Genesis 1:1-2:3
One evening in the first century A.D., Rabbi Akiva was walking home after studying the Hebrew scriptures. He was in deep meditation and was so captivated by the text that he missed his left turn to go home to Capernaum. Before realizing it, he had wandered directly to the front gate of a Roman military fortress, and found himself face-to-face with the occupying enemy.
Before Rabbi Akiva could turn around and retrace his steps, the voice of a Roman guard atop the gate boomed down on him, “WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU HERE?”
Startled, the Rabbi could only reply, “What?” The deep voice of the Roman soldier again resounded, “WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU HERE?”
The Rabbi asked him, “How much are you paid to ask me these questions?” The guard responded, “Two drachma per week.” To which, Rabbi Akiva told him, “I’ll pay you TWICE that amount, if you’ll stand outside my home and ask me those two questions every morning!!!”
Genesis 1-11: Primeval History Genesis 12-50: Patriarchal History
Genesis is our ultimate origin story and it answers these two most important questions: who am I and why am I here?
The rest of the Scriptures comments on humanity’s attempt to answer that question without God. And we can relate to that because there are indeed a lot of good things God created. Over and over, God calls His creation “good,” and at the end, He calls it “very good.”
Where we go wrong is that some people either worship creation as divine or disregard it altogether.
We are made in the image of God.
Imago Dei: Matthew 22:19-21
Discussion Questions
- When we read Scripture, repeated words or phrases often highlight important themes. What words or phrases stand out as you read Genesis 1:1–2:3? Why do you think God emphasizes these?
- Each day of creation ends with, “And there was evening, and there was morning, the ____ day.” How does this rhythm reveal God’s intentionality? How might embracing God’s design for work and rest shape our own lives?
- The phrase “And God said” appears throughout Genesis 1. Scripture teaches that God’s word is powerful and creative (Isaiah 55:10–11, John 1:3, Romans 4:17). How has God’s word shaped your life personally? How can we grow in trusting the power of Scripture in our daily walk?
- Genesis’ creation account clearly distinguishes created things from their Creator. Where in our lives do we sometimes prioritize created things over the Creator? What are some examples, and how can we realign our hearts toward God?
- When God creates people, something different happens. Read Genesis 1:26–31. What makes humanity distinct from the rest of creation? How does knowing we are made in God’s image affect how we see ourselves and others?