Only the beginning, only just the start… Creation Creation of man The Fall The Flood The Tower of Babel Genesis 1-11 The story of the lives of four men.

Only the beginning, only just the start…CreationCreation of manThe FallThe FloodThe Tower of Babel

Genesis 1-11

The story of the lives of four men

Genesis 12-50

Genesis – the Purpose

This is written to a nation who had gotten out of Egypt and seeks to tell them how they got where

they were.


Historically, Genesis answers the questions of a nation which had spent 400 years in Egypt:

“Why were we ever there and why were we there so long?”

The purpose of the Bible

To explain God’s attempt to establish His kingdom on earth.


To explain Israel’s beginning and purpose in the establishment of God’s rule on earth.

Genesis – The Structure

Genesis is divided by markers in different sections, each highlighted by a certain Hebrew word.

Genesis – The Structure

This word can be translated with the phrase,“What became of…”

Genesis – The OutlineI. Early Events (1:1-11:26) A. Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1-2:3) B. What became of the heavens and the earth (2:4-4:26) 1. The creation of the man and the woman (2:4-25) 2. The fall of the man and the woman (Ch. 3) 3. The fall spreads: the account of Cain and Abel (4:1-16 4. The fall continues to spread throughout civilization (4:17-26)

Genesis – The OutlineI. Early Events (1:1-11:26) A. Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1-2:3) B. What became of the heavens and the earth (2:4-4:26) C. What became of Adam (5:1-6:8) 1. The genealogy of Adam to Noah (Ch. 5) 2. The corruption of mankind (6:1-8)

Genesis – The OutlineI. Early Events (1:1-11:26) A. Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1-2:3) B. What became of the heavens and the earth (2:4-4:26) C. What became of Adam (5:1-6:8) D. What became of Noah (6:9-9:29) 1. The judgment of mankind by the flood (6:9-8:22) 2. The covenant to Noah about life and nature (9:1-17) 3. The shamelessness of Ham, the curse upon Canaan (9:18-29)

Genesis – the Development

Genesis is a historical narrative and uses the placement of the material, the way the story is

told, to make the point.

For example…

Genesis – the Development – Ch. 34

After Shechem violated Dinah, Simeon and Levi were right to be angry and want justice, however…


The way they went about things involved deception.

God did not want His covenant associated with deception.


Simeon and Levi, sons number 2 and 3, have brought shame on their father in their behavior.


God renames Jacob (“supplanter”) as Israel (“God rules”, “God judges”, “Triumphant with God”, “The

prince of God”?).


The main point of renaming him seems to involve a guarantee of blessing from “God Almighty”.


Yet, following this event, his firstborn son, Reuben, like his brothers before him, show the corruption

occurring among the heirs and he lay with his father’s concubine (vv. 21-22).

Genesis – the Development – Ch. 36-37

The next chapter gives what became of Esau, followed by the account of the favored son,

Joseph.


This man, well-known to later Israelites and clearly destined for greatness in the passage, ends up

being sold into slavery by his brothers.


The corruption of the heirs continues in Canaan and the selling of Joseph is led by Judah.


The account of Joseph is interrupted by a focus on Judah, the fourth son.


This account illustrates in detail the sad corruption of the line of Israel as they live among the

Canaanites.


One thing emerges clearly from these chapters:The fathers of the nation are falling deeper and

deeper into corruption in Canaan.


Something has to be done!

Genesis – the Book

Genesis gives us a series of beginnings:• The world• Humanity• Sin• Israel

Genesis – the Book - #1

Genesis provides insight into what every human naturally perceives: The universe had a personal

Creator!


The universe is not random chance.

The universe, our world, and human beings are special and have purpose.


The world is best understood by the account of the Fall in Genesis.


The world shows the fingerprints of a personal Creator, but also something gone wrong.


The Bible’s explanation of humanity’s condition squares with what we see: we are not inherently

good people.


There is much good in the world and in people, but we are fallen and prone to sin.


Genesis provides the basis of the uniqueness of Israel and her distinction from the Church.


Israel was a nation with her own Laws under a Theocracy.


Israel had promises that were not given to the Church.


Failure to recognize the distinction of Israel’s national character, her Laws, promises, and future

has caused a great deal of difficulty.


The history of humanity revolves around the nation of Israel.

Only the beginning, only just the start… Creation Creation of man The Fall The Flood The Tower of Babel Genesis 1-11 The story of the lives of four men.

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