i. Foundation  Essential to understand the rest of the Bible  The Bible is made up of many different books, but it has one main plot and Genesis “initiates the plot of the whole” (Longman).  Bible ends much like it begins: compare Gen 1- 2 with Rev 21-22

ii. Structure of Genesis 1. Genesis’ own structure: Toledoth  11 sections of Gen introduced by “these are the generations” or “this is the account of” followed by a personal name.  The person isn’t necessarily the main character  See list in notes  The point?

i. Structure of Genesis 2. 3-fold structure based on content and style a. Universal History (Gen 1-11) b. Patriarchal History (Gen 12-50) a. Abraham (Gen 12-25) b. Jacob (Gen 25-36) c. The Joseph Story (Gen 37-50

iii. Purpose of Genesis To show that Israel’s God is the sovereign Creator whose purpose to establish his covenant rule will not be hindered by the sinfulness of humanity (Richard Belcher)

i. The Creator is King 1. Kingship and Creation in Gen 1 Kingship and creation in later Psalms Psalm 95:3-6 3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker ;

i. The Creator is King 2. God exercises his Kingship in the act of calling and naming  5x = God names/calls creation (vv 5 [2 times], 8, 10 [2 times]) “The act of giving a name meant, above all, the exercise of a sovereign right. … Thus the naming of this and all subsequent creative works once more expresses graphically God’s claim of lordship over the creatures” (Von Rad).

i. The Creator is King 3. YHWH’s Kingship contrasted with other creation accounts Babylonian Myth of Creation, Ennuma Elish. Canaanite Myth of Creation. conflict. These myths and others view creation as the result of some sort of conflict or struggle among gods Genesis. In contrast, the Genesis account denies that YHWH is one of many gods who through a war earned his seat on the throne; rather, he is the eternal sovereign creator who speaks the creation into existence. Creation of “heavenly bodies” (sun, moon, stars)

ii. Gen 1:28 creation of Humanity 1. Image of God and ANE view of humanity Epic of Atrahasis. Mankind was created to do the undesirable work of the lesser gods. “bear the yoke, the task of Enlil (powerful gods). Let man assume the drudgery of the gods (Atrahasis) Enuma Elish (“when on high”). “ I shall compact blood, I shall cause bones to be, I shall make stand a human being, let ‘Man’ be its name. I shall create humankind, They shall bear the gods’ burden that those may rest” (Enuma Elish)

ii. Gen 1:28 creation of Humanity  Image of God: What does it mean to be in “God’s image?” 1. Mankind has an exalted status 1. Mankind is made for “relationship” a. Gen 1:27— “…in the image of God he created mankind, male and female God created them” 2. Mankind is made to “rule” a. Gen 1:26—“Let us make man in our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule… b. Cf. Ps. 8:6; 115:16

11 God Rules overcreation thruMan

1 Gen 2: God’s relationship with humanity i. Expands on Gen 1:26-28: God’s rule over creation through mankind Not a different creation story i. God’s relationship with mankind i. Names of God: Gen 1 Elohim; Gen 2 Yahweh

13 GENESIS 1-3 CREATION AND FALL Transcendent Immanent

i. Names of God: Gen 1 Elohim; Gen 2 Yahweh Genesis 2 highlights Yahweh’s intimate relationship with humanity  “formed him from the dust” (2:7)  “breathed into his nostrils” (2:7)  Saw that man needed a helper, so he provided one (2:18)  Entrusted to man the naming of the animals, and waits in anticipation to “see what he would name them” (2:19)  Cf. God “calling” and “naming” of Gen 1. Adam’s ongoing work of creation.

ii. Garden of Eden is a Sanctuary  The Point: Eden, the place where God and man perfectly enjoy each other’s presence, is the prototype for later sanctuaries, where God and man are able to meet.  Revelation: The new heavens and new earth are described as a “new Eden” where there is a “tree of life” (Rev 22:2), a river (Rev 22:1), and where there will “no longer be any curse” (Rev 22:3).

16 2. Gen 3 The Fall 1. What does the snake attack? You won’t really die! Did God really say? The snake attacks the validity and power of the GOD’S SPOKEN WORD

17 2. Gen 3 The Fall a. What does the snake attack? b. What’s wrong with “being like God, knowing good and evil?” (Gen 3:5) ‘knowing’ in the sense of determining. By going against God’s command, Adam and Eve are essentially asserting their own moral autonomy.

