Plan of the Book
Four Great Moments
- The Forming of Earth
- The Fall
- The Flood
- The Folly of Babel
and…
Four Great Men
- Abraham – Man of Separation
- Isaac – Man of Sonship
- Jacob – Man of Service
- Joseph – Man of Suffering
or…
The Ten Toledots or Generations
Genesis 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10; 11:27; 25:12; 25:19; 36:1; 37:2. These are 10 of the 14 generations listed in Scripture. Note especially the 14th.
Period of Time
- Chapters 1-5 The Primeval age of about 1500 years
- Chapters 6-11 The Preparatory age of about 500 years
- Chapters 12-50 The Patriarchal Age of perhaps 320 years
The remainder of the Old Testament takes up the next 2000 years.
Panoramas
- In the Creation account we have a panorama of the Dispensations ending in a Man united to His Bride.
- In the Creation account we have a picture of God’s dealings in redemption with an individual soul from the entrance of light to man in the likeness of God.
- The first recorded natural death is Adam’s and before another death is recorded, Enoch is translated. God is showing two ways to leave earth.
Principles Introduced
- Chapter 1 as the basis for ethics; God declaring what is “good”
- Revelation of Divine attributes as revealed in creation
- The Second superceding the First
- Faith and righteousness
- The Faithfulness of God
- Law of first mention: love, worship, Bethel or House of God, etc.
- Marriage as God intended
Pictures
- Men and their Brides: Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
- Fathers and their Grief over Sons: Adam and Abel, Noah and Ham, Abram and Isaac, Jacob and Joseph
- The Sufferings of Christ: Adam and his side; Abel slain; Canaan cursed, Isaac on the altar, Jacob serving for a bride; Joseph suffering
- Pictures of a local assembly beginning with the Garden of Eden in chapter 2. Find at least two others.
Parallelism
- Begins in a garden and ends in a coffin
- Begins with a man through whom the world was to be blessed and ends with a man who is a blessing to the nations
- Begins with a man who denies he is his brother’s keeper and ends with a man who nourishes and saves his brothers
Suggested Books
As with any commentary, read with discernment. Many of the current commentaries come from writers with a Reformed Theology background whose eschatology reflects their doctrine. Some of the older reliable commentaries are long, and written in 19th century style, which modern readers find difficult to follow.
Genesis by CHM (every young believer should have CHM on the Pentateuch)
Genesis by J. N. Darby
Genesis by Wm. Kelly
Genesis by John Phillips
The Genesis Record by Henry Morris
Genesis – 3 Volumes, by James Montgomery Boice
The Patriarchs by J. J. Bellett
Gleanings in Genesis by Arthur W. Pink
Genesis by Derek Kidner (IVP)
