A Survey of Genesis

Wisconsin First Jurisdiction Bible Institute

By Minister Richmond Paul Izard IIHeritage International Ministries COGIC

Pastor Nathaniel J. Stampley, D. Min.

District Missionary Rochelle Landingham, ProctorPastor/Evangelist Lavern Davis, Proctor

With All Thy Getting, Get Understanding

Introducing the Old Testament

Our holy Bible consists of a canon of 66 books,39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament writings. English Bibles are translated from the Septuagint

(oldest OT Greek translation produced c. 250 BC). There are notable differences between Hebrew,

Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox canon or Bibles.

Yet, Genesis is the first “law book” in each canon.Book named from Hebrew word rẽ’ŝît (“Beginning”).Greek term means “Creation;” “Origin;” “Generation.”

Sidebar

Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Bibles each have more volume of OT writings than our 39.

The Hebrew canon has same text, but different book names, order and divisions than our 39.

Division of Hebrew text (“Tanakh”):1) Torah, 2) Prophets, 3) Writings

Our division: 1) Torah (Law), 2) History, 3) Wisdom & Poetry, 4) Major Prophets, 5) Minor Prophets.

Protestant Roman Catholic Greek Orthodox Hebrew

39 Books 39 Books, plusTobit, Judith,

Additions to Esther,

1, 2 Maccabees,

Wisdom of Solomon,

Sirach, Baruch,

(Daniel includes

Susanna and Bel

and the Dragon).

39 Books, plus all

Roman Catholic

deuterocanonical;

Plus:

1 Esdras,

3, 4 Maccabees,

Psalm 151,

Prayer of Manasseh.

Chronicles as 1 book;

Kings as 1 book;

Samuel as 1 book;

Jos, Jdg, Sam, Kings

listed within the

division of “Prophets”

(but not Daniel), etc.

Introduction to Genesis

Genesis is a book of “how's.” This repository of60 plus narratives reveal answers to fundamentalphilosophical and theological concerns:

How was the universe created? How did we get here? How do we know good and evil, right and wrong? How do we know that God exists? How do we get to know God and His plan for us?

However, Genesis is much more than a book of how's.

Today’s Focus

Who are the major Characters? What is the book about? (Outline and Summary) How do we get Understanding? When did events Occur, and when Compiled? Where is Settings, and where is Christ Revealed? Why? is this book written? (What is it’s Purpose?)

Genesis, the book of “Beginning” is fundamental and requisite to understanding the remainder of theBible. Let us therefore observe the following:

Training Goals

After participating in today's discussion, each BibleInstitute student should be equipped to:

1) Speak intelligently about the Book of Genesis, concerning questions of: Who, What, How, When, Where, and Why.

2) Answer each of the 5 homework questions, posed by Pastor Lavern Davis in her 2010 handout, the Old Testament Survey of Genesis.

3) Defend and champion the faith through increased knowledge and understanding of God's word.

Who: Prominent Characters

Bible is an anthology (collection) of God's word and covenant, expressing His will concerning Himself and man. It proclaims a unified message of judgment and redemption as expressed by some forty men who the Holy Spirit divinely inspired to enlighten all of mankind. God is the protagonist and central character, explicitly referenced in every book except Esther.

• Prominent characters in Genesis include: God revealed as Elohim, “I AM” /Yahweh/Jehovah (Adonay)

• Adam/Eve, Noah, Abraham/Sarah, Isaac/Rebekah, Jacob/(Rachael, Leah), and Joseph (& his 11 brothers).

Yet, the story is untold without Cain/Able/Seth; Hagar(Ishmael); Esau; Shem/Ham/Japheth; Lot; Melchizedek.

What: Text Summary

Genesis describes the beginning of the world, humanity, the Hebrew nation, and God’s covenants.The first part of Genesis describes Creation, the Fallof Man and the resulting Flood in the days of Noah.

The remainder of the text is subdivided into parts twothrough four (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, Joseph).This patriarchal section of the book focuses on the“Abrahamic Covenant” between God and Abraham.

