1. The document provides an overview of key people, places, and events in the book of Genesis. It discusses the regions and nations mentioned, including the Fertile Crescent, Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Negev, and Palestine/Canaan. 2. Key events and people covered include God the creator, the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and the birth of Israel, the period of Judges, the united and divided monarchy, and the prophets. 3. The document also summarizes the primeval history in Genesis chapters 1-11, including creation, the fall, the flood, and the scattering of nations at Babel.

1. Session #1.
Encountering Genesis

2. Areas/ regions: Nations:
Fertile crescent Israel
Ancient Mesopotamia Egyptians
Egypt & Negev Assyrians
(Arabian desert) Babylonians
Palestine/ Canaan Persians

4. God’s people
…in God’s land
…ruled by God’s king
…acc. to God’s law

5. God the Creator & Redeemer
The Patriarchs (Father figures of Israel)
Moses, Joshua (& the birth of a nation)
Period of the Judges
Monarchy United (Saul, David & Solomon)
Divided (North & South)
Prophets Captivity Exile Return
(Isaiah, Jeremiah Daniel , Ezekiel
Ezra/Nehemiah)

6. First five books of the Bible
Greek: pente (five) & teuchos (scroll)
Torah (Law/Instruction): Book of the Law of
Moses
History: From beginning of recorded time
formation of Israel as God’s people, awaiting
entry into their “promised land” (1400 or 1250 BC)
Theological foundation for rest of the Bible
…History seen through Theology

7. Genesis = book of beginnings
Exodus = book of salvation (“departure”)
Leviticus = book of worship (&
priesthood)
Numbers = book of wilderness journeys
Deuteronomy = book of the second Law

8. God is … & He is a great King (sovereign)
History is His Story (in time & space)
Humanity is special…but fallen!
Paradise lost – & the search for peace (shalom)
God loves & God saves (always takes the initiative)
There is a way back to God (vs. a way of man)
God wants a people …to know him (relationship)
…to be like him (holiness)
…to reveal him, to the nations

9. Compiled by Moses?
During late bronze age (1500-1200 BC)
Probably during period of 1450-1400 BC
Fertile crescent in Arabia (2000 yrs)
Palestine (200 yrs)
Egypt (100 yrs)
Relationships (God to nature; God to
humanity; Human to human)

10. Where did everything come from?
Why are we here?
Are we alone in the universe?
What’s wrong with the world?
Why do we do the things we do?
Where are we going?
Is this life all there is?

11. God is!
God is one, is distinct & yet is personal
God is sovereign (in control)
God enters into covenants (binding agreements)
God can be known thru… sacrifice
by...... faith

12. Primeval history Patriarchal history
(Chapters 1-11) (Chapters 12-50)
1. Creation (1-2) 1. Abraham (12-21)
2. Fall (3-4) 2. Isaac (22-25)
3. Flood (5-9) 3. Jacob (25-36)
4. Scattering of the 4. Joseph (37-50)
nations (10-11)
Four foundational Four foundational
stories people

13. Adam
Cain Abel Seth
(various generations)
Noah (pre- Bronze-age c. 3500 BC)
Shem Ham Japheth
(various generations)
Terah (c. 2300 BC)
Abraham Nahor Haran
Isaac Ishmael
Jacob Esau
Joseph (& his 11 brothers) – Twelve Tribes of Israel

14. “This is the account (these are the generations) of…”
1. The heavens & the earth  2:4-4:26
2. Adam’s line  5:1-6:8
3. Noah (Adam’s descendant)  6:9-9:29
4. Shem, Ham & Japheth  10:1-11:9
5. Shem (Noah’s son)  11:10-26
6. Terah (Shem’s descendant  11:27-25:11
& Abraham’s father)
7. Ishmael (Abraham’s son)  25:12-18
8. Isaac (Abraham’s son)  25:19-35:29
9. Esau (Isaac’s son)  36:1-37:1
10. Jacob (Isaac’s son  37:2-50:26
& Joseph’s father)

