A Teaching Outline for the Book of Genesis

In every era, culture, and community, mankind has asked fundamental questions about life. But only the Bible answers those questions with divine accuracy. Wasting no time, the book of Genesis immediately addresses questions like, “How did we get here?” (Gen. 1), “Who are we from?” (Gen. 2), “What has gone wrong?” (Gen. 3), and “Why can’t we fix it?” (Gen. 4). For Moses, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, providing those answers was vital for the spiritual life of his fellow Israelites; they needed to understand the historical and theological basis of their very existence. But those same answers are also vital for people of every nation, tribe, and tongue.

In contrast to pagan myths, both ancient and modern, the one true God created the universe in the span of six, literal, twenty-four hour days. Starting with the most fundamental aspects of existence (time, space, matter, and light), Yahweh—who is self-existent, eternal, transcendent, spirit, and without shadow—created them ex nihilo (Latin for “out of nothing”). Far from using an evolutionary process, it was by divine fiat that God simply spoke His creation into existence with the common refrain, “Let there be.” He first created each environment (the heavens, the sky above the water, and dry land) and then filled them with corresponding creation (lights in the heavens, sky and sea animals, and land animals along with mankind), revealing the glory of God’s omnisapience (infinite wisdom). Finally, He “rested,” ceasing from the creative decree, on the seventh day, which would later serve as the basis for a day of physical rest for the nation of Israel (cf. Exod. 20:8-11). Though the Sabbath day was used as a sign for those under the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Exod. 31:13), it serves as a never-ending reminder to all mankind that spiritual rest, the way of peace and reconciliation with God, is found only in the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ (cf. Matt. 11:28, 12:8).

Through a recapitulation of day six of creation, Moses described the origin of the first man, Adam, in greater detail. Creating him as a fully-formed adult with two constituent components, a body and soul, God made his body from the ground and then breathed life into it (cf. Gen. 2:7). As the capstone of creation, man was said to be made in the imago Dei (“image of God,” cf. Gen. 1:27, 5:3), possessing an intrinsic knowledge of his Creator (cf. Rom. 1:18), a conscience with God’s Law at work upon it (cf. Rom. 2:14-15), a “judicial sentiment” that inherently affirms basic principles of justice (cf. Luke 23:4, Ecc. 3:16), and an eternal perspective of existence beyond the grave (cf. Ecc. 3:11). God then gave him a place to live, a domain to rule, and a suitable helper from his rib (cf. Gen. 2:22). In what was essentially the first marriage vow, Adam called Eve, “Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:23), establishing the two sexes as distinctly, correspondingly, and immutably male and female (cf. Matt. 19:4). On the basis of this creation order, man is designed to be the head of the woman (cf. 1 Cor. 11:3) in all three spheres of corporate governance: the family (cf. Eph. 5:23), the church (cf. 1 Tim. 2:12), and the state (cf. Exod. 18:21, Isa. 3:12). With that said, Adam’s headship was of an exceedingly greater scope than only his own family. As the representative of the entire human race, Adam stood as the federal head of all mankind—both his wife and his descendants—when he was instructed by God to eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (cf. Gen. 2:17).

Having finished creating all things for His glory, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). But that didn’t last long. Through Adam’s failure to lead and protect his wife, she was deceived by Satan and ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (cf. Gen. 3:1-6a). Then, through his own willing disobedience to the command God gave specifically to him (cf. Gen. 3:6b), Adam ate the fruit. Consequently, by violating this Edenic Covenant, not only became guilty before God, but also brought condemnation to all mankind with the imputed guilt of this original sin (cf. Rom. 5:12). Sin and death therefore entered the world through this one man’s disobedience, creation began groaning with natural disasters, peace between people was ruined, harmony between man and animals was disrupted, and all mankind from that point on has been conceived in a state of total depravity—spiritual death, enslavement to sin, and hostility toward godliness in every faculty of their being. Just as God threatened, Adam indeed died, spiritually, that day. And his physical death followed in subsequent years.

But in great mercy, and according to His eternal plan of redemption, God promised to send them a descendant who would crush Satan’s head through His own suffering (cf. Gen. 3:15). To demonstrate this protoevangelium (“first Gospel”), God took the life of an animal and clothed the newly-realized nakedness of Adam and Eve, representing the Savior who would die for the sins of His people and clothe them with His righteousness. From that point on until the coming of the Savior, true religion was represented by a bloody animal sacrifice offered in faith to Yahweh, which Abel and others did when they “began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4:4, 26). Believers maintained a faith in God’s promise that through the line of Adam all the way down through Noah, there would be one who would “give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed” (Gen. 5:29).

Naturally, satanic opposition to this redemptive hope didn’t end in the Garden of Eden: “Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose” (Gen. 6:1-2). As the world’s population began to grow, a number of fallen angels (“sons of God,” cf. Job 38:7) attempted to further ruin the human race through sexual activity with women (“wives,” cf. Gen. 2:22-25). Regardless of what these demons thought they accomplished, their forbidden act ultimately led to their incarceration “in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6). At the same time, humanity was exceedingly wicked on its own—so much so that God determined to flood the entire earth (cf. Gen. 6:5-7). Lest anyone mistakenly think that the Nephilim (men of formidable size and strength) were the product of demonic procreation, Moses made sure to note that these “mighty men” were on the earth both before and after the Flood (cf. Gen. 6:4, Num. 13:33). In other words, the unusual genetics of the Nephilim persisted through Noah and his family (who survived the Flood), not through any offspring of apostate angels.

