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CHAPTER 1 – Genesis: Creation (Approx. 3958 B.C.)-1589 B.C.

Genesis is the first book of the Bible and is a part of the Pentateuch, the name given to the first five books of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Bereshith which is the first word of the book, and which is translated “in the beginning.” The English title “Genesis” meaning “birth” or “origin” comes from the Septuagint (LXX).

Authorship

Genesis, and the rest of the Pentateuch, was written by a man named Moses who was a leader of the Hebrew (Jewish) people. The book was written in the forty years between 1485 B.C. to 1445 B.C.

Summary

The Bible begins with the account of God creating the earth, all living things in the air, on land, and in the sea, and the human race in six days. The Creation occurred in approximately 3958 B.C. according to the Bible data given in the book of Genesis.

After these six days of creation, “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Genesis 2:3.

It was on the sixth day that God created the first human pair, a male and a female named Adam and Eve, respectively. God made Adam and Eve husband and wife and placed them in their home, the garden of Eden.

Into the garden came a third person who hid himself from sight and made it seem as if a serpent could speak. He thereby tempted Eve to disobey God’s command and Eve fell into sin, which is evil and wrongdoing. Adam then joined Eve by himself falling into sin.

After their sin, God came to the garden and spoke to all three persons there. God then clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins and He cast them out of the garden of Eden, thus removing their access to the tree of life. Subsequently, Adam and Eve have many sons and daughters.

Sin spreads among the people on the earth. But a ray of hope in the midst of wickedness appears. A man named Enoch pleased God and so God took Enoch from the earth to live with Him in heaven.

After this, because of widespread wickedness, God sends a worldwide flood and so destroys all human beings and all living things in the air, and on land. Only a godly a man named Noah and his family were spared. After the flood, Noah and his family multiply and fill the earth with their offspring.

Once again, because of the evil of the people on earth who had one language, God causes them to start speaking different languages. So, one language group of people could not understand the other language groups and thus the people separated themselves and were dispersed all across the earth.

The rest of the book of Genesis follows the family of a godly man named Abram, whose name God later changed to Abraham. God called Abraham to leave his home and go to a land that God would show him and Abraham obeyed God not knowing where he was going.

To Abraham God made the promise to make of Abraham a great nation through which all humanity would be blessed. God also promised to give the land of Canaan to which God had led Abraham to Abraham’s descendants.

After some time, Abraham who had no children had a son named Ishmael with one of his wife’s servants. Eventually, Sarah, Abraham’s wife gave birth to a son named Isaac according to God’s promise to them both.

After this, God destroyed the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by raining fire and brimstone from heaven upon them. Only Abraham’s nephew Lot and Lot’s household were saved from the destruction of Sodom.

In the course of time, Sarah died and Abraham in his old age sought a wife for Isaac. So, Isaac married Rebekah who gave birth to twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Subsequently, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal which Jacob had prepared. Thus, Esau despised his birthright. Again, after this, Jacob conspired with his mother, Rebekah, and deceived his father, Isaac, into giving to Jacob the blessing Isaac meant for Esau.

Esau’s hatred of Jacob for cheating him of the blessing caused Jacob to flee to Rebekah’s family who lived in a distant land named Mesopotamia. There Jacob spent 20 years in exile from his father and mother. In exile, Jacob raised a large family and acquired considerable wealth. Eventually, Jacob fled his uncle, Laban, who had deceived and cheated him over many years and returned to the land of Canaan.

By this time, God had changed Jacob’s name to “Israel.” On returning, Jacob made peace with Esau and found his father, Isaac, still alive but that his mother, Rebekah, had died.

Jacob had twelve sons, including Joseph, who was his favourite son. Because of their hatred and jealousy of Joseph, Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph into slavery and so Joseph came to Egypt.

There in Egypt, Joseph went from being a trusted, and highly favoured servant of a high official to being a prisoner. While Joseph was in Egypt, a famine came upon Egypt and surrounding lands. Through God’s providences, Joseph was then elevated to second ruler in Egypt in charge of food supplies.

Because of the famine in the land of Canaan, Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy food. Thus, Joseph was reunited with family. Jacob and his entire family then migrate to Egypt. The book of Genesis ends with the death of Jacob and later, the death of Joseph in 1589 B.C.

