Exploring Genesis: Unveiling the Foundations of Creation and Redemption:

Week 1: Introduction to Genesis

Lesson Aim: To provide an overview of the Book of Genesis, understanding its historical and cultural context, authorship, purpose, key themes, and structure.

Opening Prayer: Begin the lesson with a prayer, asking for God's guidance and wisdom as you delve into the study of Genesis.

Icebreaker Activity: "Genesis Trivia" Present a series of multiple-choice questions related to the Book of Genesis. Encourage participants to answer the questions and discuss their responses as a group.

Overview of the Book of Genesis:

“Genesis is the Book of Beginnings, the great introduction to the drama of redemption. Gn. 1–11 may be regarded as the prologue to the drama, whose first act begins at ch. 12 with the introduction of Abraham. At the other end of the drama the book of Revelation is the epilogue.” J. S. Wright and J. A. Thompson, “Genesis, Book of,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 404.

As the “Book of Beginnings,” Genesis serves as our introduction to God, the rise of humanity, the origins of sin, and the population of the world. As such the Genesis provides for us the foundation for understanding the nature of God and the nature of man, and it traces the history of humanity from the time before the fall of man into sin through the beginning stage of God fulfilling his promise to bring about one who would crush the head of the serpent as promised in Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

R.C. Sproul says, regarding Genesis that it is the story of “Coram Deo means “in the presence of God” or “before the face of God.” It refers to living life in a sense of acute God-consciousness. It’s the “Big Idea,” in management jargon, of the Christian life.” R.C. Sproul, Before the Face of God: Book 3: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries, 1994).

Now that is important because Genesis is a book that displays interaction of God with creation, and more specifically, interaction with this creature that according to Genesis 2 God formed with his hands. Therefore, Genesis serves more than a drama to be viewed teaching about the natures of God and men, but more specifically it is a drama where we learn or gain instruction on how to live as image bearers of the divine Coram Deo, “before the face of God.”

The large division of the book are simply Genesis 1-11 and Genesis 12-50.

“The book of Genesis could be read as a stage drama with four or five acts. The last of these acts begins at the end of Genesis 11 and continues through the end of the book, telling the story of God’s call and promise to Abraham and how Abraham’s descendants survived to find themselves a great multitude living in Egypt—not quite yet the promised land. The earlier acts, however, focus first on creation (Gen 1–2), then on the catastrophe of human sin (Gen 3), and then on two more “new beginning” stories. One tells the story of how two lines of humans descended from Adam and Eve, represented by the murderer Cain and the righteous Abel (replaced, more or less, by Seth). These two families live at odds with one another in Genesis 4–5 until the crisis in Noah’s day, when the extremes of corruption described in Genesis 6 lead to a new catastrophe: the universal flood. A second “new beginning” takes up after the flood, but little seems to have changed.” John L. Thompson, Timothy George, and Scott M. Manetsch, eds., Genesis 1–11: Old Testament, vol. 1, Reformation Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012), liv.

It is through these acts that God then displays for us salvation history, in which he communicates to us what he is doing to address the issue of the fall that took place in Genesis 3. And how God will bring about this salvation through one family, through a man from Babylon or modern day Iraq. As Genesis 1-11 set the stage for the drama, Genesis 12-50 serve to display God’s salvation activities through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons. It here that we see God using men who are anything but righteous at the beginning and using them for his purposes, even using their willful sinning to accomplish his purposes.

Historical and Cultural Context:

As we explore the Book of Genesis, it is important to remember that up till the Great Flood in Noah’s day, we do not have any historical writings. Therefore, the time prior to and shortly after the Great Flood is known a pre-history. Because who do not have any surviving written documents that talk about the time before the flood.

Now depending on your view of the days of creation the start of history, i.e. the first second after God created time, space and matter, can vary a bit. But for our purposes here we are going to use the traditional view of a young earth model. With that in mind most scholars will date the advent of Adam and Eve somewhere in year 4000 B.C. The exact place of the Garden is not known, but we will get into that a bit more if time permits when we study that section of Genesis, but regardless that time before the flood is lost to us.

But from the time of creation till the arrival of Abram there is about 2000 years of history that has been made. So when we come to the rise of Abram we find him living in the Fertile Crescent, first in Ur the Sumerian Kingdom now modern day Iraq, and then in Haran in Mesopotamia. And know that Abram was born into a pagan nation, and was quite possibly a pagan as well. But regardless Abraham was once he left Haran and Ur became a nomadic person, meaning he lived in tents rather than in cities.

