Genesis 1-3 © John Stevenson, 2012. Title for the Book The Hebrew Title: tyviareB. (BeReshyth); “In the Beginning”The Hebrew Title: tyviareB. (BeReshyth);

Genesis 1-3Genesis 1-3

© John Stevenson, 2012

Title for the BookTitle for the Book

• The Hebrew Title: The Hebrew Title: tyviareB.tyviareB. (BeReshyth); “In the Beginning”(BeReshyth); “In the Beginning”

• Greek Title: Greek Title: - “Beginnings” - “Beginnings”

““These are the generations…”These are the generations…”

• Hebrew:Hebrew: tAdl.At hL,aetAdl.At hL,ae - - Elleh Elleh toledothtoledoth

• Ten setsTen sets• History of account follows:History of account follows: “These are “These are

the things that followed…”the things that followed…”Adam

AbrahamIsrael

Genesis 2:4 – 11:26 Genesis 11:27 – 50:26

5 Toledoth from Adam to Abraham

5 Toledoth fromAbraham to Israel

Genesis 1-11Events Predominant

– Creation– Fall– Flood– Tower of Babel

Genesis 12-50People Predominant

– Abraham– Isaac– Jacob– Joseph

Race as a whole Family of Abraham

Over 2000 years 250 years

Babylonian Creation AccountBabylonian Creation Account

• Enuma Elish

• Seven Tablets

• World begins in chaos

• Marduk fights Tiamat

• Heavens and earth created from her body

Ennuma ElishTiamat engulfs world

in a primal chaos.

Genesis AccountThe world was

unformed and unfilled.

Light comes from the gods.

God brings light into existence.

Marduk makes the stars of the zodiac and

ordains the year.

God sets sun and moon for signs,

seasons, days, and years.

Marduk makes man from the blood of

Kingu.

God creates man in His own image and

likeness.

Moses is giving to us a refutation of the Moses is giving to us a refutation of the accepted mythos that was held in accepted mythos that was held in

antiquity as he goes point by point to antiquity as he goes point by point to show that God is the true Creator of show that God is the true Creator of

heaven and earth.heaven and earth.

Ennuma Elish Genesis Account

Genesis 1:1Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Elohim



bara

• An initial act of creation.

• A summary statement of the entire chapter.



shamayim

aretz

Theories of CreationTheories of Creation

• Supernatural versus Evolutionary.

• A Superficial Appearance of History.

• The Gap Theory.

Genesis 1:2Genesis 1:2And the earth was formless and

void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

6 Days of 6 Days of Re-creationRe-creation

Original Original CreationCreation

Formless Formless & Void& Void

The verb hayeta in Genesis 1:2 can be

translated “became” so that we could read that

“the earth became without form and void.”

The normal rendering of hayeta is “was” and

indicates a state of being.

Support Objections

Tohu wabohu (“formless and void”)

are a destruction which took place after God’s original creation (Jer. 4:23, Isa. 34:11).

Tohu wabohu (“formless and void”)

can just as easily describe an

unconstructed state.

Isaiah 45:18 says that God did not create the earth void (tohu) while Genesis 1:2 says that

the earth was now void. It is reasoned that the earth must have come to be in this manner after its

original creation.

Isaiah 45:18 simply tells us that God’s

intention for the earth in its completed form was that it would not

be tohu, but rather that it might be inhabited. The prophet is simply stating the purpose of

creation.

Support Objections

The darkness which characterized the formless and void

condition is indicative of evil.

Darkness does not always indicate evil.

Both light and darkness existed upon the finished earth and it was still said to be

good.

Support Objections




• The Gap Theory.

• The Day/Age Theory.

The word “day” is sometimes used in the Scriptures to describe a period of time longer than a 24 hour period (“the day of the Lord”).

The word “day” does not normally refer to

an extended period of time when it appears with a modifier (1st day, 2nd day, etc).

Support Objections

2 Peter 3:8 states that with the Lord one day

is as a thousand years.

These days are clearly defined in Genesis 1:5

when God calls the light day and the darkness night.

The sun and the moon are not created until

the 4th day. This indicates that the

previous days are not literal.

The very purpose of the sun was to rule

over the day while the moon was to rule over

the night.

Support Objections




• The Gap Theory.


• The Non-Sequential Theory / Framework Theory.

I personally take the view that Genesis 1 and 2 relate to each other the way Judges 4

and 5 and Exodus 14 and 15 do. In each couplet one chapter describes a historical

event and the other is a song or poem about the theological meaning of the event.