Themes

• The existence of God.
• Humanity created to live forever by eating from “the tree of life.” Genesis 2:6.
• The seventh day of the week is a holy day set apart from the rest of the week by God.
• The third person in the garden of Eden casts doubt on God’s words and arouses distrust of God and so is the enemy of God and humanity.
• Humanity as free moral agents, the possessors of a free will. They are free to do as they choose.
• The disposition of humanity to speak lies because of fear of death, which leads people to attempts at self-preservation.
• The disposition of humanity to seek to direct their own lives rather than allowing God to direct their lives.
• The sacrificial system established by God.
• Access to the tree of life is taken away from the human race and so all humanity is subject to death.
• God communicates to humanity either in person, or by a voice, or by a dream.
• The existence of angels who travel between heaven and earth.
• The universality of sin among the human race.
• There is a reward of eternal life for obedience to God and the punishment of eternal death (annihilation) for sin.
• The sacredness of the marriage institution, the home, and family relations.
• The tracing of one family line from Seth, a son of Adam and Eve, to Noah, a descendant of Seth, to Shem, a son of Noah, to Abraham, a descendant of Shem.
• God’s setting Abraham apart as one through whom all families of the earth would be blessed. God’s setting apart of Abraham’s son, Isaac, and Isaac’s son, Jacob, as ones through whom God’s promises to Abraham would be fulfilled, in that, through Isaac and Jacob all families of the earth would be blessed.
• Jacob’s prophecy that through his son, Judah, Shiloh, meaning the “Peace Giver,” would come. Specifically, that Shiloh would come before the “sceptre,” that is, royal authority, or legislative authority, should pass away from the descendants of Judah.
• Abraham’s unquestioning obedience to God’s call and his faith in God’s promises. “And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD [God]; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6.
• God’s requirement that Abraham and every male child among his descendants be circumcised as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham and Abraham’s family line.
• Humanity’s original diet consisting of the natural products of the earth and excluding the flesh of dead animals.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God created the institution of marriage.
• God is the One who makes the seventh day of the week holy.
• God is the Life Giver in that God creates life in the womb and causes humanity to give birth to children.
• God is all-powerful, that is, God is omnipotent, since God made the earth, the human race, and the stars. The implication is that God is the Creator of the universe and all that is in it.
• At least two divine Persons, God and the Holy Spirit, are mentioned as responsible for Creation. However, “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26), indicating that there could be more than two divine Persons.
• God’s overruling providence on earth.
• God’s desire to lead every human being in right paths.
• God Himself would “put enmity” (Genesis 3:15), that is, would cause humanity to hate God’s enemy, the third person in the garden of Eden, and, therefore, to hate sin.
• God will take those who are obedient to live forever with Him in heaven, and will punish the disobedient with eternal death (annihilation) for their sin.
• God as the shaper of human society with its families consisting of a male husband and a female wife and their children.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

There are in total three divine Persons, namely, “the Father” (Matthew 11:27), “the Son” (Matthew 11:27) “who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16), and the “Holy Spirit.” Psalm 51:11. This divine Family of three Persons is known as “the Godhead.” Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9.

The third person in the garden of Eden who is God’s enemy is “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.” Revelation 12:9. He is “the tempter” (Matthew 4:3), an enemy who tempts humanity to sin. He is an angel whose name was originally “Lucifer.” Isaiah 14:12.

The question then is what caused Lucifer to become God’s enemy? God gives us an insight into this when he warns every human being, saying, “lest being lifted up with pride…[you] fall into the condemnation of the devil.” 1 Timothy 3:6.

“And there was war in heaven: Michael [Christ] and his angels fought against the dragon [Lucifer]; and the dragon [Lucifer] fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon [Lucifer] was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out…and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7-9.

So, Lucifer’s, that is, Satan’s pride led to open revolt in heaven which resulted in Lucifer (Satan) and his angels being cast out of heaven.

God says to humanity, “Your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you.” Isaiah 59:2. Thus, humanity is “alienated from…God.” Ephesians 4:18. However, “there is…one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5.

Jesus is the name given to Christ when He was born into the world in human flesh in approximately 5 B.C. “For the wages of sin is [eternal] death [which is annihilation by God]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. So, Christ is the Representative of the Godhead who stepped in and saved Adam and Eve from instant death when they sinned.

God’s statement in Genesis 3:15 to Satan, in the presence of Adam and Eve, is the first revelation of “the gospel” (Matthew 4:23) to humanity. The gospel is God’s plan to save humanity from eternal death by putting enmity in their hearts for sin and Satan, and by Christ’s dying “for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2. The death of Christ would exhaust the penalty of eternal death for sins for all humanity, so that humanity could receive “the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7) from God.

