Bible Study - Why (1) - Why Are We Even Here? - Genesis 1 - June 3, 2018

Bible Study – Why (1) – Why Are We Even Here? – June 3, 2018

This is lesson one in our series entitled “Why Are We Here?”

Our focus scripture is Genesis 1:1-5, 26-31.

GOD created us to fellowship with HIM.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Ephesians 1:3-4:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ; 

4 for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love 

GOD had a plan before HE “created the heavens and the earth.” When we, as humans, have a thought to create something, we ponder the purpose of what we are creating, the environment surrounding its utility, its functionality, longevity, maintenance to list a few things to be considered in its design. In verse 4, we see that GOD considered us, as humans, who would live in the world HE would create.

Dr. Hugh Ross, President and Founder, Reasons to Believe, has lectured, written many books on the unique placement of earth in the universe. It is in the exact and only position in the universe vital to support life upon earth. Their web site is www.reasons.org or mailing address is 818 South Oak Road, Covina, CA 91724. Dr. Ross presents scientific information regarding the uniqueness of our planet.

Verse 4, reveals that GOD chose us, “in love”, “before the foundation of the world,” “to be Holy and blameless in HIS sight. Before GOD proceeded with HIS plan to create the world, He knew that those HE chose would need salvation, but HE created the earth and us even though He knew our frailty and failures.  Why?

Where were you until the instant you were conceived? I contend that you and I were in the mind and heart of GOD. In verse 4, we read “HE chose us before the foundation of the world.” So why didn’t GOD just say forget it?” If HE had, then HE would have condemned every human before they had the opportunity to exist and make a choice. GOD’S plan was for every person to have a choice whether or not to have a personal, loving, intimate relationship with HIM. HIS ultimate plan was for every person to choose HIM and HIS only SON, JESUS, as his or her Savior. GOD’S desire was for all persons to choose HIM. HE reveals Himself in many ways – nature, the magnificent miraculous bodies each of us has, the universe and etc. HIS desire was for all to choose HIM but HE also made us with the freedom to choose. HIS foreknowledge gave HIM the right to know how we will choose. But regardless of our choice HE still loves us. HE chose us in love and He loves until we harden our hearts to utterly and completely reject HIM.

We must keep in mind as recorded in 1 Corinthians 2:9:

9 But as it is written: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, and what has never come into a man's heart, is what God has prepared for those who love Him.

Life upon earth as a human offers each of us the opportunity to live eternally, with GOD and JESUS, in the place JESUS prepared for all who place their faith in HIM. What does verse 9 reveal to us? What awaits those who love GOD at the instant they place their faith in JESUS? It is the immediate birth into GOD’S family as HIS Son or Daughter, eternal life and citizenship in Heaven. We experience the miracle of rebirth in our spirit. We are conceived Spiritually. This conception is only possible through faith in JESUS. What this means is that, as a human, our physical eye, physical ear and mind is incapable of knowing what GOD has prepared for those who know and love HIM. The miracle of rebirth in our spirit/Spirit begins the process of revelation through sanctification to reveal all that GOD has planned for us as HIS Son or Daughter. HE has work for us upon earth until HE calls us to be with them in Heaven. Let’s explore!

As we study our scripture, notice that GOD is orderly. HE creates on day one what is needed to support what HE does on day two. Since HIS nature is within us, when we live in an orderly manner, we are fulfilled. Chaos in contrary to GOD’S plan for us. 

Let’s read Genesis 1:1-5:

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth

Created carries the idea of “creating something from nothing” and only GOD can do that.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 

Consider what was happening. GOD spoke matter into existence. This matter is formless, empty, in the dark and water soaked. Notice something so precious was, “The Spirit of GOD hovering over the surface of the waters.” GOD leaves nothing to chance. Hovering means that GOD checked out all that HE spoke into existence. Every subatomic particle was in the correct amount, quantity, quality, texture, energy level and so much more to support all that needed to come about and support that which was yet to come.

3 Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 

GOD spoke, “Let there be light and there was light!”

4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 

GOD checked the light and approved it. Now, let’s pause. A water laden mass of material was in space. Just there. It needed to be pulled together and shaped. What happens if you take a mass of wet clay and expose it an intense light source? It will dry out on one side. Take a look at a flat map of the world. What do you see?

