Only the beginning, only just the start… Creation Creation of man The Fall The Flood The Tower of Babel Genesis 1-11 The story of the lives of four men Genesis 12-50

The purpose of the Bible To explain God’s attempt to establish His kingdom on earth.

Genesis – the Purpose To explain Israel’s beginning and purpose in the establishment of God’s rule on earth.

Genesis – The Structure Genesis is divided by markers in different sections, each highlighted by a certain Hebrew word.

Genesis – The Structure This word can be translated with the phrase, “What became of…”

Genesis – The Structure – 2:4-4:26 We have looked at what became of The heavens and the earth Adam Noah the Sons of Noah and specifically Shem, who brought us to… Terah and now Abram.

Genesis – The Structure – 6:9-8:22 The author has led us to understand both how and why Israel was a necessity and why they had to be a separate people in a separate land.

Genesis – The Structure – 6:9-8:22 The necessity of Israel and their unique place in the program of God makes Scripture understandable.

Genesis – The Structure – 6:9-8:22 Failure to see Israel’s unique standing has caused many confused and confusing interpretations of the Bible.

Genesis – The Outline I. Early Events (1:1-11:26) A. Creation of the Heavens and the Earth (1:1-2:3) B. What became of the heavens and the earth (2:4-4:26) C. What became of Adam (5:1-6:8) D. What became of Noah (6:9-9:29) E. What became of the Sons of Noah (10:1-11:9) F. What became of Shem (11:10-26)

Genesis – The Outline II. The Stories of the Patriarchs (11:27-50:26) A. What became of Terah 1. The making of the covenant with Abram (11:27-15:21)

Genesis 12:1-3 – Three promises to Abram God would: 1.Bless those who blessed him 2.Curse anyone who would treat him lightly 3.Bless the families of the earth through him

Galatians 3:5-9 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Galatians 3:5-9 Through Abraham’s greatest Son would come the blessing of salvation to the world. John 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Galatians 3:5-9 Like Abraham, believers in the OT got eternal life like those in the New: by believing in the Christ for life! Rom. 4:1-5; Also, Rom. 3:25; Isa. 53:6

Genesis 15:1-6

Genesis 15:1 Abraham would not take a reward from the King of Sodom!

Genesis 15:2-6 Abram did not understand how this blessing to the world he was told about in 12:1-2 would come about.

Genesis 15:2-6 “Can the God who made the stars pull this off?”

Genesis 15:2-6 Abraham believed God in Genesis 12 and acted.

Genesis 15:2-6 This is either a reference to that or the time it all comes together for Abraham.

Genesis 15:2-6 What Abraham believed was that God could and would bless the world with Messiah who would come from him.

Genesis 15:2-6 He believed in that coming Messiah, who would bring life and blessing to the world. Rom. 4:1-5; Jn. 8:56; 11:25-27; Isa. 53; Job 19:25-26

Genesis 15:7-20 – The promise of the Land God (Yahweh) makes a unilateral covenant and swears to give Abraham’s descendants the land from Egypt to the Euphrates.

Genesis 15:7-20 – The promise of the Land Since God swears by Himself, the covenant can’t be broken.

Genesis 15:7-20 – The promise of the Land God warns them in advance that their destiny involved four centuries in Egypt, an important consideration for the wilderness generation.

Genesis 15:7-20 – The promise of the Land Just as it helped them, looking back, it helps us seeing a nation gathered together again after almost 20 centuries.

Genesis 16:1-6 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Rather than trusting the Lord, Abram and Sarai tried to “figure it out” instead of waiting and used the customs of the day to solve the apparent problem.

Genesis 16:1-6 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Some of the our greatest failures may well follow our greatest times of spiritual success! David = 2 Samuel 11 Elijah = 1 Kings 19 Peter = Matt. 16 …or fatigue! Moses Num. 20:1-12

Genesis 16:1-6 – Even Abram’s faith wavered The couple’s scheming ended up producing the father of the Arab people and enmity between them that exists to this day.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered The Lord appeared to Hagar and commanded her to “return” and “submit” to her mistress.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered However, she returned with promises in hand: God has “heard” (Ishmael) her misery. Both she and the couple needed to know that.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered In addition, God saw what had happened and would “look out for her”.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered God sees and hears when people are in distress and mistreatment.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Hagar learned that and responded in faith. Sarai should have known.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Sarai’s lack of faith started a problem going on to this day. Remember: it was the Ishmaelites who took Joseph to Egypt.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered It is not at all uncommon that those closest to us can be either/or our greatest source of encouragement or discouragement. Hebrews 3:12f.!!!

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Which are you?

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Both then and now, the servants of God are to trust in His word and patiently wait for its fulfillment.

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered Interjecting human effort will not help. But…

Genesis 16:7-16 – Even Abram’s faith wavered God is a God who sees, hears, and has all the power we need.

After all, He made the stars!