How old is the universe? Billions of years? What if I told you it’s only 6,000-10,000 years old? To modern ears, that sounds absurd. But stop and think. If you look at the world today and keep in mind three unique events, it explains everything we see:

1. A majestic universe built in a state of maturity by a personal, loving God
2. A terrible curse due to human rebellion leading to sickness, disaster, injustice, and death
3. A global flood, forming billions of fossils and thick layers of sediment across the planet

Taken together, these three events explain the world we live in today, and it wouldn’t have to be very old. Is Genesis history? Yes, I believe it is!

Henry Morris writes, “The geological and paleontological evidence is exactly what one would expect to find as the products of the Flood of Genesis. Those who deny the Bible record do so either from ignorance or because they have chosen to believe naturalistic and evolutionary (hence, atheistic) science over Scripture. The evolutionist does not accept the biblical record. The Lord Jesus, however, does (Luke 17:26-27).” (The Big Three: Major Events that Changed History Forever, p. 181 emphasis added).

Last year, I taught a class at Immanuel Baptist Church on Genesis. It was one of the more unusual classes I’ve taught, but based on the attendance and positive feedback I received afterward, it was a topic that struck a nerve and was of great help. Basically, we studied the first eleven chapters of the Bible, including the accounts of creation, fall, and flood. But instead of strictly going verse by verse, we sprinkled in theology and virtual “field trips” led by experts in the fields of geology, paleontology, biology, chemistry, zoology, and more.

The result was a nine-week series called “Is Genesis History?” I highly recommend your church go through it! Here’s the full-length documentary, and here’s a link to the Bible Study Guide.

As I taught the class, I tried to record each week and provide some handouts to supplement the Bible Study material. Links are below. I hope more of you will watch and share this material. Our class found it both encouraging and thought-provoking.

Week 1 – Introducing to the Doctrine of Creation
(blog post | audio recording | handout)

Week 2 – God’s Wondrous Works
(blog post | audio recording)

Week 3 – Continue Documentary: “Is Genesis History?
(link to full-length film)

Week 4 – The Doctrine of Revelation
(handout)

Week 5 – The Doctrine of Creation
(blog post | audio recording | handout)

Week 6 – The Doctrine of God’s Image
(blog post | audio recording | handout)

Bonus: Field Trip to Devil’s Punchbowl
(blog post | field guide)

Week 7 – Adam, Eve, & the First Sin
(audio recording | handout)

Week 8 – The Doctrine of Judgment
(audio recording | handout)

Week 9 – The Doctrine of Providence
(audio recording | handout)

Lastly here’s the entire set of teaching notes in one PDF file:

Question: If you attended the class, what’s one thing that stood out to you?

In his kindness, God created a luscious, habitable world, with everything Adam and Eve would need to know and worship him. In this study of Genesis 1-2, we learn…

• How these chapters lay the foundation for the rest of the biblical storyline
• A helpful way to remember what God created on each of the six days
• What makes the God of the Bible different from other deities and religions
• That gender is assigned by God, and marriage is between one man and one woman in life-long, covenant commitment

Here’s the audio recording:

And here’s a copy of the handout:

Thanks for listening. This lesson was shared during our Sunday morning median adult Bible Study Community at Immanuel Baptist Church. For a complete list of sermons and Bible Study lessons I have taught, please visit my teaching page.

Wayne Grudem says, “Out of all the creatures God made, only one creature, man, is said to be made ‘in the image of God.'” What does it mean to be made in God’s image? What sets us apart from the animals and the rest of creation?

In April, May, and June, I taught a class called “Is Genesis History?” Among many interesting topics, one that we covered was the image of God. In this lesson, we discuss:

• The nature of Genesis as history
• The many amazing facets of being made in God’s image
• Why this doctrine does not teach God has physical form
• Some helpful illustrations of the image of God
• How Adam was actually the first scientist
• A surprising hierarchy of authority found in our universe

Here’s the full audio recording:

You can also download and view the handout here.

Thanks for listening. This was week 6 in a 9-week study called, “Is Genesis History?” For more information on Immanuel Baptist Church, please visit our website. For more info and a link to the full length documentary, “Is Genesis History?” please click here.

The opening chapters of Genesis lay the foundation for basic Christian doctrines like God, man, sin, and judgment.

In this week’s lesson, we saw evidence for a world not millions of years old, but only several thousand. Hard to believe? Join us as we look together at…

• How the universe is distinct from, yet dependent on God
• That creation, like all other doctrines, is something we accept by faith
• What God was doing on each day of creation
• An alternate view that treats Genesis 1-11 as “proto-history,” and why that’s a problem
• Why it’s hard for us to imagine a place like paradise

Here’s the full audio recording:

You can also download and view the handout here.

This is week five in a nine-week study on Genesis. For a complete list of Bible studies and sermons I have taught, please visit the “Teaching” page on my blog. For more info on the full length documentary, “Is Genesis History?” click here.