Chapter 1: Three-Story House, Genesis 1:1-2:4

Review Questions:

1. How is the world like a house? The world is like a house in that it has three stories: sky, land, and water.
2. How do the first three days of creation match the second three days? During the first three days of creation, God separates one thing from another to create three different stories. During the second three days, he fills these different stories accordingly.
3. What are the stories of God's three-story house? Sky, land, water.
4. What is Psalm 77 talking about? Why does it describe this event as if it were the end of the world? Psalm 77 talks about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt through the Red Sea. It describes this event as if it were the end of the world because it considers this as the creation of a "new Israel" - a "world-shaking" event.
5. How does Hannah's song compare Israel to the house? In 1 Samuel 2, Hannah refers to the "pillars of the earth" as the Lord's and as those whom He has set the world on. These "pillars" refers to the rulers of Israel, upon which the "house" of Israel is built.
6. What do the sun, moon, and stars represent? What is Isaiah talking about when he describes heavenly bodies falling from the sky? They represent the rulers and kings (Gen 1:16 - they "govern/rule"). Isaiah is referring to the fall of Babylon as a "heavenly" power (Isaiah 13.1)
7. What does the land often represent? What is the sea? Land represents Israel and sea represents the nations.
8. How does Isaiah describe the Assyrian invasion of Judah? The Assyrian invasion of Judah is described as a river that "will rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks" to overtake Judah (Isaiah 8.7-8).
9. How does Jeremiah describe Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon? Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon are described as a sea monster and the sea (Jer 51.34-35).

Thought Questions:

1. What does Psalm 82.5 mean by "the foundations of the earth"?
2. Compare Genesis 1. and Genesis 8.1. Note that the word for "Spirit" is the same as the word for "wind". In light of this, explain what's happening in Genesis 8.1. In Genesis 8.1, God is allowing the earth to have a new beginning, after it had been destroyed by the flood. This precedes the waters receding from the earth in order to bring forth new land. The "wind" or "Spirit" is always evident when something new is being created,
3. Notice the references to the three-story house in Revelation 8.1-13. Notice also that there are seven trumpets being sounded. Explain how this connects to Genesis 1. The seven trumpets that are being sounded reference the seven days of creation. The imagery of chapter denotes the undoing of what had been created in the very beginning. Three also appears to be a very significant number, for it is one third of everything that is ordered to be destroyed.
4. Why is it significant that Noah's ark has three levels (Genesis 6:16)? Just as the world was created with three stories, Noah's ark also has three levels. In some ways, the original conditions of the world is being maintained, even as the flood is overtaking the world.
5. If the land pictures Israel, what do land animals represent? Look at Psalm 77.20 and 80.1. The land animals represent God's people who inhabit the land. we are led by God just as the shepherd leads his flock.