18 c. The results of the Fall God Adam Eve

d. Promise of Judgment AND salvation i. Key text: Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head And you shall bruise him on the heel.“  “protoeuangelion”  “first gospel” (foreshadow of the gospel)

20 EveSatan Gen 3:15– “I will put enmity between thee and the woman Seed And between thy seed (plural !) and her seed (plural !) SeedSatan He shall crush thy head, you will bruise his heel”

21 EveSatan Gen 3:15 – “I will put enmity between thee and the woman Seed And between thy seed (plural !) and her seed (plural !) SeedSatan He shall crush thy head, you will bruise his heel”

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d. The Promise of Judgment and Salvation i. Key text: Genesis 3:15 ii. Gen 3:19-21 and the promise of life  3:19 Adam will return to the ground (death)  3:20 Adam…names his wife??  3:21 God kills some animals??? What in the world is going on here??  3:19 News of Adam’s death (punishment)  3:20 Expression of faith in God’s promise  “the mother of all living” (i.e. she will bear a seed)  3:21 Covering of sin with death of innocent substitute  The first salvation experience ! 32

a. Gen 4 Cain and Abel i. What’s Eve thinking in 4:1 Maybe this is the promised seed? i. What is the main point of the story? 1. Moral?  Be nice to your siblings? 2. Theological  The outworking of the promise (3:15)  “enmity between seeds”

iii. Why did God reject Cain’s sacrifice 1. It wasn’t a blood sacrifice? problem: many sacrifices later in the Bible (Lev 1-7) are not blood/animal sacrifices. 2. Not offered in faith? problem: maybe, but nothing in the text indicates Cain’s lack of faith. 3. Not his best offering (i.e. it’s a heart issue) support: the only indicator in the text that contrasts Abel and Cain is that Able offered his “firstborn” while Cain’s offering is not qualified in any way.

35 iv. Genealogy: Cain – Lamech (4:16-24) v. A new “Seed” – Seth (4:25-26) a. Gen 5: Genealogy i. What’s the main point? Seed And between thy seed ………….. and her seed AbelCainSeth Lamech

36 iv. Genealogy: Cain – Lamech (4:16-24) v. A new “Seed” – Seth (4:25-26) a. Gen 5: Genealogy i. What’s the main point? i. Enoch = 7 th generation (5:21-24) i. Noah … the snake killer?(5:29)

37 Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed Seed And between thy seed and her seed AbelCainSeth Lamech Enoch SeedSeedSatanSatan He shall crush thy head, you will bruise his heel Noah

i. Gen 6:1-4 Who are the “sons of God” and “daughters of men?” 1. “sons of God” = kings? 2. “sons of God” = “seed of Seth”? 3. “sons of God” = angelic/demonic beings a. Job 38 – “sons of God” = angelic beings b. 2 Pet 2 c. Jude d. 1 Pet 3

ii. The Biblical Flood and ANE Flood Accounts 1. Introduction 2. Gilgamesh Epic 3. Similarities a. size and shape of the boat b. carried family and animals c. landed on a mountain d. release of birds to find dry ground e. offer of sacrifice after flood ended 4. Differences

ii. The Biblical Flood and ANE Flood Accounts 1. Introduction 2. Gilgamesh Epic 3. Similarities 4. Differences i. Bible: flood takes place within the framework of morality; ii. Bible: God is in complete control, ordaining the beginning and end of the flood. iii. Bible: God saves Noah out of his grace and his commitment to keep his word (ala Gen. 3:15). God desires a relationship with humanity 5. Theological point

41 iii. God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 6:18-19; 8:17-9:17) 1.Reaffirm God’s redemptive goal for both creation and mankind. 1.Affirmed God’s value on life and the seriousness of sin. 1.The sin/fall of Noah (Gen 9). Gen 9:1-17. Reflects Gen “Be fruitful and multiply (Gen 8:17; 9:1, 7) 2.Fall of Adam (Gen 3); fall of Noah (9:20-21) 3.Sin of offspring (Cain and Ham). 4.Nakedness (3:9-10)

42 TAIL!

43 Noah HamShem Canaan Japheth

 What’s wrong with building a tower?  Not build a tower to reach into heaven (i.e. climb into heaven)!  Cf. NLT “…into the sky…”  They are looking for significance in themselves (“let us make a name for ourselves”).  11:4 “‘Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world’” (NLT).  Babel becomes a picture of people getting together, trying to establish culture and civilization, though without God.

46 What is the artist saying about “Babel” or “Babylon”?

iii. RAY OF HOPE with Abram Genealogy (11:10-32)  Abraham is the new solution to the problem of sin. The promise to Abraham is God’s new means through which Creation will be set right.

48 Abraham Shem Canaan Enoch Seed Noah Seed Lamech Seed And between thy seed and her seed AbelCainSeth

49 4 Murder of Abel 5 Genea- logies 6 Weird giants & bad people 6-8Noah almighty & the ark 10 Genea- logies 9 Noah gets drunk curses wrong guy 11 First skyscraper project goes bad.