Book of Genesis - Bible Survey

Genesis. — This first book of the Bible is the remarkable preface, as the Apocalypse is the equally striking conclusion, of the revelations of God. It presents the germ, in one form or another, of nearly all the ways of God and man, which we find separately developed in the succeeding books of Scripture, just as the Apocalypse is the natural close, presenting the ripened fruits even for eternity of all that had been sown from the first, the ultimate results of every intervening interference of God and of His enemy. Thus, we have in Genesis the creation of which man is chief (Gen. 1); the principles of moral relationship with God and His creatures (Gen. 2); the temptation of Satan and his judgment by the seed of the woman; sin against God and man (and especially against Christ in type), sacrifice and worship, the world, and the household of faith (Gen. 3, Gen. 4); the heavenly and the earthly testimonies to Christ's coming (Gen. 5); the apostacy of man (Gen. 6); God's warning by His spirit and judgment in the deluge, with the salvation of a spared remnant in the ark, and mercy to the creature (Gen. 7); reconciliation in its relation to the earth and not to man only (Gen. 8); God's covenant with creation (Gen. 9); government and the history of the present world in its early rise and progress (Gen. 10, Gen. 11); the call and promises of God, and the history of the called (12); the heavenly and earthly callings, (Gen. 13); the Melchizedec priesthood (Gen. 14); the Jewish portion unfolded and confirmed, with the disclosure of long oppression previously from those who are to be specially judged (Gen. 15); the typical introduction of the law or Hagar covenant (Gen. 16); and the intervention of God's grace sealed by circumcision, and displayed in the heir of promise (Gen. 17); whose further announcement is linked with the divine judgment about to fall once more, and with intercession as the due place of those who, outside the evil, enjoy communion with God (Gen. 18); salvation so as by fire out of the tribulation and judgment which swallow up the ungodly (Gen. 19); failure of the faithful in maintaining their real relationship before the world (Gen. 20); the son of promise is born, and the child of the law, according to the flesh, is cast out, followed by the world's submission instead of reproof (Gen. 21). Then follows the grand shadow of Christ's death, as the provision of the Father's love, and His resurrection (Gen. 22); the covenant form of blessing disappears (Gen. 23); and the calling of the bride for the risen bridegroom ensues (Gen. 24). Finally is seen the sovereign call of him, afterwards named Israel, who is identified with the sorrows, wanderings, and ultimate blessing of that people (Gen. 25 — 50); with the striking episode of his son Joseph, who is first rejected by his brethren after the flesh, and suffers yet more at the hands of the Gentiles; next is exalted (as yet unknown to his natural kindred) to the right-hand of the throne; and lastly is owned in glory by the very brethren who had rejected him, but now owe all to his wisdom and majesty and love. Genesis is at once a book of matchless simplicity to him who glides over its surface, and of infinite depth to him who searches into the deep things of God.

Thus in Genesis, couched under the simplest forms of word or deed, are seen the great principles of divine action and relationship with man from the earliest days, which look on typically to the last: creation, human responsibility, sin, revelation of a Deliverer in grace, sacrifice in faith, the world in its worship and in its outward progress, translation to heaven, corruption and violence on earth, providential judgment and deliverance through it, covenant with the earth, human government ordained but of God, combination of men in pride, dispersion into nations, tribes, and tongues by divine judgment; calling by grace as a separate witness for the God of promise; the risen son and heir with the calling of the bride; the election for the earth cast out for a time, but after humbling experiences restored and blessed and a blessing; and this in connection with a holy sufferer rejected by his brethren, sold to the Gentiles, but by this very path of sorrow exalted over the world while unknown to Israel, and receiving a Gentile bride, but finally making himself known to his brethren preserved through their secret trouble, and now owning in him the grace and glory they had so long despised and hated.