This was foretold by the sacrificial system whereby an animal, an innocent victim, was slain instead of the sinner, signifying the future death of Christ, who would be “the just [dying] for the unjust.” 1 Peter 3:18. God instituted the sacrificial system when, for the first time ever on earth, animals were killed.

So, the gospel would provide for the forgiveness of past sins and would cause humanity to cease from sinning in the present and in the future because they hate sin. Wonderful and amazing is God’s provision for the forgiveness of sins through what is known as the “imputed righteousness of Christ”!

That is, a substitution would be made in that, for those persons who meet the necessary conditions, God would accept Christ’s death in place of the death of the sinner for their sins, and would also ascribe (credit, impute) Christ’s righteousness to the sinner. On this basis, God would forgive the sins of such persons and treat them as if they had never sinned. Marvellous and gracious God! The Innocent One, Christ, would die and the guilty sinner go free having received what is known as the “atonement” from God.

Moreover, the gospel would cause there to be “division” (Luke 12:51) between “the children of God…and the children of the devil” (1 John 3:10), that is, between the followers (seed) of Christ and the followers (seed) of Satan, respectively.

“God is love” (1 John 4:8) and “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved” (Ephesians 2:4) humanity has, therefore, devised the gospel to save all humanity from eternal death (annihilation). The gospel was founded upon “the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20), which was a contract between Christ and the Father wherein Christ promised to be humanity’s Sin Bearer.

Now God says to all humanity, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose [eternal] life, that…thou…may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19) eternally. So, we see that humanity is not to be saved from eternal death against their will. They are free to choose their eternal destiny.

Thus, the only requirements, the necessary conditions, God made for humanity to be saved, that is, for their salvation, was that their sins be forgiven by Him, in that, they receive the atonement (the substitution of Christ’s death) for their sins, and that they “cease from sin.” 2 Peter 2:14. But how can humanity cease from sinning? This is possible only when, for those who have received the atonement, “the love of God is shed abroad [supernaturally poured] in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit] which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5.

“When we were enemies [of God], we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son [Christ].” Romans 5:10. “For he [Christ] is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14), the Peace Giver who has opened the way that humanity “may make peace with me [God].” Isaiah 27:5.

So, God preached the gospel to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and, thus, it is believed that both Adam and Eve became followers of Christ, who are known as “Christians.” Acts 11:26. Adam and Eve passed on a knowledge of the gospel to their offspring and this knowledge was passed on from generation to generation.

Therefore, Noah, “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), was not among them “that obey not the gospel of…Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:8. Noah then was a Christian. “God…preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Galatians 3:8. So, Abraham was a Christian.

“For if Abraham were justified [declared righteous by God] by [his, Abraham’s, own] works [to save himself from eternal death (annihilation)], he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture [the Bible]? Abraham believed God [that Christ’s death would be a substitute for Abraham’s death for his, Abraham’s, own sins], and it was counted unto him [Abraham] for righteousness.” Romans 4:2, 3.

“Even as [a man named] David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth [ascribes] righteousness without works [by which a person attempts to do the impossible which is to save himself], saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities [sins] are forgiven, and whose sins are covered [hid from God’s eyes]. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute [ascribe] sin.” Romans 4:6-8.

“Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision [Jews] only, or upon the uncircumcision [non-Jews] also? for we say that faith [in Christ’s substitutionary death] was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.” Romans 4:9, 10.

“And he [Abraham] received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith [in Christ’s substitutionary death] which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed [ascribed] unto them also.” Romans 4:11.

“And the father of circumcision [of, figuratively, the operation of God’s hands to cut away selfishness from human hearts] to them who are not of the circumcision [Jews] only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.” Romans 4:12.

“He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief [in Christ’s substitutionary death]; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he [God] had promised, he [God] was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed [ascribed] to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:20-22.

“Now it was not written for his [Abraham’s] sake alone, that it was imputed [ascribed] to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed [ascribed], if we believe on him [God] that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered [who died] for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:23-25.

