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The Drama of Scripture

The Drama of Scripture. Act I: Creation Act II: Fall Act III: Israel Act IV: Jesus Act V: Church. Book. of. The. Genesis. Genesis. Key Ideas God created, and creation was good. Disobedience separated people from God. God instituted a program of revelation called the covenant. .

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The Drama of Scripture

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  1. The Drama of Scripture Act I: Creation Act II: Fall Act III: Israel Act IV: Jesus Act V: Church

  2. Book of The Genesis

  3. Genesis Key Ideas • God created, and creation was good. • Disobedience separated people from God. • God instituted a program of revelation called the covenant.

  4. Genesis Purpose Statement The purpose of Genesis is to begin the story of the covenant. Though God created everything just right, sin drew people away from God—so much that they no longer had an accurate idea of what God was like. This was why God decided to make a covenant. The covenant would be with a chosen people, Abraham and his family. The relationship of the covenant was to allow him to use Israel to give people an accurate picture of what he was like. Genesis tells how the covenant was established despite many obstacles.

  5. Genesis Major Themes • Covenant and Election • Monotheism • Sin • Origins

  6. Genesis God’s Presence The first three stages of God’s presence are presented in Genesis as (1) the cosmos is created as a place for his presence, (2) the privilege of being in his presence is lost, and then (3) God’s initiative for restoring his presence is introduced in the Covenant.

  7. Genesis • Genesis is the book of beginnings and contains the foundations for much of the theology of the Old Testament. • It is the first book of the Pentateuch (Torah). • It is not a book of science. • It is not a book of biographies. • It is not a book of history. • It is a book of theology.

  8. The Writing of the Book • Author is not explicitly named, though traditionally it is attributed to Moses • However, difficult to confirm Mosaic authorship • Organized around eleven sections, each beginning with “This is the account of …” • Most likely written during Israel’s forty years of wandering in the desert: • c. 1462-1422. • c. 1445-1405.

  9. The Background • Primeval History (Gen. 1-11) • The Patriarchal Narratives (Gen. 12-50)

  10. Primeval History (Gen. 1-11) • Parallels with ancient Near Eastern literature, particularly that of Mesopotamia • Atra-Hasis Epic, written around 2000 BC • Creation account • Flood account • Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh • Flood account • EnumaElish—account of rise of the god Marduk to the head of the Babylonian pantheon • Creation account

  11. Primeval History (Gen. 1-11) • Some claim that Israelite’s account of creation and other early events were borrowed from Babylonian mythology. • What is certain: the function of Genesis 1-11 is very similar to the function of myth in the ancient Near East—it embodies the thoughts of how the world originated and operates.

  12. Primeval History (Gen. 1-11) The Flood Account: Mesopotamia vs. Genesis • Similarities: A person is warned by a deity to build a boat so that he can be spared from an impending, destructive flood. The boat is built; the storm comes; after the waters subside, boat rests on top of mountain. Birds are sent out to determine when boat’s inhabitants could safely disembark. The account ends with offer of a sacrifice and blessing bestowed on survivors. • Differences: 1) type of boat, 2) length of boat, 3) people saved, 4) landing place of boat, 5) outcome for the hero, and 6) role of the gods

  13. Primeval History (Gen. 1-11) So, what’s the point? Mesopotamian literature provides a background for understanding some of the issues of the primeval history of Genesis in contrast to the theology and writings of the ancient Near East. The Israelites shared the same foundation as surrounding cultures, so similarities—and differences—are not surprising.

  14. Patriarchal History (Gen. 12-50) • Some have debated whether or not the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.) even existed; however, general lifestyle and culture has been authenticated by archaeological findings • “Founders Stories” rather than journalistic, biographical histories

  15. Purpose • The purpose of Genesis is to tell how and why Yahweh came to choose Abraham’s family and make a covenant with them. • The covenant is the foundation of Israelite theology and identity. • Genesis tells of how the covenant was established by describing the various obstacles the Israelites needed to overcome. • Genesis also describes how the Israelites ventured to Egypt, setting the scene for the exodus.

  16. Message • Genesis provides an appropriate introduction to the Israelite God, Yahweh. • Sovereign creator of a world made especially for human habitation • Vs. Mesopotamian accounts of the origin of the cosmos: individual gods associated with each aspect of cosmos (creation of moon=moon god)

  17. Message • Genesis concerns the role of people in the newly created world. • Humans created in image of God • World created for humans, and with them in mind • Vs. Mesopotamian belief that humans were afterthought of the gods; humans weren’t in mind when cosmos was created

  18. Message • Genesis describes how Yahweh was sovereignly pursuing a plan of history. • First eleven chapters offer explanation of why Yahweh has chosen to work through a particular people—plans to reveal himself through them • Chapters 12-50 recount how, despite difficult situations the patriarchs faced, the Lord preserved them in order to establish Abraham’s family. • Genesis communicates a central theological message: God is faithful and, in his providence, brought good out of intended evil.

  19. Structure and Organization • Creation (1:1 – 2:3) • Before the Patriarchs: Primeval History (2:4 – 11:26) • The Patriarchs in Palestine: Patriarchal Narratives (11:27 – 37:1) • The Patriarchs in Egypt: The Joseph Story (37:2 – 50:26)

  20. Creation (1:1-2:3)

  21. Creation (1:1-2:3) • Presents God as the one who takes what was without purpose, order, or function and creates the ordered cosmos. • First three days: • Most basic functions (time, weather, vegetation) • Last three days: • Inhabitants of the earth (animals and humans) • The focus is that everything is ordered so that it is perfectly suited for people to live.

