THE BOOK OF GENESIS
INTRODUCTION:
1.All that is to be developed
and to come later is planted in GENESIS; It serves as the
introduction to the Pentateuch and to all other Scripture.
2.Note the importance of GENESIS: It
is quoted more than 60 times in the New Testament.
3.AUTHOR:
Internal and external evidence proves that Moses wrote the first Five Books
(GENESIS - DEUTERONOMY), by guidance of the Holy Spirit - cf 2Pet 1:21.
4.DATE:
Written after the Exodus from Egypt, in the Wilderness of Sinai, approximately
1460 BC.
5.MEANING:
The word GENESIS means: “Origin; Source;
Generation; Birth” (It
is The Book Of Beginnings).
a.It presents the beginning of everything, except God and eternity (God always has been; There is no
time in eternity).
b.It
is The Book Of The Beginning of:
1)The Universe - 1:1;
2)Mankind - 1:27;
3)Marriage - 2:22-24;
4)Sin - 3:1-7;
5)Hope Of Salvation - 3:15;
6)Sacrifice - 3:21; 4:4;
7)Family - 4:4;
8)Society - 4:16-22;
9)Government - 9:5-6;
10)Nations and Languages - Ch 11;
11)Promise Of Salvation - 12:1-3;
12)The Nation of Israel, and the
Ground-work For God’s Scheme of Human Redemption - Chs 12-50.
6.A reading of The Book shows it is
clearly divided into two main parts (Chs 1-11,
and Chs 12-50).
a.The contents of the First Part are arranged around four outstanding events.
b.The contents of the Second Part are arranged around four outstanding persons.
c.Tying all of that together is the
idea of THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.
7.THEME:
God’s choice of an individual and a nation through whom a Savior would come to all nations, and for every
believing individual (Note 22:18).
a.The Book of GENESIS is
not a complete or universal history of the world or of mankind.
b.RATHER It is
the first chapter in the history of the saving of mankind from sin and eternal loss.
1.PRIMITIVE HISTORY:
BEGINNING OF THE HUMAN RACE; CREATIVE ACTS OF GOD; FOUR GREAT EVENTS --
CHAPTERS 1-11.
A.This Is The Record of the first
2,000 years of man’s history (the history occupies only 20% of
the Book).
B.These Events (after the
events in Eden) took place in the East (From Eden to Ur of
The Chaldees).
C.The Four major events of Chapters 1-11 lay the foundation
for the rest of the Bible:
1.CREATION
- CHAPTERS 1-2:
a.1:1,
God created TIME, ENERGY, ACTION, SPACE, and MATTER (Thus ALL
FIVE categories of scientific knowledge are seen in the first ten
words of the Bible!)
1)This statement is sublimely simple,
yet it is the foundation of all which is to follow.
2)These words are not only positive,
but they also deny all major false philosophies:
a)GOD:
Denies Atheism (which says there is no god) and Polytheism (which says there
are many gods).
b)CREATED:
Denies Fatalism (the doctrine of chance) and Evolution (the doctrine of
infinite becoming).
c)HEAVEN
AND EARTH: Denies Pantheism (the false idea that God and the universe are
identical); And Materialism (which wrongly teaches the eternity of matter).
3)It is not within the scope of these
notes to discuss the so-called “Gap Theory” of creation (the theory is
false). For more on this, see:
a)The theory stated: EXPLORE THE BOOK,
J. Sidlow Baxter.
b)Theory refuted: UNFORMED AND
UNFILLED, Dr. W. W. Fields.
c.Humanity: The Pinnacle
of creation; human beings created in the image of God and being
responsible to God.
1)2:7,
We are different from
animals -- God breathed the BREATH OF LIFE into man after creating
animals.
2)The Book makes it clear that we are related
to God, and that He cares for us; Let us be thrilled to read
further and see His care demonstrated!
2.ENTRANCE
OF SIN - CHAPTERS 3-5:
a.The wonderful creation story is
followed by a sad corruption story.
b.The FIRST sin separated man
from God - 2:17; cf Isa 59:2.
