Genesis-Portrays Jesus Christ As Creator God
Author: Moses guided by the Holy Spirit.
(Genesis was written after Exodus)
Written: c. 1500 B.C.
Background: Covers period of about 2,300 years. Creation to Joseph. Appears to be laid around the Euphrates River. Mesopotamia (Babylon) – Iraq
Key Verse: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
Outline of Genesis
The early chapters of Genesis deal with God’s plan of redemption - we need a Redeemer.
1. Generation: In the beginning God…….
2. Degeneration: Now the serpent …….
3. Regeneration: Now the Lord ……..
The story line of salvation, which begins in Genesis 3, is not completed until Revelation 21-22, where the eternal kingdom of redeemed believers is gloriously pictured.
Jesus in Genesis
· Seed of woman – 3:15
· Jacob’s ladder – 28:12
· Judah’s scepter – 49:10
· Entrance into the ark of safety – 17: 1,7
· Offering of Isaac – 22:1-24
· Joseph lifted from pit to throne – 37:28; 41:41-44
Genesis covers more time that all the remaining books of the Bible combined. Israel first heard Genesis sometime prior to crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land.
They were about to enter Canaan and dispossess the Canaanites of their homes and properties, so God revealed their enemies’ backgrounds. They also needed to understand the basis of the war they were about to declare. Ultimately, they would understand a selected portion of preceding world history and the inaugural background of Israel as a basis by which they would live in their new beginnings under Joshua’s leadership in the land that had previously been promised to Abraham, their original patriarchal forefather.
Three distinct sequential geographical settings:
1. Mesopotamia (chapters 1-11); primeval history; creation to 2090 B.C.
2. The Promised Land (chapters 12-36); 2090 – 1897 B.C.
3. Egypt (chapters 37-50); 1897 – 1804 B.C.
Chapters 12-50 – patriarchal history – explains to Israel how they came into existence.
Patriarchal Fathers
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Job (lived before Moses)
Abrahamic Covenant
Given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joseph is the Messianic patriarch – reflected Christ.
In the beginning God
Hebrew for God = Elohim (plural)- triune God (perfect unity that is more than one)
Salvation is Trinitarian
Chosen by the Father
Purchased by the Son
Sealed by the Spirit
Heavens (plural) and the earth (singular) = 3 heavens
Day 1: Light
Day 2: Air and water
Day 3: Land and plants
Day 4: Heavenly bodies (sun, moon, stars)
Day 5: Birds and fish
Day 6: Animals and man
Day 7: Rest
Three spheres of activity: heavens, land masses, the waters.
“According to its kind” – Law of heredity, 1862, Louis Pasteur
Genesis chapter 2 is complementary to Genesis chapter 1. Describes in greater detail the events of the sixth day.
Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground” – first time Jehovah (Yahweh) is used, the personal name of God.
Difference between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day
Sabbath Lord’s Day
7th day of week 1st day of week
Old covenant/old creation New covenant (of grace)/new creation
First work, then rest First belief in Christ, then rest, then work
Genesis is fulfilled in Revelation
Genesis
Revelation
First heaven and earth
New heaven and earth
First garden – tree of life guarded
Garden city – tree of life freely available
First marriage
Last marriage- marriage supper of the Lamb
Death enters the scene
No more death
Babylon built
Babylon destroyed
Redeemer promised
Redeemer reigns
Abraham
“God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.” (Genesis 15:13)
400 years later, Abraham’s descendants went into captivity.
The Angel of the Lord refers to Jesus, as opposed to an angel, which would refer to any angel.
“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (Genesis 49:10)
Noah
Spent 120 years building the Ark and he had never seen rain.
Ark symbolized many of God’s future dealings with man.
Hebrew word for “pitch” comes from the same root word used for atonement.
The pitch kept the waters of judgement from entering the ark just as Christ’s atoning blood keeps judgement from the sinner.
The ark was about 438 feet long, 73 feet wide, 44 feet high.
One a half times the length of a football field and more than 4 stories high.
It had 3 decks – deck area was nearly 1.3 million cubic feet.
Naval engineers have discovered that the shape and the dimensions of the ark form the most stable ship design known. The ark was not designed for maneuverability, but for stability to protect those in it.
Noah was told to build an ark - what’s an ark, Lord?
To flood the earth - what’s a flood, Lord?
Took a great step of faith to lay the axe to that first gopherwood tree.
Period before flood known as antediluvian civilization.
God Himself shut the door of the ark, and only He could open it again.
Noah’s Sons
Shem’s sons settled in Arabia
Ham’s sons settled in Africa
Japheth’s sons settled in Europe
Joseph
(Type of Christ)
Parallels in Genesis
· His brothers stripped him of his robe – when Christ was crucified, the soldiers took his robe and cast lots for it.
· Brothers sat down at the mouth of the pit and ate while Joseph pleaded with them – some stood at the foot of the cross and mocked the Savior.
· The brothers planned Joseph’s death – Jesus’ enemies plotted to kill him.
· Joseph was stripped of his robe and cast into a pit – later Potiphar’s wife would strip him of his coat and he would be cast into prison.
· His brothers killed a goat and dipped his cloak in it – Jacob killed a goat and used its skin to deceive his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing.
· Like Joseph, Jesus was taken to Egypt by his parents to avoid being killed by Herod.
Joseph stood firm against the temptation of Potiphar’s wife, Jesus stood firm against the temptations of Satan.
