Genesis Overview

Genesis: Promises (Beginnings)

Book Overview – Pentateuch

Author: Moses

Date: After the Exodus (~1425 B.C.)

Why Genesis Matters

• Foundational beginnings
• Answers where sin, death, marriage, nations came from

Beginnings: Creation & Humanity (Gen 1-2)

• Creation (Gen 1:1-2:3)
• Mankind & Marriage (Gen 1:26 – 2:25)

Beginnings: Sin & Promise (Gen 3)

• The Fall (Gen 3)
• First Promise (Gen 3:15)

Beginnings: Worship & Civilization (Gen 4)

• Cain & Abel
• Cities, culture, technology

Beginnings: Death & Hope (Gen 4-5)

• Genealogies
• Enoch walked with God (5:24)

Beginnings: Judgment & Preservation (Gen 6-9)

• Flood
• Noahic Covenant (Gen 9:8-17)

Beginnings: Order & Nations

• Human Government (Gen 9)
• Nations & Language (Gen 10-11)

Beginnings: Patriarchs & A People (Gen 12-50)

• Abraham (Gen 12)
• Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph)
• People – Genesis sets the state for God’s people in Egypt.

Unifying Message

• Genesis centers on promise, not just origins (Beginnings serve God’s redemptive promise in Gen 12)

Promise Introduced (Gen 3:15)

• Seed promised
• Serpent defeated
• Colossians 2:14-15
• Hebrews 2:14

Promise Clarified (Gen 12:1-3)

• Seed, Land, Blessing
• Given to Abraham

Promise Preserved (Gen 12-26)

• Not by human strength (Gen 15:1-6)
• God faithful despite failure (Gen 16:1-4)

Promise Protected (Gen 37-50)

• Joseph’s suffering
• Slavery (Joseph’s brothers)
• Imprisoned (False accusation of Potiphar’s wife)
• Forgotten (Cupbearer forgetting Joseph in prison)
• God meant it for good

Conclusion

• Promises not yet fulfilled
• Faith waits and…
• Speaks
• Continues
• Desires