God of Creation - Bible Study Book

A Study of Genesis #1

by Jen Wilkin

The opening lines and chapters of Genesis teach us fundamental truths about God. We watch Him bring light after darkness, order after chaos, and rest after toil--all through the power of His Word.

Over 10 sessions of verse-by-verse study, dive into the first 11 chapters of Genesis by following three critical stages of understanding: comprehension, interpretation, and application. Teaching videos are key in understanding this study. Revisit familiar stories and historical figures, challenge your basic knowledge, and discover deeper meanings in the text. As God reveals Himself through Scripture, we can only begin to understand ourselves when we first glimpse the character, attributes, and promises of our Creator.

Additional purchase or renting of the video teaching sessions is recommended for the best experience of this Bible study book.

Features:
Personal study segments with homework to complete between 10 weeks of group sessions
Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groups
Essential teaching videos (30 to 35 minutes per session) that build upon and tie together the personal study, available for purchase or rent
Verse-by-verse study for comprehension, interpretation, and application
Benefits:
Discover what the Bible says about God, His character, and attributes.
Learn to love God with your mind as well as your heart through intentional study.
Challenge your basic understanding of familiar stories through three critical stages of understanding: comprehension, interpretation, and application.
Gain knowledge of yourself by first understanding God as He has revealed Himself through Scripture.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Christian Living, Religion, Christian Non Fiction, Theology

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jen Wilkin is a speaker, writer, and teacher of women’s Bible studies. During her thirteen years of teaching, she has organized and led studies for women in home, church, and parachurch contexts. Jen and her family are members of the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. She is the author of Women of the Word.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really can’t say enough good things about this study of Genesis. I have done Genesis studies before, but this one is the best by far! I will say though that the DVD teaching really takes this study to such another level. The book is really good, but the DVD part makes it amazing. Jen has so much to share and is such a humble and passionate teacher that always brings her teaching back to God’s Word. I can’t wait to do another study of hers and I would highly recommend this study to anyone.

[Deon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This study was great! Can't wait for the next one,

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep dive into the beauty, and richness, and fullness of God's creation. Starting "in the beginning" and going until the introduction of Abram, Jen masterfully exegetes scripture to bring light to themes, symbols, and gospel truths found in the beginning pages of scripture.

Being a follow-up Christ for 20 years, this is the first time I have encountered this text this way. Jen has a gift of bringing scripture to life and helping the student fall deeper in love with God. This is the fifth study I've done of hers, and every single one hits the mark... this one is probably ranked number two, only right behind the Sermon on the Mount study (you must do that one if you haven't ever done one of her studies!!)!

No one does Bible studies like Jen Wilkin. I'm a fan!

[SarahO · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jen Wilkins Bible studies! They're definitely my go-to. I didn't actually know how much I'd get out of this one though, or if I'd even like it... I should know better than to doubt.

[Ashlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won't give this study a 1 because it is studying the Bible and a chunk of the study is verses from the Bible so that brings up the rating. I wanted to like this study, it's 10 weeks long and I was super excited to go back to basics and really dive into Genesis, but the reason I didn't like it is multifaceted. From the first day of the study, I found myself getting bored in the middle of her lecture. She talks at you from a podium and each lecture (I'm using this word on purpose) is 45 minutes or so of the 1.5 hour time we have for the study so it leaves little time to pray together and dive into the implications of what we read that week. Basically you read powerful words and really soak in them for a week so you come to group excited to share your thoughts and hear how God has moved the people in your group this week only to be told by the moderator that it's time for Jen to talk at us for longer than is needed rather than let us discuss God's power and grace amongst ourselves so that we praise God together and hear about His glory.

I graduated from an elite university so I'm used to large lecture halls where professors talk at you too quickly and bore you to tears, but she gave them a run for their money. I found myself tuning her out and having a conversation with God after awhile which was pleasant, but I'd rather be doing that at home with my family than in a room sitting on an uncomfortable chair after working a long day as my stomach begs for dinner. Another reason I wasn't a fan is because I kept getting annoyed by the questions she asks in the study throughout the week. Some are rhetorical and others are thought provoking, however she only gives an inch or two for all of the questions so it's impossible to really get into the study unless you start writing in the margins. I felt like she thinks really low of the people doing her study because some of the questions were so ridiculously rhetorical and clearly leading you to a point she was trying to make rather than helping you better understand God's word so that your relationship with Him can grow. Essentially, it felt like I was doing a book report rather than exploring my relationship with my creator.