Thus in Genesis, couched under the simplest forms of word or deed, are seen the great principles of divine action and relationship with man from the earliest days, which look on typically to the last: creation, human responsibility, sin, revelation of a Deliverer in grace, sacrifice in faith, the world in its worship and in its outward progress, translation to heaven, corruption and violence on earth, providential judgment and deliverance through it, covenant with the earth, human government ordained but of God, combination of men in pride, dispersion into nations, tribes, and tongues by divine judgment; calling by grace as a separate witness for the God of promise; the risen son and heir with the calling of the bride; the election for the earth cast out for a time, but after humbling experiences restored and blessed and a blessing; and this in connection with a holy sufferer rejected by his brethren, sold to the Gentiles, but by this very path of sorrow exalted over the world while unknown to Israel, and receiving a Gentile bride, but finally making himself known to his brethren preserved through their secret trouble, and now owning in him the grace and glory they had so long despised and hated.

Genesis, being the book of beginnings, has been called the seed plot of the Bible. It contains in admirable seed form all the truths that are later developed throughout scripture. Here is seen the beautiful simplicity of early life on earth before creation was so greatly marred by the complications that sin has introduced. Genesis symbolizes the life-giving work of God begun in a soul — new birth — with promise of fruit to come. The book specially revolves around the lives of seven outstanding patriarchs — Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

Genesis describes the creation of the world, the fall of the first men into sin and its consequences, but not only the curse but also the first clear pointer to the redeemer. We see God's righteousness in the judgment of the great flood, but also election of grace and the life of faith in Abraham. In the story of Isaac we see the beloved son of the father who had to be sacrificed, and in the story of Joseph and his brothers the whole way of Israel with their Messiah. In the biographies of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we are also presented with the personal life of faith. The tent shows us that the believer is a wandering stranger in this world, who has no remaining city here, but is looking for the one to come. The altar is the picture of fellowship with the only true God and the worship that He seeks.

But "life" is, so to speak, the key-note - the thread upon which all else is strung. Genesis is plainly almost entirely a series of biographies. It divides, after the introductory account of creation, in chapters 1 and 2, into seven of these, in which we have a perfect picture of divine life in the soul, from its almost imperceptible beginning to its full maturity. Adam gives us the beginning, when, with the entrance of God's Word, light comes into the soul of a sinner, and God meets him as such with the provision of His grace. (Chap. 3.) Then, (Chap. 4 and 6) we have the history of the two "seeds," and their antagonism, - a story which has its counterpart in the history of the world at large, but also in every individual soul Abraham's Canaan life - pilgrim and stranger, but a worshipper, gives us the fruit and consequence of this - a "walk in Him" whom we have received. (Chap. 11: 10 - 21.) Then, Isaac, our type as "sons, (Gal. 4: 28.) speaks to us of a self-surrender into a Father's hands, the door into a life of quiet and enjoyment, as it surely is. (Chap. 22 - 24:33.) Jacob speaks of the discipline of sons, by which the crooked and deceitful man becomes Israel , a prince with God, - a chastening of love, dealing with the fruits of the old nature in us. (Chap. 26: 34 - 27:1.) While Joseph , the fullest image of Christ, suffers, not for sin, but for righteousness' sake, and attains supremacy over the world, and fullness of blessing from the almighty One, his strength. (Chap. 37 ff) All this we may more fully see hereafter. Even this hint of it may make plain what I have already stated to be the main feature of the book, with which the first section corresponds in the closest way. Like many another first section, but perhaps beyond any other, it is really a sort of table of contents to the rest of the book. It is of course much more than that, as we shall see, if the Lord give wisdom to unfold what this story of creation gives us. It is, as all else here, a type, while it is none the less on that account a literal history. Its spiritual meaning in no wise turns it into myth or fable, as some would assume. "All these things happened unto them," says the apostle, - so the things really happened, but - "for types." What importance must attach, then, to a "type," to produce which God has actually modelled the history of the world from the beginning! With what reverence should we listen to the utterances so strangely given, so marvellously "written for our admonition"! Instead of setting aside the literal record of creation, it surely confirms it in the highest degree that the Creator should demonstrate Himself the new Creator, and show how in laying the foundations of the earth which sin has cursed and death has scarred, He who seeth the end from the beginning had even then before Him, in the depths and counsels of His heart, a scene into which, secure in its unchanging Head, sin and death no more should enter - which they should nevermore defile! It is divine, this record: true, of course, then, and infinitely more - although faith be needed for the realization of it. I do not doubt that the story before us is not merely even a single, but a twofold type; finding its fulfillment in two spheres, which are very generally correspondent to one another. The world without has its reflection in the world within us. So the steps in the divine dealing with the world at large have their correspondence with His dealing with us as individuals. In our consideration of them, this individual application will come first. It is that which is most prominent all through, and which links the whole series of types together; and this has its significance for us. In men's thoughts you will find, as what they imagine to be advanced and liberal views, the progress of the race putting out of sight the interest of the individual: they speak much of man, think little of men.* It is not so with God; the blessing of the race is reached (with Him) through the blessing of the individual, and not one is overlooked. Nay, "not a sparrow falls to the ground without your Father." This is what is in His heart, whatever the perplexity which sin has introduced; and oh how profoundly needful for us the assurance of this! It may do for philosophy to proclaim the grandeur of general laws, to which the individual good must give place; but the grip of this iron machinery has none of the comfort of the grasp of a Father's hand. The heart of God alone suffices the hearts which He has made.

