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Bible Survey 01-Genesis I. Creation (Genesis 1-2) Creation of the Universe (1:1 - 2:4) 1:1-2/ "In the beginning ... God created" the universe and the hovering Spirit brought order out of chaos 1:3-25/ God created & distinguished light/dark, atmosphere, seas/land, wild vegetation, heavenly lights, and major kinds of sea creatures, birds, and land creatures 1:26-28/ humans differ by being created "in God's image" to care for the creation as benevolent managers over the earth (but who rules over people?) 1:29-30/ vegetarian diets 1:31/ Everything God created was, initially, "very good" 2:1-4/ God "rested" (Sabbath) from His creative work. The creation is presented in the format of the Hebrew week (did Moses intend this to be understood literally or as a literary device? Both?) Creation of Human Life & Eden (Gen. 2:5-25) 2:5,6/ the earth existed for awhile without cultivated vegetation and was watered by a mist, because God had not sent rain and there was no human gardener to take care of cultivated vegetation 2:7/ man's creation from the dust was a common ancient belief. The "breath of life" is the gift of physical life, which animals share with us (Genesis 6:17; 7:21,22). 2:8-17/ The Garden of Eden - the man was created "outside" the garden (v. 8) - aside from other vegetation, God placed TWO trees in the midst of the garden, the “tree of life” and also the “tree of the knowledge of good/evil” (v. 9) - gold was located "outside" of the garden (vv. 11-12) (good, but not essential) - the man was given light, but responsible work (v. 15) - Life within limits (vv. 16-17): freely enjoy every thing in the garden except for the "knowledge of good/evil" (determine good/evil on our own?) or you will surely die 2:18-25/ "It is not good for the man to be alone" - It is autonomous individualism, not loneliness, which God is dealing with, for Adam doesn't even know anything is "missing/lacking" until after he examines and names the animals (vv. 19,20) - the woman is fashioned from the rib of the "dirtman" (v. 21-22 - "flesh of my flesh . . . leave/cleave" = covenant relationships (vv. 23,24) - shame is not inherently tied to "nakedness" (v.25), but to human actions "outside" of God's boundaries - sin/rebellion (cf. 3:7). A great deal of human misery and disappointment with life arises from trying to find happiness and fulfillment where God has not ordained it to be found II. Rebellion in Eden (Genesis 3) The First "Temptation & Sin" (Genesis 3:1-6) 3:1/ Satan's opening move - question God's goodness? This is replayed every time a single restriction moves in our imagination to "you won't let me do anything?" 3:2-3/ Eve's insufficient knowledge of God's Word. Notice: - she left out "freely" eat (losing perspective on all their freedoms) - she forgot the "Tree of Life" altogether, as well as the nature of the issue associated with the forbidden tree - "knowing & distinguishing good/evil" is God's business (see: 3:22) - she added "or touch it" and made God's restrictions on their activities even more extensive than He had made it - she decreased the certainty of judgment "lest you die" (“surely” became “maybe”) 3:4-5/ Satan's next two propositions: - contradiction of God's Word "you will NOT surely die" - ascribe selfish motives to God and offer godhood to people as the reward of disobedience - "he knows you will become gods" 3:6/ Eve's "humanistic analysis" of the situation - she "saw that it was good for food" (how? was the Serpent eating some?) - it was a "delight to the eyes" - it was desirable to make one wise, another "essential(?) experience" in life The Results of Sin (Genesis 3:7-2 1) 3:7/ their "eyes were opened," they realized their nakedness, and sought to cover their shame by their own means 3:8-13/ sin makes us want to avoid God's presence - God's questions do not indicate His ignorance, but provide an opportunity for us to recognize and honestly acknowledge our sin (Jeremiah 3:13) - Adam blamed the woman and God for providing her (v. 12), but left out the role of the real culprits- the Serpent and his own weakness in what happened - Eve was at least honest about it – deception and disobedience (v. 13) 3:14-15/ Without offering him an opportunity to speak, Satan