Ralph Porter
Author: Moses
Date:
Writing:
15th century B.C.
Events: Creation to death of Joseph in 1804 B.C.
--Covers at least 2000 years of history.
Purpose and theme:
NOT intended to provide a complete history of man from the creation
to Joseph.
The selection of material indicates that Moses wished to describe the
major events that led up to the formation of Israel as a nation.
The history of the nation in Exodus leaves many unanswered
questions:
Where did these people come from?
Why are they in Egypt?
Genesis goes beyond the mere historical facts to explain Israel's birth
and existence from God's point of view.
The purpose of God is brought into perspective as Israel's origins are
described.
Genesis prepares the way to understand God's program for Israel
throughout the Old Testament.
Organization:
Three major patterns--
Author's use of "these are the generations of . . . ." ("this is the account
of . . . ."), repeated 10 times:
2:4 5:1 6:9 10:1 11:10
11:27 25:12 25:19 36:1 37:2
The major change in God's dealings with mankind divides the book
into 2 logical sections:
God's dealings with all mankind 1-11
God's dealings with Abraham's family 12-50
Subdivision of the previous sections based on four major events and
four major people.
Think through each of these major sections of Genesis.
Write down one major lesson that God wants YOU to learn from each part of the
story.
What action should you take as a result of this study?
The Book of Beginnings
Ralph Porter
GOD'S DEALINGS
WITH ALL MANKIND
1-11 GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ABRAHAM'S FAMILY
12-50 Four Major Events Four Major People CREATION
1-2
The beginning of the universe
1:1-2:3
The beginning of humanity
2:4-25 FALL 3-4
The beginning of sin
3:1-6:8
FLOOD 5-9
The new beginning with Noah 6:9-11:26
10-11 ABRAHAM: The chosen one
12-23
ISAAC: The promised son 24-26
27-36
37-50
"These are the generations of . . . "
Introduction: The beginning of the story 1:1-2:3
The story of Terah 11:27-25:11
The story of the heavens and the earth 2:4-4:26
The story of Ishmael 25:12-18
The story of Adam 5:1-6:8
The story of Isaac 25:19-35:29
The story of Noah 6:9-9:29
The story of Esau 36:1-37:1
The story of Noah's sons 10:1-11:9
The story of Jacob 37:2-50:26
The story of Shem 11:10-26
Genesis doesn't say who wrote it.
It is included among books of Pentateuch credited to Moses
-by Jewish tradition
-by Old Testament
-by New Testament
Moses' authorship is never questioned in biblical records, nor in early historical
writings.
It is directly related to the rest of the Pentateuch.
Exodus is based on it's history and takes up where Genesis leaves off.
Date:
Date of writing the book--15th century B.C.
Mosaic authorship places the book in 15th C.
Date the events occurred --Creation to death of Joseph in 1804 B.C.
--Covers more than 2000 years of history.
Purpose and theme:
The book was NOT intended to provide the complete history of man from creation
to Joseph. There are too many holes in the story to accept that alternative.
led up to the
formation of Israel as a nation.
unanswered questions:
Where did these people come from?
Why are they in Egypt?
Genesis, as "the book of beginnings" was written to answer
such questions.
God's
perspective.
brought into
perspective as Israel's origins are described.
Old
Testament.
of . . ."), repeated 10 times:
2:4
5:1 6:9
10:1 11:10
11:27 25:12
25:19 36:1
37:2
The expression divides the book into 11 sections.
preceding
material.
First view considers 1:1-2:3 to be an introduction to the book.
Second view considers 37:2b-50:26 to be an appendix, sometimes called "The
Joseph
Narratives"
While there is some evidence for each alternative, several clear examples support
the first.
"These are the generations of . . . ."
Introduction: The beginning of the story 1:1-2:3
The story of the heavens and the earth 2:4-4:26
The story of Adam
5:1-6:8
The story of Noah
6:9-9:29
The story of Noah's sons
10:1-11:9
The story of Shem
11:10-26
The story of Terah
11:27-25:11
The story of Ishmael
25:12-18
The story of Isaac
25:19-35:29
The story of Esau
36:1-37:1
The story of Jacob
37:2-50:26
Each of these titles focuses our attention on the descendants of the person named.
with man
which divides the book into two logical sections:
God's dealings with all mankind 1-11
God's dealings with Abraham's family 12-50
transition
begins earlier.
In 1:1-11:9, the author describes the major steps of God's dealing with all
mankind.
He condenses more than 2000 years of human history into 11 chapters!
In 11:10 a transition begins which concludes with God's call to Abraham, in
order to
establish a new race.