  22. Before the Patriarchs: Primeval History (2:4-11:26)

  23. Before the Patriarchs: Primeval History (2:4-11:26) • Initial disobedience by Adam, Eve, and Cain (chs. 3-4) brought expulsion from the garden, separation from God, and eventual death. • By the time of Noah, violence had become a way of life. • The purpose of this section is to show how things are beginning to unravel from the fall to the flood.

  24. Before the Patriarchs: Primeval History (2:4-11:26) The Flood • Represented God’s punishment on the world, but also his grace. Noah and his family were spared to make a new beginning (vs. Mesopotamian stories). • In essence, the Genesis story shows how God had no intention of saving society; in some ways, it was society that needed destroying.

  25. Before the Patriarchs: Primeval History (2:4-11:26) The Flood • After the flood, God’s blessing was renewed, but sin eventually caused things to return to their previous state—and worse. • The people move from trying to become like God, to distorting God in their minds to make him more like them. • Tower of Babel (Gen. 11)

  26. Before the Patriarchs: Primeval History (2:4-11:26) The Flood • God put a stop to this waywardness by causing his people to speak different languages, which caused them to scatter to different lands. • After this, God changed his strategy: he determined to reveal himself to humanity through one man and his family.

  27. The Patriarchsin Palestine: Patriarchal Narratives (11:27-37:1)

  28. The Patriarchs in Palestine: Patriarchal Narratives (11:27-37:1) • Emphasis is on genealogy, not faith • Abraham is not introduced as a righteous man, and his family did not worship God • In a sense, then, God came to Abraham “randomly” • Chapters 12-22 present the shady history of God’s establishment of a covenant between Abraham and the Lord

  29. The Patriarchs in Palestine: Patriarchal Narratives (11:27-37:1) • Primary emphasis: introduce obstacles and threats that place covenant promises in jeopardy • Threat #1: Abraham and Sarah in Egypt, & Abraham’s nephew, Lot (heir apparent) • Threat #2: Eliezer, head of Abraham’s household; removed when God promises Abraham that his heir would be his own child • Threat #3: “illegitimate child, Ishmael

  30. The Patriarchs in Palestine: Patriarchal Narratives (11:27-37:1) • God promises that Isaac, Abraham and Sarah’s natural child, will be his heir • Problem #1: Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which might allow Lot to reenter the picture • Problem #2: Sarah taken into Abimelech’s harem—Isaac was supposed to have been born within the year • Problem #3: After Isaac’s birth (ch. 21), Ishmael is not easily dismissed from contention for birthright

  31. The Patriarchs in Palestine: Patriarchal Narratives (11:27-37:1) • God promises that Isaac, Abraham and Sarah’s natural child, will be his heir • Problem #4: In ch.22, God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the son through whom the covenant would be fulfilled • Previous threats were result of human error; this one was from deity • Purpose? Provide Abraham with an opportunity to demonstrate that he feared God • Covenant fulfillment progresses when Abraham purchases land in Canaan, the land of promise • Covenant established with Isaac’s wife and the inheritance Abraham’s family received after his death

  32. The Patriarchsin Egypt: The Joseph Story (37:2-50:26)

  33. The Patriarchs in Egypt: The Joseph Story(11:27-37:1) • Concerns occasion where relationship formed between Abraham’s family and people of Canaan • Primary purpose is to recount how Abraham’s family ended up in Egypt—prepares us for the Exodus • God’s providential care of Joseph and sovereign control of history show God’s commitment to the fulfillment of his covenant with Abraham • Most importantly, through Joseph (represents Abraham’s family), all the world is blessed (fed in famine)

  34. Genesis Major Themes • The Covenant and Election • Monotheism • Sin • Origins

  35. The Covenant and Election • God chose Abraham not because they were more righteous, faithful, pious, or deserving; it was an act of grace • Covenant with Abraham had no clear conditions, except one: it would not be cancelled • God elected Israel so that, through them, he could show himself to the rest of the world • Therefore, the covenant is the centerpiece of Israelite theology: it speaks of God’s intentions to bless them and honors them as they reveal him to the rest of the world

  36. Monotheism • Monotheism if the worship of one God--but, which god? • Patriarchs would have identified their God as “El,” with both “Shaddai” and “Yahweh” • Theophanies: • Yahweh: emphasis on the land that would be given to the patriarch • El Shaddai: emphasis on the patriarchs’ participation in the covenant (Ex. 3:14) • Patriarchs worshiped El, but the name Yahweh eventually became the primary name of Israel’s covenant God.

  37. Sin • Key theme of Genesis is introduction of sin into the world and its impact on human history • For Adam and Eve, immortality was within their grasp—but they gave in to temptation • The punishment was suitable and logical: • Their desire to be like God led to a desire for independence • Independence brought separation—between Adam and Eve, and God

  38. Sin • Initially, sin was individual (Cain’s murder of Abel) • By Lamech (ch. 4) and “sons of God” (ch. 6), sin has expanded to family and kingship • By the time of Noah (ch. 9), sin has spread to all humanity • God’s election of Abraham did not put an end to sin—but it mark the beginning of God’s covenant people, through whom he hoped to restore his image to the world

  39. Origins • Although book of Genesis is not a book of science, it does offer information about origins that is interesting for science • The basics: • God created… • How? By his spoken word. • When? Really, it doesn’t matter; it is not the point. • The Gen. 1 narrative is not intended to address current theories about the age of the earth, etc. • Instead, the Gen. 1 narrative is intended to show how God is instituting the seven-day process of dedicating the cosmic temple (the universe), through which the cosmos becomes operational

  40. Book of The Genesis

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