The Story of Creation (Genesis 1:1–2:4)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. At first, everything was empty and dark, but God’s Spirit was there, ready to bring order and life. Then God spoke, and light appeared. He separated light from darkness, calling the light “day” and the darkness “night.” This was the first day of creation, showing the power of God’s word to bring things into being.
On the following days, God shaped the world with care and purpose. He made the sky, the land, and the seas. He caused plants and trees to grow, filling the earth with beauty and food. He placed the sun, moon, and stars in the sky to give light and mark the passing of time. Everything was carefully arranged to sustain life.
Next, God filled the waters with fish and the skies with birds. Then He made animals to live on the land—each kind different from the other. Finally, God created human beings in His own image, both male and female. He gave them the special role of caring for the earth and all living creatures.
When everything was complete, God looked at all He had made and saw that it was very good. His creation was full of life, balance, and harmony. The world was a reflection of His wisdom and love.
On the seventh day, God rested from His work. This day of rest became a model for people to pause, reflect, and appreciate God’s creation. The story reminds us that the world was made with purpose, and that life itself is a gift from God.
The Story of Adam (Genesis 2:4–5:32)
After creating the heavens and the earth, God formed the first man, Adam, from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him. Adam became a living being, and God placed him in the Garden of Eden—a beautiful place filled with trees, rivers, and every kind of good food. God gave Adam the job of caring for the garden and allowed him to eat from any tree except one—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Seeing that Adam was alone, God decided he needed a helper. So, God made a woman, Eve, from one of Adam’s ribs. Together, they lived in harmony with God and all creation. They were innocent and unashamed. But one day, they disobeyed God’s command after being tempted by a serpent. They ate from the forbidden tree, and sin entered the world.
Because of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were sent out of the garden. Life became harder—Adam had to work the ground to grow food, and both would face pain and death. Still, God cared for them, making clothes for them and promising that one day, someone would come to defeat evil.
Adam and Eve had children, including Cain and Abel. Cain became jealous and killed his brother, showing how sin continued to spread. God punished Cain but also protected him from harm. Later, Adam and Eve had another son named Seth, through whom God’s plan for humanity continued.
Genesis ends this section by listing Adam’s family line. Though Adam lived a long life, the story reminds us that all people now face death because of sin—but it also points to God’s ongoing mercy and hope for redemption.
The Story of Noah (Genesis 6:1–11:32)
As time passed after Adam, the world became filled with violence and evil. People turned away from God, doing whatever they pleased. God saw how corrupt the earth had become and decided to start over. But one man, Noah, found favor with God because he lived righteously and obeyed Him. God told Noah to build a large ark, a giant boat, to save his family and two of every kind of animal from a coming flood that would cover the whole earth.
Noah did exactly what God commanded. He and his family worked faithfully to build the ark, even when others surely mocked them. When the time came, the animals entered the ark, and God closed the door. Rain fell for forty days and nights, and the floodwaters rose high above the mountains. Everything outside the ark was destroyed, but Noah, his family, and the animals were safe inside.
After many months, the waters began to go down. Noah sent out a dove, and it returned with an olive leaf, showing that dry land was appearing again. When the earth was finally dry, God told Noah to come out of the ark. Noah built an altar and gave thanks to God for saving them.
God then made a promise, called a covenant, with Noah. He promised never again to destroy the world by a flood. As a sign of this promise, God placed a rainbow in the sky.
The story continues with Noah’s descendants spreading across the earth. But later, at the Tower of Babel, people once again became proud and disobedient. God scattered them and gave them different languages. Even so, His plan to bless the world through human families continued.
The Story of Abraham (Genesis 12:1–25:18)
God called a man named Abram, later known as Abraham, to leave his home and go to a land that He would show him. God promised to bless Abraham, make his name great, and turn him into a great nation through whom all people would be blessed. Trusting God’s promise, Abraham obeyed and traveled to the land of Canaan, even though he didn’t know where he was going.
Throughout his journey, Abraham faced challenges and moments of fear, but God continued to guide and protect him. When famine struck, he went to Egypt and later returned to Canaan, growing wealthy in flocks and herds. He and his nephew Lot eventually separated, and God again reminded Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Even though Abraham and his wife Sarah were old and had no children, God promised that they would have a son. After many years, their faith was rewarded when Sarah gave birth to Isaac. This showed that nothing is impossible for God. Abraham’s faith was tested again when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac, but Abraham obeyed, trusting that God would provide. At the last moment, God stopped him and provided a ram instead.
