Book of Genesis

Book of Genesis

Overview of Genesis

What does Genesis mean?

Book of Genesis was the first book in the Old Testament of the bible. The name Genesis means beginning and it is of Genesis was the first book in the Old Testament of the bible.

The name Genesis means beginning and it is of Greek origin. It opens with the specular and familiar sentence ” In the beginning, God has created the heaven and the earth. It is the first of the Pentateuch, the five books of the law.

This book covers a period of at least 2000 years. We find famous stories like Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Ark, Abraham, and Issac, Joseph.

The book specifically says how God chose one man out of all nations through whom he would make a nation to bless all nations. Chapter 1-11 covers over two thousand years of history from creation to about 2135 B.C. chapters 12-50 covers less than 300 years.

Who wrote the book of genesis?

Genesis is an intentionally crafted account of Israel’s origin story. Moses was the human author of the old testament book of Genesis.

It is called as the law of Moses. The book was written to prepare Israel people to understand their promises and their divine destiny to the land of Canaanites.

The book of Genesis was written to build the faith of a slave people to become a mighty nation by depending upon God. Both Abraham and Joseph are the main characters in the book.

The book basically begins with basic material on the beginning of the universe, of life, of man, of the sabbath, of marriage, of sin, of covenants, of death, of redemption, of family life, of sacrifices, of government, of nations, of art, of literature, of agriculture, of cities and of languages.

How Old the Earth according to the bible

The age of the earth according to the bible is around 4.6 billion years.

Summary Outline of the book of genesis

The creation of the world (Genesis 1:1-2:25)

  • The beginning of creation, 1:1-2
  • The Days of creation, 1:3-2:3
  • The beginnings of Man and woman, 2:4-25

The sin of man( Genesis 3:1-24)

  • The Temptation, 3:1-7
  • The judgments, 3:8-24

The beginnings of civilization ( Genesis 4:1- 5:32)

  • Cain And his descendants, 4:1-24
  • Seth, 4:25-26
  • Adam to Noah, 5:1-32

The history of Noah ( Genesis 6:1- 9:29

  • Causes of flood, 6:1-13
  • Course of flood, 6:14-8:19
  • Events after the flood, 8:20-9:29

The descendants of Noah and the tower of Babel ( Genesis 10:1- 11:26)

  • Sons Of japheth, 10:1-5
  • Sons of Ham, 10:6-20
  • Sons of shem, 10: 21-32
  • The tower of Babel, 11:1-9
  • Shem and his descendants, 11:10-26

The history of Abraham ( Genesis 11:27- 25:11)

  • Abraham’s Family, 11:27-32
  • Calling of Abraham, 12:1-20
  • The separation of Abram and Lot, 13:1-18
  • Deliverance of Lot by Abram, 14:1-24
  • Covenant with Abram, 15:1-21
  • The birth of Ishmael, 16:1-16
  • Circumcision of Abraham, 17:1-27
  • Destruction of Sodom and gomorrah, 18: 1-19:38
  • Abraham and Abhimelech, 20:1-18
  • Birth of Isaac, 21:1-34
  • Offering of Issac, 22:1-24
  • The death and burial of Sarah, 23:1-20
  • Marriage of Issac, 24: 1-67
  • Death of Abraham, 25:1-11

The descendants of Ishmael ( Genesis 25: 12-18)

The history of Issac and His sons ( Genesis 25:19- 36: 43)

  • Birth of Jacob and Esau, 25: 19-34
  • Issac and Abhimelech, 26:1-35
  • The Blessing of Jacob by Deception, 27:1-46
  • Jacob’s way to Aaram, 28:1-9
  • Jacob’s dream at Bethel, 28: 10:22
  • Jacob and daughters of Laban, 29: 1-30:43
  • Jacob return to Canaan, 31: 1-33:20
  • Jacob’s later life, 34:1-36:43

The history of Joseph ( Genesis 37:1- 50: 26)