15. The Story of
Creation

16. Order & design
(1:1-2:3)

17. Intro. “God said”
What? Response?
Day 1 Light
Day 2 Sky
Day 3 Land Good
Vegetation Good
Day 4 Sun, moon & stars Good
Day 5 Fish & birds Good/ Blessed
Day 6 Animals Good
Humans Very good/ Blessed
Day 7 “God rested…sanctified” Blessed

18.  Announcement: “And God said…”
 Command (Creative word): “Let there be…”
 Report (Fulfillment): “And it was so…”
 Evaluation: “And God saw that it was good…”
 Conclusion: “There was evening & morning…”
• The bricklayer (foundation & walls)
• The carpenter (framing)
• The plumber (piping)
• The electrician (wiring)
• The plasterer (covering)
• The decorator (presentation/ finishing)
A day off!

19. Day Day
1. Light 4. Luminaries (sun, moon,
2. Heavens stars)
3. Earth/ vegetation 5. Fish/ birds
6. Animals/ mankind
7. Rest/ “Sabbath”

20. Creation science/ Creationism: God created the universe
during 6 consecutive 24 hour days 6000-10,000 years ago,
precisely as a literal interpretation of Genesis would indicate.
All of the various species of plants and animals that currently
exist (and that once existed) on earth are descendants of the
original life forms that God created during the single week of
creation. This is largely rejected among scientists today.
Theistic evolution/ Intelligent design: The universe is
about 15 billion years old. The earth's crust developed about
4 billion years ago. God created the first cell, and then used
evolution as a tool to guide the development of each new
species. The process, in successive stages, culminated in
human beings.
Scientific/ Naturalism: Beliefs are similar to the theistic
view, except that God is assumed to have played no part in
the processes. Scientists assume evolution was driven by
blind, random, purely natural forces.

21. The universe started with the "big bang" c.15 billion years
ago
The world coalesced about 4.5 billion years ago.
The earth developed a crust about 3.9 billion years ago.
Crude, primitive forms of life appeared shortly thereafter.
Plant and animal species have been evolving ever since.
Fossil-bearing rock layers are composed of sediment
which was laid down over an interval of millions of years.
Dinosaurs became extinct tens of millions of years ago,
long before the first humans evolved. Meteor shower?
Humans evolved thru intervention of God 40,000+ years
ago (from dust of the ground, along with animals, but
received the neshana/ breath of life, from God)

22. 1. 15-8 (billion) Creation of universe Big bang
2. Light separates from darkness .Electrons bond to form nuclei, light appears,
galaxies form.
2. 8-4 (billion) Heavenly firmament forms .Milky Way & Sun
(main star) forms
3. 4-2 (billion) Oceans/ dry land appear. Earth cools /
liquid water appears. First life form (plants). Bacteria/ algae life forms.
4. 2 (billion)-750,000 Sun, moon & stars Earth’s atmosphere
transparent, becomes visible in heavens. Photosynthesis produces
oxygen-rich atmosphere.
5. 750,000-250,000 First animal life (in waters), First multi-cellular
animals, reptiles & winged creatures waters swarm & insects form.
6. 250,000-6000 Land animals, mammals, Massive extinction
destroys c .90% of life. Land repopulated. Hominids, humankind

23. The Calendar-Day Interpretation
The Day-Age Interpretation
The Framework Interpretation
The Analogical Days Interpretation

24. Creationism Intelligent  Evolution
design
Henry Morris Charles Darwin
Bernard Ramm
John Whitcomb David Attenborough
Hugh Ross
Duane T. Gish Stephen J. Gould
Phillip Johnson
Ken Ham Richard Dawkins
William Dembski
Kent Hovind (Theistic Evolution)
Lee Strobel
Tim LaHaye Francis Collins
Jonathan Wells
John MacArthur Alistair McGrath
J.P. Moreland
NT Wright

25. Relationship &
responsibility
(2:4-25)

26. When God created man (adam), he
made him in the likeness of God. He
created them male (zakar ) and
female (nekebah) and blessed them.
And when they were created, he
called them “man”. [adam] Gen. 5:1-2
NB. Always know when the Hebrew is …adam
(humanity/ mankind), ish/ ishah (man/ woman or
husband/ wife); or zakar/ nekebah (male/ female)

