Overall Questions: What do this earth's beginnings show us about God? What does its ultimate destiny show us about God also?
Memory Text: Colossians 1:16 Good News Translation For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES There could not possibly be a more explicit declaration, that the universe was created by Christ, than this. As if the simple declaration in the most comprehensive terms were not enough, the apostle goes into a specification of things existing in heaven and earth, and so varies the statement, as if to prevent the possibility of mistake.
Sunday – Creation Week
Genesis 1:1 New International Reader's Version In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN This first verse is a general introduction to the inspired volume, declaring the great and important truth that all things had a beginning; that nothing throughout the wide extent of nature existed from eternity, originated by chance, or from the skill of any inferior agent; but that the whole universe was produced by the creative power of God.
Who also believed in the Biblical account of Creation?
Matthew 19:4 New Century Version Jesus answered, "Surely you have read in the Scriptures: When God made the world, 'he made them male and female.'
Exodus 20:8-11 New Century Version 8 "Remember to keep the Sabbath holy. 9 Work and get everything done during six days each week, 10 but the seventh day is a day of rest to honor the Lord your God. On that day no one may do any work: not you, your son or daughter, your male or female slaves, your animals, or the foreigners living in your cities. 11 The reason is that in six days the Lord made everything -- the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. On the seventh day he rested. So the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
1 Timothy 2:13 New Living Translation For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve.
Isaiah 40:26 New Revised Standard Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
Monday – The Heart of the Creator
Job 38:4-7 The Message Bible 4 Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, since you know so much! 5 Who decided on its size? Certainly you'll know that! Who came up with the blueprints and measurements? 6 How was its foundation poured, and who set the cornerstone, 7 While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the angels shouted praise?
Job 38:4-11 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance, even concerning the earth and the sea. As we cannot find fault with God's work, so we need not fear concerning it. The works of his providence, as well as the work of creation, never can be broken; and the work of redemption is no less firm, of which Christ himself is both the Foundation and the Corner-stone. The church stands as firm as the earth.
Deuteronomy 32:10-11 New Century Version 10 He found them in a desert, a windy, empty land. He surrounded them and brought them up, guarding them as those he loved very much. 11 He was like an eagle building its nest that flutters over its young. It spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its feathers.
Matthew 23:37 English Standard Version "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
Tuesday – The Heavens Declare
Psalm 19 English Standard Version 1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:1-6 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY The heavens so declare the glory of God, and proclaim his wisdom, power, and goodness, that all ungodly men are left without excuse. They speak themselves to be works of God's hands; for they must have a Creator who is eternal, infinitely wise, powerful, and good… Let us give God the glory of all the comfort and benefit we have by the lights of heaven, still looking above and beyond them to the Sun of righteousness.
Psalm 92 New American Standard Version 1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High ; 2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night, 3With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, With resounding music upon the lyre. 4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. 5How great are Your works, O LORD ! Your thoughts are very deep. 6 A senseless man has no knowledge, Nor does a stupid man understand this : 7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass And all who did iniquity flourished, It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore . 8 But You, O LORD, are on high forever. 9 For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD, For, behold, Your enemies will perish ; All who do iniquity will be scattered. 10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox ; I have been anointed with fresh oil. 11 And my eye has looked exultantly upon my foes, My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me. 12 The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still yield fruit in old age ; They shall be full of sap and very green, 15 To declare that the LORD is upright ; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Wednesday – The Cross and Creation
John 1:1-13 New Century Version 1 In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. 4 In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. 6 There was a man named Johnn who was sent by God. 7 He came to tell people the truth about the Light so that through him all people could hear about the Light and believe. 8 John was not the Light, but he came to tell people the truth about the Light. 9 The true Light that gives light to all was coming into the world! 10 The Word was in the world, and the world was made by him, but the world did not know him. 11 He came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They did not become his children in any human way -- by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God.
John 1:1 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The account of creation opens with the equivalent Hebrew words. As Gen. 1 sets forth the nature of creation and the fact that man was originally formed in the image of God, so the prologue to the Gospel of John sets forth the nature of the Creator (vs. 1–4) and the means by which God purposed to make possible the re-creation of His image in man (vs. 5–14)….Word Here John uses the term as a designation for Christ, who came to reveal the character, mind, and will of the Father, even as speech is the expression of ideas.
Romans 5:12 GOD'S WORD Translation Sin came into the world through one person, and death came through sin. So death spread to everyone, because everyone sinned.
Thursday – Creation and Re-creation
Isaiah 65:17 Good News Translation The Lord says, "I am making a new earth and new heavens. The events of the past will be completely forgotten.
Isaiah 65:17 PERSONAL INTERPRETATION God will remake this world just as He made the earth in the first place by starting from scratch. Then after His work is finished, He will add the redeemed ones to His new creation.
2 Peter 3:13 New Living Translation But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God.
2 Peter 3:13 COMMENTARY BY JAMIESON, FAUSSET, AND BROWN in contrast to the destructive effects of the day of God stand its constructive effects. As the flood was the baptism of the earth, eventuating in a renovated earth, partially delivered from "the curse," so the baptism with fire shall purify the earth so as to be the renovated abode of regenerated man, wholly freed from the curse.
Revelation 21:4 New Living Translation He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever."
Revelation 21:4 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES How innumerable are the sources of sorrow here; how constant is it on the earth! Since the fall of man there has not been a day, an hour, a moment, in which this has not been a sorrowful world; there has not been a nation, a tribe--a city or a village--nay, not a family where there has not been grief. There has been no individual who has been always perfectly happy. No one rises in the morning with any certainty that he may not end the day in grief; no one lies down at night with any assurance that it may not be a night of sorrow. How different would this world be if it were announced that hence forward there would be no sorrow! How different, therefore, will heaven be when we shall have the assurance that henceforward grief shall be at an end!
Ellen White, Education, p. 301 - Not all the conditions of that first school of Eden will be found in the school of the future life. No tree of knowledge of good and evil will afford opportunity for temptation. No tempter is there, no possibility of wrong.
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James Brenneman
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