Abraham's descendants were to be separate from all other races.
Through this race a nation would be established that would form the basis
of blessing
for the entire world.
This story unfolds from 11:10-50:26
divisions.
Though oversimplified for popular presentation, it makes the contents easy to
remember.
It is based on four major events and four major people.
(organized around)
FOUR MAJOR EVENTS:
1. Creation 1-2
2. Fall
3-4
3. Flood
5-9
4. Confusion 10-11
(focuses on)
FOUR MAJOR PEOPLE:
1. Abraham 12-23
2. Isaac
24-26
3. Jacob 27-36
4. Joseph 37-50
(My outline is indirectly derived from this idea)
I.
GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ALL MANKIND 1:1-11:26
A. THE BEGINNING OF THE UNIVERSE 1:1-2:3
to narrate.
Before man could serve God in conformity to God's plan, he must have a place
to live.
capricious,
competing gods, Moses described how the One and Only
sovereign, omniscient
God spoke.
The authority of His spoken word created the world in which man was to
live.
After an initial summary statement that God created the heavens and the earth
(1:1), Moses
proceeds to describe how God did it.
must include
him along with the rest of God's creation.
differences
from the other creatures.
Of all the creatures God made, this one required special attention.
God has a special plan for him.
Only man was made in God's image.
He was to be God's special representative on the earth, to rule over
all the other
creatures God had made.
difference in our lives today?
Having described the preparation of the stage for the drama of God's kingdom
program,
His rule upon the earth through His creation, Moses now goes back
for a closer look
at the creation of man.
order
to describe how God made man and, in a personal way, gave him life
(4-7).
His home is described, giving the impression of a perfect, peaceful environment
(8-14)
Man was given everything he needed to enjoy life as God's representative on
earth.
Living in the midst of such a perfect environment, man had only one problem:
there was
nothing like him with which he could share his life.
Nothing conformed to what he was so he might enjoy companionship.
He was all alone (18)
He came to realize that there was nothing else like him.
He was alone (19-20).
God solved the problem by creating woman as a suitable helper (21-23).
She was taken from him and made to be one with him.
The author applies the lesson to marriage: the man and his wife were to stand
alone
before everything and everyone else.
This was God's design for the home.
Genesis?
submission to God's authority was put to the test, he failed.
--His truthfulness (1-4)
--His love (5)
2. Intrusion of sin 3:6
3. Consequences of sin 3:7-24
a. Guilt 7
b. Fear and broken fellowship 8-11
c. Blaming one another 12-13
d. Punishment 14-19
Work without fruit
Woman's role changed from man's companion to mother of his children
Embarrassment in nakedness and sexual relationships
Guilt
Contaminated environment
Death--both physical and spiritual
a. Two alternatives presented :1-5a
Cain's way vs. Abel's way
b. Man's way chosen by some 4:5b-24
Cain's descendants--accomplished great things but had no time for
submission
to His authority.
Their lifestyle was secular and humanistic
c. God's way chosen by others 4:25-5:32
In contrast to Cain's descendants, God gave Adam another son, Seth.
Beginning with Seth, men began to call themselves by Yahweh's name.
(4:26)
They sought to submit to God's authority and identify themselves with
Him.
d. Crossing of the ways 6:1-8
By Noah's time, the distinction between the two kinds of people begins
to fade.
God's people began to view life from man's perspective. (6:5)
They were attracted by physical beauty of those who weren't God's
people.
Intermarriage broke down the distinction between God's people and
natural,
secular, pagan people.
The entire human race began to follow a perverted lifestyle.
Sin and rebellion grew until God described all man's thoughts as "only
evil all
the time!"
God decided to judge all mankind, and destroy what He had made.
He would take the only notable exception, Noah, and start over with him.
God chose Noah, who followed Him, though he wasn't perfect.
God instructed him to prepare an ark, in order to save himself from the
judgment which
would destroy the now-corrupt creation He had made.
Noah believed God and obeyed His instructions.
He was saved because of His faith in God and in His Word.
Through Noah and his descendants the nations developed.
While note was taken of their distribution, no explanation was given.
The event which caused them to scatter did not occur until some time later.
Thus, the author returns to explain the cause of the dispersion.
spreading
throughout the earth, man decided to stick together and develop
the Great Society.
Rather than identify himself with God, he decided to make a name for
himself. 11:4
His disobedience would lead to further degeneration and rebellion.
Thus God again intervened in history.
Man's plan was stopped by a permanent communications problem that still
causes
lack of understanding between nations.
II.
GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ABRAHAM'S FAMILY 11:27-50:26
Another New Beginning
Due to man's renewed disobedience, God once again selects from among men
one
individual who will submit to His authority.
See how important submission to God's authority is!
Moses traces the transition from Noah to Abraham, showing how man's
depravity has
shortened the length of human life.
Life is short because of man's sin, not because of God's plan.
Having described the foundation of the nations of the world, Moses narrows
his view to
concentrate on one particular family.
God called Abraham, in the midst of the confusion of his times, to separate
himself from
his own people, and to form a new people, the people of God.
12:1-3
By means of Abraham and his sons, God would demonstrate to rebellious
humanity, and
to all His creation, that there were among men those who
would recognize His worth
and submit voluntarily to His authority.
God's people would be a testimony to the rest of humanity and through them
God's love
and grace would be made known.
After describing Abraham's death, the author turns his attention to the two
principal
rivals among Abraham's sons:
Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn 25:12-18
--His descendants were organized into 12 tribes.
--Hostility characterized the relationship between Ishmael's
descendants and those
of his brother.
In this section, the basis for future conflict with neighboring tribes
is introduced.
--Rivalry between
Esau (humanistic attitudes again surface)
Jacob (who seeks God's will, through deceptive means, and has to
learn to trust
God to accomplish His own plans).
--God dealt with Isaac as He had with Abraham, confirming again His
promise.
When Jacob leaves for Padan-Aram, the center of attention moves off Isaac
(the weak-willed father) and follows Jacob.
The deceiver is converted into the Blessed One.
He was the one who had struggled with God, and been triumphant.
The focus of Jacob's story shifts to Joseph, the favored son.
God uses the conflict between Joseph and his brothers to protect the entire family and to
move them to Egypt where God will prepare them for life as a nation. 50:19-21
Israel is in Egypt--there God will protect them.
There God will use suffering . . .
--to purify His people
--to unify His people
--to prepare His people to become a great nation
THE BIRTH OF THE NATION.
EXODUS describes that birth.
Think through each of these major sections of Genesis. Write down
a major lesson God wants YOU to learn from each part of the story. What action should you take as a result of this study?
CONFUSION
JACOB: The blessed deceiver
JOSEPH: The mistreated deliverer
Author:
Moses
Selection of material indicates that Moses wished to describe the major events that
The story of Israel in Exodus and the rest of the Pentateuch leaves many
Genesis goes beyond the historical facts to explain Israel's birth and existence from
The purpose of God, as the Author of history and Sovereign of the universe, is
Genesis prepares the way to understand God's program for Israel throughout the
Organization:
Three major patterns--
Each pattern adds something to our understanding of the book's content.
The author's use of "these are the generations of . . ." ("this is the account
Some think the expression introduces a new section; others believe it concludes the
Based on this organizational device, the book can be outlined:
The second method of organization recognizes the major change in God's dealings
While normally this division is placed between chapter 1-11 and 12-50, the
The third method of organization introduces subdivisions of the preceding two
I. GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ALL MANKIND
1-11
II. GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ABRAHAM'S FAMILY
12-50
Moses begins by describing the preparation of the stage for drama he's about
In contrast to contemporary stories about the earth's origin, filled with
Although it isn't the author's purpose to introduce man in this chapter, he
Even though he mentions him briefly, he is obligated to point out some basic
What lessons do we learn from this part of the story that should make a
B. THE BEGINNING OF HUMANITY 2:4-25
He starts from the beginning again, only briefly referring to man's environment, in
Through the work God gave him, Adam observed the nature of each creature.
What lessons should we learn for our lives today from this section of
C.
THE BEGINNING OF SIN 3:1-6:8
In spite of a perfect environment and the absence of the sin nature, when man's
The serpent was an instrument in Satan's hands to cause Eve to question God.
1. Temptation to sin 3:1-5
4.
Culmination of sin 4:1-6:8
What lessons should we learn from this part of the story?
D.
THE NEW BEGINNING WITH NOAH 6:9-11:26
As men repopulated the earth, instead of submitting to God's authority and
From God's viewpoint that plan was rebellious.
What should we learn about life from this passage?
A.
ABRAHAM, THE CHOSEN ONE 11:27-25:11
B.
ISAAC, THE PROMISED SON 25:12-28:9
Even in the family of Isaac, the promised son, there is conflict!
C.
JACOB, THE BLESSED DECEIVER 28:10-37:2a
D.
JOSEPH, THE MISTREATED DELIVERER 37:2b-50:26
As Genesis concludes, God's sovereign hand is evident on His people.
With this backdrop in place, the author is ready to tell the story of