In your Bible, read Genesis, chapters 1 – 4.

                                                                                                                                              
Answer the following questions, including citations from the Bible (chapter and
verse) to support your answers:           
 
1. What do these Scripture passages tell us about God?
 
2. What do these Scripture passages tell us about human beings and our world?
 
3. What do these Scripture passages tell us about God’s desires for us and God’s
expectations of us?
 
This Bible Blog is worth 30 points – 24 points for your 500-750 word reflection and 6
points for serious engagement with at least 3 of your peers. Your blog must be
posted no later than midnight on Wednesday, September 28. Your peer
comments are due no later than midnight on Friday, September 30.

Bible blog 1

1 . – god is the creator, overseer of good, and equal in punishment

2. created in god’s image, knower of good and evil, choice of how to live, dominion over plentiful world

3. expected to obey, and god has a desire for us have rule over the earth and to earn our place back with
him

The first four chapters of Genesis tell us a lot about God, his world and people created for it, and what
he expects us to do on that world. The first thing I noticed about God is that he’s the creator of all things
according to the entire first chapter of genesis. He creates everything on earth and in the sky in a
metaphorical timespan of seven days. In those creations, he assures each part of them to be good
(Genesis 1: 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31), and I think that shows God to also be the bringer and overseer of
good in our lives. I didn’t overlook the later parts for information about God, I also think God isn’t shy of
punishing wrongdoing. In Genesis 3: 14-19, God deals just punishment for the serpent’s deception,
Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and Cain’s familial murder, because those wrong acts deserved
punishment.

In terms of what the four chapters teach us about ourselves and our world, The first thing God does for
us, is make us in his image and bless us to, “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue
it.” (Genesis 1:28) I take that to mean not only do we look like him, but we were also alike in goodness,
doing good things around us for the simple pleasure of good things. Adam was made to be a worker and
caregiver for Eden, his home, and I believe that translates to how God wants us to treat the world. We
are meant to bring out earth’s greatest potential for ourselves, and at the same time to take care of it
for future generations. Another thing I noticed about humans specifically in chapter 2 and 3, is that we
have a choice of whether to follow god’s word or not. I say that because I had always wondered why
God put the tree of knowledge about good and evil in the garden of Eden. At some point, I realized it
was because if it was not there, then we could not choose to follow God and do good, we would simply
be forced to with lack of other options. I believe that’s important because it shows God is not a tyrant,
he wants our love and respect, not just obedience, and you can’t have love without choosing to give it.
That choice to follow God, however, reveals that we have a sinful nature; when we have ample
opportunity, we will stray from the straight and narrow path God set for us. Sure, there’s the serpent’s
deception, but his lie relies on Eve believing that God could be wrong in his statements. God didn’t lie to
even the slightest degree, even when he said, “for when you eat from [the tree of knowledge of good
and evil], you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) When he says “die”, he means a spiritual death as you walk
away from what God intended. Lastly, despite the sin we commit at the slightest hint of doubt, I think
that God wants us to return to his goodness in defiance of our sinful nature. I think that because when
Adam and Eve get their punishment, God doesn’t rescind his earlier blessing. Adam and Eve still go on to
fill the earth with people who go on to subdue and rule it. They just now have to content with a life of
toil and pain without the immediate presence of God as they had in Eden.