Christopher D. Hudson - The 40-Day Bible Adventure. A Fascinating Journey to Understanding Gods Word

2011 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-61626-007-1

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-60742-379-9
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-60742-380-5

Produced with the assistance of Hudson & Associates. Special thanks to editorial assistants Jonathan Dunn and Melanie Holland.

The Setting Up the Story, Critical Observation, Insight, and Take It Home sections have been adapted from Barbours QuickNotes Simplified Commentary Series. Used with permission.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

Churches and other noncommercial interests may reproduce portions of this book without the express written permission of Barbour Publishing, provided that the text does not exceed 500 words and that the text is not material quoted from another publisher. When reproducing text from this book, include the following credit line: From The 40-Day Bible Adventure, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the H OLY B IBLE , N EW I NTERNATIONAL V ERSION. NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., PO. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

For Dad and Mom

Thank you for first introducing me to the Bible

While the Bible can change lives, understanding Gods Word can be a challenge. The Bible is unlike most books we readits older, longer, and more involved. The book we call the Bible is actually an anthology of sixty-six separate books written over the course of fifteen hundred years.

Once you begin reading, however, you may find the Bible is far less confusing than you had feared. Each individual Bible book contributes to a larger story line that speaks of Gods unending love for His people. The more familiar you are with the flow of the story, the more youll get out of your Bible.

The 40-Day Bible Adventure can help you understand Gods Word. Each chapter of this book is designed to aid in your journey of better understanding Gods message for you. Commit to forty days, for about fifteen minutes each day, and youll develop a basic understanding of scripture and be encouraged to better engage the Bible text.

Go ahead and turn the pagea rewarding adventure awaits.

The Bible opens with the story of creation found in the book of Genesis. This story serves two primary purposes: First, it identifies God as the Creator of the world. Second, it explains the origin of all things. Everything is created by God according to His sovereign power.

If you have time, read the whole story: Genesis 1:12:25

Read Genesis 1:113

What is Gods initial response to His creation?

The original audience for this story would have been the people of God who lived during the time of Moses. Since they would already have been people of faithpeople who knew the Lordthe story of creation is not so much an apologetic meant to convince unbelievers as it is a declaration of the mysterious wonder and grandeur of creation. These initial chapters are not intended to give a scientific account of creation but rather tell a story that highlights the powerful facts that God created this world and it exists within His control.

Read Genesis 1:1425

Days 16 have literary parallels. How does day 1 parallel with day 4, day 2 with day 5, and day 3 with day 6?

Read Genesis 1:262:3

What were Gods original intentions for humanity?

It is essential to understand the importance of Gods blessing in Genesis 1:28. In fact, throughout the remainder of the book of Genesis, blessing remains a central theme. It denotes all that contributes to living fully as God intended, according to His purposes. In this case, the blessing relates to Gods charge to be fruitful, multiply. Interpreters generally recognize that command as given to Adam and Eve as the heads of the human race, not simply as individuals. In other words, God has not charged every human being with begetting children.

Read Genesis 2:1525

What do these verses teach us about man?

What can you learn about God from this event?

The word translated helper or companion does not refer to a servant. In fact, Jesus Christ uses the Greek equivalent of the word to describe the Holy Spirit, who would help believers after the Lords ascension. It signifies the womans essential contribution, not inadequacy. The description of this companion as suitable or corresponding suggests something that completes a polarity, like the North Pole corresponds to the South Pole.

Its possible that the naked condition of Adam and Eve as described at the close of Genesis 2 goes beyond a physical description. It also applies to the psychological unity and transparency required for a marriage relationship. Physically, they were naked and shared their bodies with each other; psychologically, they were not ashamed and hid nothing from each other. They were at ease without any fear of exploitation. While perfect relationships will not be achieved this side of heaven, through the power of Christ we can come closer to living in restored harmony with each other. What can you do to cultivate a proper openness and trust in your relationships, whether with your spouse, family, or friends?