Copyright 1997MWSC/Jeanie C. Crain All rights reserved.

Overview of Genesis

Structure of Genesis Seven Great Individuals Genesis and Apocalypse Genesis and History Genesis and Genealogy Hebrew Age Tradition

Structure of Genesis

Primeval History (i-xi)

Four Events

Creation-Ch. 1 & 2

Fall-Ch. 3

Flood-Ch. 7

Babel-Ch. 11

Patriarchal History

Abraham ( call), Ch. 12 Isaac (birth), Ch. 21 Jacob (care), Ch. 25 Joseph (control), Ch. 35

Seven Great Individuals

Abel-- desire (worshipper) -Ch. 4 Enoch-choice (walker) -Ch. 5 Noah-renewal (worker) -Ch. 5 Abraham-faith (wanderer) -Ch. 12 Isaac-son ship (watcher) -Ch. 21 Jacob-service (wrestler) - Ch. 25 Joseph-suffering and glory (waiter) - Ch. 35

Genesis and Apocalypse

Similarities

New Beginning New Order Tree of Life River Bride Walk of God Eden Ideal (Garden/City)

Genesis and Apocalypse

Contrasts

Paradise Closed/Paradise Opened Dispossession/Repossession Curse imposed/Curse Removed Access to Tree of Life Disinherited/Access to Tree Reinherited Beginning of Sorrow and Death/End of Sorrow and Death Garden/City Fall/Restoration Individual/Race Promise/Fulfillment

Genesis and History

"In the beginning, God": Testimony

Earth, spinning in universe some billion years Humankind, some million years ago

History--Early Existence

Paleolithic or Old Stone Age--up to 10,000 BCE; beginning some 500,000 years ago? Neolithic or New Stone Age--12,000 years ago Age of Metals, Copper, Bronze and Iron-some 5,000 years ago

History--Early Civilizations

Sumerians-2500 BCE Babylonian Dynasty-1800 BCE Egyptian Pyramids-2650-2500 BCE Semitic Tribes filling Syria-Palestine 2500 BCE

Approximate Archeological Periods

Chalcolithic 4000-3150 BCE Prehistory Early Bronze 3150-2200 BCE Early Canaanites Middle Bronze 2250-1500 BCE Patriarchs Late Bronze 1550-1200 BCE Egypt, Exodus, Judges Iron Age I 1200-1000 BCE Late Judges, Samuel, Saul

Approximate Archeological Periods

Iron Age II 1000-900 BCE Monarchy Iron Age II 900-720 BCE Divided Monarchy, Fall Samaria Iron Age III 720-587 BCE Judah Babylonian and Persian 587-300 BCE Exile/Post-Exilic Hellenistic 330-63 BCE Maccabees Roman-Islamic 63 BC-70 AD

Genesis and Genealogy

Sixty Generations (six tens) from Adam

Noah Abraham Boaz (married Gentile Ruth) Uzziah (royal line of Judah) Zerubbabel Joseph (Mary)

Hebrew Age Tradition

Adam to Noah (900-1000) Noah to Abraham (200-600) Patriarchs (100-200) Normal three-score years and ten

Creation in Genesis

Genesis 1 Genesis 2

God, Creator God, Covenant-keeper Elohim Yahweh God, powerful God, personal Creation universe Creation man Climax man Climax marriage Six days Sixth day

Six Days of Creation

first 3 days second 3 days God shaped creation God populated creation Day 1 light Day 4-sun, moon, stars Day 2 water, atmosphere Day 5-sea, creatures, birds Day 3-earth, vegetation Day 6-animals

Abrahamic Covenant

Genesis 12:1-3 God initiated covenant with Abraham (Ur of the Chaldeans) promising land, descendents, blessing. Genesis 12: 4, 5 Abram went with his family to Haran, lived there for a time, and left at 75. Genesis 13:14-17 After Lot separated from Abram, God again promised the land to him and his descendents.

Abrahamic Covenant Continued

Genesis 15:1-21 Covenant was ratified when God passed between the sacrificial animals Abram laid before God. Genesis 17:1-27 When Abram was 99, God renewed his covenant, changing his name to Abraham (father of a multitude), initiating circumcision as the sign of the covenant. Genesis 22:15-18 Confirmation of the covenant due to Abraham’s obedience.

Related Covenants

Deut. 30:1-10 Palestinian Covenant--promise of land 2 Sam 7:12-16 Davidic Covenant--promise of kingly descendents Ex 19:3-6, Jer 31;31-40 "Old" and "New"