is told that he will be defeated by the coming "seed of woman," although he will wound this coming savior in the process 3:16/ the woman will have increased pain in childbirth, yet she will have a "desire" for her husband (sexual?, or a desire to gain control over him? – as with sin in Genesis 4:7) 3:17-19/ Adam's sin was listening to/following another created being where God had already spoken instructions. - the ground is cursed (see: Romans 8:20-22) - the man who arose from the "dirt" will return to the dirt 3:20/ Adam names his partner hay (life) for her motherhood role, because she will be the mother of all the hawwa (living) and the means by which the Savior will come into the world (ITimothy 2:15?) 3:21/ God provides a "sacrificial" covering of animal skins to cover their sin-caused shame Separation from God (Genesis 3:22 - 24) 3:22/ the "tree of life" represented eternal existence, from which the man and woman are now separated. The "salvation" story is the record of God's provision and offer of the means by which mankind can return to this original state of divine/human relationship. 3:24/ God controls the divine-human relationship and a pattern is established - rebels go east (Genesis 3:24; 4:16; 11:2; Israel's eventual exile to Assyria & Babylon) III. Two Lines of Humanity (Genesis 4) The Question of Worship & Attitude (4:1-8) 4:1 / Eve, created to be the "helper" (Gen. 2:18), boasted of her own work in bringing forth a son, with God as her "helper" 4:2-5/ Two kinds of offering: does God want "an offering" or the best we have ("firstlings ... fat portions")? Cain was angry and depressed - could "depression" sometimes be linked to our own wrong bad actions & attitudes? 4:6-7/ God's advice is that right actions are linked to having a good attitude. Bad actions not only influence our attitude and emotional state, but also make us more vulnerable to further sin - "But we can/must master it"! 4:8/ the mystery of persecution - sinners take out their frustration/guilt on those doing things God’s way. Are persecutors being spiritually led by someone (John 8:40-44)? The Unrepentant and God (4:9-16) 4:9/ The guilty often do NOT want to accept personal responsibility for how they affect the lives of others 4:10-12/ God is aware of wicked deeds and brings penalties against the wicked 4:13-15/ Cain, like so many today, was more offended by the idea of punishment for the guilty than he was at a crime against an innocent victim. Two Types of People (4:17-26) 4:16-17/ Cain "went out from God's presence" (a spiritual decision that leads to a geographic relocation - Jonah 1:3) to settle in the land of Nod ("misery") and build for this world alone 4:18-24/ Cain's descendants bring forth more elements of life in this world - bigamy, nomadic herding, music and the arts, metallurgy, and the "macho" attitude. 4:25-26/ Eve, perhaps humbled by the death of Abel, now gives God the credit for "appointing" another son, Seth and his children are conscious of their need to "call upon the Lord." IV. Genealogy: from Adam to Noah (Gen.5-9) The Pattern of the Genealogical records 1. The number of years lived until the birth of the prominent sons 2. The names of the prominent sons and years lived their birth 3. Mention of other children 4. Total number of years lived, "and he died" The Emphases 1. While Seth's line "sought the Lord" (Gen. 4:2 6), only Enoch (5:22-24) and Noah (6:8-9) stand out as spiritual men. Bloodline/ancestry does NOT guarantee spirituality! 2. Spiritual and historical commentary is selective - Enoch's translation (5:22-24), the moral decline of godless culture (6:1-4), Noah's part in the great flood (6-8) , and the divine instructions for post-flood mankind (9:1-17): a) commanded to repopulate and geographically fill the earth (9:1) b) animals become "fearful" of humans as they are placed in the "food" category, as long as the blood is drained (9:3-4). Temporary meat restrictions came later c) Homicide requires the death penalty as the means of emphasizing the value of innocent human life, whether the death comes by means of human or animal attack (9:5-6) 3. Noah's patriarchal blessing (9:18-27) specifies that the Messiah will come through Shem’s line. Japheth's descendants will be "enlarged" (worldwide European