1)To begin, there was the tempting - 3:1-5.
a)Satan pointed to the “benefits” of
disobeying God, concealing his true purpose (cf 1Pet 5:8).
b)He questioned (v1); contradicted (v4);
maligned (v5).
2)Then, there was the yielding - 3:6.
a)Satan captured the ear - the eye -
the desire - and the will - cf 1Jn 2:16.
b)He wants to ease us further and
further from God’s will.
c)Be thankful that God makes it
possible for us to resist Satan’s temptations - 2:17; 3:3;
1Cor 10:13; Jas 4:7-8a.
3)And finally, there were the results - 3:7-24.
a)Tragedy: Alienation from God, from
sweet fellowship.
b)Shame; Guilty conscience; Fear;
Labor; Pain; Etc.
4)Then there may have been a brief
gleam of hope - 3:15.
c.The SECOND sin separated man
from man (Cain killed Abel).
d.So the story moves from Generation
to Degeneration; Man quit obeying God (stopped showing faith). He was then caught by the devil, caused to
disobey God, and so was lost in sin.
e.BY GOD’S GRACE, that which was lost in Adam can be more than regained in Christ - Rev 22:14.
3.UNIVERSAL
FLOOD - CHAPTERS 6-9:
a.6:5,
As people multiplied, so did sin and corruption.
b.6:6-13,
Judgment became inevitable; God determined to destroy all His creation, except
for Noah and his family.
c.”Satan
may do his worst, and man may sink to his lowest, and judgment may fall to the
utmost; but the ultimate purpose of Jehovah cannot be thwarted.” -- EXPLORE
THE BOOK, Baxter.
d.6:14-22,
The ark God had Noah to build was approximately the size of the ship Titanic,
and could have held as much as 500 railroad box cars (200 box cars would have
held all the different KINDS of animals, with 300 box cars left for the human
beings with all of their food supply, and it would still have plenty of extra
room).
e.7:1-10:30,
Entering the ark; The great flood; The renewed earth; The descendants of Noah.
4.NATIONS
AND LANGUAGES - CHAPTERS 10-11:
a.The Book of GENESIS teaches
the unity of mankind; All of us are descended from Adam through Noah.
b.There was a single culture and
language until the people rebelled at the Tower of Babel; then God confounded
the language, fragmented society, and scattered people into many countries.
c.These Chapters close with the world
in spiritual darkness and hopelessness.
D.This Section of the Book of Genesis could
have been much longer. (However, man did not write it!)
E.Liberal scholars say that these
eleven Chapters are “just Hebrew myth.”
1.Since the whole Bible is built on
these Chapters, and they are so crucial, Satan seems to attack
them more than any other section of the Bible.
2.But they are written as history,
just as are the Chapters which follow.
There is no suggestion that they are not to be taken as literally true.
3.Also, we note that elsewhere in the
Bible these same Chapters are treated as being historical, and therefore
factual - cf Ex 20:11; Mt 24:38; 1Cor 15:45; etc.
4.They are endorsed by Moses, by The Savior, and by the
apostles as being literally true; Let us accept them as God’s truth, lest
we “myth” heaven!
2.PATRIARCHAL HISTORY:
BEGINNING OF THE HEBREW RACE; RE-DEMPTIVE ACTS OF GOD; FOUR GREAT PEOPLE -- CHAPTERS
12-50.
A.The first section (only 20% of the
Book) covered 2,000 years; this second section (80% of the Book) covers only
286 years.
B.So GENESIS is not a complete history
of the ancient world; rather, it is thematic
-- Its theme is THE REDEMPTION OF MAANKIND.
1.It should get our attention that the main topic is the account of
Abraham and his descendants.
2.Emphasis: God’s plan is more important than the universe!
3.Mankind was in fellowship with His
Creator until sin entered into the world.
4.After the fellowship was broken, God
began to unfold His plan for redemp-tion which would culminate in His sending
His Son to die for us.
C.Now the attention of this Book turns
to four great people through whom
redemption was to come to mankind. (The following events took place in the West:
From Canaan to Egypt).