Of course, Noah survived the Flood not because of any inherent righteousness, but by grace alone: “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8). God warned Noah ahead of time (cf. Gen. 6:13), gave him instructions for making the ark (cf. Gen. 6:15-16), called the animals to it (cf. Gen. 7:9), and sealed the door behind him (cf. Gen. 7:16). As with salvation, this was an act of sovereign grace bestowed according to God’s will. And then the Flood began. Nothing at all like a local flood, this was worldwide judgment foreshadowing a greater worldwide judgment to come (cf. Zeph. 1:2-18). Thus, during this event “the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened” (Gen. 7:11) which led to the destruction of “all flesh that moved on the earth” (Gen. 7:21). Narrating by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Moses explained the timeline of the event: flood rains began from the first drop of watery judgment until Day 40 (cf. Gen. 7:4, 17), the water increased and remained until it began decreasing on Day 150 (cf. Gen. 7:18-8:3), the mountain tops were visible on Day 224 (cf. Gen. 8:5), a raven was sent out on Day 264 (cf. Gen. 8:6-7), a dove was sent out on Days 271, 278, and 285 (cf. Gen. 8:8-12), the ark was opened on Day 314 (cf. Gen. 8:13), and finally, Noah exited the ark on Day 370 (cf. Gen. 8:14).

Proof that Noah’s survival was an act of God’s grace rather than man’s righteousness is seen in the events that occurred in the years immediately following the Flood. After God promised never to flood the whole earth with water again, and established the rainbow as a sign of that covenant promise, Noah came out of the ark with the same weakness of the flesh that he went into it with. Just like in the fall of Adam and Eve, Noah’s consumption from a plant (cf. Gen. 9:20, 3:6) resulted in nakedness (cf. Gen. 20:22, 3:7) that required a covering (cf. Gen. 9:23, 21). This providential parallel expressed the reality that the Flood may have washed away sinners but it didn’t wash away sin; only the blood of Jesus can do that. Noah was still sinful, just like his antediluvian (pre-Flood) forefathers. Consequently, so were his descendants: rather than spreading God’s glory across the earth as they were instructed (cf. Gen. 9:1), the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth sought to build a tower to reach heaven and demonstrate their own glory (cf. Gen. 11:4). In judgment, God scattered the people across the earth into different language groups (cf. Gen. 11:9). Although various groups of people today still speak different languages and exhibit different physical traits, they’re all descended from the same man (cf. Acts 17:26) and in need of the same Savior (cf. Acts 4:12).

It was only a few centuries later, while Shem was still living, that one his descendants named Abram received a message from the one true God. While living in the city of Ur, a polytheistic city of moon-worship, among other forms of idolatry, Abram was told to leave his country and go to Canaan (cf. Josh. 24:2, Acts 7:2). In a promise consisting of land (cf. Gen. 12:1), a great nation (cf. Gen. 12:2), and worldwide blessing (cf. Gen. 12:3), God established the basis of what would be later formalized as an unconditional covenant. While not explicitly stated until later in Genesis, it was at that moment of his response to go to a foreign land that “Abram believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). As the book of Hebrews explains, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8). Though Christians today live under a different dispensation, we are saved the same way Abram was: by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (cf. John 8:56, Rom. 4:5, Gal. 3:7-9). The moment a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is justified—forgiven of his sins and credited with the righteousness earned by Jesus in His perfect life.

Once Abram was in the land, God providentially orchestrated challenges to His promise in order to reveal His ability to keep it in the face of any obstacle. Neither drought (cf. Gen. 12:9-13:4), nor dispute (cf. Gen. 13:5-18), nor danger (cf. Gen. 14:1-24) could overturn God’s sovereign plans. In response to each act of grace, Abram praised the God who loved him (cf. Gen. 12:8, 4, 18, 17-24). That same God, who never changes, cares for believers today in every challenge they face, too. As the Apostle Paul said, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). Finally, God formalized His promise in a unilateral covenant and signified it with a new name for Abram—“Abraham”—and the sign of circumcision. Were it not the case that this Abrahamic Covenant was unilateral, and therefore unconditional, Abraham would have forfeited his blessings in a moment of fleshly weakness. He tried to obtain God’s promise of offspring by his works, fathering a child with his wife’s maid (cf. Gen. 16:2), rather than by faith, trusting that God could miraculously provide offspring through his aged wife.

Despite that sin—one which continues to have ramifications on international diplomacy (cf. Gen. 16:12)—God remained a friend of Abraham (cf. Jas. 2:23). Far from hiding Himself, God did just the opposite: He revealed more of His attributes to Abraham while he was sojourning in the land (cf. Gen. 18:16, 20:1). Since Abraham had no Scripture to read (unlike believers today with the all-sufficient written Word), God disclosed Himself “in many portions and in many ways” (Heb. 1:1). To help Abraham know Him better, God showed His righteousness through demonstrations of justice and wrath (cf. Jer. 9:24), carried out in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual immorality (among other evils). The fire that “the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah… …from the Lord out of heaven” (Gen. 19:24) depicted not only the divine punishment that is certain for all unrepentant sinners, but that such punishment is an act of the triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit operating inseparably in all their external works. After that, God used Abimelech, king of the nearby Philistine town of Gerar, to reveal His mercy to Abraham. God plagued the king’s wife and servants with infertility when he took Abraham’s wife Sarah to be his own, but then overturned the plague when Abimelech returned her (cf. Gen. 20:14-18). In all these things, God blessed those who blessed Abraham, and cursed those who cursed him (cf. Gen. 12:3).

