Genesis Overview

Aaron Sturgill

Exploring Genesis • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Genesis 1–11

Creation

Creation Myths

0 ratings

· 9 views

Notes

Transcript

Genesis: Purpose

Counter narrative. Recently, counter narratives seem to be on the rise. In a world in which everyone can declare their side of the story via social media, the same technology tends to be used to offer a counter narrative.

For example, consider immigration. (1) Many immigrants feel like the general understanding of immigrants and their reasons and manner in coming to America are demeaning to them in general, so they offer a counter narrative in which they reveal what they believe to be the accurate narrative. (2) ICE and Trump are criticized for keeping “kids in cages,”[1] so they offer a counter narrative in which someone else is responsible.[2]

Typical within counter narratives – the villain and hero change, the narrative offers a new villain, or the narrative further explains or completely changes the reasons and motives for the characters within the story.

While counter narratives may be on the rise, counter narratives are old as time. In the ANE, a number of narratives existed which explained creation, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel (Epic of Gilgamesh, Epic of Atrahasis, and the Sumerian Flood stories). These narratives paint an entirely different narrative to the one we find in Genesis. Genesis reveals God to be “one, omnipotent, omniscient, and good as opposed to the fallible, capricious, weak deities who populated the rest of the ancient world.”[3] Additionally, instead of man being both an afterthought to the gods and the hero in the story, Genesis reveals man to be corrupt, disobedient, and hopeless without divine intervention.

Mesopotamian accounts of the flood not only provide some of the closest parallels between the Bible and oriental literature, they also paint a completely different picture of the relationship between the human and divine worlds. They tell that the flood was sent by the gods piqued at man’s noisiness and overpopulation of the earth. The Babylonian “Noah” escaped because he happened to worship a god who did not support the flood decision. Once started, the flood was beyond the gods’ control, and they were terrified by it. In the closing scene, Enlil, the most powerful god, turns up at the sacrifice and is surprised to find “Noah” still alive. Genesis, while preserving a substantially similar story, paints a very different portrait of the actors involved. There is only one God, who is both omniscient and omnipotent. The flood is sent by his command and is totally under his control.[4]

Genesis offers to the people of Israel the accurate counter narrative to the many corrupt and erroneous written and oral traditions unfolding the history of God and mankind’s beginning. Genesis offers to Israel an explanation of their history, why they were chosen by God, and why they need to submit to the one True God. Genesis, outright, contradicts the prevailing Mesopotamian narrative that the gods are fickle, capricious, and inconsistent and man is the hero of the story. Rather, Genesis reveals God to be faithful and worthy of man’s worship and man is broken and hopeless without God’s mercy.

The ancient oriental background to Gen 1–11 shows it to be concerned with rather different issues from those that tend to preoccupy modern readers. It is affirming the unity of God in the face of polytheism, his justice rather than his caprice, his power as opposed to his impotence, his concern for mankind rather than his exploitation. [5]

Genesis: Author

Who wrote Genesis? Both Jewish and Christian tradition claim Moses to be the author of the book of Genesis.

For almost eighteen hundred years (the first cycle) hardly anyone questioned the unity of Genesis, whether the writers were the rabbinical scholars of Judaism or the ecclesiastical scholars of Christendom. Thus a Maimonides within Judaism, an Augustine within Catholicism, and a Calvin within Protestantism shared no disagreement on the point of Genesis’ origin and composition. For all of them Genesis was a unified work, and more specifically, the work of Moses.[6]

Other books in the Pentateuch make mention of Moses recording events and writing down God’s laws and directives (Ex 17:14, 24:3-4; Num 33:2; Deut 31:24). Additional Old Testament passages attribute books to Moses (Josh 1:7-8; 2 Chro 25:4; Neh 13:1).[7] The New Testament authors attribute at least some level of authorship to Moses. When discussing a specific law, both the disciples and Jewish leaders acknowledge that Moses commanded them (Matt 19:7, 22:24). Even Jesus claims Mosaic authorship for at least parts of the Pentateuch (Mark 7:10, 12:26; John 1:17, 5:46, 7:23; In John 5:46-47 Jesus claims that Moses wrote about him).

