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GENESIS. Foundation Essential to understand the rest of the Bible The Bible is made up of many different books, but it has one main plot and Genesis “initiates the plot of the whole” (Longman). Bible ends much like it begins: compare Gen 1-2 with Rev 21-22. Introduction.
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Foundation • Essential to understand the rest of the Bible • The Bible is made up of many different books, but it has one main plot and Genesis “initiates the plot of the whole” (Longman). • Bible ends much like it begins: compare Gen 1-2 with Rev 21-22 Introduction
Structure of Genesis • Genesis’ own structure: Toledoth • 11 sections of Gen introduced by “these are the generations” or “this is the account of” followed by a personal name. • The person isn’t necessarily the main character • See list in notes • The point? introduction
Structure of Genesis • 3-fold structure based on content and style • Universal History (Gen 1-11) • Patriarchal History (Gen 12-50) • Abraham (Gen 12-25) • Jacob (Gen 25-36) • The Joseph Story (Gen 37-50 Introduction
Purpose of Genesis To show that Israel’s God is the sovereign Creator whose purpose to establish his covenant rule will not be hindered by the sinfulness of humanity (Richard Belcher) Introduction
The Creator is King • Kingship and Creation in Gen 1 Kingship and creation in later Psalms Psalm 95:3-6 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
The Creator is King • God exercises his Kingship in the act of calling and naming • 5x = God names/calls creation (vv 5 [2 times], 8, 10 [2 times]) “The act of giving a name meant, above all, the exercise of a sovereign right. … Thus the naming of this and all subsequent creative works once more expresses graphically God’s claim of lordship over the creatures” (Von Rad). Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
The Creator is King • YHWH’s Kingship contrasted with other creation accounts • Babylonian Myth of Creation, EnnumaElish. • Canaanite Myth of Creation. • conflict. These myths and others view creation as the result of some sort of conflict or struggle among gods • Genesis. In contrast, the Genesis account denies that YHWH is one of many gods who through a war earned his seat on the throne; rather, he is the eternal sovereign creator who speaks the creation into existence. • Creation of “heavenly bodies” (sun, moon, stars) Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
Gen 1:28 creation of Humanity • Image of God and ANE view of humanity • Epic of Atrahasis. Mankind was created to do the undesirable work of the lesser gods. “bear the yoke, the task of Enlil (powerful gods). Let man assume the drudgery of the gods (Atrahasis) • EnumaElish (“when on high”). “ I shall compact blood, I shall cause bones to be, I shall make stand a human being, let ‘Man’ be its name. I shall create humankind, They shall bear the gods’ burden that those may rest” (EnumaElish) Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
Gen 1:28 creation of Humanity • Image of God: What does it mean to be in “God’s image?” • Mankind has an exalted status • Mankind is made for “relationship” • Gen 1:27— “…in the image of God he created mankind, male and female God created them” • Mankind is made to “rule” • Gen 1:26—“Let us make man in our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule… • Cf. Ps. 8:6; 115:16 Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
Man's role, 1:26-28 God Rules Scepter thru Man over creation
Gen 2: God’s relationship with humanity • Expands on Gen 1:26-28: God’s rule over creation through mankind • Not a different creation story • God’s relationship with mankind • Names of God: Gen 1 Elohim; Gen 2 Yahweh Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
GENESIS 1-3 CREATION AND FALL Gen 2 Elohim Transcendent Immanent Gen 1 Yahweh
Names of God: Gen 1 Elohim;Gen 2 Yahweh Genesis 2 highlights Yahweh’s intimate relationship with humanity • “formed him from the dust” (2:7) • “breathed into his nostrils” (2:7) • Saw that man needed a helper, so he provided one (2:18) • Entrusted to man the naming of the animals, and waits in anticipation to “see what he would name them” (2:19) • Cf. God “calling” and “naming” of Gen 1. Adam’s ongoing work of creation. Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
ii. Garden of Eden is a Sanctuary • The Point: Eden, the place where God and man perfectly enjoy each other’s presence, is the prototype for later sanctuaries, where God and man are able to meet. • Revelation: The new heavens and new earth are described as a “new Eden” where there is a “tree of life” (Rev 22:2), a river (Rev 22:1), and where there will “no longer be any curse” (Rev 22:3). Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall 2. Gen 3 The Fall 1. What does the snake attack? Did God really say? You won’t really die! The snake attacks the validity and power of the GOD’S SPOKEN WORD
Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall 2. Gen 3 The Fall a. What does the snake attack? b. What’s wrong with “being like God, knowing good and evil?” (Gen 3:5) • ‘knowing’ in the sense of determining. • By going against God’s command, Adam and Eve are essentially asserting their own moral autonomy.
Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall c. The results of the Fall God Adam Eve i. Death ii. Broken Relationship iii. Broken Rule
d. Promise of Judgment AND salvation • Key text: Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman And between your seed and her seed;He shall bruise you on the head And you shall bruise him on the heel.“ • “protoeuangelion” • “first gospel” (foreshadow of the gospel) Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
Gen 3:15– “I will put enmity between thee and the woman Satan Eve And between thy seed(plural !) and her seed (plural !) Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed He shall crush thy head, you will bruise his heel” Satan Seed
Gen 3:15 – “I will put enmity between thee and the woman Satan Eve And between thy seed (plural !) and her seed (plural !) Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed He shall crush thy head, you will bruise his heel” Satan Seed
d. The Promise of Judgment and Salvation • Key text: Genesis 3:15 • Gen 3:19-21 and the promise of life • 3:19 Adam will return to the ground (death) • 3:20 Adam…names his wife?? • 3:21 God kills some animals??? What in the world is going on here?? • 3:19 News of Adam’s death (punishment) • 3:20 Expression of faith in God’s promise • “the mother of all living” (i.e. she will bear a seed) • 3:21 Covering of sin with death of innocent substitute • The first salvation experience ! Genesis 1-3 Creation and fall
Gen 4 Cain and Abel • What’s Eve thinking in 4:1 Maybe this is the promised seed? • What is the main point of the story? • Moral? • Be nice to your siblings? • Theological • The outworking of the promise (3:15) • “enmity between seeds” Genesis 4-11 The promise of redemption unfolds
iii. Why did God reject Cain’s sacrifice • It wasn’t a blood sacrifice? • problem: many sacrifices later in the Bible (Lev 1-7) are not blood/animal sacrifices. • Not offered in faith? • problem: maybe, but nothing in the text indicates Cain’s lack of faith. • Not his best offering (i.e. it’s a heart issue) • support: the only indicator in the text that contrasts Abel and Cain is that Able offered his “firstborn” while Cain’s offering is not qualified in any way. Gen 4: Cain and Able
And between thy seed ………….. and her seed Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed iv. Genealogy: Cain – Lamech (4:16-24) v. A new “Seed” – Seth (4:25-26) • Gen 5: Genealogy • What’s the main point? Cain Abel Seth Lamech
iv. Genealogy: Cain – Lamech (4:16-24) v. A new “Seed” – Seth (4:25-26) • Gen 5: Genealogy • What’s the main point? • Enoch = 7th generation (5:21-24) • Noah … the snake killer?(5:29)
And between thy seed and her seed Seed Seed Cain Seth Abel Seed Seed Seed Seed He shall crush thy head, you will bruise his heel Satan Seed the theme continues! Enoch Noah Lamech
Gen 6:1-4 Who are the “sons of God” and “daughters of men?” • “sons of God” = kings? • “sons of God” = “seed of Seth”? • “sons of God” = angelic/demonic beings • Job 38 – “sons of God” = angelic beings • 2 Pet 2 • Jude • 1 Pet 3 b. Noah and the flood
ii. The Biblical Flood and ANE Flood Accounts • Introduction • Gilgamesh Epic • Similarities • size and shape of the boat • carried family and animals • landed on a mountain • release of birds to find dry ground • offer of sacrifice after flood ended • Differences b. Noah and the flood
ii. The Biblical Flood and ANE Flood Accounts • Introduction • Gilgamesh Epic • Similarities • Differences • Bible: flood takes place within the framework of morality; • Bible: God is in complete control, ordaining the beginning and end of the flood. • Bible: God saves Noah out of his grace and his commitment to keep his word (ala Gen. 3:15). God desires a relationship with humanity • Theological point b. Noah and the flood
iii. God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 6:18-19; 8:17-9:17) • Reaffirm God’s redemptive goal for both creation and mankind. • Affirmed God’s value on life and the seriousness of sin. • The sin/fall of Noah (Gen 9). • Gen 9:1-17. Reflects Gen 1-2. • “Be fruitful and multiply (Gen 8:17; 9:1, 7) • Fall of Adam (Gen 3); fall of Noah (9:20-21) • Sin of offspring (Cain and Ham). • Nakedness (3:9-10)
gets blessed gets cursed
What’s wrong with building a tower? • Not build a tower to reach into heaven (i.e. climb into heaven)! • Cf. NLT “…into the sky…” • They are looking for significance in themselves (“let us make a name for ourselves”). • 11:4 “‘Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world’” (NLT). • Babel becomes a picture of people getting together, trying to establish culture and civilization, though without God. d. Gen 11 The Tower of Babel
What is the artist saying about “Babel” or “Babylon”?
iii. RAY OF HOPE with Abram Genealogy (11:10-32) • Abraham is the new solution to the problem of sin. The promise to Abraham is God’s new means through which Creation will be set right. iv. Gen 11 The Tower of Babel
And between thy seed and her seed Seed Cain Seth Abel Seed Lamech Enoch Abraham Shem Noah Canaan Seed God's promise is unfolding now through Abraham
Summary of Gen 3-11 4 Murder of Abel O n e T h e m e 9 Noah gets drunk curses wrong guy 10 Genea-logies 6 Weird giants & bad people 6-8Noah almighty & the ark 11 First skyscraper project goes bad. 5 Genea-logies