Scope and Divisions of Genesis.

Its Scope Literally. — Creation, and the ages of promise before the law (man having fallen). The promise of life before the ages; the call of Noah and the sovereignty over the earth renewed; the call of Abram and the promise to him; the seed called in Isaac; the election of Jacob and the beginning of the nation; its infancy sheltered of God in Egypt.

The subdivisions are as follows: — (Gen. 3.) "The promise of life in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 1:1) and the new birth in grace. (Gen. 4, 5.) The breach shows itself in the contrasted seeds in the world at large, and in the strife of good and evil within the saint, of which this is the type. (Gen. 6 — 11:9.) The resurrection of a world, and the threefold division of mankind after the flood. Typically, the saint raised up with Christ (the ark). (Gen. 11:10 — 21.) Abraham, the "heir of the world," and the pilgrim-walk and trial of faith. (Gen. 22 — 26:33.) Isaac: self-surrender the responsibility of sonship, and the recompense of it. (Gen. 26:34 — 37:1.) Jacob: the discipline of sons. (Gen. 37:2 — 50.) Joseph: the Christ-life developed in full "image."

We will point out these inspired divisions at once, so that from the outset we may have them clearly before us. They are as follows: — Genesis 1:1 — Genesis 2:3, which we have already considered, we may designate as — The Beginning. Genesis 2:4 — Genesis 4:26, Generations of heavens and earth. Genesis 5:1 — Genesis 6:8, Generations of Adam. Genesis 6:9 — Genesis 9:29, Generations of Noah. Genesis 10:1 — Genesis 11:9, Generations of sons of Noah. Genesis 11:10 — Genesis 11:26; Generations of Shem. Genesis 11:27 — Genesis 25:11, Generations of Terah. Genesis 25:12 — Genesis 25:18, Generations of Ishmael. Genesis 25:19 — Genesis 35:29, Generations of Isaac. Genesis 36:1 — Genesis 37:1, Generations of Esau. Genesis 37:2 — Genesis 50:26, Generations of Jacob.

THE CREATION ACCOUNT (1-2:3) THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH (2:4-4) THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM (5-6:8) THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH (6:9-9:29) THE GENERATIONS OF THE SONS OF NOAH (10-11:9) THE GENERATIONS OF SHEM (11:10-26) THE GENERATIONS OF TERAH (11:27-25:11) THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL (25:12-18) THE GENERATIONS OF ISAAC (25:19-35) THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU (36:1-8) THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU'S SONS (36:9-43) THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB (37:2-50:26)