Discipleship (3)
1. THE BEGINNING (Gen. 1:1–2:7)
1. What is the name of the first book of the Bible? Genesis, which means “Beginnings.”
2. What do we know of the beginning of the world? “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Gen. 1:1.
3. What is the difference between “created” and “made”? “Created” means made out of nothing; “made” means formed or developed out of something already existing. In the account of the beginning of this world the word “created” is used three times.
4. By what power did God create the world? By his word. Heb. 1:3; 2 Pet. 3:5.
5. Who is called the Word of God? Jesus Christ. John 1:14.
6. How do we know that Jesus Christ was with God in the creation?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.… All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1, 3.
“Who is the image of the invisible God … for by him were all things created …” Col. 1:15, 16.
7. What was the last thing created? Man, who was made in the image of God.
2. THE FALL (Gen. 2:8–3:24)
1. Where did God place man when he had created him? In the Garden of Eden. Gen. 2:8–17.
2. Where was this garden? Probably near the present river Euphrates, in Asia.
3. What description have we given to us of this garden? That God made to grow in it the tree of life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.
4. How was it watered? By a river that flowed to the sea in four branches, one of which was called the Euphrates, and may very likely be the river now known by that name.
5. Was man idle in the Garden of Eden? He was put into the garden to dress it and keep it.
6. Were there any restrictions in the use of the garden? Man could eat of every tree or plant of the garden save of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
7. Did man obey God’s command? He did not; he ate of the forbidden fruit. Gen. 3:1–24.
8. Who was the first transgressor? Eve.
9. How came it about? The devil, in the form of a serpent, deceived her by a lie, saying that they would not surely die, as God had said, but be as gods, knowing good and evil.
10. What foolish plan did they adopt to hide their shame? They hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden.
11. Can any place conceal us from God? None.
“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?… Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” Ps. 139:7, 12.
12. What is it that makes us fear to meet God? The consciousness that we have sinned and that he knows it.
13. What ought we to do when we know that we have sinned? To confess and be truly sorry for our sin; to come to God, through Christ, for pardon; and to forsake it.
14. How did God clothe the bodies of Adam and Eve? In coats of skin.
15. What punishment came because of this sin? Satan and the serpent in whose form he appeared were to be finally conquered; Man was to be driven from Eden, and forced to work for his support, and finally to die; and Woman was to endure suffering, and be ruled by man.
16. How was man to know that the ground also was cursed? By the weeds it brought forth, and the labor required to till it.
17. Was there not a special mercy granted to the woman? Yes, that she should be the ancestress of Christ. Gen. 3:15.
18. Why could man live no longer in the Garden of Eden? Lest they should eat of the tree of life, and live forever upon earth in their fallen condition.
19. Is the tree of life ever mentioned again in Scripture? In Revelation, as standing by the river of the water of life, in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7; 22:1, 2.
20. How did God guard the gate of Eden? By cherubim and a flaming sword.
21. Why did Adam name his wife Eve? Because she was the mother of all living; and the word means “living” or “life.”
3. CAIN AND ABEL (Gen. 4)