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Blessing and Cursing: God's Plan for Humanity

Explore the striking similarities and powerful themes of blessing and cursing in Genesis 1-11, revealing humanity's failure and God's promise of redemption through Abraham. Discover the importance of obedience and the turning point in human history.

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Blessing and Cursing: God's Plan for Humanity

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  1. SHEEP IN THE WORD MINISTRIES Rev. Robert C. Lewis • Glendale Baptist Church • Houston, Texas quicknotes.org • 2002

  2. GENESIS 1–11 God’s Blessing and Cursing

  3. Adam and Noah •there are two parallel sections in Genesis 1–11: before the flood and after the flood

  4. • ten generations divide Adam from Noahand ten generations divide Noah from Abraham

  5. • the world begins again with a fresh start in the second section

  6. STRIKING SIMILARITIESIN THE TWO SECTIONS (1) water covers the earth, subsides, and dry land appears (Genesis 1:9–10; 8:1–13)

  7. (2)the animal kingdom begins multiplying and filling the earth (Genesis 1:20–22, 24–25; 8:17–19)

  8. (3)days and seasons are set by God (Genesis 1:14; 8:22)

  9. (4)animals are commanded to “be fruitful and multiply on the earth” (Genesis 1:22; 8:17)

  10. (5)man is commanded to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth (Genesis 1:28; 9:1, 7)

  11. (6)man is given dominion over the animal kingdom (Genesis 1:28; 9:2)

  12. (7)food is providedfor man(Genesis 1:29–30; 9:3)

  13. (8)man spreads out and builds cities (Genesis 4:16–17; 10:10–12)

  14. Blessing and Cursing • God’s blessing and cursing are the main theological concepts in Genesis 1–11

  15. Blessing •blessing brings children (“be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” Genesis 1:22, 28), fellowship with God (3:8; 5:22–24; 6:9), and life

  16. • the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 10 are the fulfillment of this blessing

  17. Cursing • cursing brings expulsion (Adam and Eve, Genesis 3:22–24; Cain, 4:11–14, 16; flood, 6:7; Babel, 11:8–9), separation from God (Adam, 3:8, 24; Cain, 4:14, 16), and death (flood, 7:4, 21–23)

  18. Principles (1) life or death depends on whether man receives from God a blessing or a curse

  19. (2)without God’s blessing men and animals are not able to flourish

  20. (3)it is man who partially determines whether the world will receive a blessing or a curse

  21. Human Failure •chapters 1–11 end in human failure: sin, judgment, expulsion, dispersion, homelessness, and death

  22. • notable righteous exceptions were Abel, Enoch, and Noah

  23. Reversal • God’s promise to give land to Abraham is a reversal of the pattern of expulsion, dispersion, and homelessness in Genesis 1–11

  24. Cursing to Blessing • God’s cursing (crime and punishment) is mentioned five times in Genesis 1–11 (3:14, 17; 4:11; 5:29; 9:25)

  25. • God’s blessing is mentioned five times in Genesis 12:2–3(82 times in the patriarchal narratives)

  26. Turning Point • Abraham’s obedience was a turning point in human history, when God turned from cursing the world for sin to blessing the world through faith

  27. • the problem of cursing in Genesis 1–11 is solved by the blessing of 12:1–3

  28. • chapters 1–11 show why all the families of the earth need to be blessed

  29. Context of the Abrahamic Covenant • the blessings of Genesis 12 must be read in the light of the failure of mankind in Genesis 11 (the scattering at the Tower of Babel)

  30. • a blessing is given after each judgment(ultimate victory over Satan, Genesis 3:15; rest and the Noahic Covenant after the flood, 5:29, 8:21, 9:8–17; a permanent homeland after a worldwide scattering, 13:15)

  31. • everything the people of Babel tried to accomplish through rebellion was given to Abraham through faith and obedience:

  32. (1)the people sought fame at Babel, but received none (“let us make for ourselves a name” Genesis 11:4);God promised to give Abraham a great name (“make your name great” Genesis 12:2)

  33. (2)the people sought to make a great nation at Babel, but were scattered (Genesis 11:4, 6);God promised to make Abraham into a great nation (“I will make you a great nation” Genesis 12:2)

  34. (3)the people sought to build a city at Babel (Genesis 11:4–5, 8);God built a city for Abraham(Hebrews 11:10, 16)

  35. (4)the people sought to build a tower in the city “whose top will reach into heaven” to God (Genesis 11:4);Abraham will live in a city built in heaven by God (Hebrews 11:10, 16)

  36. SHEEP IN THE WORD MINISTRIES Rev. Robert C. Lewis • Glendale Baptist Church • Houston, Texas quicknotes.org • 2002

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