What: Genesis Outline

We can outline Genesis into four parts by groupingstories about the Adamic and Noahide covenants, and subdividing the remaining Patriarchal portion of the book which covers the Abrahamic covenant:

Part 1 · Creation, Fall and Flood (1-11)

Part 2 · Abraham (11-25)

Part 3 · Isaac and Jacob (25-36)

Part 4 · Joseph (37-50)

How: By Faith Alone

After choosing and testing Abram, God counted Abram's faith as righteousness. Based on faith alone,God promised to save and bless the world throughthe seed of Abraham's and Israel's new birth names.

The blessing passed to Abraham's son (Isaac) and grandson (Jacob, whose name God changed toIsrael). Latter books reveal the messiah coming, surprisingly through the line of Judah (not Joseph).

None of patriarchs were firstborn. Faith would ultimately be the basis of blessing in salvation, andbirthright would be established in being “born again.”

Sidebar

Our Bible also tracks those sacred covenants instituted between God and man.

God established 3 of the 7 covenants in Genesis.

7 Covenants Concerning

1. Adamic Adam & Eve: Eden (Tree of Life) Privileges. “Bread of Life”

2. Noahide Noah: Mt Ararat. (Rainbow) Seedtime & harvest. “True Vine”

3. Abrahamic Abram: Canaan (Stars) Messiah. “Lion of Tribe of Judah”

4. Mosaic Moses: Mt Sinai. (Decalogue) Obedience to the Law. “Grace”

5. Aaronic Aaron: Kadesh (Rod) Intercession. Christ as “High Priest”

6. Davidic David: Shiloh (Temple) Messiah thru David. “Son of David”

7. Christian Christ: Jerusalem (Blood) Life through Blood. “Lamb of God”

When: Dating of Events

According to tradition:

• The Genesis story takes place between the unknown date of creation (presumed c. 4000 BC) and c. 1805 BC

• Moses authored the text c. 1450 BC – 1400 BC

Historians and Bible scholars attempt to reconcile dates generally based upon biblical and apocryphal history and genealogy, recorded pagan history, and archeological finds.

Sidebar

• Six passages in the Pentateuch explicitly cite Moses as the author of at least part of the work:

Exodus 17:14; 24:4-8; 34:27; Numbers 33:1-2; Deuteronomy 31:9,24, 26; 31:22,24

• These passages testify that God’s revelation to the people of Israel came first through Moses.

• OT say “the book of the law” come from MosesJoshua 1:7-8; 2 Kings 14:6;2 Chronicles 34:14;Daniel 9:11-13).

Sidebar

Jesus and NT writers considered the Pentateuch, including Genesis, as coming from Moses:

Luke 16:29,31; 24:27,44; John 1:17; 5:45-47; 7:19, 22-23; Acts 3:22; 13:39).

When: Compilation Issues

Source Criticism:

Until the 19th Century, Moses’ authorship of the first five books, the Pentateuch, was commonly accepted by both Jew and Christians.

Sidebar

Most Bible scholars now believe that Genesis is compiled from various sources, accounting for: Doubling of certain stories. variations in use of God’s name as Yahweh and Elohim. Narrative of Moses’ own death.

Scholars propose a four-source J,E,D,P “Documentary Theory” (or “Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis”), where a Redactor (R) edited the final version of 4 sources:

• Northern source, "J" attributed the eloquent “Yahwist” verses. • Southern source, "E" attributed the semi-eloquent "Elohist" verses.• Priestly source, "P," particularly concerned with law and ritual.• A later Deuteronomic editor "D" who superimposed the religious

view of the sixth century B.C.E. onto more primitive traditions.

Sidebar

Most Bible scholars now believe that Genesis is compiled from various sources, accounting for: Doubling of certain stories. variations in use of God’s name as Yahweh and Elohim. Narrative of Moses’ own death.

Scholars propose a four-source J,E,D,P “Documentary Theory” (or “Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis”), where a Redactor (R) edited the final version of 4 sources:

• Northern source, "J" attributed the eloquent “Yahwist” verses, • Southern source, "E" attributed the semi-eloquent "Elohist" verses :• Priestly source, "P," particularly concerned with law and ritual• A later Deuteronomic editor "D" who superimposed the religious

view of the sixth century B.C.E. onto more primitive traditions.

Where: Territorial Setting

• The Book of Genesis begins with the creation of the heavens an the earth.

