Genesis Overview + Outline
Here’s a sneak peek of the book of Genesis! Let’s dig right in to understand this book's overarching narrative with a few questions!
WHAT TYPE OF BOOK IS THIS? (LAW, HISTORY, POETRY, WISDOM, GOSPEL, EPISTLE, OR PROPHECY)?
The first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch or Torah, are known as God's Law. While Genesis captures the history of the world's foundation, man's creation, and the formation of God's nation, it falls into the category of God's Law.
WHO WROTE THIS BOOK? WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE AUTHOR?
We don't have anyone explicitly claiming, "hey, I wrote Genesis!" However, a few passages throughout the Pentateuch hint at Moses being the author. (And most scholars agree.)
Exodus 17:14 says, "Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."
Exodus 24:4-7 also notes: And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient."
Lastly, Numbers 33:1-2 says, "These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the Lord, and these are their stages according to their starting places."
Moses had a pharaoh's education and God's calling to write down many things. He's the safe bet of who wrote this book!
WHO IS THIS BOOK WRITTEN FOR? WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN?
The Pentateuch would have initially served God's people as a reminder of the Creation, Fall of Man and their ancestry stemming from Abraham. Today, it is a similar reminder of the creation of the world, man, and God's nation! Scholars place the date it was written after the Exodus around 1445 BC but before Moses's death around 1405 BC.
WHAT IS THE SETTING AND LOCATION OF THIS BOOK?
As you read, you'll notice there are many locations, given specific names for events that occurred there. However, the most important places occur within three particular areas:
The book starts in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve had complete fellowship with God. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, God kicked them out of the garden so they wouldn't know evil forever. Eventually, they settled in Mesopotamia between Genesis 1-11.
After the flood, Abraham lived primarily in the Promised Land (Genesis 12-36).
Lastly, Genesis 37-50 shows Abraham's descendants ended up in Egypt after Jacob's death, according to Exodus 1:1-7.
WHAT’S THE GENERAL OUTLINE AND STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK AS A WHOLE?
There are two distinct histories present within Genesis:
1) In Genesis 1-11, we get foundational history! This section is where we learn about the Trinity, the world's creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall of Man, marriage/gender, family, judgment, and the starting of nations. The first four main events were the Creation, Fall, flood, and dispersion of people.
2) In Genesis 12-50, we get an in-depth look at Israel's formation through Abraham's family, primarily looking at Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
HOW DOES THIS BOOK FIT INTO THE TIMELINE OF SCRIPTURE? WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE IT? WHAT HAPPENS AFTER IT?
Genesis means "in the beginning." While the book shows the beginning of the world and everything in it, it's important to note that before this occurred, God dwelled in eternity past. The only thing that existed before Genesis was the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Afterward, we see the Israelites succumb to slavery in Exodus until God raises a redeemer to bring the people out of Egypt: Moses.
WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT FROM THIS BOOK?
Genesis 1:26 is the very first reference to the Trinity. It says, "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." While Christ came to earth thousands of years later, He was present from the beginning, as Colossians 1:18 says. Likewise, we most often think of the Holy Spirit first entering the scene after Christ's ascension. However, again, Genesis 1:2 says that the Spirit was hovering over the waters. The Trinity existed before all things. All things came to be through the Father, Son, and Spirit for the glory of God!
KEY VERSES AND THEMES TO NOTE WHILE READING THIS BOOK: BEGINNINGS
Genesis means beginnings. Beginnings of what, you ask? Great question! Let's look at the following passages.
CREATION: Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This verse defines what scholars call ex nihilo, which means God created the world out of nothing. Ultimately, throughout the first chapter of Genesis, we see God bringing order out of nothing, making the entire universe with a spoken word.
HUMANITY: God created humanity—male and female—in His image, orchestrating every atom of life. Genesis 1:26–31 declares, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." This truth sets the foundation for a believer's theology on gender, sex, marriage, and worth outlined by our Creator. (Read our blog God’s Definition of Gender, Marriage, and Sex here.)
THE FALL: In Genesis 3, sin originated from Satan's deceit and Adam and Eve's disobedience. Their actions resulted in consequences for the rest of humanity, namely separation from God. It also put everyone under the wrath of God. However, there is hope! Genesis 3:15 says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Many scholars reference this verse as the Protoevangelium—the first gospel. Here we find the first gospel, the Protoevangelium, hinting at Christ's victory over sin, death, and Satan.
GOD'S PEOPLE: Genesis 12:1-3 - "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.'" This passage outlines God calling Abraham to start God's own nation. God promised to make Abram into a great nation, bless him, make his name great, and bless those who blessed him. Through Abram's family, God would bless the world!
As we can see, Genesis highlights the world's origins, man's sin, and the nation of Israel. It reminds us that God is the Author and Creator of the world. He chose to build a world that He deemed good with people He made in His image. Every person to walk this earth is special because He made them. God's Word sustains every living being in our universe! Therefore, the created must worship the Creator.
KEY VERSES AND THEMES TO NOTE WHILE READING THIS BOOK: REDEMPTION
Some awful things happened to Joseph at the hands of his brother. Yet, every evil injustice enacted against Joseph led to him being able to save his family throughout the famine. Genesis 50:20 notes, "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." Though this verse had an immediate effect in the context of Joseph's life, it is a truth woven throughout Scripture that applies to every believer!
It was true for Moses when a pharaoh tried to kill all male infants. Yet, God rose him up to be Israel's deliverer (Exodus 3:10). It was true for Esther when an evil man meant to kill the Jews, yet she interceded for them on their behalf, saving them all (Esther 7:10; 10:3). It was true for Job when Satan tried to destroy him (Job 42:5-6; 42:10).
More importantly, it was even true for Christ Himself. Evil men intended evil, harm, and murder against Him on the Cross. Yet, He took on the wrath of God for believers, allowing those who repent and believe in Him to receive salvation! Romans 8:28-29 echoes this truth. It says: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."
Genesis places God in His rightful place as the powerful, sovereign Creator of the world. It also declares His lovingkindness to save and redeem His people. As you read through this book, let your awe and wonder of the Lord and His Gospel flood your heart!
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