  • Joseph was sold into slavery, 37:1-50:26
  • Judah and Tamar, 38:1-30
  • Joseph in potiphar’s house, 39:1-23
  • Joseph interprets the Dreams, 40:1-23
  • Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream, 41:1-57
  • Joseph’s brother in Egypt, 42:1-45:28
  • Jacob’s blessing of His sons,49: 1-27
  • Jacob’s death, 49:28- 50:14
  • The last days of Joseph, 50:15-26

Records and Genealogies

In Genesis, we have a list of generations. Genesis is a collection of origin stories and these genealogies feel worth to modern readers, by giving us a good idea of how the ancient Israelites thought about the countries surrounding them.

  • Introduction
  • The generations of heavens and the earth
  • The generations of Adam
  • The generations of Noah
  • The generations of the sons of Noah
  • The generations of Shem
  • The generations of Terah
  • The generations of Ishmael
  • The generations of Isaac
    The generations of Esau
  • The generations of the Edomites
  • The generations of Jacob

This book is foundational to the beliefs of Christians. This book tells about the first prophecy of the coming Messiah ( Genesis 3:15).

In this verse, the messiah is not seen as a savior for Jewish people but as a victor over the enemy of mankind. This book contains many pictures of Christ, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph. These portrayed different aspects of the coming of Christ. The book of Genesis is quoted at least 42 times in the new testament.

Important characters in Genesis

After the book of Jeremiah, Genesis is the second largest book of the bible. We have a lot of characters in Genesis. In terms of getting an overview of the book we have four characters are the most important ones to know:

God(Yahweh): Yahweh is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He is also the creator of humans Adam and Eve. God has made all the things very Good but humans and the divine begin to rebel against God by bringing a curse on the world so God destroyed everyone but Noah and his family.

Still, God is working to bring the world back to very good status. God chooses to begin this work through a man named Abraham.

Abraham: He was formerly known as Abram. He was Mesopotamian whom God chose as the patriarch of a nation. The journey of Abraham is through the land of Canaan, which God promised to give to Abraham’s descendants. God made a covenant with Abraham known as Abraham covenant ( a special binding agreement).

Jacob: He was the grandson of Abraham. Jacob tricks his father and brother to receive a special blessing. He was named Israel. He has twelve sons and is known as the twelve tribes of Israel.

Joseph: He was the favorite son of Jacob. He has prophetic dreams of greatness. He will also interpret other people’s dreams. His own brother sells him into slavery. But through the wisdom given by God, he ascends to find the position of second in command over all Egypt.

Promised Land: one of the important themes of Genesis is the promised land also known as the land of Canaan. God promised that Abraham’s descendants will possess the land in Genesis 15th chapter but this promise was not fulfilled until the book of Joshua.

Abraham wanders through Canaan, Issac settles there, and also Jacob eventually settles there. But at the end of the book, the nation of Israel is dwelling as guests in Egypt. The next four books after the genesis will tell us how they make their way back to Canaan.

Genesis in context

Genesis is the first book of the bible and the first book of Torah, the law of Moses. Genesis told the ancient Israelites that God had promised them a land and plan to bless the world through them.

The story of Genesis extended to other books like Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Together these five books will tell the story of how Israel people became God’s special people and nation.

Genesis ends with the Israel people in Egypt as special guests. But the exodus begins with Israel being slaves by their hosts. Then God rescued Israel from Egypt and declared them as his people and led them through their wilderness to reach their promised land. In Genesis, we see that God has authority over the world.

The book of Genesis Summary

Genesis is the perfect title for the book that records the original history of humans. It is a real-life history record of the origins of the world, man, civilization, sin, the nations, and Israel and also the revelation of God.

It also introduces God’s purposes and plans in all things by revealing important themes such as the doctrine of the living, personal God, the doctrine fall and the consequences of man’s sin, the promises of Redeemer, the call of Abraham, and the raising of Israel nation and the covenant promises God made with Israel.