Overview of Genesis
Genesis relates the beginning of almost everything, including:
Universe
Marriage
Redemption
Life
Sin
Prophecy
Mankind
Death
Language
Sabbath
Family
Sacrifice
- 1st book of the BIBLE, Old Testament and Pentateuch
- Genesis spends eleven chapters on the Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and the Babel account and then thirty-nine chapters on Abraham’s family history—fourteen of them for Abraham, three-and-a-half for Isaac, eight for Jacob, and fourteen for Joseph.
- The Hebrew name used for this books is “Bereshith”
- Genesis covers 2350 years of history.
- First 11 chapters covers 2000 years of history
- Last 39 chapters covers 350 years of history
- The events of Genesis end some three centuries before Moses’ birth
- Genesis spans more time than any other book in the Bible. Genesis covers more time than the remaining sixty-five put together.
- 4,100 years of recorded Bible history.
- Over one-half of it (2,286 years) is recorded in Genesis.
- The remaining 1,814 years are covered in Exodus through Revelation (65 books).
- WHY God chose Israel is explained in chapters 1-11
- HOW God chose Israel is explained in chapters 12-50.
- Total of 10 genealogies were given in this book
- It is the only book which describes God as resting (2:2, 3).
- It gives the first prophecy of the coming Messiah, of his suffering and eventual victory (3:15).
- It provides his first two names (Seed of the woman and Shiloh) (3:15; 49:10).
- It pin points the tribe from whence he would come (Judah) and is the first book to mention the city where he would be born (Bethlehem) . See 49:10; 35:19.
- The glory of God in creation (1:1) and the grace of God in salvation (Noah) (6:8) are both clearly seen.
- It provides the first illustration of the first example of divine redemption (the coats of skin) (3:7, 21).
- Jerusalem (a type of the heavenly) and Egypt (a type of the worldly) are first mentioned in this stage (13, 14)
- Here we first learn of a king called Melchizedek (14)
- Here the first of three great biblical covenants Abrahamic Covenant is introduced (12:1-3).
- History’s first rebellion (Babel) and revival (Bethel) occurred in this book (11:4; 35:2-4).
- Genesis records humanity’s first rebellion against God (3:1-6); Revelation records the final rebellion (Rev. 20:7-10).
- Genesis records the entrance of sin (3:1-6); Revelation records its exit (Rev. 20:10; 21:4-8).
- Genesis records the imposition of the curse (3:9-19); Revelation records the lifting of the curse (Rev. 22:3).
- Genesis records the beginning of death (3:19); Revelation records the end of death (Rev. 21:4).
- Genesis records the creation of the present heavens and earth (1:1); Revelation records the creation of the new heavens and earth (Rev. 21:1).
- Thus, the very first verse in Genesis gives us the theology of Creation, while the remaining 30 verses provide us with the chronology of Creation
- How glorious to realize the same blessed Holy Spirit who once “moved upon the face of the waters: (1:2), now actually dwells within the hearts of believers
- We note that as His creative work was well planned and perfect, so it is with His redemptive work in regard to us.
- According to Gen. 1:26, God made a “take charge” creature (man), assigning him to serve as king over creation, having dominion over all nature.
- Jesus came, not just to save us, but to restore our original destiny, namely, to rule over all things with Him
- Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were, for the most part, pilgrims.
- We see the people living long on earth in this book
- Genesis is quoted from over 200 times in the New Testament.
- In fact chapters 1-11 is quoted more than 100 times in the New Testament.
- It assures present day pilgrims of the following in regard to their journeys:
- Where God leads—He feeds!
- Where God guides—He provides!
- Where God directs—He protects!