27. NOTE:
Man alone = “not good” Man/woman= “very
good”
Together they reflect the image of God.
“God blessed them” (1:28)
Together they are commanded to “rule”…
“be fruitful”, “increase/ fill”, “subdue”.
“The helper” (2:18) – equal yet distinct
Before the fall, equality – afterwards heirarchy

28.  What it is not!  What it is!
Physical Mental likeness
Psychological Moral likeness
Perfection Social likeness
NOTE:
History begins & ends in a garden.
Man was a “living being (or soul)” - “breath of life”.
Mankind created for relationship & freedom-with-responsibility
to tend/ rule God’s creation (together).

29. Key lessons:
Role of the “serpent” (Rev. 12:9; 20:2)
Process of temptation (cf. James 1:14-16)
“Deceived – desire – dragged away – death”
Did they die? – they did, they are & they will !
Shame, fear & separation (from God)
Eve was deceived, Adam was right by her side (v.6)
& he disobeyed knowingly.
Deception & disobedience always bring
consequences

30. (Serpent) Visible curse upon the creature & first
promise of salvation (through suffering). (vv. 14-15)
(Woman) Pain in childbearing & hierarchy in her
relationship with the man. (v. 16)
(Man) Curse upon the ground. Work will become
a painful toil. His body will die & return to the
ground. Names his wife, “Eve”. (vv. 17-20)
 God banishes man from Eden, but protects them &
provides for their salvation. (vv. 21-24)

31.  “Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman
who was deceived and became a sinner.”
(1 Tim 2:14; 2 Cor. 11:3)
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one
man, and death through sin, and in this way death
came to all men, because all sinned.”
(Rom. 5:12; 2 Cor. 15:21-22)
“We know …that the whole world is under the control
of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:9)

32. Cain …Individuals
Flood …Families
Tower of Babel…Nations

33. “What causes fights1 and quarrels2 among you? Don't
they come from your desires3 that battle4 within you?”
James 4:1
1
(polemos – war, battle, strife, dispute)
2
(mache – armed hand to hand combatants)
3
(hedone – desire for personal pleasure/ satisfaction)
4
(stratheuomai – lead soldiers in a military expedition
to war; to fight)

34. “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the
soil. In the course of time Cain brought
some of the fruits of the soil as an
offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat
portions from some of the firstborn of
his flock. The LORD looked with favor
(gaze upon with high regard) on Abel and his
offering, but on Cain and his offering he did
not look with favor (pay no attention; turn
one’s eyes away)”.

35.  Anger, jealousy, hatred & deceit
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and
murdered his brother. And why did he murder him?
Because his own actions were evil and his brother's
were righteous. (1 Jn. 3:12)
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than
Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous
man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith
he still speaks, even though he is dead. (Heb. 11:4)

36. He makes a way open to all (Gen. 3:21)
It is ONLY on the basis of sacrifice, faith & obedience
(& this may be costly)
We always attempt to come our own way
When we do, God will always turn away & send us
away from his presence
This will affect our descendants & our culture
There is a godly line & an ungodly line

37. Building urban centres for our own glory
Polygamy (& challenging the nature of marriage)
Nomadic lifestyle & farming
Music & the arts
Metallurgy (tools…& weapons)-Bronze age 3500
BC+
Vengeance, pride…killing & war
 “The Days of Noah” (Matt. 24:37-38; 1 Peter 3:20)

38. The necessity for the flood (Gen. 6:1-8, 11-13)
The preparations for the flood
Construction of the Ark; preaching to people; gathering of
animals
The duration of the flood
7 days waiting-40 days flooding-150 days flooded-1 year
waiting
The consequences of the flood
Altar – Covenant – Sign of covenant – New Laws
Scattering of the nations (Gen. 11…& 10)

39. Who were the “Nephilim”(6:4)?
Was the flood local or global?
Why did Noah curse one of his son’s
children (Canaan) afterwards (9:25)?

