Genesis 1, in its literal sense, tells the story of creation.

This is an ancient, ancient story of humankind. It was written down by Moses some 3300 years ago, but it’s far older than that. It was part of the “Oral Torah”, an oral tradition among Abraham and his descendants, and it’s a remnant from the Ancient Word, which dated back perhaps 5000 years in written form, and, again, far earlier in stories told around the campfires of countless peoples.

It’s not just ancient; it’s scientific! The sun and moon are out of sequence, but on the whole, it’s a pretty sound telescoping of what we know from astrophysics and geology and archeology.

And... here’s the main thing: It’s sacred. In its literal sense, it’s the story of God creating a world that can support life, and then living souls, and then human beings who can receive His love, and return it freely.

It is also a story that’s incredibly rich in symbolic meaning. At a deep level, it's telling us how people are born into a life focused on the world and its material distractions, but in time can be transformed by God into spiritual people. Each day described in the chapter refers to a new stage in the regeneration or rebirth of a human being, until we finally become heavenly in nature.

Here’s a brief chapter outline (and see Arcana Coelestia 6 for further reference!):

• (Genesis 1:1-2) God creates the heavens and the earth. All is formless, and empty, and dark, but the spirit of God is brooding over the waters. This refers to a stage of life when we're still living in spiritual darkness. We haven't yet started to turn towards God. (See Arcana Coelestia 7)
• (3-5) God creates light, on the first day. Here, we're at the stage where we understand that God really exists, and the light he's giving us represents our dawning understanding.
• (6-8) God creates an expanse in the midst of the waters, and calls it the Heavens, on the second day. This represents some knowledges about truth that God is beginning to establish in our minds. (See Arcana Coelestia 8)
• (9-13) On the third day, God separates the land and the seas, and causes herbs and fruit trees to grow. This represents a spiritual stage when the truths we know and the good loves we're cultivating are beginning to bear fruit. (See Arcana Coelestia 9)
• (14-19) On the fourth day, God creates the sun and the moon, to rule the day and the night. The sun represents love, and the moon represents faith. The light of truth and the warmth of good loves are beginning to rule our lives. When evening comes, we have periods of doubt, and need to rely on our faith to pull us through. (See Arcana Coelestia 10)
• (20-23) On the fifth day, God creates fishes and whales and birds – “every living soul” – and they are told to be be fruitful and multiply. Now, we're bringing forth deeper, better understandings of truth and good, and living and speaking from conviction. (See Arcana Coelestia 11)
• (24-31) On the sixth day, God makes land animals, and then, in verse 26, he makes man, in His own image, male and female. He blesses them, and tells them, too, to be fruitful and multiply, and gives them dominion over the plants and animals. This day represents a state where we're reaching our human potentiality -- being spiritual people. The animals represent our affections for spiritual truth and good. We are beginning to be an image of God, when we're reflecting the good that flows into us from God. (See Arcana Coelestia 12)

As the chapter ends, God rests from His work. This describes a heavenly state of being, in which we have learned to love what's good and true, and we have learned how to live by these loves.

Not all people reach the seventh day in their spiritual development. Most people stay at the first state; some make it to the second; a few others the third, fourth and fifth; and very few the sixth. People today, as throughout history, are over-focused on their sensory knowledge and the pursuit of worldly aims including money, status, power, and comfort. But... God is brooding over the waters; he's waiting for us to say, "OK, let's get started on living a better life."

In the pages and verses that follow, you’ll gain a greater insight into the life we are actually meant to live.

Key spiritual lessons from this chapter: The Lord is always calling us, inviting us to walk the path that leads to a close relationship with Him. He gives us life, and then leads us through the steps of regeneration. It is up to us to listen, to follow His truths, and to turn our life over to Him. As we learn and grow, He will transform us into a spiritual person in His image and likeness.