The Book of Genesis

When Jesus referred to the Old Testament, He described it as the books of Moses and all the prophets. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. These books take us from the creation of the world to the people of Israel entering into the Promised Land. In Genesis Moses shows us how the world was created by the power of God's word, how it fell into sin by the lies of Satan, and how God began to restore it through His promises. 

Purpose

Genesis lays the foundation for God's plan of salvation through the people of Israel. Sometimes people try to say that Genesis is mythological. But the end of Genesis is obviously talking about the historical country of Egypt, so those who take this approach have to explain when it shifts from the mythical to the historical. Genesis obviously doesn't give us every historical detail we would like, such a book would be massive. But Genesis does give us the historical details that are pertinent to God's plan of salvation.  

Outline

1. The Creation of the World (1-2)
2. The Fall Into Sin (3-4)
3. Noah and the Flood (5-9) 
4. The Beginning of All Nations (10-11)
5. The Beginning of the Nation of Israel Through Abraham (12-38)
6. How Joseph Saved Israel (39-50)

01 The Creation of the World
God creates earth formless... Light, Firmament,  Dry Land and Plants, Stars and Planets, Birds and Fish, Animals and Man... 

02 Focusing on the Creation of Man
God rests on the seventh day, blesses and sanctifies it... Before plants or man to till... Creation of man from dust. LORD planted Eden... Trees, Tree of Life, Tree Knowledge Good and Evil... A River, Four Rivers... Man to tend, not to eat TKGE... Helper comparable... Naming animals... Adam names Eve... One flesh... No shame

03 - The Fall Into Sin
The cunning serpent... Has God said... You will not die... Be like God... Desirable to the eyes and make wise... Embarrasses by nakedness... Fig leaves... Hid from The LORD God... Blame the woman... Blame the serpent... Curse on the serpent... Promise of a Savior... Pain of childbirth... Ground cursed... Sweat... Return to dust... Eve, mother of all living... God made tunics of skin... Sent out of the garden... Cherubim, flaming sword to guard way to the tree of life.

04 The Rise of Sin and Violence
Birth of Cain and Abel... Offerings... Sin lies at your door... Cain, a vagabond... The mark... 5th gen Lamech, two wives, promise to avenge 77 fold... Seth born, son Enoch, Men began to call on the name of the LORD

05 From Adam to Noah
Generations of Adam... Seth at 130 years (most important child)... 800 years and other sons and daughters... Total 930 years... Seth 109 years be got Enosh... Seth lived 912 years and other sons and daughters... Enosh, Cainan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch (Walked with God), Methuselah, Lamech, Noah... Noah=rest... Lamech lived 777 years... Noah begat Shem, Ham and Japheth.

06 - The Rise of Wickedness, Preparations for the Flood
Men multiply... Daughters are beautiful... Sons of God took wives... Age limited to 120... Giants, Nephilim... Great wickedness, evil thoughts continually... LORD grieved... Destroy, Noah found grace... Just, perfect, walked with a God... Earth filled with violence... Ark, family, two of every kind... Gather food

07 - Noah Enters the Ark
At 600 the LORD tells Noah to enter the ark with his family, clean and unclean animals... Rain for 40 days and nights... Fountains of the deep broken... Water rose 15 cubits above land... All flesh died... Water remained 150 days.

08 - Flood Subsides
God remembered Noah… Waters subside… Fountains of the deep & rain stopped… After 150 days waters decreased… Ark rests at Ararat… Mt tops seen… 40 days Noah opened window… Raven, dove sent out… 7 days later dove sent out and returns with olive leaf… 7 more days dove sent out and did not return… Noah and animals leave the ark… Noah built and altar and offered sacrifices… God promised never to destroy everything living thing again… Seasons will continue.

09 - Covenant with Noah
Blessing... Fear of man on beasts... Animals for food, but no blood... No murder because of image of God... Be fruitful and multiply... Will not cut off all flesh... Rainbow sign... Ham father of Canaan... Noah planted vineyard and got drunk... Ham saw nakedness... Shem and Japheth covered N... Curse on Canaan, servants to his brothers... Japheth will dwell in the tents of Shem... N lived 350 yrs after flood, died at 950 yrs.

10 - Geneology of the Sons of Noah. Genealogy of Japheth, Ham and Shem

11 - The Creation of Nations
One language , same words... Migrated east to Shinar... Make a name lest being dispersed... LORD confuses their language and scattered them... Named Babel... Genealogy of Shem... Genealogy of Terah, father of Abram, Nahor & Haran… Haran died in Ur… Abram married Sarai, Nahor married Milcah (dau of Haran, sis of Lot, his niece)… Terah and family headed to Canan, Terah died in Haran.

