THE L.I.F.E. PLAN CREATION DAY 1 BLOCK 1 THEME 2 - CREATION - PART 1 LESSON 2 (6 of 216)
BLOCK 1 THEME 2: CREATION - PART 1 LESSON 2 (6 OF 216): CREATION DAY 1 LESSON AIM: Show that which God created on the first day of creation. SCRIPTURE: (Genesis 1:1-5) One of the things about Bible study that we do not grasp at first is the lapse of time that often occurs from one page to the next, or from one verse to the next. Sometimes ages of time in the Bible can be represented by a punctuation mark or a verse number. When you turn the pages from the last verse of Malachi to the first verse of Matthew, you also turn the leaves of 400 years of history that occurred between the Testaments. To recognize these time lapses that are written into the Bible text requires slow and careful reading, much thought, a good understanding of God s purpose, and much study over a long period of time. Genesis 1:1-2 is the first reference in the Bible of an occurrence as we have just described. And, it opens the door to much speculation about when God created the world, and about the length of time it took for him to create it. Much of what we know about God s creation is found in the first two chapters of Genesis, but it also brings up a host of questions to which Scripture does not give an answer. The one thing this passage does state emphatically is that God created the heaven and the earth. This is not speculation on man s part, but a fact given to us from God himself. This is the first great truth that God would have us to know; God created. This is the context and the starting point for all other knowledge we will acquire in our life time. A fascinating study to do is to compare and contrast the first book of the Bible with the last book of the Bible. From this study, consider only one point at this time: both books tell us of a reconstruction. The last book of the Bible, The Revelation, tells us of the reconstruction of heaven and earth after the catastrophe of the great tribulation at the end of time. Likewise, Genesis tells us of a reconstruction that took place after a catastrophe which took place prior to man s creation upon the earth. The first two verses of Genesis make room for the setting of the stage for this reconstruction. Many scholars adhere to the following explanation of the events of Genesis 1:1-2. Verse one describes God s original creation. However, it does not give us a description of this creation or a date when it took place. It simply says that God created the heaven and the earth. Verse two begins with a phrase that seems to indicate that something catastrophic happened between verse one and verse two. The verse tells us that the earth was without form and void. The word was is the same word that is translated as became in Genesis 2:7, so we could read verse two to say, The earth became without form and void. Isaiah 45:18 supports this explanation. This verse states that God did not create the earth in vain, that is, without form. The earth had to become without form after its original creation, likely as a result of some terrible
event. The Bible speaks of a terrible event which took place before man was created on the earth. This was the revolt of Lucifer in heaven when he took one third of the angels with him in a coup against God. They were cast out into the earth. This casting out of the fallen angels into the earth is the most reasonable explanation of the catastrophic event which altered God s original creation. Our look into the creation days will be considered from this vantage point. Satan s fall into the earth illustrates how he destroys everything he touches. After this event, verse two tells us of the reconstruction of the earth as the habitat for man after God s original creation was marred by the fall of Lucifer. The seven creation days which follow are viewed as the account of God s reconstruction of the earth for man s habitation. This account of the original creation and the reconstruction of the earth after Lucifer s fall follow the same pattern that has taken place in the life of each believer in Christ. God did not create man in a sinful condition. He created man originally in a righteous condition. Man became sinful through the terrible event of the fall through his disobedience of God. Now, when a person believes on Jesus Christ, God begins the work of reconstruction, or recreation, in that person s life. God works to make that person righteous again. The reconstruction of the earth as a habitat for man took place over a period of seven days. Genesis chapters one and two describe God s work during those days. On the first day, God restored light to the fallen earth. Light obviously already existed because the Bible says that God is light. In his first move to reconstruct the earth for man, he restored the light which had been obstructed by the fall of Lucifer. A person could devote their entire life to the study of light and never exhaust the depths of riches which light contains. Among its many blessings, light promotes life. It makes possible the sense of sight. It travels at an enormous rate of speed, 186,000 miles per second. Scientists recently have been able to slow it down to a mere 38 miles per hour. Light can be used in many ways for many purposes. It can be used as a tool, a surgical instrument, or even as a weapon. Without physical light man would be unable to live on the face of the earth. On the first day, in addition to restoring the light, God, divided the light from the darkness. And, he gave names to the light and to the darkness. He called the light Day, and he called the darkness Night. Of course, we still call them today by the names that God gave to them. There are many spiritual lessons we can learn from the light and the darkness. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Light and darkness cannot exist in the same place at the same time. If we walk in the light of God, we will not walk in the darkness of sin. To live in the light is to be a believer in Christ. To live in the darkness is to be lost and without God. When we walk in the light, we fellowship with others who also walk in the light and we can be sure that our sins have been cleansed through the blood of Christ. The Bible, God s Word, is a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway of life. Christ is the light of the world and when we follow him, we will not walk in darkness. There are many such references to light and darkness in the
Bible which remind us that God is the source of true light and to walk in his light is to have spiritual life. On the first day, God restored his light to the earth. We all live under the physical blessing of light. The more important question is does the spiritual light of Christ shine in your heart today? Are you walking in the light of Christ and not in spiritual darkness? If not, come to the light that you might have life through Christ. Jesus said, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12) KJV. LESSON OUTLINE BLOCK 1 THEME 2: CREATION - PART 1 LESSON 2 (6 OF 216): CREATION DAY 1 LESSON AIM: Show that which God created on the first day of creation. I GOD RESTORED LIGHT A. Light already existed since God is light B. Light is the source of life II GOD DIVIDED THE LIGHT FROM DARKNESS A. Light was called day B. Darkness was called night SCRIPTURES TO BROADEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING 1. Lucifer s revolt in heaven Revelation 12:1-9 Luke 10:18 2. God is light 1 John 1:5 3. Walking in the light 1 John 1:6-7 4. No fellowship between light and darkness 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
5. We are called from darkness to light 1 Peter 2:9 LINES OF THEOLOGICAL CONNECTION 1. BIBLIOLOGY Comparisons in Genesis and Revelation 2. DOCTRINE OF ORIGINS God created all things 3. DOCTRINE OF SATAN Satan s origin 4. DOCTRINE OF ANGELS Their creation 5. DOCTRINE OF DEMONS Their original creation Their fall Their present work Their future destruction LESSON GLOSSARY 1. Reconstruction A new beginning, to do over, to remake 2. Lucifer Once a high ranking angel in heaven, Lucifer, now fallen, is the devil and leader of all evil against God and the chief adversary of the Christian
QUESTIONS ANSWER KEY 1. The Bible tells us of God s creation of all things. However, it does not answer all questions about creation. Why do you think this is so? Student response 2. What is the first great truth God would have man to know? God created, that is, there is a God, and he is creative 3. What one thing is similar between the first and last books of the Bible? Each tells of a reconstruction 4. Use your concordance to look up the word created in Ephesians 2:10. What does it mean? Recreated 5. What did God do on the first day of creation in Genesis 1? Restored light to the earth 6. List some uses of light. A tool; a surgical instrument; a weapon 7. What are the names God gave to light and darkness? Day and Night
BLOCK 1 THEME 2: CREATION - PART 1 LESSON 2 (6 OF 216): CREATION DAY 1 QUESTIONS TO INSPIRE THOUGHT 1. The Bible tells us of God s creation of all things. However, it does not answer all questions about creation. Why do you think this is so? 2. What is the first great truth God would have man to know? 3. What one thing is similar between the first and last books of the Bible? 4. Use your concordance to look up the word created in Ephesians 2:10. What does it mean? 5. What did God do on the first day of creation in Genesis 1? 6. List some uses of light. 7. What are the names God gave to light and darkness?