In the Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. With those thrilling words, the Bible begins. Everything else in space and time, history and salvation, creation and covenant, unfolds from God’s very good creation. Indeed, even as Adam’s fall into sin requires the promise and provision of a Redeemer (Gen. 3:15), the whole Bible and the Christian faith stand on the cornerstone of God’s work in Genesis 1–11. For Christians, if we get these chapters right, it leads to life and sound doctrine. But if we get them wrong, it invites all kinds of problems—biblical, theological, ethical, and scientific. Recognizing this fact, during the month of August we consider the literary and theological truths contained in Genesis 1–11. From exegetical analysis to theological inquiry, and from creation science to ethical application, this month will help Christians understand these chapters and their import for God’s Word and God’s world.