Genesis, the first book of the law of Moses, is the book of beginnings. The title “Genesis” is Greek for “the source or fount”, and is taken from the Septuagint. In Hebrew, the title comes from the first word of the text “In the beginning”. The time covered by this book, excluding the period left unspecified in the first two verses, is some 2,316 years. This exceeds the total time period covered by the remaining portion of scripture—both Old and New Testaments.
The book may be divided into five distinct periods: 1. In the beginning (ch. 1:1, 2). 2. From the Adamic creation to the fall (ch. 1:3-3). 3. From the fall to the flood (ch. 4-7). 4. From the flood to the call of Abraham (ch. 8–11). 5. The lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph (ch. 12-50).
Genesis 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) tells us that the Earth was “without form [waste], and void”, and yet in Isaiah 45:1818For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18) we find that: “God created it not in vain [waste]”—exactly the same word in the original as that found in Genesis 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) (the only other use of this word is to be found in Jeremiah 4:2323I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. (Jeremiah 4:23)). The time that transpired from the creation of the heavens and the earth until we find it waste and void is not specified, and neither are we told what transpired during that time—though we do know that the angels of God shouted for joy when the corner stone was laid (Job 38:6-76Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:6‑7)).
Within the pages of this book we find all the great principles of God’s relationship with man (without bringing in redemption, which makes a people for God and a dwelling-place for God in man). Here lie the great foundations for the remainder of Scripture. It is no wonder that Satan would attempt to undermine the contents of this book, throwing doubts upon its authenticity.
A general outline may be given: creation (ch. 1-2); Satan (ch. 3); the fall (ch. 3); the promise to the serpent concerning the Seed of God (vs. 3:15); sacrifice introduced (vs. 3:21 & ch. 4); our heavenly hope prefigured in Enoch (5:21-24), while the Jewish remnant is seen in Noah (ch. 6-8); the judgment of the world (ch. 6-8); government introduced as a check upon evil (ch. 9); the nations of the world with their independence epitomized in Nimrod (ch. 10-11); the call and life of Abraham, a life of faith (ch. 12-25); the son of promise, Isaac, a picture of Christ (ch. 21-28), with resurrection prefigured in Isaac (ch. 22); a heavenly people pictured in Isaac, “I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven” (vs. 26:4); the church, the bride, represented in Rebecca (ch. 24); God’s earthly people are seen in Jacob, “thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth” (ch. 28); Christ is pictured in Joseph, and the restoration of Israel is foreshadowed in His dealings with his brethren (ch. 37-45); Israel (Jacob) and his family go down into Egypt and dwell in the land of Goshen (ch. 46-50); prophesies concerning Israel (ch. 48-49); the burial of Jacob, and the death of Joseph (ch. 50).
If we consider the ages of the patriarchs, we find some interesting points for our consideration. Adam lived 930 years (Gen. 5:55And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. (Genesis 5:5)). During his lifetime he would have had opportunity to commune with Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech. Noah, the son of Lamech and a contemporary of Methuselah lived for 950 years, 350 years of that after the flood (Gen. 9:28-2928And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died. (Genesis 9:28‑29)). During this period, he may have talked with Nahor and Terah, Abraham’s grandfather and father. The life of Shem, Noah’s son, overlapped the lives of Abraham and Isaac.
It was by eyewitness account that the knowledge of God, of His Creation, the fall, His remedy, and His judgment, were passed down. How solemn then when we read in the book of Romans: “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened ... Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Rom. 1:21, 3221Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:32)).