40. Three views:
 Intermarriage of godly & ungodly lines
 (Fallen) angels have sex with human women and
produce these “fallen ones”
 Men (possessed by evil spirits) have sex with women
and produce a certain evil offspring
(cf. Numbers 13:33)

41.  Shem (Semitic people)
 Ancestor of Eber (“Hebrew”)
 Under a blessing
 Moved East toward the hill country
 Ancestor of Terah & Abraham
Ham (father of Canaanites)
 Under a curse (9:25)
 Ancestor of warrior peoples (Assyrians, Babylonians,
Philistines & Canaanites tribes)
 Territory included such cities as Sodom, Gomorrah, Sidon &
Gaza
 Moved into Africa
Japheth
 Under a blessing
 Ancestor of Soviet & European peoples (“maritime
nations”)

42. JAPHETH
SHEM
HAM

43.  ABRAHAM – father of the promise
 ISAAC – son of the promise
 JACOB – inheritor of the promise
 (JOSEPH…continuation of story of Jacob)

44. God God
God
Promise
Blessing Grace
Faith/ Trust
Obedience Humility
Abraham
Isaac Jacob

45.  The call of Abraham (ch. 12)
 The covenant with Abraham (chs. 15 & 17)
A relationship – a seed (son) – a nation – a land
…all nations
 The foolish mistake (ch.16) & the wise choice (ch.22)
 The father of faith & The friend of God
Romans 4… “The righteous…” (Rom. 1:17)
James 2… “shall live…” (Gal. 3:11)
Hebrews 11… “by faith.” (Heb. 10:38)

46.  Promised (12:2-3)
 Formed (15:18)
 Confirmed/ sealed (17)
 Re-stated (22:15-18)
 Confirmed to Isaac (26:2-6, 23-25)
 Transmitted to Jacob (27:27-29; 28:1-4)
 Confirmed to Jacob (28:13-15; 35:9-12; 46:3-4)
 Transmitted to Judah, not Joseph! (49:10)

47. The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your
country, your people and your father's
household & go to the land I will show you.
I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
(Gen. 12:1-3)

48. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD
appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty...I
will confirm my covenant between me and you
and I will greatly increase your numbers
This is my covenant with you: You will be the
father of many nations. No longer will you be
called Abram (exalted father) ; your name will be
Abraham (father of many), for I have made you
a father of many nations. I will make you very
fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings
will come from you. I will establish my covenant
as an everlasting covenant between me and you
and your descendants after you for the
generations to come, to be your God and the God
of your descendants after you.”
(Gen. 17:1-7)

49. This is what Isaiah saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the
LORD's temple will be established as chief
among the mountains; it will be raised above the
hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go
up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of
the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so
that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD
from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and
their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not
take up sword against nation, nor will they train
for war anymore.
Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of
the LORD. (Isaiah 2:1-5)

50. God
A People
The Nations
“New heavens & New earth”

51.  His miraculous birth (ch. 21)
 His father’s test (ch. 22)
 The death of his mother & discovery of his
wife (chs. 23-24)
 The death of his father & birth of his twin
sons (ch. 25)
 His obedience during the famine (ch. 24)
 The bestowal of his blessing
by deception (ch. 27)
by choice (ch. 28)

52. GRACE
 The need for transformation (25:19-28:9)
Rivalry – favoritism - deception
 The way God transforms (28:10-32:32)
Shows him Himself – shows him himself
 The results of transformation (33:1-36:40)
New courage – humility – generosity -
worship

53. Type (picture) of Jesus?
 Favoured son
 Despised brother
 A slave in Egypt Special
 A prince of Egypt role of
dreams
 The saviour of his family
** Joseph was not officially one of the patriarchs, but rather an extension
of Jacob’s story. Also remember that the line through which the Messiah/
blessing would come was Judah – not Joseph **

54. • Reuben • Dan
• Simeon • Gad
• Levi (priests) • Asher
• Judah (kings) • Naphtali
• Zebulun • Joseph
• Issachar • Benjamin
“So Joseph died at the age of 110. And after they
embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.”