As weighty as these passages may be, these passages do not demand Moses to be the sole author. Nowhere within the Pentateuch does Moses claim to be the author. Sailhamer, in his commentary on Genesis acknowledges, “we should not lose sight of the fact that the Pentateuch itself comes to us as an anonymous work and was apparently intended to be read as such.”[8]

A couple other text within the Pentateuch indicate that Moses may have had a little help in the formulation of the writings. For instance, Deuteronomy 34 unfolds Moses death. Unlikely Moses wrote this 😊. Additionally, a couple of geographical locations must have been designated by someone other than Moses. In Genesis, the Ur of the Chaldeans is referenced but the Chaldeans were not present until long after Moses’ death (Gen 11:31). As well, in Genesis, the city of Dan is referenced but would not have been established until well after Moses’ death (Gen 14:14).[9]

So then, let us draw a few conclusions as to the authorship of Genesis. (1) Moses likely authored much if not most of the book, and Mosaic authorship was the universal belief until the 19th century. (2) Moses likely used some earlier sources, whether oral or written, to write the book.[10] (3) Human authorship is somewhat irrelevant. Even the author of Genesis indicates his authorship remains irrelevant by the fact that he does not clearly identify himself. Divine authorship remains critical, and as far as our study is concerned, God authored Genesis – primarily using Moses.

Simplified Outline of Genesis[11]

1. Human history from Adam to Abraham: The human race (chap. 1–11).

A. Creation (1–2)

B. Fall (3-5)

C. Flood (6-9).

D. Babel (10–11).

2. Human history from Abraham to Joseph: The chosen race (12–50).

A. Abraham (12–24)

B. Isaac (25–26)

C. Jacob (27–36)

D. Joseph (37–50)

Personal Outline for Genesis 1-11[12]

Chapters 1-11 set up God’s creation of and interaction with the whole world

Creation of Heaven and Earth (1:1-2:3)

Humanity inside and outside the garden (2:4-4:26)

God creates man and woman and dwells with them in the garden (2:4-25)

God gives man responsibility and autonomy within the garden (2:4-17). God extended to man the responsibility to care for the creation.

God declares “It is not good that man be alone” and God creates Eve (2:18-24)

Man, alone, does not accurately reflect God.

God designed marriage to be between a man and a woman.

Adam and Eve expelled from the garden (3:1-24)

The serpent enters the scene and interacts with Eve (3:1-5).[13]

THE FALL: Adam and Eve sin (3:6-8). Humanity chooses autonomy rather than submission to the Creator.

Mankind chooses autonomy.

Relationships within mankind are broken.

Relationship with God is broken.

God comes to Adam and Eve and they hide themselves (3:9-13).

God judges mankind (3:14-21).

Adam and Eve are expelled from the garden (3:22-24).

Adam and Eve’s life outside the garden (4:1-26)

Cain and Abel born (4:1-2)

Cain and Abel worship (4:3-7)

Cain murders Abel (4:8-16)

Cain’s family (4:17-24)

Adam’s descendants up to Noah (5:1-32)

With the increase of man came the increase of wickedness (6:1-8)

The sons of God and the daughters of men (6:1-4)

Pervasive wickedness throughout the world (6:5-8)

Man continues to choose self-autonomy and increases in wickedness.

God regrets creating man and grieves their sin.

God chooses to judge and destroy.

God looks on Noah with favor to preserve a remnant of his creation.

God destroys the world with a flood but preserves man and his promises to Adam and Eve by sparing Noah and his family (6:9-9:28).

Righteous Noah and his family (6:9-10).

The world is corrupt and filled with violence (6:11-12).

God’s judgment and an ark of promise (6:13-7:10).

Announcement of flood (6:13).

Directions for building of ark (6:14-16).

Promise of destruction (6:17).

Promise of covenant (6:18).

Instructions involving animals and food (6:19-22).

Entrance onto the ark (7:1-10).

The Flood begins (7:11-12).

Noah, family, and animals safe on the ark (7:13-16).

God destroyed everything except Noah and those on the ark (7:17-24).

God remembers and rescues Noah (8:1-14).

Noah exits the Ark (8:15-19).

Man worships and God offers a promise (8:20-22).

A new world and a new covenant (9:1-17).

A new world but ongoing corruption (9:18-24).

Noah curses one son and blesses the other two (9:25-28).

The generations of Noah’s sons. Nations spread throughout the world (10:1-32).

The Tower of Babel: Mankind corporately pursues self-autonomy (11:1-9).

The world unites (11:1-2).

They build Babel (11:3-4).

God observes and considers mans’ combined efforts (11:5-6).

God stops their progress by confusing their languages (11:7).

God disperses the people throughout the world (11:8-9).

Shem’s family line leading to Abram (11:10-32).

Shem to Terah (11:10-26).

Introduction to Abram (11:27-32).

12:1 introduces the covenant with Abraham and a transition in the book. God is now going to work specifically through Abraham and his offspring to accomplish his broader work of redemption.

12-50 deal with God’s specific interaction with one man (Abraham) and his offspring.