• Adam and Eve are created in the Garden of Eden, by the mouth of the four river heads (thus in Mesopotamia, at the still existing Tigris and Euphrates (close to Persian Gulf). (Modern day Iraq)

• After the flood, the Ark rests on the top of Mt. Ararat. There the new civilization began. (Modern day Turkey)

• Abraham would travel from “Ur of the Chaldeans” (in southern Mesopotamia) to Heran (in northern Mesopotamia), to Palestine, and the Children of Israel would eventually enter into to Canaan and Egypt.

Map: World of Abraham

Map: Abraham’s Journey

Why: Purpose of Genesis

God inspired Moses to write Genesis in order to:

A. Demonstrate God’s sovereignty

B. Demonstrate God’s love for His creation.

C. Enlighten us about God’s covenants, promises and character.

All that we might have a clearer understanding ofourselves, our God and our world.

Class Survey Questions

1. Explain the order of Creation. (Gen. 1:3-31; 2:4-25)God created systematically, initially organizing and then fulfilling its purposeon its mirror day. We can understand the days in pairs: Days 1&4, 2&5, 3&6.

Day Separate / filter Event Appoint / give purpose Day

1 Light and Dark

(Day & Night)

Sun & Moon •Unveil Sun & Moon

•As a system for time, season

4

2 Sky (i.e water vapors)

Oceans

Separate Water

Above/Below

•Populate air water thereby fulfilling purpose(birds& fish)

5

3 Dry Land, Plants,

Sea

Land & Water •Populate Land (land animals and man)

6

7 Rest

Sidebar

1. Explain the order of Creation. (Gen. 1:3-2:3; 2:4-25)

My personal “Revelation and Reconciliation” of the two creation stories:

As a result of biblical study, meditation and prayer, I am compelled to believe that the creation story described in the first chapter of Genesis is NOT a record of the same event described in the second chapter.

• Chapter 1 describes creation on a macro scale; it is about the creation of mankind, and not about Adam and Eve in particular.

(Note that man and woman were clearly created after vegetation.)

• Chapter 2 describes concurrent creation on a micro level with particular emphasis on Eden and the generations of Adam, just as the Bible focuses primarily on the genealogy of Christ.

(Note that Adam is clearly created before vegetation.)

• This explains those who Cain feared would kill him (Gen 4:14) as well as Cain’s wife (Gen. 4:17) and other marriages as opposed to incest.

Class Survey Questions

2. What two positions did Melchizedek hold? (King of Salem—a city identified with Jerusalem, and Priest of the Most High, Gen. 14:18).

3. Explain the Christ of Genesis.– Messiah would be born of seed of woman (Gen 3:15; Lk 1:34-35)– Messiah as descendant of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob (Gen 12:3,

Gen 17:19, 28:14; Luke 3:23-34)– Messiah as king from line of Judah (Gen 49:10; John 1:49)– Typified in the person of Melchizedek (Gen 14:18)– The life of Isaac, exemplifying the sacrificial son (Gen 22)– The life of Joseph, exemplifying the rejected brother (Gen 37)

Class Survey Questions

4. Explain the relationship of man’s marriage to the church. As husband is married to and covers his wife, God is married to Israel, and likewise is Christ groom to the Church (His bride). This is a covenant relationship; what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

5. Who was Melchizedek, and how was he a type of Christ? He brought forth bread and wine (communion) (Gen 14:18;

Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:19-20; Jn 6:54-56); He is a priest (Priest of the Most High), no ancestry, preceding, not after the order of Aaron (Exod 28). (Heb 5:6,10; 6:20; 7:11,17,21)

What does his name means?• (His name means “Zedek [Yahweh] is my king” or

“My king is righteous.”

Summary

This has been a brief but comprehensive “survey of Genesis.”

I encourage you to continue this critical journey, by further exploring the answers to the “who, what, how, when, where, and why” of not only Genesis, the Pentateuch, and the Old Testament, but also the Bible in its entirety.

Remember: With all of our getting, let us get an understanding so that we can better defend the faith by comprehending, championing and walking in obedience to our God-given covenants.

Next Steps of Action

It would be nice to develop a repository of our PowerPoint presentations for sharing and further development/customization.

I would love to hear from you. For further inquiry or discussion, email me at:

Email: Richmond@MegaMinistries.com Phone: 414-737-2167