Ultimately, God provided everything necessary to keep His threefold land-seed-blessing promise to Abraham: a wondrous miracle child (cf. Gen. 21:1-2), a well to claim as his own in the land (cf. Gen. 21:30), and a substitutionary ram as a foretaste of the worldwide blessing to come (cf. Gen. 22:8, 18). Indeed, He is Yahweh-Yireh (“The Lord Will Provide,” cf. Gen. 22:14). The greatest expression of this is, of course, the giving of His own Son, and as the Apostle Paul said, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). Since God has given us the greatest gift in the coming of Jesus, we are assured of lesser gifts to come. Ironically, it was just the opposite for Abraham and his family, living prior to the coming of Jesus: the lesser promises that were partially fulfilled near the end of Abraham’s life served as a guarantee of the greater promises in Christ yet to come. Scripture concludes the account of Abraham’s life by highlighting the evidence of God’s promise-keeping ability: a multitude of nations came from him (cf. Gen. 17:4, 25:1), an inheritance was passed down to his son Isaac (cf. Gen. 21:9-12, 25:5), he enjoyed a peaceful life and restful death (cf. Gen. 15:15, 25:7), he owned a portion of the Promised Land (cf. Gen. 17:8, 25:9), the covenant he received from God was passed down to the next generation (cf. Gen. 17:21, 25:11), and his other son Ishmael was the father of twelve princes (cf. Gen. 17:20, 25:12). Seeing God at work in these ways allowed Abraham to die “in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance” (Heb. 11:13). God graciously granted Abraham the spiritual eyes to see that which the natural eyes were inadequate to observe.

In perfect accord with the multi-generational covenant God had made, Isaac carried on the legacy of his father. By finding a wife of like-minded faith (cf. Gen. 24:3-4), receiving a similar answer to prayer for his wife’s fertility (cf. Gen. 25:21), and facing the same challenges as Abraham—drought (cf. Gen. 26:1), danger (cf. Gen. 26:7), and dispute (cf. Gen. 26:19-20)—Isaac was able to see the same hand of God at work in his life. This was unmistakable confirmation that he indeed was the next beneficiary of grace. And grace certainly was needed for a family like his filled with favoritism (cf. Gen. 25:28), manipulation (cf. Gen. 25:31-34), apostasy (cf. Gen. 26:34-35), deception (cf. Gen. 27:19), and hatred (cf. Gen. 27:41). The evidence of this was clearly demonstrated when Jacob swindled his twin brother Esau out of the birthright, and later tricked his father Isaac out of the blessing. Although God had already told Jacob’s mother that “the older shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:23), indicating that the Abrahamic Covenant would continue through Jacob rather than Esau, Jacob sought to claim it by immoral works of the flesh rather than by faith alone—just as his grandfather Abraham did with Hagar. But it was fool’s errand, especially since God had already chosen him while he was yet in his mother’s womb. Understanding the redemptive principle behind this sovereign choice of Jacob, the Apostle Paul cited this account as an explanation of the doctrines of election and reprobation: “…for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” (Rom. 9:11-13). Because God has chosen who will be a vessel of mercy and who will be a vessel of wrath, Paul made it clear that salvation is according to God’s promise, not human lineage (cf. Rom. 9:6-9), according to God’s choice, not human merit (cf. Rom. 9:10-12), according to God’s mercy, not human will (cf. Rom. 9:14-16), and according to God’s glory, not human entitlement. In fact, God’s glory is the antecedent cause for all creation, redemption, and condemnation.

Since God chose Jacob to be the heir of the promise, He was with him every step of the way in his life. From the dream given to him while on the run from Esau (cf. Gen. 28:12), to the patience shown him despite the polygamous sins he committed (cf. Gen. 29:31-24), to the prosperity with which he was blessed while serving Laban (cf. 30:43), to the protection from both Laban and Esau that he was afforded when returning to the Promised Land (cf. Gen. 31:2-3, 32:1-2), God’s promise was never in any real danger of being disrupted or unfulfilled. Despite the interpersonal conflicts he endured or the sins he committed, Jacob’s life was characterized by a tenacious desire to be blessed by God, perfectly embodied by the new name he received: Israel (“one who wrestles with God”).

The narrative of the patriarchal promises comes to a close with a summary of Esau’s family line, in which a fascinating contrast between Jacob and Esau emerges (cf. Gen. 36:1). Esau married pagans (cf. Gen. 36:2), settled in the land of Seir (cf. Gen. 36:8), produced a large family (cf. Gen. 36:9), overran the previous inhabitants of Seir (cf. Gen. 36:20, Deut. 2:12), and brought about a successive kingship (cf. Gen. 36:31) which later morphed into a decentralized chiefdom (cf. Gen. 36:40).

In contrast, Jacob camped in a tent in Canaan (cf. Gen. 33:18, 37:1).

The juxtaposition between the two brothers couldn’t be more striking (cf. Gen. 36:31). But despite Esau’s abundant earthly prosperity, the one thing he didn’t have was a heavenly blessing (cf. Rom. 9:13, Heb. 12:16). Thus, the concluding contrast between the two brothers serves as a fitting reminder that the godly are but sojourners in this life as we await the kingdom to come (cf. 1 Pet. 2:11, Heb. 11:9). In the meantime, however, we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places on account of our union with Christ. Therefore, we ought never envy the earthly prosperity of the wicked (cf. Psa. 73:1-3). Were they to gain the whole world, they would not only lose it, but also forfeit their very souls. That which God has in store for His people far exceeds the temporary treasures of this world. And so we camp.