1.ABRAHAM
-
a.He is the central figure in this
Book; Through him the world was to be blessed.
b.12:1-3,
Abraham’s calling is the pivotal
point in the Book of Genesis; the three
covenant promises here made to him are the foundation of God’s
plan for humanity’s salvation, and ALL have
now been com-pletely fulfilled:
1)12:2,
THE NATIONAL PROMISE:
A great nation was to arise from his descendants; This WAS FULFILLED
in physical Israel - Gen 32:27-28; cf Ex 19-20; And later in spiritual Israel,
the church - Rom 4:11-13; Gal 3:26-29; 6:15-16.
2)12:3,
THE SPIRITUAL PROMISE:
All nations were to be blessed through Abraham’s seed; JESUS CHRIST
IS THAT SEED (He can save any Jew or Gentile who obeys
Him) - Ac 3:22-26; Gal 3:8,16; Tit 2:11; Ac 10:34-35; Heb 5:9.
3)12:7,
THE LAND PROMISE:
The Land of Canaan was to be possessed by Abraham’s descendants; AND Canaan WAS
POSSESSED BY THEM under Joshua - Josh 21:43-45.
c.All promises to Israel were fulfilled,
or they failed because of Israel’s apostasy - cf Deut 28:1-2ff,15ff;
Josh 24:19-20; cf 1Chron 28:9.
1)No promise remains to the Jews,
either as a race or a nation - Rom
2:28-29 (Individual Jews can be saved just like Gentiles can be
saved - Rom 1:16; Mk 16:15-16).
2)So, modern Middle East events have
nothing to do with God’s promise to Abraham; Today’s “Israel” is just another
political nation.
d.12:4-14:24,
Abraham gave up his country, his home, and his family, and committed himself to
an unknown future; In doing this he was
obeying by faith - Heb 11:8.
e.15:1-17:27,
The Covenant was renewed: Circumcision was given as its sign.
f.18:1-19:38,
The filth of homosexuality called down the wrath of God upon ungodly cities.
g.20:1-18,
Abraham slipped up in that He commited the sin of lying to Abimelech.
h.21:1-34,
Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah as the son of promise (Not in natural
course, because they were too old for that).
i.22:1-19,
Abraham’s faith was severely tested in his being told to offer his son Isaac.
j.22:20-23:20,
Abraham mourned Sarah’s death; He bought the cave of Machpelah as a burying
place.
k.24:1-67,
The story of Rebekah’s being brought to Isaac.
l.25:1-18,
Keturah and Abraham’s posterity (that is, through Keturah and from Ishmael);
The death of Abraham at 175 years of age.
2.ISAAC
-
a.25:19-28,
Isaac and Rebekah had twins (Jacob and Esau).
b.25:29-34,
Esau sold his birthright to the younger Jacob.
c.26:1-16,
Isaac moved to Gerar, and he too lied to Abimelech; Notice in Verses 3-5 the
Abrahamic Covenant was at this time renewed in Isaac.
d.26:17-33,
Isaac’s quiet controversy with men of Gerar.
e.26:34-35,
Multiple marriages of Esau to foreign women.
3.JACOB
-
a.27:1-46,
Jacob and Rebekah deceived Isaac, and caused Isaac to give to Jacob the
blessing which rightfully belonged to Esau.
b.28:1-22,
Jacob had to leave home because of Esau’s hatred; He met the Lord; The Covenant
was renewed in Jacob (Verses 3-4,13-14).
c.29:1-31:55,
Jacob, in Syria, married Leah (then Rachel); Sons were born who would become
the Twelve Tribes; The family then left Syria.
d.32:1-33:20,
On his way back to Canaan Jacob wrestled with an angel; His name was changed
from JACOB to ISRAEL; He met his brother Esau in peace.
e.34:1-31,
Incident with Dinah; Treachery of Jacob’s sons.
f.35:1-29,
The birth of Benjamin; Death of Rachel; Death of Isaac.
g.36:1-43,
The generations of Esau.