12 - Abram Journeys to the Promised Land
LORD tells Abram leave country at 75 yrs, will make great nation, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”… Came to Shechem, terebinth tree of Moreh... Moreh means “teacher”… Promise of the land to his descendants, built and altar, moved east to Bethel, built an altar, called on the name of the LORD, journeyed south… Famine, went to Egypt, told Sarai to say she was his sister, taken to Pharaoh’s house, house plagued, sent Abram away.

13 - Abrahm and Lot Separate
Abram goes to the “South”… Very rich in livestock, silver & gold… went to Bethel, called on the name of the LORD… Strife between men of Abram and men of Lot… Abram gives Lot first choice, choses plain of Jordan (very fertile before destruction of S & G)… Men of Sodom were wicked… Again land promised to the descendants of Abram… Descendants like the dust… Abram moves to trees of Mamre in Hebron, built and altar

14 - Abram Caught In a Civil War
Five kings rebel against Chedorlaomer… Chedorlaomer attacked… Valley of Siddim (Salt Valley)… The four counter-attacked and were defeated… Lot was taken away… Abram took 318 servants and freed Lot north of Damascus… Melchizedek, King of Salem brings bread and wine, priest of God Most High, blesses Abram… Abram gave tithe of all… Abram takes nothing from Sodom.

15 - Covenant Renewed with Abram
LORD is Abram’s shield/reward… But no offspring… Descendants like stars… Abram dreams… Descendants will be afflicted strangers 400 years… Return in the 14th generation… Burning oven & torch passes between sacrifices… Promise of land from the Nile to the Euphrates

16 - Abram and Hagar
Abram goes to Hagar… Sarai despised her, dealt harshly… Angel of the LORD found her… Return to mistress… Multiply her descendants… Call her child Ishmael, a wild man… Calls the LORD “You are the one who sees.” Abram 86 yrs.

17 - Covenant Renewed with Abraham
To Abram, walk blameless, covenant reaffirmed, multiply greatly… 
Abram=Great Father, Abraham=Father of Many

18 - Promise of a Child for Sarah
The LORD visits as three men at the oak of Mamre... Men eat butter, milk and calf... Sarah will have a child, she laughs... The LORD looks upon Sodom and investigate the outcry against it... Abraham pleads for Sodom... Destroy if there are 50 righteous? 45, 30, 20, 10? 

19 - Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
Two angels came to Sodom and stay with Lot… Young & old want to know them… Lot offers two daughters, Angels strike men blind… Sons in law think he is joking… Angels take Lot, wife & daughters by the hand to escape… Lot fled to Zoar… Brimstone & fire on S & G… Wife turns to salt… Lot flees to mountains… Daughters sleep with lot and bear children: Moab & Ben-Ammi (Ammon).

20 - Abraham Tries to Protect Sarah
At Gerar A tells Abimelech S is is sister, see ch 12... The Lord withheld Abimelech from sinning... A explains that S is his half sister...

21 - Birth of Isaac
Sarah gives birth to Isaac, circumcised at 8 days, A 100 yrs, S “God made me laugh”… Feast for Isaac’s weaning, Sarah casts out Hagar & Ishmael… Hagar & Ishmael dying, God encourages, See a well, Ishmael becomes an archer in Wilderness of Paran, wife from Egypt… Covenant with Abimelech, dispute about well at Beersheba, A plants tree and calls place “the LORD, the Everlasting God”

22 - Abraham Tested 
“Abraham!” “Here I am.” Isaac to Moriah… Where is the lamb?  God will provide… “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am.” “Now I know you fear God…” Ram in thicket… “Yahweh Yireh” Multiply your offspring… “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed…” Beersheba… Milcah (sis in law) bore 8 to Nahor… One of them, Bethuel, fathered Rebekah… Nahor's concubine bore 4 more. 

23 - The Death and Burial of Sarah
Sarah died at Hebron at 127 yrs, Abraham wept for her... A buys the cave of Machpelah at full price... Ephron wanted to give it, A insisted on buying it

24 - A Wife for Isaac
A was old and blessed in all things... Made servant swear he would get a wife for Isaac from his kindred... He should not take Isaac back... Angel will help... Went to the city of Nahor... Prayed for success... Woman who gives drink for him and for his camels is the one... Rebekah does both... Servant explains everything to R's brother, Laban... He agrees it is from the LORD and sends R with him... Servant gave many gifts... Isaac meditated in the field and then met Rebekah and married her.

