Light
God commanded light to appear and separated the light from the darkness, calling the light Day and the darkness Night. See Genesis 1:3–5.
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In the Beginning
Genesis Collection • Exhibit 1 of 8
Before the patriarchs, before nations, before human history, Genesis begins with God. The opening chapters of Scripture present the Creator bringing the heavens, the earth and life into existence by His word.
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Genesis 1 moves with deliberate order from an unformed earth to a world filled with light, seas, land, vegetation, heavenly lights, living creatures and humanity. Genesis 2:1–3 then records the completion of God's work and His rest on the seventh day.
God commanded light to appear and separated the light from the darkness, calling the light Day and the darkness Night. See Genesis 1:3–5.
God made the firmament and divided the waters, establishing what Scripture calls Heaven. See Genesis 1:6–8.
The dry land appeared, the waters were gathered into seas, and the earth brought forth grass, herbs and fruit-bearing trees. See Genesis 1:9–13.
God made the great lights and the stars to govern day and night and to mark signs, seasons, days and years. See Genesis 1:14–19.
God created the creatures of the waters and every winged bird, blessing them to be fruitful and multiply. See Genesis 1:20–23.
God made the animals of the earth and then created mankind in His image, male and female, giving them stewardship over the living world. See Genesis 1:24–31.
God completed His work, rested on the seventh day, blessed it and sanctified it. See Genesis 2:1–3.
Genesis begins with God already present and sovereign. Creation exists because He speaks, orders, blesses and gives life. The biblical story begins with the Creator before it turns to humanity, covenant and redemption.
The opening of Genesis establishes the foundation for everything that follows. Humanity is not presented as an accident of history, but as part of God's ordered creation and uniquely made in His image. The world belongs to its Creator, life has meaning under His rule, and the remainder of Scripture unfolds within the world He made.
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Genesis now moves from the creation of the world to the garden God planted and the first human home.