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Trail Episode 1: In the Beginning
Trail Episode 1: In the Beginning
Reading: Genesis 1:1–2:3
Trail Marker: What This Episode Covers
Welcome to Trail, the Wolfpack’s step-by-step journey through the entire Bible in 365 episodes. This first episode opens with one of the most profound declarations ever written:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
This isn’t a myth or metaphor. It’s the first recorded moment in time and truth—God spoke, and reality obeyed.
We witness six days of powerful, deliberate creation. Light explodes into the void. Oceans are gathered. Trees, stars, whales, birds—all spoken into being. Then, at the height of it all, God forms humanity in His own image. Not from a word—but with His breath.
And finally, He rests.
The chapter closes not with exhaustion, but with completion. It’s not just a pattern to observe—it’s a rhythm to live by.
Full Reading Genesis 1-2:3 (ESV)
Genesis 1:1-31
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.
8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.
10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.
12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years,
15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.
16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.
17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,
18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”
21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.
25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1–3
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.
3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
What to Look Out For
There’s a rhythm here. A pattern.
God speaks, and things come alive. Then He sees, separates, names, and finally says, “It is good.”
But when He makes you—it’s not just “good.” It’s very good.
Notice:
God creates light before the sun—reminding us that He is the source
Humans are made in His image—not just formed but blessed
Rest is built into the foundation—not as a break, but as something holy
Reflections
What do you think it means that God created through speaking, rather than using His hands or tools? How might that shape the way we see the power of words in our own lives?
Genesis says God created light before creating the sun. In your own words, what might this reveal about God’s nature, especially in how He brings light into dark or chaotic situations?
God calls creation ‘very good’ after humanity enters the scene. Reflect on a time you struggled to see yourself as good or valuable. How does this creation account challenge that mindset?
Being made in the image of God comes with both dignity and responsibility. What are some practical ways this truth could shape how you relate to others or make decisions this week?
God rested, not out of fatigue, but to set a rhythm and declare the day holy. How would your life be different if you viewed rest as sacred rather than just a break from work?
Connection: Old Meets New
Genesis 1:3 — “Let there be light.”
John 1:1–5 — “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
The Light at the beginning of time becomes the Light of the world in Christ.
Jesus isn’t just a New Testament figure—He was already there, speaking life and light.
Prayer
Before you rise to the challenge, pause with us in prayer:
Father, You are the Creator who brings order to chaos and calls light out of the dark. As we begin this journey through Your Word, give us the eyes to see Your beauty, the ears to hear Your truth, and the courage to walk in it. Help us remember who we are in You—made in Your image, called very good, and invited into Your rhythm of work and rest. Let this truth shape how we speak, how we act, and how we lead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Challenge
Start your week like God started creation:
With light.
Speak something into your space this week—something that aligns with what God calls good.
“Let there be peace in my relationships.”
“Let there be clarity in my decisions.”
“Let there be patience in my parenting.”
Also, start your day with God, before the scroll. Try a morning where you read or pray before checking your phone.
Make space for God’s voice before the world gets a chance to speak.