GOD separated the light from the darkness. What happened? Do you think GOD spoke the earth into existence and caused it to begin to turn on its axis? I think so. What happens when a mass begins to turn? It wobbles and you have centrifugal or the force to throw away from its core and centripetal or the force that holds things together and directs back toward its core. These forces come into play with the shaping of this wet mass. How do we know earth was turning?

5 God called the light "day," and He called the darkness "night." Evening came, and then morning: the first day. 

6 Then God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water." 

Let the separation of waters begin to form the sky and the earth.

7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so. 

8 God called the expanse "sky." Evening came, and then morning: the second day. 

9 Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. 

10 God called the dry land "earth," and He called the gathering of the water "seas." And God saw that it was good. 

Again, GOD spoke:

11 Then God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds." And it was so. 

12 The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 

GOD checked it out and gave HIS approval.

13 Evening came, and then morning: the third day. 

Here, I think the sun was right-sized and the moon was the result.

14 Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for festivals and for days and years. 

15 They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth." And it was so. 

16 God made the two great lights-the greater light to have dominion over the day and the lesser light to have dominion over the night-as well as the stars. 

17 God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth,

18 to dominate the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 

19 Evening came, and then morning: the fourth day. 

GOD approved all in existence so far. The environmental conditions were in place to support the next steps in supporting life upon earth.

20 Then God said, "Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 

21 So God created the large sea-creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. [He also created] every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 

GOD approved of all so far.

22 So God blessed them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth." 

23 Evening came, and then morning: the fifth day. 

24 Then God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. 

25 So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 

Reproduction and vegetation growth and support were going according to GOD’S plan for then and for us today. So what next? GOD, up to this point, spoke things into existence. What would HE do for HIS ultimate plan to have a people who would love HIM and for HIM to love?

26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth." 

Here is our first look at the trinity. “Let US make man in Our image.” Who was GOD talking about? It was GOD, The Father, GOD, The Son (JESUS or the Word) and GOD, The Holy Spirit. Let’s consider what John recorded in John 1:1-4: (John was writing about JESUS.)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

2 He was with God in the beginning. 

3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.

4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. 

27 So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

Man is Adam as the first human GOD formed but also includes mankind, which includes both male and female. We get a detailed account in Chapter Two.

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth." 

GOD approved of HIS work by blessings both Adam and Eve and told them to “Go to work.” We need to keep in mind that GOD placed Adam in charge of the Garden, therefore, he was responsible for what went on in the Garden. Also, we need to keep in mind that Adam and Eve had eternal life.

29 God also said, "Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you, 

30 for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth-everything having the breath of life in it. [I have given] every green plant for food." And it was so. 

GOD intended for mankind and the animals to be a vegetarian.

31 God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. Evening came, and then morning: the sixth day.

So here we have it. All done in six days. Was it six earth days or heavenly days? To me that is a mute-point. Here we are upon earth and living proof that we and the earth exists. But why do we exist?

GOD has an exact moment for each of us to be born and for each of us to die physically. What happens the instant we die is our choice. Will we go to Heaven to live eternally with GOD and JESUS or go into utter darkness to be eternally separated from GOD and JESUS? Where do you want to spend eternity? We are all sinners and the wage for sin is eternal death. The gift of GOD is JESUS Who gave HIS sinless life to pay in full the penalty for our sin. What do we have to do to be set free from our sin and be washed whiter than snow from our sin? Accept the fact that JESUS willingly gave HIS sinless life to pay, in full, the eternal death penalty for our sin and ask JESUS to come into our hearts. When we do, He comes into our lives and the miracle of rebirth in our spirit takes place and we become a child of GOD. Our citizenship is no longer earth but Heaven. GOD becomes our Father and JESUS becomes our Brother. We remain upon earth to obediently do the will and purpose for our LORD. Now is the time for salvation. Seek JESUS while you still can and before you harden your heart. Some may say, I have already hardened my heart. Are you concerned that you may have hardened your heart? If so, great news, you haven’t because you still are concerned. The opportunity for JESUS to be your Savior is still a choice. Accept HIM as your Savior now. Blessings!!!