This is not a bad study, I just really didn't like Jen's writing or speaking and had a hard time focusing on God when she was going on and on and on and on and on...

Maybe I'm being picky and I don't mean to be rude at all, I am just feeling very disappointed with where Jen took this study. Genesis is so moving and personal, but she made it feel like homework. I was especially invested in the material as I'm a new mother and my relationship with God has recently hit a new level after experiencing just how much you can love your creation even when all they do is take and yell at you when you don't give them something (food) fast enough. The experience has renewed my relationship with my creator and allowed my love for God to grow in an indescribable way, yet I felt this study holding me back which was incredibly frustrating.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this Genesis Bible Study. I would probably give it 4.5 stars if we had the half star thing available, because I did like Priscilla Shrier's Elijah study better. It is hard to compare, though, because their styles are different. I enjoyed digging into the text of Genesis and thinking deeply about what God had to say. I came out of the study having richer thoughts about Adam and Eve and Noah, as well as application for my every day life. The DVD's were a great companion to the study as well. I would definitely recommend.

[CJ McKinnon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never taken a Bible study that has frustrated me more than this one. The author asks questions mainly on your own viewpoint, but offers no narrative to let you know if you are on the right path with your thinking. There were many questions I could not respond to because I did not know her point. I had so many questions about the text, but had no way to learn more.

[Ronnie Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This study had a big impact on me and is among my favorites studies. It covers the first 11 chapters of Genesis. I would say you do need the teaching videos to get the most from the study as there is a lot of teaching in the videos.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This winter, I attended a weekly weekday morning Bible study with ladies from my church. It covered God of Creation, a study by Jen Wilkin of Genesis 1-11.

I really enjoyed this study. It was the first one I had done by this author, and I liked her approach. Each week, we had homework in the book over a section of scripture. Then, at the study we had some time to discuss the homework questions in small groups before watching Wilkin in a video presentation over the week’s lesson. It was a format that worked well.

There is some disagreement in Christian circles today over various Genesis questions: is the earth millions of years old, or only a few thousand? Did people and dinosaurs coexist? Did Noah’s flood cover the entire globe? Wilkin steers clear of these questions; something I honestly appreciated. I wanted a study that focused on other aspects of the text, and that’s what I got. As she mentioned, God doesn’t always tell us the “how” of something or give specific details, but He has given us all the information we need to have.

Some things that I made note of in the study —

* Moses wrote Genesis, probably around 1400-1600 BC, with his intended audience being the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness.
* The Bible is a book ABOUT GOD. From Genesis 1:1, we are reminded not to focus on ourselves or on creation, but about God.
* “It is best not to shout where God only whispers” — I like this quote when hearing disagreements over various aspects of creation.
* God’s purpose in creation was to declare His glory.
* Woman was created as a “helper,” which translates as an “indispensable ally.”
* After the flood, we think of the “bow” in the sky being a rainbow. But the Hebrew meaning of this word is the bow you use to shoot an arrow. I forget the significance of this, but found this, which is interesting: https://mattsbibleblog.wordpress.com/...
* Genesis 9:18-27, when Noah’s three sons come upon him after a night of drinking, has a narrative similar to that of the fall in Eden, and is a type of “second fall.”
* Sanctification is “an ever-shrinking hypocrisy.”
* There was an interesting discussion of why Abel’s offering was accepted but Cain’s was not. One insight was that Abel offered the “firstfruits” of his gardening, while Cain’s offering did not appear to be the “firstfruits”/best of his. There also appears to be an issue with Cain’s attitude (for “Cain and his offering” God had no regard).
* In the genealogy listed after the fall, every person mentioned ends with “and he died” — like a bell tolling, showing that death indeed entered creation after Adam and Eve’s disobedience.

