GENESIS CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY

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GOD'S CREATIVE ACTS IN 6 DAYS

GENESIS CHAPTER 1 CONDENSED SUMMARY:

• Genesis 1: 1-5--Day 1:  Creation of Heavens, Earth, Light and Day & Night
• Genesis 1: 6-8--Day 2: Creation of the Atmospheric Heaven, separating the waters
• Genesis 1: 9-13--Day 3: Separation of Land and Seas, and the sprouting of Vegetation
• Genesis 1: 14-19--Day 4: Creation of the Sun, Moon and Stars
• Genesis 1: 20-23—Day 5: Creation and Blessing of Creatures of the Sea and Air (Birds)
• Genesis 1: 24-31—Day 6: Creation of Land Animals & Humans. Creation of Man (male and female) in God’s image, with the humans blessed both to be fruitful as well as to have dominion over creatures of the seas, air and land; God also provides the vegetation of the earth as food for land animals, birds and for the humans.
• Genesis 2: 1-3—Day 7: God's Rest from His creative acts on the seventh day, and the sanctification of the seventh day as Holy

GENESIS CHAPTER 1 EXPANDED SUMMARY:

Genesis 1: 1-5--Day 1:  Creation of Heavens, Earth, Light and Day & Night

• God created the heavens and the earth "in the beginning" (at the very outset)
• God's Spirit hovered over the waters of a formless, empty earth covered in darkness
• God created Light by fiat (i.e. decree/order/command)
• God noticed that the Light was good and separated it from the darkness
• God called the Light "Day" and He called the Darkness "Night"
• Thus the evening and the morning of the first day.

Genesis 1: 6-8--Day 2: Creation of the Atmospheric Heaven, separating the waters

• God created an expanse or firmament (something spread out) separating the water that covered the earth, thus separating the water layers into two--with a canopy of water above the expanse and water below the expanse (on the earth's surface)
• God called the expanse "heaven"--i.e. the atmospheric heaven or  "sky"
• Thus the evening and morning of the second day.

Genesis 1: 9-13--Day 3: Separation of Land and Seas, and the sprouting of Vegetation

• God commanded the waters under the atmospheric heaven to be gathered unto one place, thus allowing for the emergence (appearance) of dry land
• God called the dry land 'Earth' and He called the accumulated waters, 'Seas'
• This separation met God's approval
• God then commanded the earth to bring forth vegetation of all kinds--grass, herbs, trees, all bearing seed and producing fruit after their own specific kinds
• This sprouting of vegetation also met God's approval
• Thus the evening and morning of the third day.

Genesis 1: 14-19--Day 4: Creation of the Sun, Moon and Stars

• God commanded lights in the expanse of the heavens:

1. to separate the day from the night
2. to indicate signs and seasons, days and years
3. and to give light upon the earth

• God accomplished this by creating the two great lights and the stars, the Greater Light ruled the day and the lesser light ruled the night
• This creation met with God's approval
• Thus the evening and the morning of the fourth day.

Genesis 1: 20-23—Day 5: Creation and Blessing of Creatures of the Sea and Air (Birds)

• God commanded the waters to swarm with creatures and birds to fly above the earth, across the expanse (atmospheric heavens)
• God thus created the great sea creatures—living creatures that swarm and move in the waters, as well as every winged bird. Each creature was created according to specification, after its own kind
• This creation met with God’s approval
• God blessed these created creatures endowing them with the ability to be fruitful and to multiply, thus filling the waters in the seas and birds to multiply on the earth.
• Thus the evening and the morning of the fifth day.

Genesis 1: 24-31—Day 6: Creation of Land Animals & Humans. Creation of Man (male and female) in God’s image, with the humans blessed both to be fruitful as well as to have dominion over creatures of the seas, air and land; God also provided the vegetation of the earth as food for land animals, birds and for the humans.

• God commanded (and thus created) living creatures, livestock, creeping things and beasts after their own specific kinds
• This creation met with God’s approval
• God, in plurality, conferred to make man in God’s image and after God’s likeness and decided to have man endowed with the rule/dominion/administration over the fish of the sea, birds of the air and all land animals
• God created man as male and female in God’s image and in God’s likeness, and blessed them with:

1. Procreative abilities: Being fruitful and to multiply on the earth
2. Administration/Rule: Subduing the earth and rule (or have dominion) over all creatures of the seas, air and land
3. Nourishment: Food in the form of every plant that yielded seed and every tree with seed in its fruit for man;  as well as food in the form of every green plant for the land animals and birds.

• The entire creation as evaluated by God was “very good”
• Thus the evening and the morning of the sixth day.

Genesis 2: 1-3—Day 7: God's Rest from His creative acts on the seventh day, and the sanctification of the seventh day as Holy

• God completed His work of creation—the heavens, the earth and all the associated hosts
• God rested on the seventh day from all His work, after having finished all His creative works the days before
• God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, calling it Holy due to the fact that He rested on the seventh day from all His creative works.

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© Dr. Sam Kurien, Erie, PA, USA