As we dive into the 2025 Summer Study we are surrounded by the study passages, cross references, and memory passages. One of the most valuable parts of the National Bible Bee is the opportunity to memorize Scripture and meditate on its meaning. But in the chaos of life it can be easy to rush through memorization and not take the time to truly internalize God’s Word. I find it can be even more difficult to internalize narrative passages; stories are inspiring, but epistles and even prophetic passages are usually easy to hide in my heart. However, because all of God’s Word is true, every passage memorized will bless our spiritual lives. Today we’re going to look at the Navigate Passages of the Summer Study and see what these passages (many of which are narrative!) can teach us about the Lord and our walk with Him.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. – Colossians 1:15-16
In this passage Jesus’ qualities as Savior are not most emphasized. Instead, we are reminded that He existed at the beginning of the world, and we only exist because of Him. It puts the reality of who we are in perspective. We are made in the image of God, but this life is not all about us; it is about the One through Whom all things exist and through Whom we can be restored to a right relationship with the Lord!
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 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 base of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. – Genesis 1:1-5
Here we are introduced to a Creator Who is involved in every work of His creation. Everything in this passage and the following chapter was spoken into being, and none of it was without a purpose. Light and darkness were made so that we would know when to sleep and when to wake, when to rest and when to work. The entire universe was created to display God’s creativity and glory.
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.” So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 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.” – Genesis 1:26-28
The Lord could have stopped after creating animals. He did not need to make anything else in order to enjoy His work. But He made the first people. And not only that, but He created them in His image with the ability to have a relationship with Him. What a marvelous thing!
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. 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. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. – Genesis 2:1-4
God did not need to rest; He was not exhausted from all His work. But by creating a seventh day He planned for people to take extra time to rest their bodies and minds. It is meant to be a special time for our walk with God and a time of renewing ourselves in His Word and with His people.
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman and He brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:21-15
No detail was left out of God’s creation. In Genesis 1 man is put in authority over creation; at the beginning of Genesis 2 a day of rest is made; and here, at the end of Genesis 2, God creates marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The design of the family is not meant to change; it is meant to follow the model that was put in place in Scripture: one man and one woman raising their children to follow the Lord.
The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” – Genesis 3:14-15
Even our sins are not outside of God’s plan. Adam and Eve broke God’s rule and ate fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. But the Lord was not surprised; He was not taken off guard or frantically moving to Plan B. Instead He made a promise that the woman’s descendant would crush the serpent, Satan. He would save mankind from their sin and rebellion, and He would bring them back into a right relationship with God.
In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. – Genesis 4:3-8
This passage shows us an example of how sin can overtake us even when we have the opportunity to reject it. Cain was the son of Adam and Eve, only one generation away from the Garden of Eden. Yet when given a choice between surrendering to God or rebelling he became a murderer. The Lord does not want to see us sin and will give us every opportunity to flee from it. We must be careful to listen to His voice and run when sin tempts us.
This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, He created him in the likeness of God. Male and female He created them, and He blessed them and named them Man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. – Genesis 5:1-3
Again we see the model of the family in action. God’s design was not halted by sin; He still intends for us to follow Him and obey His commands. It is difficult now that our world has been impacted by sin, but as we follow the Lord He gives us strength to resist temptation and follow in His ways.
In these Summer Study passages we have seen God’s power in creation, the family, and the promise of future redemption. In the present time we are comforted by knowing that our Savior has arrived, and He has conquered sin and death. May it drive us to chase after the Lord as we meditate on His powerful Word!
Written by NBB Alumna: Rachael English
