At some point in our lives, we have to wonder: Why are we here? How did all of this come to be? What are the origins of our universe, our story, and our purpose? In the first eleven chapters of the Bible, in the book of Genesis, we see a cosmic story unfolding—an epic narrative—of God shaping a good and meaningful world, what went wrong, and how God is redeeming the mess, restoring us to something good.

 

Genesis 1–11 Visual Outline

15 Things We Can Gather from Genesis 1

  • Time is linear

  • The universe has a beginning

  • There is one God, not many

  • He is the creator of all you see

  • He took “chaos and void” and made it into something

  • He spoke things into existence by his power and intellect

  • What he made was good

  • He created skies, seas, and land

  • He is the origin of all plants and animals

  • Sun and moon are timekeepers, not God

  • Weather comes from his design

  • Food was created by his design

  • People—male and female—were created in his image

  • People were created to rule over creation

  • Altogether, it was very good

Diagram of Ancient Cosmology

 
 

Genesis 1 Creation Chart

 
 

Comparison of Creation Narratives

 
 

Noah's Ark Ship Comparison

Descendants Chart

Table of Nations

Reading Guide

Three Steps to Inductive Bible Study

Observe: What does it say?

  • Look for who, what, when, where, and how.

  • Look for repeated words, lists, and themes.

  • Identify connecting words—now, and, then, so, etc.

  • Find contrasts and comparisons.

Interpret: What does it mean?

  • What is the author’s intent or purpose?

  • How would the original audience understand it?

  • What was the historical context?

  • How does this connect to the surrounding passages?

Apply: How does it apply to my life?

  • How does this fit into God’s larger story of redemption worked out through his creation?

  • Is there a promise to encourage/strengthen me?

  • Did I see something about God’s character?

  • Is there a command to obey or principle to apply?

  • How can I pray these truths into my life?

Your Weekly Reading Plan

DAY 1: Read through the passage in Genesis 1–11.

DAYS 2–4: Reread the smaller passages.

DAY 5: Read the corresponding passage from the New Testament. In addition to regular inductive Bible study, ask:

  • How does this passage fulfill a picture or reverse the curse of the Old Testament?

  • What other key parallels can I find between the Genesis 1–11 reading and the New Testament text?

 

Additional Resources

 

Videos

 
 

Books

 
 

Podcasts