The last major narrative in Genesis begins with the tenth and final toledot (Hebrew for “generations,” cf. Gen. 2:4, 5:1, 6:9, 10:1, 11:10, 11:27, 25:12, 25:19, 36:1-9, 37:2). Joseph, being the favored son of Jacob (through Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel), found himself as the object of his brothers’ jealousy and scorn. So it was no surprise that after having a prophetic dream of leadership over his family, his brothers “hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms” (Gen. 37:4), “hated him even more” (Gen. 37:5), and “hated him even more for his dreams and for his words” (Gen. 37:8). What is surprising, however, is that after attacking him and throwing him in a pit, Joseph’s brothers “sat down to eat a meal” (Gen. 37:25). Discarding him like a bag of kitchen scraps, they apparently had no problem sitting down to eat dinner as if nothing unusual just happened. Their callous depravity serves as a startling reminder to us today that making a decision and “having a peace about it” is not a legitimate method of confirming that our life aligns with God’s commands. More often than not, that kind of subjective rationale is just cover for a malfunctioning conscience. For that reason, believers aren’t to live their lives according to what they think is best, but according to what God’s Word says is best.

Later, after being pulled back up from the pit and sold to slave-traders, Joseph was “taken down to Egypt” (Gen. 39:1). But the dreams he had been given were clear reminders that there was a divine plan at work. Accordingly, when Joseph went down to Egypt, so did God (cf. Gen. 39:2, 3, 21, 23). After rising to prominence in Potiphar’s house, fleeing sexual temptation, and being blessed by God even while in confinement, Joseph found himself second in command of the entire nation of Egypt (cf. Gen. 41:37-45). It would be through this promotion that God would use Joseph to store up food for a coming famine that preserved the life of his family.

Meanwhile, on the basis of His ubiquitous omnipresence, God was not only at work in Egypt; He was still governing all the affairs back in Canaan as well. While Joseph was in a foreign land remaining faithful to God, his brother Judah remained in the Promised Land acting unfaithfully. In what can only be described as an astonishingly depraved debacle, Judah’s widowed daughter-in-law sought an offspring by pretending to be a prostitute for him (cf. Gen. 38:12-14). “He said, ‘What pledge shall I give you?’ And she said, ‘Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.’ So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by them” (Gen. 38:18). Far from frustrating God’s plan, this act—as grievous and sinful as it was—only served to fulfill it. The outcome of Judah’s sexual immorality with Tamar resulted in twin boys: Perez and Zerah. In an outcome similar to that of Jacob and Esau, the evidence of God’s hand in the situation was seen by the fact that the second child to appear, Perez, ended up with the firstborn blessing. He would be used for God’s redemptive purposes in ways unknown to him at the time: Matthew and Luke, writing their Gospel accounts nearly two thousand years later, identified Perez in the lineage of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah (cf. Matt. 1:3, Luke 3:33).

In the end, Joseph and his family would be reunited during the far-reaching famine. The brothers’ multiple trips back and forth between Canaan and Egypt would end well: the preservation of this chosen family (cf. Gen. 42:1-3), the repentance of Judah and the other brothers from their jealousy and other sins (cf. Gen. 43:34, 44:30-34), and the comfort of a dying father who thought he had lost a son over twenty years prior (cf. Gen. 46:30).

And this was all God’s doing (cf. Gen. 45:5, 7, 9). When Joseph reconciled with his brothers, he acknowledged both the primary and secondary causes that brought it about, saying to them, “You sold me” (the secondary cause), but “God sent me” (the primary cause). This represents yet another explicit reference to the reality that God decrees, and providentially governs, all that comes to pass—including even the sinful actions of man. The greatest demonstration of this is in the crucifixion of Christ, in which God predestined the actions of every sinful party involved in order to provide a spotless Lamb for the redemption of His people (cf. Acts 2:23, 4:27-28). Based on this paradigm of causation, it’s clear that the human will is neither free, nor forced, but foreordained. Thus, Joseph was able to conclude, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen. 50:20).

The impact of a proper understanding of God’s sovereignty is evident in the way Joseph was able to forgive his brothers, saying, “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves” (Gen. 45:5). This certainly didn’t absolve them of any wrongdoing, but it made the path to peace that much quicker. Likewise, when you know that God is working all things for your good—including the evil that others commit against you—it predisposes your heart to extending the same kind of forgiveness that Christ extended to you for all the evil you committed against Him. On that basis, you can rest assured: God’s got your back even when others stab you in it.

As the narrative comes to a close, Moses recorded the final words of Jacob to his sons, which proved to be prophetic in nature (cf. Gen. 49:1). Reuben forfeited his firstborn preeminence on account of the immorality he committed with Jacob’s concubine (cf. Gen 35:22, 49:3-4). No prominent judge, prophet, or king would end up coming from his ever-diminishing tribe (cf. 1 Chron. 5:1). Though they were next in line to be preeminent, Simeon and Levi also forfeited it due to their destructive vengeance upon the Shechemites for violating their sister (cf. Gen. 34:30, 49:5-7). Instead, they would be “scattered” in Israel, which is exactly what happened centuries later when the tribe of Simeon was subsumed in the land allotment of Judah (cf. Josh. 19:1), and the tribe of Levi became the priestly class that lived in cities dispersed throughout the land (cf. Josh 21:41). And so it was that Judah, the next in line, received the blessing of leadership. Judah’s descendant would be One to establish a kingdom of peace and prosperity (cf. Gen. 49:10-12).

