Genesis Part 1 - Week 6

Day 1 

READ 

Genesis 2:23-25 

23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” 24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. 25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. 

Adam realized his true helper had come! He said she was “bone of my bone, and flesh from my flesh!” When a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, they are considered to be united into one flesh. At this time both Adam and his wife were naked but had no shame because sin had not yet entered the picture.  

REFLECT 

Consider the importance of the man and woman becoming one flesh.  

RESPOND 

The apostle Paul believed the Genesis account as he wrote Ephesians 5:31. Jesus responded to the Pharisees why there should be no divorce in Mark 10:5-9. This also reveals Jesus treated the creation account as it is stated in Genesis. Some today want to deny the early chapters of Genesis, but Jesus and the apostle Paul did not. One is in bad company to deny the historicity of the early chapters of Genesis. 

Day 2 

READ 

Genesis 3:1 

1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 

Genesis 3 is a major turning point in the Scriptures. It is generally agreed that the serpent was used by Satan to speak to the woman. He wanted to place doubt in the woman’s mind by asking, “Did God really say. . . .” Satan takes pleasure in getting people to doubt God’s words. In this case, it had to do with what God said about not eating “from any of the trees in the garden.” As usual Satan twisted the truth in not fully stating what God had said. Satan left out the exception. 

REFLECT 

Have you had times when you doubted something in the Bible, the written word of God? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about not doubting God’s word. Even after the resurrection of Jesus some of His disciples still had doubts. Notice in Luke 24:38-40 what Jesus said and did for his doubting disciples.  

Day 3 

READ 

Genesis 3:2-3 

2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 

The woman responds to what Satan had said about God telling them about not being able to eat from any of the trees. She told him the exception, but added to it. There is no record that God told them not to even touch it. As one preacher has said, “Eve was the first legalist, adding to what God said.”  

REFLECT 

Have you been guilty of adding to something God has said? It is important that whatever you believe is supported by the Bible.  

RESPOND 

Urge a friend to always be careful not to add to God’s word. The gospel is one of grace, but some want to add a series of works for people to show how spiritual they are. The indications one is a believer is seen in Galatians 5:22-23. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells about the Bible being inspired by God and what it is to be used for.  

Day 4 

READ 

Genesis 3:4-5 

4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 

Satan denied what God said. He claimed if they ate the forbidden fruit they would be “like God” in that they would know good and evil. In this is seen the basic problem of mankind; thinking they are God and can determine what is right and wrong. They do not want to believe what the true God says.  

REFLECT 

Have you at times been tempted to go contrary to what God’s word says and in this way making yourself like God? 

RESPOND  

With a friend, read Romans 1:18-32 to see what occurs to those who make themselves like God and think they can decide what is good and evil. Notice the sins that grow out of such thinking and acting.  

Day 5 

READ 

Genesis 3:6-7 

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 

The woman believed Satan’s lies and wanted the wisdom the forbidden fruit would give her. Not only did she eat but she also gave some to Adam and he ate it. Suddenly they were ashamed of their nakedness and covered themselves with fig leaves. This act of Adam, the head of the human race, poisoned the stream of humanity from this time forward.  

REFLECT 

Does this make the meaning and effects of Romans 5:12 more understandable to you? 

RESPOND 

The Bible indicates that Eve was deceived but that Adam was not. See 1 Timothy 2:14 for this. Adam knew full well what he was doing when he chose to go his wife’s way instead of God’s way. This is the first sin: choosing to go one’s own way instead of God’s way.