God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham, promising that his descendants would become a great nation and bring blessing to the world. Abraham’s trust became an example of true faith.
When Abraham died, he was buried beside Sarah, and God’s promises continued through Isaac and his family. The story of Abraham reminds us that faith means trusting God’s plan, even when we can’t see how it will all work out.
The Story of Isaac (Genesis 25:19–28:9)
Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah, the child God had promised to them in their old age. After Abraham’s death, God’s blessing continued through Isaac. He married Rebekah, but for many years they had no children. Isaac prayed to God, and God answered his prayer—Rebekah became pregnant with twins who struggled inside her womb. God told her that two nations were in her womb and that the older would serve the younger.
When the twins were born, the first was named Esau, and the second, who was holding his brother’s heel, was named Jacob. Esau grew up to be a hunter, while Jacob preferred staying near home. Isaac favored Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob more. One day, Esau traded his birthright—the special blessing for the firstborn—to Jacob for a bowl of stew, showing how little he valued it.
During a famine, God told Isaac not to go to Egypt but to stay where He directed. Isaac obeyed, and God blessed him greatly with wealth and flocks. Still, Isaac faced conflicts with his neighbors over wells, yet he remained peaceful and trusted God to provide. God appeared to him and renewed the promises He had made to Abraham.
When Isaac grew old and blind, he planned to bless Esau. But Rebekah and Jacob tricked him, and Isaac gave the blessing to Jacob instead. Though deceived, Isaac realized that God’s plan would still be fulfilled through Jacob.
Later, Isaac sent Jacob away to find a wife among their relatives, warning him not to marry the local women. Through all these events, God showed that His promises would continue through Isaac’s family, proving that His plans always come true, even through human weakness.
The Story of Jacob (Genesis 28:10–36:43)
Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, left home to escape his brother Esau’s anger and to find a wife among his relatives. One night, while traveling, Jacob stopped to sleep and had a dream. He saw a stairway reaching from earth to heaven with angels going up and down. At the top stood God, who promised to bless Jacob, give his descendants the land, and be with him wherever he went. When Jacob woke up, he called the place Bethel, meaning “House of God,” and promised to follow the Lord.
Jacob continued his journey and arrived at his uncle Laban’s home. He fell in love with Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel, and agreed to work seven years to marry her. But Laban tricked him into marrying the older daughter, Leah, first. Jacob then worked another seven years to marry Rachel. Though life with Laban was difficult, God blessed Jacob with many children and great wealth.
After many years, God told Jacob to return home. Afraid of meeting Esau, Jacob prayed for God’s protection. The night before they met, Jacob wrestled with a mysterious man—who turned out to be God Himself in human form. Jacob refused to let go until he received a blessing. God gave him a new name, Israel, meaning “he struggles with God.”
When Jacob and Esau finally met, Esau forgave him, and the brothers made peace. Jacob continued to settle in Canaan, the land God had promised his family.
Through Jacob’s twelve sons, God began forming the twelve tribes of Israel. His life was filled with challenges and lessons, but it showed how God’s faithfulness continues, even through imperfect people.
The Story of Joseph (Genesis 37:1–50:26)
Joseph was one of Jacob’s twelve sons and was especially loved by his father, who gave him a beautiful coat of many colors. His brothers grew jealous, especially after Joseph told them about dreams showing him in a position of power over them. Out of envy, they sold him to traders heading to Egypt and told their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.
In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials. He worked hard and earned his master’s trust, but false accusations landed him in prison. Even there, Joseph remained faithful to God and helped interpret dreams for Pharaoh’s servants. Later, Pharaoh himself had troubling dreams, and Joseph was brought to explain them. God revealed to Joseph that seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years of famine. Impressed, Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over all Egypt.
When the famine came, people from many lands came to Egypt to buy food—including Joseph’s brothers. They didn’t recognize him, but Joseph tested them to see if their hearts had changed. When he finally revealed who he was, they were shocked and afraid. Yet Joseph forgave them, saying, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”
Joseph invited his whole family to live in Egypt, where they were provided for during the famine. Jacob was reunited with his long-lost son and blessed all his children before he died.
After Jacob’s death, Joseph continued to show kindness to his brothers. His story shows how God can turn hardship into blessing and fulfill His promises through forgiveness and faith.