When reading Judges 4 it is obvious that it is When reading Judges 4 it is obvious that it is a sober recounting of what happened in the a sober recounting of what happened in the

battle, but when we read Judges 5, battle, but when we read Judges 5, Deborah’s Song about the battle, the Deborah’s Song about the battle, the

language is poetic and metaphorical. language is poetic and metaphorical.

When Deborah sings that the stars in the When Deborah sings that the stars in the heavens came down to fight for the heavens came down to fight for the

Israelites, we understand that she means Israelites, we understand that she means that metaphorically.that metaphorically.

I think Genesis 1 has the earmarks of poetry I think Genesis 1 has the earmarks of poetry and is therefore a “song” about the wonder and is therefore a “song” about the wonder and meaning of God’s creation. Genesis 2 and meaning of God’s creation. Genesis 2

is an account of how it happened is an account of how it happened ((The Reason for GodThe Reason for God, pg 93-94)., pg 93-94).




• The Gap Theory.


• The Non-Sequential Theory / Framework Theory.

• The Literal Interpretation.

Genesis 1:2Genesis 1:2And the earth was formless and

void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Unformed UnfilledDay 1: Light Day 4: Light-bearers

(sun, moon, stars)

Day 2: Water & sky divided

Day 5: Fish & birds to fill water & sky

Day 3: Dry land & vegetation

Day 6: Land animals & man

Day 7: Sabbath Rest

Then God said, Then God said, “Let there be “Let there be

light”; and there light”; and there was light. was light.

(Genesis 1:3).(Genesis 1:3).

And God saw that the And God saw that the light was good; and light was good; and God separated the God separated the

light from the light from the darkness. darkness. 55 And God And God called the light day, called the light day,

and the darkness He and the darkness He called night. And there called night. And there

was evening and was evening and there was morning, there was morning, one day. (Genesis one day. (Genesis

1:4-5).1:4-5).

Textual Formula in Genesi 1Textual Formula in Genesi 1

• God’s creative statement: And God said...

• The fiat: “Let there be...”

• The creative act: And there was light...

• A declaration that the creation was good: God saw that it was good.

• The time limits of that creative period: And there was evening and there was morning...

• The numerical listing of that day: One day.

Then God said, “Let there be Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters, and let it separate the

waters from the waters.” waters from the waters.” (Genesis 1:6)(Genesis 1:6)

And God made the expanse, And God made the expanse, and separated the waters and separated the waters

which were below the expanse which were below the expanse from the waters which were from the waters which were

above the expanse; and it was above the expanse; and it was so. so. 88 And God called the And God called the

expanse heaven. And there expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was was evening and there was

morning, a second day. morning, a second day. (Genesis 1:7-8).(Genesis 1:7-8).

[;yqir' (Raqiya)

• Defined in verse 8 when “God called the Raqiya heaven” (note that the Hebrew is plural; “Heavens”).

[;yqir' (Raqiya)

• Further explained in verse 20 where God says, “...let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens” (It literally reads “...upon the face of the raqiyah of the heavens”)

[;yqir' (Raqiya)

The heavens are telling of The heavens are telling of the glory of God;the glory of God;And their EXPANSE is And their EXPANSE is declaring the work of His declaring the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1).hands. (Psalm 19:1).

Praise the Lord!Praise the Lord!Praise God in His sanctuary;Praise God in His sanctuary;Praise Him in His mighty Praise Him in His mighty EXPANSE. (Psalm 15:1).EXPANSE. (Psalm 15:1).

Then God said, “Let the Then God said, “Let the waters below the waters below the heavens be gathered heavens be gathered into one place, and let into one place, and let the dry land appear”; the dry land appear”; and it was so. and it was so. 1010 And And God called the dry land God called the dry land earth, and the gathering earth, and the gathering of the waters He called of the waters He called seas; and God saw that seas; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis it was good. (Genesis 1:9-10).1:9-10).

Then God said, Then God said, “Let the earth “Let the earth sprout vegetation, sprout vegetation, plants yielding plants yielding seed, and fruit seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, after their kind, with seed in them, with seed in them, on the earth”; and on the earth”; and it was so. it was so. (Genesis 1:11).(Genesis 1:11).

Then God said, “Let Then God said, “Let there be lights in the there be lights in the expanse of the heavens expanse of the heavens to separate the day from to separate the day from the night, and let them the night, and let them be for signs, and for be for signs, and for seasons, and for days seasons, and for days and years; and years; 1515 and let and let them be for lights in the them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens expanse of the heavens to give light on the to give light on the earth”; and it was so. earth”; and it was so. (Genesis 1:14-15).(Genesis 1:14-15).

