Creation

Estimated Date: Unknown, possibly c. 4000, B.C.
Place: None specified, though focus seems to be on the earth as a whole.
Major Characters: God
Biblical Text: Genesis 1:1-2:4

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

The beginning of Genesis recounts God's creation of the universe in six days. It does so in an organized fashion, telling which things God creates on each day. Also notice the symmetry as God creates. In the first three days, God solves the problem of the earth's formlessness. During the second three days, He solves the problem of the earth's emptiness.

Part I: Formlessness

Day 1: Light and Darkness

Day 2: Sea and Sky

Day 3: Land and Plants


Part II: Emptiness

Day 4: Sun, Moon, and Stars
Presumably, this is also when other planets and heavenly bodies were created, although Genesis provides no specific evidence of this.

Day 5: Sea Creatures and Birds

Day 6: Land Animals and the First Man
This first man would be named Adam. Genesis 1:27 states that humans are made in God's image, which does not mean that humans look like God, but rather that we are created in God's likeness, having a spirit, free will, and other things unique to mankind.


Part III: Rest

Day 7: Rest
Here, God is not "resting" as we typically think of the word. He is not resting because He is tired, but rather because He is done with His work and is taking time to admire and delight in it, because as He notes many times throughout Chapter 1, "it was very good."