Genesis: A Book of Great Beginnings

1. Genesis– from the Hebrew word meaning ORIGIN or SOURCE
   1. Authorship: MOSES uniquely qualified
   2. Date of writing: 1450-1400 BC during wilderness wanderings ( Coffman’s Commentaries: Genesis, p. 18) 1 Kings 6:1.
   3. The book covers approximately 1/3 of human history- 2000 yrs
2. A book of many beginnings. Genesis records the beginning of
   1. the UNIVERSE / MATTER – Genesis 1
      1. Ex nihilo – out of NOTHING
      2. Hebrews 11:3
   2. PHYSICAL LIFE –
      1. PLANTS – Day 3 – Genesis 1:11-12
      2. ANIMALS –
         1. BIRDS & SEA creatures – Day 5 – Genesis 1:20-23
         2. LAND creatures – Day 6 – Genesis 1:24-25
         3. MAN – Day 6 – Genesis 1:26-28
      3. MARRIAGE – Genesis 2:18, 21-24 (Matt 19:4-6)
      4. PARENTHOOD – Genesis 4:1
      5. LAW –
         1. NATURAL – Genesis 1:11-12, 21, 24-25, 28
         2. MORAL – Genesis 2:16-17
      6. SIN on earth
      7. The scheme of REDEMPTION – Gen 3:15
      8. RELIGIOUS service – Gen 4:3-4 (Heb 11:4)
      9. the CHOSEN people – Genesis 12:1-3
      10. (Read other things in Morris’ Genesis Record, p. 20-21)
3. Great Divisions of Genesis:
   1. Genesis 1-11 = Four great EVENTS: the CREATION, the FALL, the FLOOD, and the NATIONS
   2. Genesis 12-50 = Four great PEOPLE: ABRAHAM, ISAAC, JACOB, and JOSEPH
4. New Testament testimonies to Genesis – over 200 quotations of and allusions to Genesis in the New Testament, including:
   1. Matthew 19:4-6 = Genesis 2 God’s law on MARRIAGE
   2. Luke 17:32 = Genesis 19:26 LOT’S wife
   3. Genesis 12:1-3 = Galatians 3:16 seed of ABRAHAM
   4. Galatians 4:21-31 = Genesis 16-21 ISAAC & ISHMAEL
   5. Hebrews 11:1-22 = great heroes of FAITH
5. Great Lessons from Genesis
   1. (See Morris’ Genesis Record p. 38)
   2. God MEANS what He SAYS
      1. Genesis 2:17
      2. Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 17
      3. Genesis 19
   3. NOAH is God’s answer to PEER PRESSURE
   4. LOT is God’s example of 1 Corinthians 15:33
   5. God’s BLESSINGS rest upon God’s FAITHFUL

Sources of information on Genesis: Henry Morris’ The Genesis Record, Frank Dunn’s Know Your Bible, Coffman’s Commentary on Genesis.