But the land of Canaan was being transformed from a nomadic type culture to one dominated by city states, and that is what we see in the book of Genesis the urbanization of the peoples, as they build cities to dwell in. Additionally, at this time the only form of writing was the Sumerian codex, which was a clay cylinder with the Sumerian writing on it. This is important because that means at this time Abraham did not have the Bible, he was relying on God’s direct revelation to him. The whole time frame from Abraham to Joseph in Egypt is 2000-1700 B.C, which means Genesis covers from around 4000 to 1700 B.C.

Thus, as we read through Genesis we are going to come across many things that are going to see odd or contrary to our modern eyes and ears. But what we must understand is that Genesis is written as a history of things that have taken place, and we must discern carefully, what things are descriptive in nature (meaning what is just communicating information) and what is prescriptive (meaning what needs to be put into practice.)

Lastly, Genesis is not a stand alone book, rather it falls into a bigger picture of the OT, namely the Pentateuch, which means five (penta) tools or books (teuch). And these five books or tools make up what we know as the law or torah, which means instructions. So the five books of the law are really the five books of instruction on how we are to live coram deo, before the face of God.

Key Themes:

Genesis 1-11 prepares us to understand the world we live in. Drawing us to see and understand the reality of temptation, pride, and the fall, causing us to ask the question of how is God going to correct what we have destroyed. For Genesis 11 focuses on the continued rebellion of the people even after the Flood, but the chapter closes with a genealogy which serves as a reminder that God made a promise about one who would come and set all things in order.

Key Themes:

Genesis 1-2 The Creation of the World

Genesis 3:1-6:4 The Fall into Sin:

Genesis 6:5-8:19 The Punishing Flood:

Genesis 8:20-10:32 The Rise of the post flood generation:

Genesis 11:1-9 The Tower of Babal

Genesis 11:20-32 God’s reminder of his promise:

The Final major section of Genesis is from chapter 12-50 as God works out his plan for salvation through Abraham’s family.

Key Themes:

Genesis 12-25:11 The Rise of Abraham

Genesis 25:12-26:35 Isaac carries the mantel:

Genesis 27-36 Jacob becomes Israel:

Genesis 37-50 The rejected son becomes the savior:

Other Themes:

1. Creation: The opening chapters of Genesis describe the creation of the world and all living things by God. This theme highlights God's creative power and purpose in bringing existence into being.

2. Covenant: The concept of covenant is central to Genesis. God establishes covenants with individuals such as Noah and Abraham, outlining promises and responsibilities. These covenants form the basis for the relationship between God and humanity.

3. Patriarchs and Matriarchs: The stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are prominent in Genesis. These patriarchs and matriarchs play a significant role in the formation of the Israelite nation and serve as models of faith and obedience.

4. Family Dynamics: Genesis portrays various family relationships, including sibling rivalries (e.g., Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau) and complex marriages (e.g., Jacob and his wives). These dynamics explore themes of love, jealousy, and reconciliation.

5. Human Nature and Sin: Genesis addresses the nature of humanity, including the Fall of Adam and Eve, which introduces sin and its consequences into the world. This theme explores the human struggle between good and evil.

6. Divine Providence: Throughout Genesis, God's providential care is evident in the lives of individuals such as Joseph, where seemingly dire circumstances are ultimately part of God's plan for good.

7. Faith and Obedience: Many characters in Genesis exhibit faith and obedience in response to God's call, including Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac and Joseph's faithfulness in Egypt.

8. Identity and Origins: The Book of Genesis provides an explanation for the origins of various nations and peoples, including the Israelites, through genealogies and narratives.

9. Blessings and Promises: Blessings and promises, often passed down from one generation to another, play a significant role in the lives of the patriarchs and their descendants. These blessings shape the destinies of individuals and nations.

10. Redemption and Reconciliation: The story of Joseph illustrates themes of redemption and reconciliation, as he forgives his brothers who had wronged him. This theme foreshadows later themes of forgiveness and redemption in the Bible.

Group Discussion:

What aspects of the historical and cultural context of Genesis do you find most intriguing or relevant to the book's message?

How do the key themes of Genesis resonate with your own understanding of God's plan and purpose for humanity?

How can the structure of Genesis help us navigate and understand the various stories and events in the book?

Application:

Encourage participants to reflect on how the study of Genesis can shape their worldview, understanding of God's character, and their relationship with Him. Discuss practical ways in which they can apply the lessons and principles learned from Genesis to their daily lives.

Closing Prayer:

Lead the group in a prayer of gratitude for the Book of Genesis and its insights into God's creation, His relationship with humanity, and His redemptive plan. Pray for God's guidance and understanding as the group continues to study and apply the lessons from Genesis.

Homework/Continued Reflection:

Encourage participants to spend time reading and reflecting on specific passages or themes from Genesis. Encourage personal study and exploration of additional resources related to the historical and cultural context, authorship, and themes of Genesis.