25 - Abraham Dies
Abraham marries Keturah... She had six children... A gave everything to Isaac... He gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them to the east... A lived 175 yrs... Isaac and Ishmael buried him at Machpelah... Ishmael had twelve sons... Rebekah had twins... Esau was red... Jacob was grasping his heel... Esau was a hunter... Jacob was a mild man... Isaac loved Esau... Rebekah loved Jacob... Esau gave up his birthright for a bowl of stew.

26 - Isaac's Troubles With the Philistines
Famine… LORD to Isaac, Don’t leave the land… Covenant renewed… Mentions commandments, statutes & laws given to Abraham… Isaac told Abimelech at Gerar that Rebekah was his sister (see chap 20)… Abimelech concerned that adultery could have occurred (shows this is an ancient law)… Isaac sowed and reaped 100xs… Philistines became jealous… Philistines had stopped Abraham’s wells… Isaac redigs them… Dug two new wells and Philistines laid claim… Dug third (Rehoboth) and there was no quarrel… Covenant renewed at Beersheba, altar built… Abimelech makes oath of peace with Isaac… Dug another well “Oath of Seven=Beersheba)… Esau takes two Hittite wives “and they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.”  

27 - Isaac Deceives Esau
Isaac was old and blind and asked Esau to hunt and make food so he can bless him… Rebekah asks Jacob to get two kids to cook… R clothed J with E’s clothes, put skins on his hands and neck… Isaac surprised E was back so soon… J really lied “The LORD brought it to me”… Isaac felt his hands… Isaac blessed him and prayed for the LORD to give prosperity, honor & power… Esau realized the deception… J took birthright and blessing… Isaac blessed E with prosperity, will serve brother, but will break his yoke eventually… E plans to kill J… R tells J to flee to Laban in Haran… R did not like the daughters of Heth.

28 - Isaac Blesses Jacob
Isaac tells Jacob to take a wife from house of Bethuel (Rebekah’s father) from the daughters of Laban (Rebekah’s brother, Isaac’s uncle)… Wife would be a first cousin… Isaac gives J the blessing of Abraham to inherit the land… Esau took Mahalath daughter of Ishmael as another wife (to spite Isaac & Rebekah, he knew they didn’t like the daughters of Canaan)… Jacob dreams of the ladder to heaven… Full blessing of Abraham repeated… “This is the gate of heaven.”… Named it Bethel (near Haran, had been Luz)… Jacob makes vow that if God feeds and clothes him, the LORD shall be his God and he will give Him a tenth. 

29 - Jacob Marries Leah & Rachel & Children Ruben, Simeon & Levi
Jacob goes to Haran… Rachel came with sheep to the well… Jacob removed the stone from the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban… Jacob kissed Rachel… J agrees  to serve L for seven years for Rachel… They seemed like a few days… L gives Leah… J gets Rachel but serves for another seven years… J loved R more than L… L bears Ruben, Simeon & Levi hoping that J would love her.

30 - Rival Wives 
Rachel: Give me children or else I die... God has withheld... J goes to Bilhah who bears Dan and Naphtali... J goes to Zilpah (Leah) and she bears Gad and Asher... Leah hires Jacob for Rubens mandrakes... She bears 5th and 6th sons, Issachar and Zebulun... Then she bore Dinah... Rachel bears Joseph... Jacob bargains with Laban for release... Jacob used husbandry to strengthen and increase his flock.

31 - Jacob Flees from Laban
Laban' countenance bad... God prospered Jacob... Told to go to his father... Rachel and Leah agree... Laban told by the LORD not to hurt J... Rachel stole household idols (R & L said Laban had spent their wealth)... Rachel stays on camel... Jacob rebukes Laban... Covenant of heap of stones...

32 - Jacob Wrestles with God
Angels meet Jacob - “This is God’s camp”… J sends messengers to E… E coming with 400 men, J divides into 2 camps… J prays that he is not worthy, but please deliver… J sends droves ahead as presents… At the Jabbock J wrestled with God and his named was changed to Israel... J asks for His name… J named it Peniel “face of God”… Israel does not eat the muscle on the hip socket. 

33 - Jacob Reconciles with Esau
They were both happy to see each other… Esau journeyed to Seir… Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built a house… J journeyed to Shechem, pitched his tent, bought some land, and built an altar “El Elohe Israel “God the God of Israel”

34 - Dina Incident
D. dau of Leah raped by Prince Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite… Hamor urges D be given to Shechem and intermarriages… J’s sons require circumcision… On the third day Simeon and Levi (D’s brothers) killed Hamor and Shechem and all the males… They plundered the animals, wives and children… J was concerned the other nations would unite against him.