And God made And God made the two great the two great lights, the lights, the greater light to greater light to govern the day, govern the day, and the lesser and the lesser light to govern light to govern the night; He the night; He made the stars made the stars also. (Genesis also. (Genesis 1:16).1:16).

And God placed And God placed them in the them in the expanse of the expanse of the heavens to give heavens to give light on the earth, light on the earth, 1818 and to govern and to govern the day and the the day and the night, and to night, and to separate the light separate the light from the darkness; from the darkness; and God saw that and God saw that it was good. it was good. (Genesis 1:17-18).(Genesis 1:17-18).

Created KingdomsCreated Kingdoms Created KingsCreated Kings

Day 1: Light & Darkness

Day 4: Light-bearers to rule day & night

Day 2: Division of waters into sky & sea

Day 5: Birds to rule the sky and fish to rule the sea

Day 3: Dry land & vegetation

Day 6: Land animals & man as ruler

Creator KingCreator KingDay 7: The King takes His Rest

Then God said, Then God said, “Let the waters “Let the waters teem with swarms teem with swarms of living creatures, of living creatures, and let birds fly and let birds fly above the earth in above the earth in the open expanse the open expanse of the heavens.” of the heavens.” (Genesis 1:21).(Genesis 1:21).

Then God said, “Let Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the earth bring forth living creatures after living creatures after their kind: cattle and their kind: cattle and creeping things and creeping things and beasts of the earth beasts of the earth after their kind”; and after their kind”; and it was so. (Genesis it was so. (Genesis 1:24).1:24).

Genesis 1:26-27Genesis 1:26-27The God said, “Let Us make man

in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27).

Genesis 1:28Genesis 1:28God blessed them; and God

said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

– In the Image of GodIn the Image of God

– Federal HeadshipFederal Headship

– Stewardship and a basis for EcologyStewardship and a basis for Ecology

Genesis 1:29-30Genesis 1:29-30Then God said, “Behold, I

have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; 30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.

Genesis 1Genesis 1

Light and darkness are made by God on

Day 1

The Israelite The Israelite ExperienceExperience

They had seen God bring light and darkness

over Egypt

A division of the waters on Day 2

They had passed through the Red Sea

The sun and moon and stars created on

Day 4

Egyptians worshiped the sun and moon and stars and had seen the sun darkened in Egypt.

Genesis 1Genesis 1

Man is created in the image of God

The Israelite The Israelite ExperienceExperience

Only the Pharaoh was thought to be in the

image of God

Man is told to rule over the earth

Only the Pharaoh had the right of rulership

Man is placed into a beautiful garden

Israelites are tempted to return to the meats of Egypt, but Canaan is

the new promised Eden.

Genesis 2:1-3 Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth

were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

The SabbathThe Sabbath• Given as a memorial to the work of God in

creation.

• Served as a memorial of God’s redemption. “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:15)

The SabbathThe Sabbath• Given as a memorial to the work of God in

creation.

• Served as a memorial of God’s redemption.

• The Sabbath was designed to be a shadow of things to come and not as an end unto itself.

Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a

festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- 17 things which are a mere shadow of what

is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17).

Why are there Why are there two separate two separate accounts of accounts of creation?creation?

Genesis 2:4 Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the

heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.

~yhil{a/

hw"hy>

(Yahweh Elohim)(Yahweh Elohim)

Genesis 2:5Genesis 2:5Now no shrub of the field was

yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth; and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

Genesis 2:5Genesis 2:5Now no shrub of the field was

yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth; and there was no man to cultivate the ground.

• No rain (corrected in verse 6).No rain (corrected in verse 6).• No man (corrected in verse 7).No man (corrected in verse 7).

Genesis 2:6Genesis 2:6But a mist used to rise from the

earth and water the whole surface of the ground.

Genesis 2:7Genesis 2:7Then the LORD God formed

man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

hm'd'a]

Adamah

~d'a' Adam

Genesis 2:7Genesis 2:7Then the LORD God formed

man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Literally: “breath of lives”Literally: “breath of lives”

Genesis 2:8Genesis 2:8The LORD God planted a

garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

The word edenu in Akkadian means “garden”

or “paradise.”

Creation complete: Heavens & earth created; God finished His work (1-3)

Man created: Formed from dust (4-9)

Trees & Rivers in garden given names (9-14)

Genesis 2:9Genesis 2:9Out of the ground the LORD

God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now a river flowed out of Eden to water Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and the garden; and from there it divided and

became four rivers (Genesis 2:10).became four rivers (Genesis 2:10).

