Genesis 1 – Lesson 1: Learning to Observe

Welcome to our study of Genesis 1-3—the first three chapters of the Bible! I think you’ll find these chapters fascinating, meaningful, and challenging.

Before we begin our study, however, we must learn how to study. While there are several ways to study the Bible, we’ll use this lesson to focus on the inductive study method. An inductive study starts by observing details and then uses those details to arrive at general principles. For example, let’s say you spent one hour watching a bird with three baby birds in a nest. During that time, you watched as the bird flew away and returned with food for the babies. You also noticed that when a predator approached the nest, the bird flapped its wings and chirped noisily. What would you conclude from your observations?

Since the bird is feeding and protecting the babies, the bird is probably the mother.

Your study of the bird was inductive because you started by noticing details and then arrived at a general principle. A deductive study, on the other hand, reverses the order by beginning with a general principle and proceeding to the details. Using our example, a deductive study would begin with the assertion that the mother bird cares for her babies and then it would seek observations to support that assertion. So a deductive study starts at the top (general principle) then moves to the bottom (details supporting that principle), while an inductive study starts at the bottom (details) then moves to the top (principle). Make a list of things that you have studied inductively. (Think about focusing on details and then arriving at general principles.)

Here are the three steps to an inductive Bible study:

1. Observe – List all of the things you notice in the text such as repetition, key words, how it begins, how it ends, etc. The question you’re trying to answer is “What do I see?”

2. Interpret – Explain what your observations mean. If you have questions about the text you can list them here also. The question you’re trying to answer is, “What do my observations mean?”

3. Apply – Offer practical suggestions for incorporating the meaning of the text in your life. The question you’re trying to answer is “What difference does it make?” or “How can I use this in my life?”

In this lesson, we’ll focus on the first step because it’s often the hardest for people to do well.

Why is observing difficult?

Because we get bored and easily distracted.

If you’re inclined to notice details you may find it easy to make observations. For others, making observations is difficult because it requires patience and curiosity.

Why is observing important?

To be good at anything we must be good observers. For example, good thinkers, detectives, and artists are good observers. They’re able to see details that most people miss.

Have you watched the show Monk or read Sherlock Holmes? Both characters are great detectives because they see what other people miss. Likewise, great artists are able to see in a tree or landscape that others fail to notice. Claude Monet, for example, noticed how the rising and setting sun affected a church building. And his observations led to thirty-one different paintings of the same building as seen during different times of the day. Instead of observing physical objects, we’ll be observing the words, phrases, and sentences of Scripture.

Write out Genesis 1:1 then list at least three observations about it.

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