Survey of the Book of Genesis

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Genesis, meaning "In the Beginning," is the first book in the Bible and the first book in the Pentateuch. Genesis is the foundational book of the Bible, revealing how God created the world, humanity, and His plan for redemption from the very beginning. Traditionally attributed to Moses, it was likely written between 1440—1400 BC and introduces key biblical themes like creation, sin, covenant, and salvation. The book begins with the creation of the universe and traces the fall of humanity, the flood, and the scattering at Babel, showing both the justice and mercy of God. From chapter 12 onward, Genesis focuses on the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—and God's unfolding plan to bless the nations through Abraham's line. Through their flawed lives, we see God's faithfulness, patience, and covenant love at work despite human sin. Joseph's story especially highlights how God can use evil intentions for good, preserving life and fulfilling His promises. Genesis invites us to trust the God who created us, knows our brokenness and is always working to restore what sin has damaged.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Author: The author of Genesis is traditionally identified as Moses. Other parts of the Pentateuch name Moses as the author (Numbers 33:2; Deuteronomy 31:24). Jesus and New Testament writers refer to Moses as having written the Law (see Mark 12:26; John 5:45–47; Romans 10:5). While some scholars have questioned Moses' authorship, there is no definitive evidence against Moses as the original author of the book of Genesis.
• Date of writing: The book of Genesis was likely written between 1440—1400 BC, between the time of the exodus and Moses' death.
• Themes: The book of Genesis is often called the "seed plot" of the Bible, as it contains the beginnings of all the major biblical themes and foreshadows what is to come. Most notably, Genesis includes the protoevangelium, or "first gospel," found in Genesis 3:15, which prophesies the eventual defeat of Satan through the offspring of the woman—pointing to Christ's victory through His death and resurrection. The book introduces the theme of creation in Genesis 1—2, where God brings the universe and humanity into existence by His word. It also records the entrance of sin into the world in Genesis 3, showing how disobedience leads to separation from God. Redemption begins to unfold through God's dealings with individuals like Noah (Genesis 6—9), Abram (Genesis 12:1–3), and Joseph (Genesis 50:20), revealing that God works to restore what has been broken. Genesis also shows the beginning of reconciliation, as seen in Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers in Genesis 45:4–15. Additionally, it introduces the themes of land (Genesis 12:7; 15:18), blessing (Genesis 12:2–3), and covenant (Genesis 15:18; 17:1–8), all of which shape God’s relationship with His people throughout the rest of Scripture.
• Purpose: Genesis answers humanity's basic questions for life: Who are we? Where did we come from? What is our purpose? It reveals that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27), formed by Him from the dust of the ground and given the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). We come from God's creative work in the beginning (Genesis 1:1), and our purpose is to live in relationship with Him, steward His creation (Genesis 1:28; 2:15), and reflect His character. Genesis records God's original intent for people to dwell with Him in the goodness of His creation, without sin and death (Genesis 2:8–17). Yet even after humanity rejected God's plan by disobeying Him (Genesis 3:6), He continued to pursue a relationship with people, providing coverings (Genesis 3:21), making covenants (Genesis 9:9; 15:18), and working through flawed individuals to fulfill His redemptive plan (Genesis 12:1–3; 50:20).
• Structure: The book of Genesis is made up mostly of narrative, telling the stories of creation, the fall, the flood, the patriarchs, and God's unfolding plan for humanity. Another prominent feature in the book is genealogies, which serve to connect the stories and record important lineages. These genealogies trace the line from Adam through Noah (Genesis 5), from Noah’s sons after the flood (Genesis 10), and from Shem to Abraham (Genesis 11:10–26), establishing the ancestry of God’s chosen people and setting the stage for the promises to be fulfilled through the descendants of Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3).
• Brief summary: The book of Genesis contains two main sections: the Primitive History in chapters 1—11 and the History of the Patriarchs in chapters 12—50. The Primitive History contains creation, the fall, the flood, and the dispersion. The Patriarchal History contains the history of the Patriarchs, the founders of the nation of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus quotes Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 in Matthew 19:4–5 and Mark 10:6–8 to affirm that God created humanity male and female and designed marriage as a union between one man and one woman.
• Paul refers to Genesis 3:1–6 in 2 Corinthians 11:3 to warn the church not to be deceived as Eve was by the serpent’s cunning, and in 1 Timothy 2:13–14 he reminds readers that Eve was deceived and became a transgressor.
• Paul alludes to Genesis 3:15 (the protoevangelium) in Romans 16:20, declaring that God will soon crush Satan under the feet of believers, reflecting the promised victory over the serpent.
• Genesis 15:6 is quoted in Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23, where Abraham’s belief in God is credited to him as righteousness, serving as a foundational example of justification by faith.
• Paul quotes Genesis 22:18 in Galatians 3:8 and 3:16 to show that God's promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s offspring is fulfilled in Christ.
• The story of Cain and Abel from Genesis 4 is referenced in Hebrews 11:4 to highlight Abel’s faith, in 1 John 3:12 to warn against hatred and unrighteousness, and in Jude 1:11 as an example of rebellion.
• Genesis 6—9 is referenced in several places: Matthew 24:37–39 uses the days of Noah as a parallel to the coming of the Son of Man; Hebrews 11:7 praises Noah’s faith in building the ark; 1 Peter 3:18–22 connects the flood to baptism; and 2 Peter 2:5 calls Noah “a herald of righteousness.”
• The story of Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18–20 is extensively used in Hebrews chapters 5 through 7, where Melchizedek is described as a type of Christ—both king and priest, without genealogy, and greater than Abraham.
• Paul quotes Genesis 25:23 in Romans 9:10–13, showing that God’s choice of Jacob over Esau was based on His sovereign purpose, not human effort, and confirms this by quoting Malachi 1:2–3: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The book of Genesis lays the framework for our understanding of reality, showing that this universe was created with a purpose by the God who is sovereign over all things. From the beginning, we learn that humanity is made in God's image, created for relationship with Him and one another. The book of Genesis also reveals how sin and death came into the world, and that we have free will to act in sin or live in communion with God through obedience.

