“Genesis 1:1–25: The Creation,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)
“Genesis 1:1–25: The Creation,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual
Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5: Lesson 7
Genesis 1:1–25
The Creation
The majesty and beauty of our world testifies of glorious Creators who can transform something that is “without form, and void,” (see Genesis 1:2) into the wonders of this earth. This lesson can help students feel love and gratitude for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as they study the Creation of the earth.
Student preparation: Invite students to ponder the beauty of the earth and all of God’s creations. Invite them to bring a picture of or be prepared to talk about something in this world that they enjoy.
Possible Learning Activities
Note: Although accounts of the Creation of the earth are also found in Moses 2 and Abraham 4, this lesson will focus on the account recorded in Genesis 1.
Great creators and creations
To begin class, consider showing pictures of a beautiful building that is a popular destination in your area. You could ask questions such as the following:
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What do you think makes people want to visit a building like this?
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How do you think the creators of beautiful buildings feel when people enjoy their work?
You could then display a picture of a beautiful landscape near your area. Invite students to do the following to help prepare them for today’s lesson.
Think about how you feel or thoughts you have when you see the beauty and majesty of the earth. Consider how often you take time to admire or appreciate these earthly wonders. As you study today, prayerfully invite the Holy Ghost to help you feel love and gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for the creation of this world.
The Creation
Before introducing the following study activity, consider inviting the students to share what they know about the creation of the earth. Then refer students to the following sentence from “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles.” Invite students to write this truth in their study journals or as a note in their scriptures. You could also write it on the board.
In “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” we learn:
Under the direction of His Father, [Jesus Christ] was the creator of the earth. (“The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Genesis 1 contains some of the details about Jesus Christ creating the earth. Read the account of the first six creative periods from Genesis 1, looking for what we learn about the Creator and creation.
As students study the following verses, you could invite them to identify and mark each “day” of Creation in their scriptures. One way to do this is to copy the following chart on the board and give students time to complete it. You could organize students into smaller groups and assign each group one set of verses to study from the chart.
It might be helpful to explain that the word “day” refers to a period of creation, not a specific span of time (see Abraham 4, where the creative periods are labeled “time”). Note: The creation of man and woman will be addressed in greater depth in lessons “Genesis 1:26–27” and “Genesis 1:28–2:25.”
Be careful that this portion of the lesson does not take too long so students will have enough time to focus on the section titled “The Savior’s role as Creator.”
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Day 1: Genesis 1:1–5 |
Divided light from the darkness |
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Day 2: Genesis 1:6–8 | |
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Day 3: Genesis 1:9–13 | |
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Day 4: Genesis 1:14–19 | |
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Day 5: Genesis 1:20–23 | |
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Day 7: Genesis 1:24–27 |
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What thoughts or feelings do you have about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as you study these verses?
Students may have questions about some of the details of the Creation. Help them understand that the accounts of the Creation are not meant to provide a literal, scientific explanation of the specific processes, time periods, or events involved. It may be helpful to read Doctrine and Covenants 101:32–34 and reassure the students that the Savior will reveal all things in His time.
The Savior’s role as Creator
Give students an opportunity to deepen their appreciation for Jesus Christ as the Creator. One way to do this could be to draw a picture on the board of the earth and display the following scripture references for students to study. You could invite them to study some or all of the verses and come to the board to write meaningful phrases they found around the picture of the earth.
As students study these verses, invite them to pay close attention to how the Spirit can testify to them of the Savior’s role as the Creator.
Select one or more of the following verses to study, looking for teachings that can enhance your understanding and appreciation of Jesus Christ as the Creator.
Doctrine and Covenants 59:18–20
Doctrine and Covenants 76:22–24
Invite students to share their insights. One way you could do this is by displaying the following questions for students to discuss.
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What were some meaningful words or phrases from the verses you studied? Why?
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What did these verses help you learn or feel about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
Invite students to reflect on how the Savior’s role as Creator has impacted their lives. As part of this reflection time, you could consider showing “We Lived with God” (4:00), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
You could also use the story from President Boyd K. Packer in “Additional Resources.”
Express gratitude for the Creator
This portion of the lesson is intended to help students express their love and gratitude to Jesus Christ because of His role as Creator. To help them do this, consider using one or more of the following activities. You could display the options you select and invite students to choose one to complete.
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Write a poem or journal entry that expresses gratitude for Jesus Christ and His creations.
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Draw a picture that represents your feelings toward the Savior and His creations.
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Select a hymn that is about the Savior and His creations. Study the words to the music. You could search “Jesus Christ—Creator” in the Topic section of the hymnbook. You could write an additional verse to the hymn that reflects your feelings about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Creation.
After enough time, invite students to share what they learned and felt from the activity.
Look for opportunities to use sacred music to invite the influence of the Spirit. Inspirational music can create a feeling of reverence and help students feel the power of the truths they are learning. If students selected meaningful hymns to express their love and gratitude to Jesus Christ, the class could sing one or more of them together, and students could share the additional verse they wrote.
(For additional teacher training on the use of inspirational music, see “Create settings and opportunities for learners to be taught by the Holy Ghost” in Teacher Development Skills.)
You could also invite students to read the poem or journal entry they wrote. You could display the artwork students created and invite them to share what they depicted and why. Consider concluding class by sharing your feelings about the Savior’s role in the Creation.