Creation and Corruption in Three Acts

I. Act 1: Adam to the Fall

a. Ideal Creation/Choice: Adam and Eve (1:1-2:25)

b. Corruption: Adam and Eve (3:1-8)

c. Judgment: Death and Ejection (3:9-24)

d. Promise: Messiah through Eve (3:15)

II. Act 2: Cain to the Flood

a. Choice: Cain, Lamech . . . (4:1-5:32)

b. Corruption: Up to Noah’s Day (6:1-8)

c. Judgment: World Destroyed (6:9-8:22)

d. Promise: Never Flood World (8:21-22)

III. Act 3: Noah to Babel

a. Choice: Noah, Canaan . . . (9:1-10:32)

b. Corruption: Up to Babel (11:1-6)

c. Judgment: World Dispersed (11:7-9)

d. Promise: World Blessed Through Abraham (12:1-2)

Timeless Principles

God is consistent and faithful.

God deserves our undivided loyalty and submission due to his creative sovereignty.

Mankind chooses between submission to the Sovereign Creator or self-autonomy. Every day, multiple times a day, you make the decision whether you will submit to God and His revealed will or follow your own will.

Mankind chooses self-autonomy due his natural disposition. Left to your natural disposition you will consistently choose self-autonomy.

God judges self-autonomy and punishes.

God always extends grace through Jesus Christ. We will look with much more depth as we come to each of the passages but let me at least acknowledge the three places we see the coming Messiah promised or pictured.

a. In Genesis 3:15, God promises Eve through her offspring would come one that would crush the head of the snake. Jesus Christ fulfilled this as Satan bruised his head in the crucifixion, but Christ crushed Satan, death, and sin through the crucifixion and following resurrection.

b. Following the destruction of the Flood, God remembers Noah and promises he would never “again strike down every living creature.” Additionally, God promises that the seasons and day and night will never cease. However, New Testament authors reveal to us that the Ark itself was a picture of Jesus Christ and the salvation he would offer (1 Peter 3:20-21). In the same way that Noah was saved by being in the Ark, we are saved by being placed in Christ.

c. We find one additional Messianic prophecy in the first two verses of chapter twelve. God promises Abraham, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:2). The coming Messiah, the Ark of mankind’s salvation, the seed of Eve, and the offspring of Abraham – all point to the coming and work of Jesus Christ.

Footnotes

[1] Nooman Merchant, “Judge demands ICE better explain why it won’t release kids.” (AP News, May 22, 2020). Accessed February 21, 2021. https://apnews.com/article/0cf36c3c15b6ce24c9486ab52ce86faf

[2] Chelsey Cox, “Fact check: Obama administration approved, built temporary holding enclosures at southern border,” (USA Today, August 26, 2020). Accessed February 21, 2021. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/08/26/fact-check-obama-administration-built-migrant-cages-meme-true/3413683001/

[3] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, vol. 1, WBC (Dallas: Word, 1987), liii.

[4] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1–15, vol. 1, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1987), xlix.

[5] Wenham, Genesis 1-15, 1:L.

[6]Victor P. Hamilton, The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1-17, Third edition, NICOT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), 11–12.

[7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you (Jos 1:7). But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses (2 Chro 25:4). On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people (Neh 13:1).

[8] Douglas Mangum, Miles Custis, and Wendy Widder, Genesis 1-11, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Gen 1:1. Mangum quotes Sailhamer.

[9] Tremper Longman III, “Who Wrote the Book of Genesis?,” Zondervan Academic, August 31, 2018, https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/who-wrote-genesis. I didn’t quote Longman but he offered a really helpful synopsis to this question. He also offers an online course for Genesis through Zondervan.

[10] Moses likely used sources for the eleven genealogies (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2).

Mangum, Custis, and Widder, Genesis 1-11. “The relationship between text and author is complicated by oral tradition, scribal practices, and the possible use of ancient sources. For these reasons, very few scholars adhere to a strict version of Mosaic authorship, in which every word came from Moses himself.”

[11] Steven J. Cole, Genesis, Steven J. Cole Commentary Series (Dallas: Galaxie Software, 2017), Gen 1:1. The above outline is not Cole’s exact outline. I made just a few minor changes.

[12] I derived the following outline from my own reading of the passage and the use of several different resources. However, Kenneth Matthews Commentary on Genesis played a significant role. Kenneth Mathews, Genesis 1-11:26, vol. 1a, NAC (Nashville: Holman, 1996).

[13] This is the first place in Genesis in which the reader reads of the serpent, but the serpent must have existed prior to this moment. Satan, present in the serpent, must not only have been created prior to this moment but also fallen prior to this moment. Job indicates that the angels sang and shouted for joy as God created the world (Job 38:4-7).

Related Media

Related Sermons