35 - Jacob Returns to Bethel, Deaths of Rachel and Isaac
LORD says make an altar at Bethel... Got rid of foreign gods... Name is Israel, be fruitful and multiply... LORD gives land to Israel and descendants... Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin at Bethlehem... Isaac died at Mamre/Hebron. 

36 - Esau & the Edomites
Esau is Edom… 3 Canaanite Wives… Went to Mount Seir… (Edom is southeast of Dead Sea, south of Moab)… Genealogy of Esau… Chief of Esau’s sons… Chiefs and Kings of the Edomites

37 - Joseph’s Dreams
J brings a bad report of his brothers to Israel… He loved J more, brothers jealous… Dream - brother’s sheaves bowed to J’s sheave… 2nd Dream - sun, moon and stars bow down to him… Israel sent J from Hebron to Shechem to his brothers… They went on to Dothan… They decide to kill him, but Reuben tried to save him… Judah suggests selling him to Ishmaelites… Taken to Egypt… Dipped tunic in blood… Jacob mourns… J sold to Potiphar.

38 - Judah & Tamar
Judah marries a Canaanite… Three sons; Er, Onan & Chezib… Tamar wife of Er… LORD killed Er for wickedness… Onan emits to the ground… LORD kills Onan… J says to wait for Shela… Shela not given to Tamar… J thought she was a harlot… T asks for a pledge… T becomes pregnant… “Let her be burned”… T more righteous… Twins… Zerah put out hand, scarlet thread… Perez actually born first.

39 - Joseph in Egypt
Sold to Potiphar... Lord with him and successful... Overseer, Potiphar blessed... J handsome... Wife propositions... Grabbed his garment, J fled... She lies... J sent to prison, finds favor in the keepers eyes... J manages the prison.

40 - Prisoner’s Dreams
Butler & Baker have dreams… J “Interpretations belong to God”… Butler dreams of vines, branches, grapes, Pharaoh’s cup… Baker dreams of baskets of bread and birds ate them… J explains the butler will be restored, the baker will be executed… Butler did not remember Joseph.

41 - Pharaoh’s Dreams
Dream of cows and wheat... "God will give Pharaoh and answer..." Collect 1/5 during the seven good years... Joseph becomes second in command... Given wife Asenath... Manasseh and Ephraim born...

42 - Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
Jacob “Why do you look at one another?”  Joseph recognizes and accuses them of being spies… Must bring youngest… They remember Joseph… Simeon kept back… Money returned… Jacob - “All things are against me.”  Ruben: “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you.”  

43 - Returning with Benjamin
Judah takes responsibility for Benjamin… They return to Egypt with the money and gifts… Joseph wept when he saw Benjamin… Egyptians couldn’t eat with the Hebrews… Benjamin receives a portion 5xs greater.

44 - Joseph’s Cup
All the money put back in their sacks, J’s silver cup in Benjamin’s… (J practices divination? - was this a trick?)  Judah appeals to J for the sake of B… Jacob would die if B did not return.

45 - Joseph Reveals Himself
“God sent me before you to preserves life…”  When they told Jacob that J was alive his “heart stood still.” 

46 - Jacob Journeys to Egypt
J travels to Egypt and offers sacrifices to God… God promises to make Jacob/Israel a great nation and return… Names of the children of Israel… They were shepherds, an abomination to the Egyptians.

47 - Jacob Meets Pharaoh
Jacob meets Pharaoh... The Egyptians sell their land to Pharaoh... Joseph sets tax at 1/5... Jacob asks Joseph to bury him in Canaan... Jacob/Israel "bowed himself on the head of the bed.

48 - Jacob Blesses Joseph's Sons
Jacob remembers God's promise to make him a great people and to possess the land... Jacob puts right hand on the younger Ephraim instead of firstborn Manasseh

49 - Jacob's Last Words
Rueben, unstable, he slept with Bilhah... Simeon and Levi had anger, avenged Dina... Judah, predicts Davidic kingdom and Messiah... Jacob requests to be buried with his fathers in Canaan.

50 - Joseph Buries Jacob and Comforts His Brothers
Embalming and burial for Jacob at the cave of the field of Machpelah... Joseph does not avenge his brothers... He promises that God will visit and the people of Israel will return to the promised land... Joseph dies and is embalmed.

Creation

The Fall

Flood

Tower of Babel

Abraham & Isaac