• Pishon (around the whole land of Havilah)

• Gihon (around the whole land of Cush)

• Tigris (east of Assyria)

• Euphrates

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,The holy dwelling places of the Most High. (Psalm 46:4).

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.“ (Genesis 2:16-17)




Man assigned task of guarding & keeping the garden (15)

Forbidden fruit (16-17)

Genesis 2:18Genesis 2:18Then the LORD God said, “It is

not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”

Verse 18

It is not good that man should be

alone

Verses 19-20 Verses 21-22

The need for a companion for the man

Creation and naming of the

animals

The inadequacy of the animals for

this companionship

Creation of the woman

The providing of the woman

as a companion for the man




Man assigned task of guarding & keeping the garden (15)

Forbidden fruit (16-17)

Man in need of a helper: not good to be alone (18)

Animals in garden are given names (19-20)

Woman created: Formed from rib (21-24)

Creation complete: Man & woman naked & unashamed in presence of God (25)

Events leading Events leading up to the fallup to the fall

Genesis 3:1-6Genesis 3:1-6

• Serpent introduced

• Temptation

• Sin

Genesis 3:7-24Genesis 3:7-24

Results of the Results of the fallfall• God’s pointed

questioning• Curse of sin• Coats of skin• Banishment from

the garden

Genesis 3:1Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more

crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

Genesis 3:2-3Genesis 3:2-3The woman said to the

serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”

Genesis 3:4-5Genesis 3:4-5The serpent said to the

woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:6Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that

the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:7Genesis 3:7Then the eyes of both of

them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Genesis 3:8Genesis 3:8They heard the sound of the

LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:9Genesis 3:9Then the LORD God called

to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:10-12Genesis 3:10-12He said, “I heard the sound

of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:13Genesis 3:13Then the LORD God said to

the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The man

The woman

The serpent

Blames Blames

Genesis 3:14Genesis 3:14The LORD God said to the

serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life…”

Genesis 3:15Genesis 3:15“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Seed of the WomanSeed of the WomanSeed of the SerpentSeed of the Serpent

SatanSatan Jesus ChristJesus Christ

His head bruised His head bruised on the crosson the cross

(A fatal wound)(A fatal wound)

His heel bruised His heel bruised on the crosson the cross

(Humanity)(Humanity)


SatanSatan Jesus ChristJesus Christ

His head bruised His head bruised on the crosson the cross

His heel bruised His heel bruised on the crosson the cross


Abel & SethAbel & SethCainCain

LamechLamech

EnochEnoch

NoahNoah

ShemShemHamHam

AbrahamAbrahamCanaanCanaan


IshmaelIshmael IsaacIsaac

AbrahamAbraham

JacobJacobEsauEsau

Whose SeedWhose Seedare You?are You?

Genesis 3:16Genesis 3:16To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”

Genesis 3:16Genesis 3:16To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”

Genesis 3:17Genesis 3:17Then to Adam He said,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life….”

Genesis 3:18-19Genesis 3:18-19“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field;19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”

Genesis 3:18-19Genesis 3:18-19“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field;19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”

Examples of Retributive IronyMore crafty than any beast of the

field...

The Serpent

...is now made lower than all of the

other animals.

Bruises Christ on the heel...

Satan ...is bruised on the head.

Desires to rule her husband...

The Woman

...finds that he shall rule over her.

Made of dust who would rise to

be like God...

Man ...is returned to dust again.

Warren GageWarren Gage

For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who

subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of

the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

(Romans 8:20-21).

Genesis 3:20Genesis 3:20Now the man called his

wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

Examples of Redemptive IronyWho was

tempted to sin...The

woman...becomes the mother of all

living.

Will die on a cross...

The God-man

...to bring life to many.

Genesis 3:21Genesis 3:21The LORD God made

garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

• Taken by the shedding of bloodTaken by the shedding of blood

• Innocent substitutesInnocent substitutes

• Replaced fig leave of human righteousnessReplaced fig leave of human righteousness

Genesis 3:22-23Genesis 3:22-23Then the LORD God said,

“Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” -- 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 3:24Genesis 3:24So He drove the man out;

and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

AdamHe has been

banished from the garden.

The People of IsraelThey have departed from the “garden of Egypt” and

are now in the Sinai Wilderness.

Adam leaves the garden by the eastern route.

The Israelites also leave Egypt by the eastern

route.

FlamingAltar

Water

Documents

Genesis 1-3 © John Stevenson, 2012. Title for the Book The Hebrew Title: tyviareB. (BeReshyth); “In the Beginning”The Hebrew Title: tyviareB. (BeReshyth);