most like to experience? I would like to enjoy all the days because it a neat experience to see how everything was created.
2) Adam and the woman fell for the serpent’s lie that God isn’t good or doesn’t really love them. Deep down inside, do you really believe God loves you? Yes, I believe that God really loves me.
I LOVE this question. It was a great conversation starter for my husband & me. Thanks so much! Initially, I thought I’d love to see “the beginning,” how it all began, the drama of seeing nothing going to light. Then I thought how much fun it would be to see God create animals for the first time, animals that don’t even exist any more. I would love to see that kind of creativity. Then I thought about watching God’s face when He created man, seeing his love & pride with His favorite part of creation. Finally, however, I settled on seeing Day 7 above all the others. I want to see how and why God rested. What did it look like when creation was all done, perfect, exactly as He wanted? The creation of a day of rest is truly a marvel.
I would love to watch over God’s shoulder as he separated the waters and spoke creation into existence. Amazing!
May God continue to remind you how loved you are as his child. Thrilled you are joining us.
The animals would blow my mind, too! Watching the creepy, scaly, furry creatures come from nothing. How amazing!
I think day 7 is a forgotten one– but I couldn’t agree more.