Genesis powerfully reveals God's unwavering faithfulness as He fulfills His covenant to Abraham and his descendants, not because of their perfection, but because of His steadfast love. In His dealings with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we see a God who is patient with weakness, merciful in failure, and faithful to His Word across generations. The life of Joseph stands as a bold testimony that even in betrayal, injustice, and suffering, God is sovereignly working for redemption. What others mean for harm, God can transform into blessing—not just for one person, but for many. Genesis invites us to trust a God who weaves His purposes through the brokenness of human stories to bring about His good and perfect plan. Genesis teaches us that our beginnings matter, that sin has consequences, but that God's grace and promises are stronger than human failure.

Key verses:

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:27).

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15).

"Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed'" (Genesis 12:1–3).

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Genesis 50:20).

UNDERSTAND

• Genesis reveals God as the Creator of the universe who establishes order, purpose, and relationship with humanity.
• The book of Genesis introduces sin but also reveals God’s plan of redemption.
• Genesis reveals God’s plan of redemption unfolding through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, demonstrating His faithfulness to bless all nations despite human failure.

REFLECT

• How does seeing God’s intentionality and purpose in creation impact the way you see your life?
• Where do you see God’s faithfulness and mercy at work in your own life, especially when you face challenges or failures, like the patriarchs in Genesis?
• How can you live intentionally in trust that God is working through difficult or confusing circumstances for your good, just as He did through Joseph’s story?

ENGAGE

• How do God’s covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Abraham’s descendants influence our understanding of God’s relationship with humanity and us personally today?
• How do the realities of sin and its consequences, along with God’s plan for redemption, affect the way we understand human nature and God’s grace?
• How can we apply the truth that God can bring good even from evil intentions to the conflicts or hardships we witness or experience in our communities?