The following series of short Bible outlines are presented to be read along with the precious Word of God and as an encouragement to study daily its precious truths. Our dear brother who has authored this work has said that his “desire is that the reader may be helped by these simple thoughts which he has gleaned for himself and borrowed from those who have lived in the joy of a life fed and nourished by this blessed Book.”
Genesis: Introduction
We begin with Genesis. This word means “the beginnings.” It tells of the first creation the natural world. In the New Testament we find in Romans that when a person receives the Lord Jesus as Saviour, they are born again. They too have a new beginning into the new creation.
The first creation in Genesis was ruined by sin. The new creation can never be spoiled, for it was formed by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sin closed the gate to earth’s paradise, but divine love opened the door to heaven.
Chapter 1
Notice the first four words of the Bible. God created beautiful heavens and earth. In the story of creation, God tells man all he needs to know.
Verses 1-2: God’s account of creation is simple. In contrast, man’s theory of evolution is dreadfully complicated. It is by faith (Heb. 11:3), not by reasoning, that we understand.
Verse 1 describes the original, perfect creation, while the condition described in verse 2 suggests that there may have been a tremendous judgment which fell on this earth, between the first and second verses. God has not told us anymore.
Verses 3-31: Six literal days were taken to do this work. (See Exodus 20:11 and Hebrews 11:3.)
Verse 26: Into this paradise (garden) God brings the first man, Adam. God’s thoughts were always centered in man (Prov. 8:22-31). Adam and Eve did not know good and evil; they were innocent. They could enjoy fellowship with God when He came to speak with them.
Chapter 2
Verses 1-3: God finished His work and He had rest. The Sabbath is God’s rest. God said the first creation was good and very good, but He never called it perfect.
Notice that thus far, only the word “God” is used to describe our Creator-God.
Verses 4-7: A new title “Lord God.” This name, Jehovah Elohim, suggests the thought of relationship. It brings Him a little closer to people.
Verses 18-25: The first marriage. A beautiful picture of the last marriage Christ and His bride (every true believer in Him). See Revelation 19:7.
Adam needed a companion, suitable to him. Let us see the deep meaning in this. Some 4000 years pass by before we see what God had in His heart. His Son, the Lord Jesus, was to become man. He is God and man in one. He was to have a bride. We, believers in the Lord Jesus, are His bride (Eph. 5:23,32). To obtain his bride, Adam is put to sleep (a picture of the death of Christ). The woman is taken out of the man, even as the bride comes into existence out of Christ.
God gave the bride to His Son as a reward because He has glorified God on the earth (John 17:4). The bride is His body and there is only one body. The body is the one and only church (Eph. 1:22-23). The church is not a building or a particular group of believers. It is composed of every real believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
N. Berry
(to be continued)