4.JOSEPH
-
a.37:1-36,
Young Joseph dreamed; His envious brothers sold him into slavery; He was taken
into Egypt.
b.38:1-30,
Judah’s sons were born; Onan’s refusal to obey; Judah’s fornication with Tamar
(his daughter-in-law).
c.39:1-41:57,
Joseph was in slavery in Egypt; Then the Providence of God brought him to power
-- He was made second in command to Pharaohh.
d.42:1-45:15,
Joseph’s brothers came from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain, and were reunited
with Joseph.
e.45:16-47:26,
Jacob and his family were brought from Canaan to Egypt in order for them to
survive the famine of that time.
f.47:27-50:14,
Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons and prophesied about his own sons; Jacob died at 147 years of age,
and was taken by his sons for burial in the Land of Canaan.
g.50:15-26, Joseph’s
assurance of forgiveness to his brothers; His promise that God eventually would
take them back to Canaan; Joseph
died at the age of 110, having requested that his bones be taken with the
Israelites when they made their journey back to Canaan.
GENESIS IN
4 WORDS: Four
Events -- Four People
GENESIS IN
8 WORDS: Creation
- Sin - Flood - Nations;
Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - Joseph
GENESIS IN
12 WORDS: 4 Events: Creation, Sin, Flood, Nations;
4 People: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
CONTRIBUTION OF
THE BOOK OF GENESIS TO THE BIBLE:
1.This Book is the foundation
of all Bible history and doctrine.
2.The sweeping panorama from Eden to
Ur to Haran to Canaan to Egypt covers more time than all the rest of the Bible;
And it introduces all that is to follow.
3.GENESIS
helps us in the study of the Book of REVELATION, because
the first three chapters of The Bible
are so closely related to the last three chapters of
The Bible.
4.The following Chart shows how
REVELATION completes the story which began in GENESIS. As you view the Chart, contrast the first three chapters and the last three chapters of the Bible, and
see the great THEMES TIED TOGETHER.
GENESIS REVELATION
________________________________________________________________
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A
THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH (1:1) NEW EARTH (21:1)
________________________________________________________________
THE DARKNESS HE CALLED THERE SHALL BE NO NIGHT
NIGHT (1:5)
THERE (21:25)
________________________________________________________________
GOD MADE THE TWO GREAT LIGHTS THE CITY HAS NO NEED OF THE
(SUN AND MOON) (1:16) SUN OR OF THE
MOON (21:23)
________________________________________________________________
IN THE DAY THAT YOU EAT FROM AND THERE SHALL NO LONGER
IT YOU SHALL SURELY DIE (2:17) BE ANY DEATH (21:4)
________________________________________________________________
SATAN APPEARS AS THE DECEIVER SATAN DISAPPEARS FROM THE
OF MANKIND (3:1) SCENE FOREVER (20:10)
________________________________________________________________
A GARDEN INTO WHICH DEFILEMENT CITY INTO WHICH DEFILEMENT
ENTERED (3:6-7)
WILL NEVER ENTER (21:27)
_______________________________________________________________
I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY NO LONGER MOURNING,
OR
YOUR PAIN (3:16)
CRYING, OR PAIN (21:4)
________________________________________________________________
CURSED IS THE GROUND BECAUSE THERE SHALL NO LONGER BE
OF YOU (3:17)
ANY CURSE (22:3)
________________________________________________________________
THEY WERE DRIVEN FROM GOD’S THEY SHALL SEE THE FACE OF
PRESENCE (3:24)
DEITY (22:4)
________________________________________________________________
ACCESS TO THE TREE OF LIFE ACCESS TO THE TREE OF LIFE
DISINHERITED IN ADAM (3:24) REINSTATED IN CHRIST (22:14)
________________________________________________________________
**CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS:
1.He is the Creator of ALL things - Gen 1:1; Jn 1:1-4; Col 1:15-17; Heb 1:2; 11:3.
2.He is the Seed of woman - Gen 3:15; Isa 7:14; 9:6-7; Gal 4:4.
3.He is the Seed of Abraham - Gen 22:18; Gal 3:8,16,26-29.
4.He is seen in many types (A type is
a historical fact which is a picture of a spiritual truth); Especially is this
true in the case of Joseph.
**CONCLUSION:
1.GENESIS is A MARVELOUS
BOOK:
2.Read it -- Study it -- Learn it -- Love it.
3.And love HIM who is
mentioned in the first verse.