I recommend this Bible study and the accompanying videos. Very insightful and interesting.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite studies ever! Soooo much information. I love how the old and new testament are cross-referenced. It always amazes me to encounter this and it is even better when it is explained.

[Heather Masten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great study!! I would highly recommend doing this in a group setting, rather than on your own. The extra discussion and accountability to finish in 10 weeks (not my 7 months) would be beneficial. Either way though, Jen Wilkin is amazing again!!

[Laura Silvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure how I feel about Jen Wilkin studies yet. It goes deep and it sparks great discussion in a Bible study setting, but a lot of her questions left me wanting more. I can’t quite put my finger on it, and maybe it’s the Bible degree talking, but this was not at all like I expected.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author makes some LEAPS. For the most part though, it's biblically sound. It feels like it's geared more toward a casual study -- for a newer Christian or someone who doesn't have as much time to dig in deep.

[Bri Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this study of genesis that I kicked the year off with in 2023!

[Sara Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love Jen Wilkin studies and this one doesn’t disappoint. I love her line by line approach to scripture and hitting every point—even the hard ones!

[Emma Wissman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooooooooo good. I’ll probs be raving about how great this study was for the rest of my life.

[Shannon Hrinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this study of Gen 1-11!

I love how Jen Wilkin walks you through Scripture and guides the reader to find patterns, themes, truths about God and application. Huge focus on knowing and understanding the Word. Brought so much richness and depth to very familiar accounts. I gained so much from this, especially the sections on the genealogies.

[Watermarked Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a mixed bag. I really love Jen Wilkin’s focus on God in her studies (it’s sad that something like that isn’t a given in Bible studies!) and her inductive method. I like that she makes us dig into the Bible, instead of filling the homework with cute stories.

The second half of this study got weird, though, particularly the teaching videos. A few examples:

She takes the time periods mentioned in Noah’s story (how long he built, how long it rained, etc) and says they correspond to the six days of creation. In the first place I don’t see that connection, but also I see more than six time periods listed.

She also had a weird interpretation of the curse/blessing on Noah’s sons. Japheth was blessed to live in Shem’s tents, and she said that this is seen in that the gospel went to Japheth’s Gentile descendants (who she implied are “us,” whatever that means) after Jesus died. Again, not only do I think that’s a stretch of an interpretation, but does that imply that Ham’s descendants are excluded from the redemptive story??

It was odd to me that a teacher who teaches such excellent inductive stud methods had interpretations that bordered on eisegesis.

I still got some good stuff out of this study, but like I said...it got weird at moments.

[Erin Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Bible study, let alone a video Bible study, but I really enjoyed it. I love that the author includes a two page listing of “Attributes of God” in order to try to encapsulate facets of our Creator.

In the pursuit of earnestly seeking God, I loved the way she put things in perspective. In particular, this quote really spoke to me: “ God orders both the big story of salvation and the small stories of our individual lives.” As an amateur genealogist, I love how relevant she made histories, and also her emphasis that NAMES MATTER.

I didn’t always agree with what I thought were sometimes tenuous links to New Testament Scripture, and didn’t seem to connect much with the application and wrap-up sections.

I know this is in direct opposition to what she asked us to do in the very first lesson, but I don’t agree that you should not use concordances, commentaries, and other research aids when doing the study. I think some of the material is hard to understand without some contextual insight and I wouldn’t have understand the Word as well without that kind of support.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I co-led a women’s Bible study and we used both of Jen Wilkin’s books to study Genesis. Wilkin’s studies are so well done and are excellent for facilitating group study. My co-leader and I chose these studies because we needed more assistance as leaders on how to facilitate discussion and lead the group. These studies really helped with that, and helped everyone in the group come prepared with notes and takeaways to share. We noticed a difference in people’s participation and engagement because of how these books were structured. Grateful for this resource!

[brettlikesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

another awesome few months with my girl, @skyehelker this time studying:
GOD OF CREATION by jen wilkin (bible study) a study of genesis 1-11, with homework and teaching sessions + we learn SO much about God’s character, plan, provision, providence—i’ve done at least two other in-depth studies of genesis, so i thought ‘so this will be a nice refresher, but i’m not going to really learn anything NEW.’ uh NOPE. still so much to discover.
🌎
“In Genesis 1-11, Moses has skillfully walked us from the birth of the world to the birth of a nation, indicating God’s sovereign hand throughout. God orders both the big story of salvation and the small stories of our individual lives.”
🌍
“Romans 1:20 tells us that ‘since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made’.”
🌏
instagram book reviews @brettlikesbooks

[Courtney Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This study was paramount for my growing exponentially over the last two years. I almost get to a point of begging women to do this study when the question is posed casually... that’s how passionate I am about it. I really thought I “knew” Genesis because what are all young church children taught in Sunday school? But there is so much more. There is beautifully more. This study opened my eyes to the depths of biblical theology. It helped string a connection (that made sense to me) throughout the whole Bible. Some of the teachings on genealogies were the most inspiring and beautiful learning moments for me. I’m desperate for more people to do this study also because these studies are great tools for learning how to study a book of the Bible.

[Rachelle Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Jen Wilkin’s books but this is my first of her Bible studies. It will not be my last.

This is the best Bible study style I have ever done (and I’ve been following Jesus for 15+ years) and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I love how she takes a literary and orthodox approach to the Word, delving deep while also keeping the arc of the story of Scripture in mind. The layout is easy to follow, the paper is easy to write on (this matters!), and the insights during the teaching time are fresh and compelling. I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed that a 10-week study took me 7 months!

Make sure you get the version with video access! I mistakenly bought without and exchanged it!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me. There was so much material that in the first reading, and completion of the study, I knew I missed some important details. In the new reading I remembered that God created the earth as a place for the people who populate it. Also, the creation of the earth is contained in the six days narrative, but that all of it, from those days until today are all part of the story, the plan, the process that God put into place. There’s no “period” at the end of the creation. Every word of the Bible continues that narrative until the story is complete and you have to read it all to understand the story of creation.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic study on genesis, with something in each study that blew my mind with insight and connections to other parts of scripture I had never linked.

Jen is a talented and relatable Bible teacher who combines wit, humour and depth of theology to create studies that make you want to keep coming back. It’s enjoyable and so encouraging all at the same time.

I studied this with women at church, we watched the videos once a month after preparing the homework from this book. I’ll admit, I did less homework than I should have but still got a lot out of the study and would highly recommend it. We’ll be doing her study in 1, 2 and 3 John next year.

[Stacy Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jen Wilkin studies so much! They really help you dig into scripture. This one especially, because I think if you’ve been a Christian for a while, it’s easy to gloss over the stories you’ve heard a bunch of times - like creation and the flood. You’ll dig in with this study and really see it with new eyes.
The layout is easy to follow - and it’s easy to fit one study in each day. She gives great prompts for the text.

I only gave this a 4 instead of 5 because I have enjoyed other studies of hers just a bit better - the layout, not the content.

[Natalie Pheifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completed this study with a group of lovely ladies at our churches women’s group. This book was so wonderful and detailed! Jen really captured the context of who God is and who we are compared to Him, and how that should effect our meaning and our purpose and our one and only goal in life: to glorify Him in and through our whole entire lives! I LOVED this study & I am so beyond excited to start Jen’s next continuing study after this one that covers the rest of Genesis: God of Covenant. !! :)

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this study and can't wait to do another one of Jen's bible studies. So many times a bible study aimed toward women focuses more on emotions and less on the theological and historical "meat" of scripture. This study was a great mix of both - true study of the meat of scripture with reflection questions on how the passage helps us better understand the character of God and how we should live differently as a result. I highly recommend it!

[Kristel]

Reason read: Women’s Bible Study Sept through Dec 2023
I enjoyed this study. Jen Wilkin’s is able to look into the scripture and see the larger meaning of the scripture. Themes include creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Genesis is called the “seed plot of the Bible” and is the place that the redemption story begins. I liked the author’s style The video series does help with understanding and is recommended.

[Ellie Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way Jen Wilkin structures Bible studies. For as often as these scriptures in Genesis are used, I learned so much I hadn’t known before and was challenged to think in new ways. She intentionally includes questions that are nearly impossible to answer so highly recommend doing this in a group or watching the videos - I watched the videos and although they are a time commitment they were worth it.