NIV Student Bible
NIV Student Bible
NIV Student Bible
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
V E R S I O N
N otes b y
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4 Genesis 1:1
The Beginning
guided tour
Genesis 1
A B oo k o f B e gi n n i n g s :
G e n e s i s gi v e s t h e w h o , n ot t h e h ow
1:1,31 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ... God saw all that he had
made, and it was very good.
The story of the Biblemore, the history of the universestarts with the simple declaration, God
created. The rest of this chapter fills in what he created: stars, oceans, plants, birds, fish, mammals and,
finally, man and woman.
Genesis 1 says little about the processes God used in creation. Youll find no explanations of DNA or
other scientific principles behind creation. For this reason, controversy springs up on the Internet, in
classrooms, and even in courtsbetween those who see Gods hand in creation and those who see only
the blind forces of evolution at work. The opening chapter of the Bible does, however, insist on two facts:
1. Creation is Gods work. And God said ... And God said ... And God saidt his phrase beats a
cadence all the way through the chapter. Butterflies, waterfalls, bottlenose dolphins, praying mantises, kangaroost hey are all Gods idea. This magnificent world is like an interactive, hands-on
museum displaying Gods artistic genius. All that follows in the Bible reinforces the clear message
of Genesis 1: Behind all of history, there is God. Every helium atom, every spiral galaxy, every
living creature exists because God wants it to. Think of Genesis 13 as an artists signature on a
painting; God is saying, This is mine.
2. Creation is good. Like a bell, another sentence tolls softly throughout this chapter: And God saw
that it was good. In our day were inundated with alarming reports about destructive forces in
naturemany wrought by our own hands: superbugs, smog, climate change, vanishing ice caps,
massive islands of garbage floating in our oceans. Much has changed, much has been spoiled,
since creation. Genesis 1 describes the unspoiled world God designed. Whatever beauty we sense
in nature today echoes, however faintly, that pristine state.
In fact, the Bible opens and closes with much the same scenery: a garden, watered by a river, with human beings living in the actual presence of God. The two scenes are like brackets of perfection around
the history of a badly scarred planet.
In 1968, astronaut Frank Borman read from Genesis 1 during a Christmas Eve broadcast from outer
space. Gazing out his window, he saw Earth as an awesomely beautiful and terribly fragile ball, hanging
alone in the darkness of space. Today, its a view that any of us can getnot just from Google Earth, but
from the opening words of the Bible.
Life Questions
Think of a time when you noticedreally noticedt he beauty of the natural world.
To continue the Guided Tour reading plan, turn to page 6.
You can find the overall plan on pages xixiii.
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Psalm 23
A psalm ofDavid.
1 The
Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green
pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
guided tour
P salm 2 3
A S h e p h e rd s Son g :
T h i s b r a v e w a rrior a l s o wrot e p o e try
23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
David was a well-rounded human being. Although he possessed courage enough to take on the likes of
Goliath, a nine-foot-tall Philistine, he certainly did not fit any macho warrior mold. In fact, David first
gained King Sauls notice for his musical, not military, skills. He was brought to the army camp because
his harp playing soothed the frayed nerves of the troubled king.
He was also a poet, with almost half of the 150 psalms in the Bible credited to him. This famous psalm
reveals at once the secret of Davids poetic abilities and the secret of his faith. Over the years, millions of
people have found comfort and inspiration by praying the eloquent words of Psalm 23, written by the
shepherd who would be king.
The poetry attributed to David tends to start with the natural settingrocks, caves, stars, battlefields,
sheepand work out from that physical world to express profound thoughts about God. Psalm 23, for
instance, may stem from Davids experience as a shepherd boy. Using metaphors that emerge from the
tasks of sheepherding, David composed a few beautiful stanzas of worship poetry.
Gritty Trust
This psalm captures the essence of Davids trust in God. Sheep have blind, absolute trust in a leader. If
a lead sheep plunges off a cliff, an entire flock will follow. That kind of unshakable trust David sought
in his walk with God.
Yet no one can dismiss David as having a rosy, romantic view of life. The preceding Psalm 22 shows
just how tough, gritty and ruthlessly honest he could be. Somehow David managed to make God the
center of his life, regardless of circumstanceswhether he felt comforted by God or cruelly abandoned
by him. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God, wrote
this soldier who spent much of his time running from chariots and horses (20:7).
Life Questions
Does your faith more resemble the childlike faith of Psalm 23 or the barely-hanging-on faith of Psalm 22?
To continue the Guided Tour reading plan, turn to page 624.
You can find the overall plan on pages xixiii.
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The Beatitudes
He said:
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children
of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11Blessed are you when people insult you, per
secute you and falsely say all k inds of evil against
you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because
g reat is your reward in heaven, for in the same
way they persecuted the prophets who were be
fore you.
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guided tour
M atthew 5
Murder
21You have heard that it was said to the peo
ple long ago, You shall not murder,a and anyone
who murders will be subject to judgment. 22But I
a21
Exodus20:13
I n f l a m m a tory Word :
J e s u s l i s t e n e r s f a i l to h e a r
5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
One emotionally charged word, kingdom, makes images dance in the minds of Jesus audience: bright
banners, glittering armies, the gold and ivory of Solomons day, the nation of Israel restored to glory. Yet
Jesus often uses this word that quickens the Jewish pulse, starting with his very first message, Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven has come near (4:17).
Winds of change are blowing through Israel as Jesus speaks. Guerrilla fighters called Zealots hang
on the edges of the crowds, awaiting the signal. Armed and well organized, they are spoiling for a fight
against oppressive Rome. The signal for revolt, however, never comes. To their dismay, it gradually becomes clear that Jesus is not talking about a political or military kingdom.
The expectations raised by Jesus statements lead to confusion and, ultimately, to angry rejection. Initial excitement over Jesus miracles sours into disappointment when he fails to restore the long-awaited
kingdom. As it turns out, the word kingdom means one thing to the crowd and quite another to Jesus.
Two Kinds of History
Jesus indicates that two kinds of history are going on simultaneously. We live in a visible world of families
and people and cities and nationst he kingdom of this world. But Jesus calls for people to commit their
lives to an invisible kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom more important and more valuable
than anything in the visible world. It is like the finest pearl in the world, he saysworth selling everything you have to invest in it.
Success in the kingdom of heaven involves a complete reversal of values, as seen in this major
address, the Sermon on the Mount. Blessed are the poor in spirit, Jesus says, and also those who
mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and the persecuted for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven (verses 36,10). Status in this world does not guarantee status in the kingdom
of heaven.
Life Questions
Are you focused on achieving success in the kingdom of this world or in the kingdom of heaven?
To continue the Guided Tour reading plan, turn to page 1085.
You can find the overall plan on pages xixiii.
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