Genesis

Author : Keith Sharp

The LawThe first five books of the Old Testament are usually called “the law” or “the Torah” by the Jews. The term “Torah” means “direction, law, instruction.” These five books collectively are also called “the Pentateuch.” This term is derived from two Greek words: “pente” (five) and “touchos” (volume). Thus, they compose a five volume book.

In the Old Testament itself the Pentateuch or Law is called “the law” (e.g., Joshua 8:34; Nehemiah 8:2,7,14), “the Book of the Law” (e.g., Joshua 8:34; 2 Chronicles 34:14; Nehemiah 8:3), “the Book of the Law of Moses” (e.g., Joshua 8:31; Nehemiah 8:1), “the Book of Moses” (e.g., Nehemiah 13:1), “the Law of the Lord” (e.g., 2 Chronicles 31:3), “the Law of God” (Nehemiah 10:28-29), “the Book of the Law of God” (e.g., Joshua 24:26), “the Book of the Law of the Lord” (e.g., Nehemiah 9:3) and “the Law of Moses” (e.g., Ezra 3:2).

In the New Testament, these books taken together are designated “the law” (e.g., Matthew 12:5), “the book of the law” (Galatians 3:10), “the law of Moses” (e.g., Luke 2:22; 24:44), “the law of the Lord” (Luke 2:23-24), “the law of the Jews” (Acts 25:8), “our (Jews – KS) law” (John 19:7) and “your (Jews – KS) law” (e.g., John 8:17).

AuthorIt is obvious from the titles already cited that God is the ultimate author of the Law and that Moses was the instrument through whom God gave that Law. Although neither the book of Genesis nor the Pentateuch as a whole contains an introduction naming Moses as the author, the evidence supporting the fact Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible is overwhelming.

The Pentateuch itself contains weighty evidence to the Mosaic authorship. The Lord commanded Moses to write “in the book” (Exodus 17:14). Moses wrote “all the words of the Lord” (Exodus 24:4) that comprise the “Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 34:27). At the command of God, Moses recorded the itinerary of the Wilderness Wanderings (Numbers 33:2). Moses wrote the Law in a book (Deuteronomy 31:9,24).

The remainder of the Scriptures unanimously ascribe the authorship of the Law to Moses. The Old Testament (Joshua 1:7-8; 8:31-32,34-35; 11:15,20; 14:2; 22:9; 23:6; Judges 3:4; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; 21:8; Ezra 6:18; Nehemiah 13:1; Daniel 9:11-13), Christ (Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:4-5; Luke 24:27,44; John 5:46-47; 7:19) and the New Testament writers (Acts 3:22; 13:39; 15:5,21; 1 Corinthians 9:9; 2 Corinthians 3:14-15; Revelation 15:3) unite in naming Moses as the author of the Law.

NameThe word “Genesis” is from the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Old Testament, which renders Genesis 2:4, “This is the book of thegenesees of heaven and earth.” The word means “origin, source, or generation.” The Jews called the book “B’reshith,” which means “in the beginning.” This is the first word in the book in Hebrew.

ThemeGenesis is quite literally “the book of beginnings.” It is the introductory book to both the Old Testament and the Bible. In Genesis we find the beginning of (1) the universe (1:1 – 2:3), (2) the earth (1:1 – 2:3), (3) life on earth (1:1 – 2:3), (4) mankind (2:4-25), (5) marriage (2:18-25), (6) sin (3:1-6), (7) sins consequences (3:7-22), (8) redemption (3:15; 12:3), (9) worship (4:3-5,26), (10) cities (4:17), (11) polygamy (4:19), (12) instrumental music (4:21), (13) metal work (4:22), (14) nations (10:1-32) (15) various languages (11:1-3) (16) the nation of Israel (12:1-3,7) and other things. Genesis is the only reliable record of the origin of all things and the history of the ancient world. The purpose of Genesis is to tell how things began.

Type of LiteratureHistory is the written record of the past. If Genesis is history, the events recorded therein actually happened as they are written.

Epic poetry, on the other hand, is “a long narrative poem recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero” (Webster’s dictionary). Poetry abounds in figures of speech and appeals to imagination and emotion by the use of various literary devices.

Those who contend that Genesis is epic poetry do so to throw doubt on its historical accuracy. They think the book is a collection of Hebrew legends about the distant past. If the book of Genesis is such a work, it is simply the product of the Hebrew people, not inspired of God, and has no higher claim for acceptance as truth than myths of other ancient peoples.

There are several reasons to reject the position that Genesis is myth and to accept the fact it is sober history. The book is not written in the style of Hebrew poetry but of history. Moses introduces each new section with the phrase, “This is the history” (or “genealogy”) (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10,27; 25:12,19; 36:1; 37:2). So far as archaeology has been able to check the Genesis record, it has proven accurate. The author displays amazing historical objectivity, a quality unknown to other ancient records. He records the drunkenness of Noah, the lies of Abraham, and the adultery of Judah; at the same time he tells the noble qualities of Pharaoh and Abimelech. Since Jesus accepted the Genesis record as literal history (Matthew 19:3-6; 24:37-39), all who claim to be Christians must accept that Genesis is history. Furthermore, the apostles add their testimony to the fact Genesis is literal history (1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 Peter 3:18-21; 2 Peter 2:5-8). To claim the Genesis record is mythological is to reject the testimony of the Son of God and of His apostles.

Scientific AccuracyScience is knowledge gained by observation and experimentation. To be a subject of science, a process must be something that can be observed, measured, and repeated. Genesis is not intended to be a science book, but neither are its statements which touch on science inaccurate. It is true that human assumptions about Genesis often contradict science. For example, Catholic theologians of the Middle Ages asserted that Genesis teaches that the earth is the center of the universe. In reality, the book teaches no such thing. At the same time, human assumptions about science may contradict Genesis. Thus, the false philosophy of general evolution does indeed contradict the Genesis account of creation. But the facts of natural science do not uphold general evolution. However, there is no conflict between the actual Genesis record and the facts of science.

DivisionsGenesis is composed of two major sections. In section one Moses traces the beginning of all things up to the call of Abraham (1:1 – 11:26). In the second section he shows the rise of the Hebrew nation as the offspring of Abraham, the friend of God (11:27 – 50:26).

KeyThe threefold promise to Abraham (Nation, Seed, Land: Genesis 12:1-3,7) is at the hub of Genesis, the key to the entire Old Testament, and the connection between the Old and New Testaments.

OutlineMoses himself divided the book of Genesis into eleven sections with the phrase, repeated ten times, “This is the history (genealogy) of.” Therefore, Genesis is naturally outlined thus:

(1) In the Beginning (1:1- 2:3).
(2) The History of the Heavens and the Earth (2:4 – 4:26).
(3) The Book of the Genealogy of Adam (5:1 – 6:8).
(4) The Genealogy of Noah (6:9 – 9:29).
(5) The Genealogy of the Sons of Noah (10:1 – 11:9).
(6) The Genealogy of Shem (11:10-26).
(7) The Genealogy of Terah (The Sojourn of Abraham) (11:27 – 25:11).
(8) The Genealogy of Ishmael (25:12-18).
(9) The Genealogy of Isaac (25:19 – 35:29).
(10) The Genealogy of Esau (36:1 – 37:1).
(11) The Genealogy of Jacob (37:2 – 50:26).