The remaining brothers received prophecies that would come to pass as well. Zubulun’s tribe would be located near trade routes of seafaring merchants (cf. Josh. 19:10-16). Issachar would be strong in a fertile location but ultimately exiled (cf. 2 Kin. 15:29). Dan would produce one of the greatest judges of Israel, Samson, but would also provide one of the greatest locations of idolatry (cf. Judg. 13:2, 1 Kin. 12:28-30). Gad would become a valiant tribe subjected to raids from foreigners (cf. 1 Chron. 5:18-22). Asher’s tribe would ultimately settle in a land of fruitful soil (cf. Josh. 19:24-31). Naphtali’s tribe would be known for swift action and sophisticated communication, particularly expressed in a victory song by Barak (accompanied by Deborah, cf. Judg. 4:1-5:31). Joseph was doubly blessed on account of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Their tribes would yield a number of pivotal leaders. For example, from Ephraim came Joshua and Samuel (cf. Num. 13:8, 1 Sam. 1:1), and from Manasseh came Gideon and Jephthah (cf. Judg. 6:15, Judg. 11:1). Finally, Benjamin was described by his father as being ferocious, which was a fitting description of the warriors who would come from his tribe (cf. Judg. 20:15-16), as well as Benjamites like Ehud, Saul, and Jonathan (cf. Judg. 3:15, 1 Sam. 9:21, 1 Sam. 13:16).

With his final words complete, Jacob insisted, like his father and grandfather, that he be buried back in the land of Canaan based. He, too, had a firm belief in a resurrection to come (cf. Heb. 11:19).

Genesis concludes with a spotlight on God’s glory because of the ways in which He protected His people and His covenant promises—ways which were known, at first, only to Him. In hindsight, however, Joseph was able to identify God’s providential kindness at work throughout his life. And by looking back, Joseph found the spiritual resolve to look forward. Like his father, he desired burial among his people, not in the land of Egypt, but in the land of Promise (cf. Gen. 50:25). And like his great-grandfather Abraham, he was “looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10). Indeed, when Joseph’s body is raised to life in the future, the first thing he will see with his physical eyes is the kingdom he only saw from afar with his spiritual eyes. Finding himself in the kingdom of God, among the people of God, with the Son of God, giving glory to God will be a family reunion far greater than that which he experienced with his father and brothers. “For as many as the promises of God are, in Him they are yes; therefore through Him also is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Cor. 1:20).

In the end, this book of beginnings points us to Jesus: the Lion of the tribe of Judah (cf. Rev. 5:5), the true King of Israel (cf. John 1:49), the Lamb of God for Isaac (cf. John 1:29), the ever-present friend of Abraham (cf. 2 Chron. 20:7), the ark of Noah’s salvation (cf. 1 Pet. 3:19-21), the life-giving last Adam (cf. 1 Cor. 15:45), and the Creator of the world (cf. Col. 1:16). As you work verse by verse through Genesis, may you not only contemplate the wonder of creation (cf. Psa. 19:1-6), but also the Son of God who entered into it as a man for our salvation (cf. Heb. 2:5-9). The following outline is offered to help.

The Origin of the World (Genesis 1:1-2:3)

Day One: Time, Space, Matter, and Light (Gen. 1:1-5)

Day Two: Sky (Gen. 1:6-8)

Day Three: Land (Gen. 1:9-13)

Day Four: Sun, Moon, and Stars (Gen. 1:14-19)

Day Five: Sky Animals and Sea Animals (Gen. 1:20-23)

Day Six: Land Animals and Mankind (Gen. 1:24-31)

Day Seven: Rest (Gen. 2:1-3)

The Origin of the Family (Genesis 2:4-25)

Adam’s Humanity (Gen. 2:4-7)

Adam’s Home (Gen. 2:8-17)

Adam’s Helper (Gen. 2:18-22)

Adam’s Headship (Gen. 2:23-25)

The Origin of Sin (Genesis 3:1-24)

Satan’s Scheme (Gen. 3:1-5)

Eve’s Susceptibility (Gen. 3:6a)

Adam’s Sin (Gen. 3:6b)

Man’s Shame (Gen. 3:7-13)

Satan’s Sentence (Gen. 3:14-15)

Eve’s Sentence (Gen. 3:16)

Adam’s Sentence (Gen. 3:17-19)

Man’s Salvation (Gen. 3:20-24)

The Origin of Religion (Genesis 4:1-26)

The Birth of Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:1-2)

The Bloodless Offering from Cain (Gen. 4:3)

The Bloody Offering from Abel (Gen. 4:4a)

The Blessing from God (Gen. 4:4b-5a)

The Bloodshed of Abel (Gen. 4:5b-8)

The Banishment of Cain (Gen. 4:9-24)

The Boy in Place of Abel (Gen. 4:25)

The Beginning of Corporate Worship (Gen. 4:26)

The Origin of the Savior (Genesis 5:1-32)

From Federal Head (Adam) to Favored Son (Seth) (Gen. 5:1-5)

From Favored Son (Seth) to Faithful Man (Enoch) (Gen. 5:6-20)

From Faithful Man (Enoch) to Father of True Comfort (Noah) (Gen. 5:21-32)

The Origin of the Present Humanity (Genesis 6:1-22)

Demonic Corruption of Man (Gen. 6:1-4)

Depraved Condition of Man (Gen. 6:5)

Deserved Condemnation of Man (Gen. 6:6-7)

Distinct Compassion for One Man (Gen. 6:8-17)

Divine Covenant with One Man (Gen. 6:18-22)

The Origin of the Present Terrain (Genesis 7:1-24)

God Called Noah and the Animals (Gen. 7:1-9)

God Closed the Door of the Ark (Gen. 7:10-16)

God Covered the Earth with Water (Gen. 7:17-24)

The Origin of the Rainbow (Genesis 8:1-9:17)

God Remembered Noah (Gen. 8:1)

God Reduced the Floodwater (Gen. 8:2-14)

God Released the Passengers (Gen. 8:15-19)

