Genesis 1:3-2:3

 |  February 14, 2018

Generation I: In the Beginning

Gen. 1:3-2:3

  1. Locate the passage

This pericope contains the days of creation and the Divine assessments of them. The division through 2:3 concludes the first 7 days. Here are recorded the six days of creation and the Sabbath day of rest. The pericope beginning in 2:4 in the first toledoth division and represents a narrowed focus on the 6th day of creation.

  1. Genre

The passage is narrative. The fact that God is speaking implies the Divine audience with whom He was communicating. This passage is the first recorded “conversation” among the Godhead. There is also a conversation between God and mankind He has created.

  1. Determine the structure of the passage

1:3-5 – Day One

1:6-8 – Day Two

1:9-13 – Day Three

1:14-19 – Day Four

1:20-23 – Day Five

1:24-31 – Day Six

2:1-3 – Day Seven

  1. Exegete the passage

The text reveals God’s accomplishment of His will through His Word. As such, it anticipates the appropriate respect for and impact of the Word of God.

This passage is about Divine activity. That God is, He has acted, and He has spoken reveal the greatest truths mankind will ever know. God’s activity is designed to prepare creation for habitation by mankind and the facilitation of his living out of his blessing.

The repetition of key phrases mark this pericope:

There is an obvious parallel between the days of creation: Day 1 with Day 4; Day 2 with Day 5; and Day 3 with Day 6

The terms for creation:

Create (“bara”) – 1:1, 21, 27; 2:3, 4

Made (“asah”) – 1:7, 16, 25

Formed (“yatzar”) – 2:7, 8, 19

Built (“bana”) – 2:22

The “Days” of creation

1:3 – God said, “Let there be light”

1:3 – Light was separated from darkness

1:5 – God called the light, Day

1:9 – let dry land appear (Hb. ra’ah) – let it be seen

1:16 – to “rule” the day … and … “the night”

1:22 – Be fruitful

1:26 – Let “Us” make man

1:27 – In our image (“tselem”) … our likeness (“demut”)

1:28 – Fill the earth

1:29 – I have given you herbs, trees, seed

1:31 – God saw everything

2:1 – all the hosts of them

2:1 – “finished”

2:1 – on the seventh day … He rested

2:3 – God blessed the seventh day

  1. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

Exp. God accomplishes His purposes through His Word

Exp. Ultimately, we see the purpose of God in His Word in Christ

Exp. John 1:1 reveals that in the beginning was the Word, that Word was with God, and that Word was God.

Application

References[+]

Category: Sermon Structure
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