Thus, Abraham was “justified [declared righteous by God] by faith [in Christ’s substitutionary death]” (Romans 5:1) to put it briefly. In other words, to explain the full process leading to Abraham’s justification, it was because Abraham had repented (had deep sorrow and remorse for his own, Abraham’s, sins) and because of Abraham’s faith in Christ’s sacrificial death, that God forgave Abraham’s sins and, in addition, God “put enmity [hatred]” (Genesis 3:15) in Abraham’s heart for sin and Satan. This enmity (hatred) for sin and Satan enabled Abraham to cease from sinning. For, God putting enmity (hatred) in the heart of a person for sin and Satan is the same as God pouring His love into their heart. All of this meant then that righteousness was ascribed to Abraham, that is to say, that Abraham was justified (declared righteous by God).

So then, Abraham came into a right standing before God, or in other words, he made peace with God. This too will be the status of every human being “who also walk in the steps of that faith of…Abraham.” Romans 4:12. They too will come into a right standing before God.

Abraham’s “justification” (Romans 4:25) was instantaneous at the moment he believed God. Now justification makes individuals “partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:4. So, the justified person now has two natures—the sinful nature with which they were born, and the divine nature—both in constant conflict with each other. Must this forever be the state of the individual? The answer is, No!

Justification was but the first step in Abraham’s salvation, his saving from eternal death (annihilation). Abraham, like every other human being, needed to undergo the second and final step to salvation known as “sanctification.” 1 Corinthians 1:30.

Sanctification is a lifelong process whereby the person learns to overcome every temptation to sin through God’s “divine power [over temptations to sin].” 2 Peter 1:3. A person who becomes sanctified (holy) is saved by God to eternal life.

Now when Christ was born into the world in human flesh as a baby boy, He was born as “Jesus Christ…the son [descendant] of Abraham.” Matthew 1:1. That is, “Abraham begat [was the father of] Isaac; and Isaac begat [was the father of] Jacob; and Jacob begat [was the father of] Judas [Judah].” Matthew 1:2.

And Judah was an ancestor of “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:16. Furthermore, God’s “Son Jesus Christ our Lord…was made [born] of the seed of David according to the flesh,” in that, Christ was born of the virgin Mary, who was a descendant of David. Romans 1:3. So then, God’s promised blessing, Jesus Christ, did indeed come to humanity through Abraham.

Now, God says, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” Proverbs 28:26. That is, when we follow our own ways and our own counsel instead of accepting God’s ways and God’s counsel, we are fools and not wise. In other words, God says our prayer to God should be, “Shew [show] me thy ways, O LORD [God]; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:4, 5. Thus, we should allow God to direct our lives so that we may be led to repentance and faith in Christ, and thereby becoming justified such that we are able to go on to the perfection of being sanctified (being made holy).

“Forasmuch then as the children [humanity] are partakers of flesh and blood, he [Jesus Christ] also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil [Satan]; And deliver them [humanity] who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Hebrews 2:14, 15. It is the fear of death and the selfishness of the human heart that leads to humanity’s attempts at self-preservation. This placing of one’s own welfare above the welfare of others is sin, for it is a manifestation of selfishness and not love.

So, Jesus Christ by His own death made secure God’s plan of salvation for all humanity. According to this plan, if the individual consents, God will put enmity (hatred) in their heart for evil and, therefore, change the individual’s heart from selfishness to love. And “God is love” (1 John 4:8), therefore those persons who have a character of love will be saved by God to eternal life.

On another note, “Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication [sexual intimacy between persons who are not married to each other], and going after strange flesh” (Jude 1:7), that is, being them that “lie with mankind, as with womankind” (Leviticus 18:22), in other words, being homosexuals, “are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (Jude 1:7) that burnt them to ashes.

Further, Jesus Christ said, “Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin…these ought ye to have done.” Matthew 23:23. Thus, God indicates that humanity should return to God a tithe, which is a tenth, of all that God gives them. This tithing serves God’s purposes of providing support for those who labour in the cause of God on earth, and of teaching us not to be selfish and covetous with what God gives us.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Believe in the existence of God.
• Resist the temptations to sin from Satan, the enemy of God and humanity.
• Believe the promises of God and, hence, believe the gospel.
• Walk with God as Enoch did so that we may please God and receive eternal life from God.
• Do not violate the institution of marriage which God established as being between a man and a woman.
• Abstain from fornication and homosexuality.
• Return a tithe or tenth of all your increase in wealth to God.
• Trust God with all your heart and, therefore, be free from fear of death and attempts at self-preservation.
• Allow God to direct your life.

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