God Received Atoning Worship (Gen. 8:20-22)

God Renewed the Creation Mandate (Gen. 9:1-7)

God Revealed the Noahic Covenant (Gen. 9:8-17)

The Origin of the Nations (Genesis 9:18-10:32)

The Father of Humanity (Gen. 9:18-19)

The Fall into Sin (Gen. 9:20-22)

The Furnishing of Garments (Gen. 9:23)

The Foretold Curses and Blessings (Gen. 9:24-27)

The Final Days of Noah (Gen. 9:28-29)

The Families of Japheth (Gen. 10:1-5)

The Families of Ham (Gen. 10:6-20)

The Families of Shem (Gen. 10:21-32)

The Origin of Languages (Genesis 11:1-9)

Man Spoke One Language (Gen. 11:1)

Man Settled in One Location (Gen. 11:2)

Man Sought One Legacy (Gen. 11:3-4)

God Scrutinized Their Legacy (Gen. 11:5-6)

God Separated Their Language (Gen. 11:7)

God Scattered Their Location (Gen. 11:8-9)

The Origin of Israel (Genesis 11:10-32)

The Ancestry of the Semitic People (Gen. 11:10-15)

The Ancestry of the Hebrew People (Gen. 11:16-26)

The Ancestry of the Abrahamic People (Gen. 11:27-32)

God’s Promise to Abram (Genesis 12:1-8)

The Foundation of the Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3)

The Farewell from Haran (Gen. 12:4-5)

The Faith of Abram (Gen. 12:6-8

God’s Promise to Abram Challenged by Drought (Genesis 12:9-13:4)

The Food Shortage in Canaan (Gen. 12:9-10)

The Fear of the Egyptians (Gen. 12:11-13)

The Faithfulness of God (Gen. 12:14-20)

God’s Promise to Abram Challenged by Dispute (Genesis 13:5-18)

The Feud Between Herdsmen (Gen. 13:5-7)

The Fragmenting of the Land (Gen. 13:8-13)

The Faithfulness of God (Gen. 13:14-17)

The Faith of Abram (Gen. 13:18)

God’s Promise to Abram Challenged by Danger (Genesis 14:1-24)

The Four-King Invasion (Gen. 13:5-7)

The Fallout of Battle (Gen. 14:10-13)

The Faithfulness of God (Gen. 14:14-16)

The Faith of Abram (Gen. 14:17-24)

God’s Promise to Abram Formalized by Covenant (Genesis 15:1-21)

Commitment to Descendants (Gen. 15:1)

Concern about Infertility (Gen. 15:2-3)

Confirmation through Creation (Gen. 15:4-5)

Credit of Righteousness (Gen. 15:6)

Commitment to the Land (Gen. 15:7)

Concern about the Inhabitants (Gen. 15:8)

Confirmation through Ceremony (Gen. 15:9-21)

God’s Promise to Abram Pursued by Sin (Genesis 16:1-6)

An Immoral Plan (Gen. 16:1-2)

An Irreconcilable Conflict (Gen. 16:3-6)

An Inadvertent Outcome (Gen. 16:7-14)

An Illegitimate Son (Gen. 16:15-16)

God’s Promise to Abram Signified by Circumcision (Genesis 17:1-27)

A New Name for God (Gen. 17:1-2)

A New Name for Abram (Gen. 17:3-8)

A New Sign for the Covenant (Gen. 17:9-14)

A New Name for Sarai (Gen. 17:15-18)

A New Son for the Promise (Gen. 17:19-22)

A New Identity for the People (Gen. 17:23-27)

God’s Righteousness Revealed in Justice (Genesis 18:1-33)

An Appearance from God (Gen. 18:1-8)

An Appointed Time for Sarah (Gen. 18:9-15)

An Assessment of the Cities (Gen. 18:16-22)

An Arrangement for Mercy (Gen. 18:23-33)

God’s Righteousness Revealed in Wrath (Genesis 19:1-29)

Lodging for Angels (Gen. 19:1-3)

Lust from Perverted Men (Gen. 19:4-11)

Laughing Before Escape (Gen. 19:12-14)

Lingering During Escape (Gen. 19:15-22)

Looking Back After Escape (Gen. 19:23-26)

Legacy of Judgment (Gen. 19:27-29)

Lineage through Perverted Women (Gen. 19:30-38)

God’s Righteousness Revealed in Mercy (Genesis 20:1-18)

Deception When in Danger (Gen. 20:1-2)

Direction During a Dream (Gen. 20:3-8)

Defense of Deceitfulness (Gen. 20:9-13)

Deliverance of a Dynasty (Gen. 20:14-18)

God Provided a Wonder for Abraham’s Seed (Genesis 21:1-21)

God’s Miracle for Sarah’s Mistrust (Gen. 21:1-8)

God’s Message for Abraham’s Misery (Gen. 21:9-13)

God’s Mercy for Hagar’s Mourning (Gen. 21:14-21)

God Provided a Well for Abraham’s Land (Genesis 21:22-34)

God’s Preeminence in Abimelech’s Plea (Gen. 21:22-23)

God’s Provision through Abraham’s Proposal (Gen. 21:24-32)

God’s Praise with Abraham’s Plant (Gen. 21:33-34)

God Provided a Way for Abraham’s Worldwide Blessing (Genesis 22:1-24)

God’s Summons for Abraham’s Sacrifice (Gen. 22:1-6)

God’s Substitute for Abraham’s Son (Gen. 22:7-14)

God’s Satisfaction with Abraham’s Service (Gen. 22:15-19)

God’s Support of Abraham’s Sibling (Gen. 22:20-24)