empires?). Servitude is associated with Canaan (the Canaanites), NOT the Africans (Ham). V. The Rise of the Post-Flood Nations (Genesis 10-11) The Family of Japheth (Gen.10:2-5) the people of Europe, northern Mediterranean The Family of Ham (Gen.10:6-20) 1) the people of the African continent - "Mizraim" (v.6) was the Hebrew word for Egypt - "Cush" (v.6) referred to Northeast Africa, Ethiopia - "Nimrod" (vv. 8-12) was the "Ninus" of the ancient world. His wife, Semiramus, was the first deified queen and the model for the "mother goddess" which spread throughout the ancient world as Asherah, Ishtar, Isis, Artemus, etc. Nimrod was the initial Mesopotamian empire-builder. - Around 3,000 B.C. civilization burst upon the scene in Egypt, Mesopotamia, & Indus River valley The Family of Shem (Gen. 10:21-31) 1) "Elam" - Elamites 2) "Asshur" - Assyria 3) "Aram" - Aramea (Syria) 4) "Eber" - Hebrew The Cause of National Division 1) The original situation - One language (Gen. 11:1) 2) The Humanistic Agenda (Gen. 11:2-4) a) A flood-proof city and tower b) Humanly-devised path to heaven c) Desire for fame and remembrance by great deed d) Refusal to "fill the earth" (cf. 9:1) 3) The Divine Response - linguistic confusion a) Is there a finite limit to human accomplishment? (v.6) b) Unintelligible speech is God's means of dividing rebels, but Pentecost (Acts 2) miraculously reversed what occurred at Babel (bridging the language barrier) to signal God's international New covenant program intending to unite all believers in Jesus. Genealogy: From Noah to Abraham 1. Messianic line from Noah - Shem to Terah (11:10-26) 2. Abraham married Sarai (barren) and watched over Lot, the son of his dead brother, Haran. (11:27-32) - Terah led the family towards Canaan, but only made it as far as Haran (vv. 31-32) VI. The Patriarchs of Israel (Gen. 12-50) Abraham 1. Received Promises from God (Genesis 12:1-3) a) Personal Blessing b) His descendants would become a nation in Canaan c) International blessing (Messiah) to come through his descendants 2. Wandered in search of a "Promised Land" (Acts 7:2-8; Hebrews 11:8-10) 3. Obeyed God in Faith a) Trusted God's promises (Genesis 15:6) and Sarah was granted the ability to have children (Hebrews 11:1-2) b) Covenant sign of circumcision for all males in Abraham's house (17:9-14) c) While only owning a field & burial plot in Canaan, he looked, in faith, beyond Canaan (Hebrews 11:13-16) d) Offered his son, Isaac, thru faith in God's power to raise the dead (Genesis 22; Hebrews 11:17-19) Isaac 1. Produced two sons with his wife, Rebekah (Genesis 25) 2. The Promise to Abraham is passed on to Isaac (26:1-4) 3. Uttered blessings about the futures of Jacob & Esau (Hebrews 11:20) Jacob 1. Divinely-destined for supremacy and won the family birthright with soup (Genesis 25) 2. Stole the "Patriarchal Blessing" by deception (Genesis 27) 3. Left home and received God's Promises (Gen. 28), but “walked differently” and his name was “Israel” after his encounter/wrestling with God (Genesis 32:24- 32) 4. Had twelve sons through four wives (Genesis 35:23-26), heads of the 12 tribes 5. Patriarchal blessing identified Judah as the Messianic tribe (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews 11:21) Joseph 1. Favored by Jacob and God (Genesis 37) a) Received a special robe (v. 3) b) Received prophetic dreams (vv. 5-10) 2. Sent to Egypt as a slave by his brothers (Genesis 37:18f) 3. Overcame trials by faith and was exalted by God to high rank in Egypt (Genesis 38 - 45) 4. Thru Asenath, he fathered two sons (Ephraim & Manasseh) whose children later held tribal land areas in Canaan (Genesis 41), replacing Joseph and Levi 5. Saw God’s hand in the past (45:1-8) and looked ahead in faith to the future "exodus" and wanted to participate (Genesis 50:24-25; Hebrews 11:22 – see: Exodus 13:19)
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An often missed element, but very important element in Genesis is
the identification of all but the final (David) revealed steps in
the Messiah’s lineage – note the graphic (right). The promise is
first given in Genesis 3:15 and then applied specifically to the
line of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), Isaac (Genesis 26:1-4), and
Jacob/Israel (Genesis 28:10-14).
