Bible Study of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers And Deuteronomy // Module 1 - Session 1

Welcome! We're glad you're joining us for Module 1 of the Study, which we call "Beginnings." In this module, we will explore the first five books of the Bible together. These first five books -- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy -- are known by several names. They have also been called the Pentateuch, the Torah and The Law. We will refer to this section of our study as the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch serves as the cornerstone of the Old Testament. The Scripture in these first five books tells us the beginning of the world, and they answer very important questions such as: who is God, how did we get here, what does God expect of us, why is sin here and what are its consequences, who are God's people, and how does the story of God's people begin. We won't be studying all of these five books in detail, but instead we will learn from specific stories. In Genesis, we will look at the story of creation as we study about the fathers of our faith. In Exodus, we will explore how God delivered His people from slavery, and we'll also look at His special agreement, or covenant, with His people. We will explore God's special covenant with Israel in the book of Leviticus. In the book of Numbers we will study the story of God's people who wandered for 40 years. Last, in Deuteronomy, we will explore Moses' final words to his people. Since you now have an idea of where we are going in this module, let's jump into this week's session. These stories we studied are important because they not only tell us about our origins, but they also help us understand something about the character of God, who we are, and the nature of the world around us. Let's answer two questions about our reading. First, how did God create? Did you notice in the act of creation that God repeatedly "spoke" or "said" things into existence? This is an important idea in the Bible. The latin word is "ex nihilo," which means that God created something out of nothing. The story says that God simply spoke things into existence and created out of nothing to demonstrate his unlimited power, or omnipotence. But this story is not just about the power of God, but also about the love of God. Do you see what He created? He created seas, fish, plants, animals and flowers and you. Take a moment and look around you. Look at all the colors, feel all the textures, hear all the sounds, smell all the smells. God held nothing back when He created the world. All the beauty we see shows God's love for us. After God created, do you see how He repeatedly called things "good?" God creates goodness and perfection. It is our sin that corrupts the goodness that God creates in us and around us. We also read about the creation of humanity in Genesis. You might have noticed how the story emphasized the uniqueness of humanity. Do you see how the Bible says we, not the rest of creation, were made in the image of God? Now there is a lot of discussion as to what this specifically means. We can conclude that because He created us in His image, we reflect Him in some way. You probably noticed that God personally breathed life into us. In the Bible, the idea of breath is the idea of God's activity and power. God does not breathe life into the rest of creation the way He does humanity. Last, you might have also noticed what led to the creation of Eve and how she was formed. You also see that Eve was formed from Adam's rib. Taken together, these stories help us realize that we are created for community. We help complete each other as Eve completed Adam and humanity. Did you also notice the way that God gave "dominion" or told humanity to "rule" over creation? These directions help us understand who we are in relationship to the rest of the world. From the way we are made and the image we bear, we are told that humans are the most important part of creation. However, when God told us to rule or have dominion over creation, it did not mean the rest of the world was unimportant. We were in charge of it and had to care for it. Let's finish our time together by stepping back and thinking about what we have learned. As these sections of Genesis are talking about creation, they tell us about God's power and His love. The way humanity is created speaks to our significance. However, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve, we are incomplete by ourselves. Last, these accounts tell us of our responsibility to the rest of creation. So, now that you understand more about the stories you have studied in this session, it's time to answer the relational questions. These questions will ask you how these stories impact how you live. Next week, our reading will focus on the beginnings of sin and the consequences in our lives.