God’s Promise Continued in the Death of Sarah (Genesis 23:1-20)

The Death in the Land Mourned (Gen. 23:1-2)

The Desire for Land Expressed (Gen. 23:3-6)

The Deal for Land Offered (Gen. 23:7-11)

The Deed for Land Purchased (Gen. 23:12-18)

The Destiny of the Land Confirmed (Gen. 23:19-20)

God’s Promise Continued in the Marriage of Isaac (Genesis 24:1-67)

A Sworn Oath from the Servant (Gen. 24:1-9)

A Supplication for Success (Gen. 24:10-14)

A Sign for the Selection (Gen. 24:15-28)

A Summary of the Situation (Gen. 24:29-49)

A Settlement before the Sendoff (Gen. 24:50-61)

A Spouse for the Son (Gen. 24:62-67)

God’s Promise Validated in the Death of Abraham (Genesis 25:1-18)

Tribes Descended from Abraham (Gen. 25:1-4)

Total Inheritance for Isaac (Gen. 25:5-6)

Tranquility in Life and Death (Gen. 25:7-8)

Tract of Land in Canaan (Gen. 25:9-10)

Transfer of Blessing from God (Gen. 25:11)

Twelve Princes from Ishmael (Gen. 25:12-18)

God’s Promise Determined for the Children of Isaac (Genesis 25:19-34)

The Supplication for a Birth Divinely Answered (Gen. 25:19-21)

The Selection in Birth Order Divinely Chosen (Gen. 25:22-26)

The Sale of a Birthright Divinely Planned (Gen. 25:27-34)

God’s Promise Maintained in the Life of Isaac (Genesis 26:1-33)

God’s Promise Challenged Again by Drought (Gen. 26:1-6)

God’s Promise Challenged Again by Danger (Gen. 26:7-11)

God’s Promise Challenged Again by Dispute (Gen. 26:12-22)

God’s Preeminence Confessed Again in Diplomacy (Gen. 26:23-33)

God’s Promise Sustained in the Sinful Family of Isaac (Genesis 26:34-28:9)

Esau’s Sinful Marriage Outside of God’s Blessing (Gen. 26:34-35)

Isaac’s Sinful Mentality for Reassigning God’s Blessing (Gen. 27:1-4)

Rebekah’s Sinful Means to Ensure God’s Blessing (Gen. 27:5-17)

Jacob’s Sinful Masquerade to Obtain God’s Blessing (Gen. 27:18-29)

Esau’s Sinful Motivation to Reclaim God’s Blessing (Gen. 27:30-41)

Rebekah’s Sinful Misrepresentation to Guard God’s Blessing (Gen. 27:42-28:5)

Esau’s Sinful Marriage to Pursue God’s Blessing (Gen. 28:6-9)

God’s Promise Affirmed in a Dream of Jacob (Genesis 28:10-22)

A Representation of God’s Care (Gen. 28:10-12)

A Restatement of God’s Covenant (Gen. 28:13-15)

A Recognition of God’s Closeness (Gen. 28:16-17)

A Response to God’s Compassion (Gen. 28:18-22)

God’s Promise Preserved in the Journey of Jacob (Genesis 29:1-30)

A Providential Meeting (Gen. 29:1-12)

A Pursued Marriage (Gen. 29:13-20)

A Purposeful Mismatch (Gen. 29:21-27)

A Polygamous Malady (Gen. 29:28-30)

God’s Promise Expanded in the Family of Jacob (Genesis 29:31-30:24)

Four Sons from Leah (Gen. 29:31-35)

Two Sons from Bilhah (Gen. 30:1-8)

Two Sons from Zilpah (Gen. 30:9-13)

Two Sons from Leah (Gen. 30:14-21)

One Son from Rachel (Gen. 30:22-24)

God’s Promise Demonstrated in the Prosperity of Jacob (Genesis 30:25-43)

Jacob’s Desire to Leave Haran (Gen. 30:25-26)

Laban’s Deal for Abnormal Animals from the Flock (Gen. 30:27-34)

Laban’s Dishonorable Attempt to Minimize the Flock (Gen. 30:35-36)

Jacob’s Dubious Attempt to Maximize the Flock (Gen. 30:37-42)

God’s Dependable Blessing upon the Flock (Gen. 30:43)

God’s Promise Guarded in the Departure of Jacob (Genesis 31:1-55)

Jacob’s Departure Initiated by God’s Guidance (Gen. 31:1-16)

Jacob’s Deception Unneeded with God’s Protection (Gen. 31:17-21)

Laban’s Displeasure Restrained by God’s Warning (Gen. 31:22-29)

Rachel’s Death Averted by God’s Providence (Gen. 31:30-42)

Laban’s Diplomacy Solemnized by God’s Witness (Gen. 31:43-55)

God’s Promise Confirmed in the Wrestling of Jacob (Genesis 32:1-32)

God’s Protection during Jacob’s Travels (Gen. 32:1-2)

Jacob’s Preparation for Esau’s Approach (Gen. 32:3-8)

Jacob’s Prayer for God’s Deliverance (Gen. 32:9-12)

Esau’s Present from Jacob’s Livestock (Gen. 32:13-23)

Jacob’s Persistence for God’s Blessing (Gen. 32:24-30)

Jacob’s Pain from God’s Touch (Gen. 32:31-32)

God’s Promise Protected in the Meeting with Esau (Genesis 33:1-20)

Jacob’s Reservations about Esau (Gen. 33:1-3)

Esau’s Reconciliation with Jacob (Gen. 33:4-11)

Esau’s Request to Travel with Jacob (Gen. 33:12-15)

Esau’s Return to Edom without Jacob (Gen. 33:16-17)

Jacob’s Return to Canaan without Esau (Gen. 33:18-19)

Jacob’s Recognition of Safety from God (Gen. 33:20)

God’s Promise Neglected in the Settling of Jacob (Genesis 34:1-31)

The Defiling Violation of Dinah (Gen. 34:1-7)

The Deceptive Agreement with Hamor and Shechem (Gen. 34:8-17)

The Destructive Raid of the City (Gen. 34:18-29)

The Derelict Attitude of Jacob (Gen. 34:30-31)

God’s Promise Displayed in the Return of Jacob (Genesis 35:1-29)

The Guiding Protection Amidst the Grief over Deborah (Gen. 35:1-8)

The Gracious Covenant Amidst the Grief over Rebekah (Gen. 35:9-22a)

The Growing Family Amidst the Grief over Isaac (Gen. 35:22b-29)

God’s Promise Contrasted with the Earthly Prosperity of Esau (Genesis 36:1-37:1)

The Spouses of Esau (Gen. 36:1-5)

The Settlement of Esau’s Family (Gen. 36:6-8)

The Sons of Esau’s Wives (Gen. 36:9-19)

The Seirites Overrun by Esau (Gen. 36:20-30)

The Succession of Kings from Esau (Gen. 36:31-39)

The Structure of Chiefs from Esau (Gen. 36:40-43)

The Sojourning of Esau’s Brother (Gen. 37:1)

God’s Providence in the Sale of Joseph (Genesis 37:2-36)

A Divided Family (Gen. 37:2-4)

A Divine Preview (Gen. 37:5-11)

A Diligent Search (Gen. 37:12-17)

A Despicable Plan (Gen. 37:18-28)

A Deceptive Report (Gen. 37:29-35)

A Distinguished Buyer (Gen. 37:36)

God’s Grace in the Sin of Judah (Genesis 38:1-30)

The Family from a Pagan Wife (Gen. 38:1-5)

The Failure to Produce Offspring (Gen. 38:6-11)

The Facade to Conceive an Heir (Gen. 38:12-14)

The Folly of Sexual Immorality (Gen. 38:15-23)

The Fruit of True Repentance (Gen. 38:24-26)

The Furtherance of Messianic Ancestry (Gen. 38:27-30)

God’s Presence in the Life of Joseph (Genesis 39:1-23)

God Was with Him in His Relocation (Gen. 39:1-6a)

God Was with Him in His Temptation (Gen. 39:6b-12)

God Was with Him in His Allegation (Gen. 39:13-18)

God Was with Him in His Incarceration (Gen. 39:19-23)

God’s Favor Amidst the Difficulty of Joseph (Genesis 40:1-23)

The Imprisonment of the Cupbearer and Baker (Gen. 40:1-4)

The Inadequacy of the Cupbearer and Baker (Gen. 40:5-8)

The Interpretation for the Cupbearer (Gen. 40:9-15)

The Interpretation for the Baker (Gen. 40:16-19)

The Infallibility of Joseph’s Gift (Gen. 40:20-22)

The Ingratitude of the Cupbearer (Gen. 40:23)

God’s Faithfulness in the Promotion of Joseph (Genesis 41:1-57)

Revelation in a Dream (Gen. 41:1-7)

Request for Interpretation (Gen. 41:8)

Remembrance of Joseph (Gen. 41:9-14)

Restatement of the Dream (Gen. 41:15-24)

Revealing of the Interpretation (Gen. 41:25-36)

Recognition of Joseph (Gen. 41:37-45)

Readiness for Famine (Gen. 41:46-57)

God’s Sustenance through the Mercy of Joseph (Genesis 42:1-38)

Jacob’s Need for Food from Egypt (Gen. 42:1-5)

Joseph’s Notice of His Brothers (Gen. 42:6-8)

Joseph’s Negotiation with His Brothers (Gen. 42:9-20)

The Brothers’ Nervousness about God’s Judgment (Gen. 42:21-28)

The Brothers’ Narration of Events (Gen. 42:29-34)

Jacob’s Noncompliance in Sending Benjamin (Gen. 42:35-38)

God’s Kindness through the Hospitality of Joseph (Genesis 43:1-34)

Jacob’s Request for More Food (Gen. 43:1-2)

The Brothers’ Reminder about Benjamin (Gen. 43:3-10)

Jacob’s Resignation to the Circumstances (Gen. 43:11-14)

The Brothers’ Return to Egypt (Gen. 43:15-17)

The Brothers’ Rationale for the Mishap (Gen. 43:18-25)

Joseph’s Regard for the Family (Gen. 43:26-30)

Joseph’s Reassessment of His Brothers (Gen. 43:31-34)

God’s Conviction through the Ploy of Joseph (Genesis 44:1-34)

Joseph’s Arrangement to Implicate Benjamin (Gen. 44:1-13)

Judah’s Admission of His Past Guilt (Gen. 44:14-17)

Judah’s Account of His Father’s Instructions (Gen. 44:18-29)

Judah’s Appeal to Be Benjamin’s Substitute (Gen. 44:30-34)

God’s Peace through the Revealing of Joseph (Genesis 45:1-28)

Joseph’s Forgiveness and Reconciliation (Gen. 45:1-15)

Pharaoh’s Favor and Resources (Gen. 45:16-23)

The Brothers’ Farewell and Return (Gen. 45:24-25)

Jacob’s Faintheartedness and Revival (Gen. 45:26-28)

God’s Assurance in a Dream of Jacob (Genesis 46:1-30)

Called with a Promise from God (Gen. 46:1-4)

Carried to the Land of Egypt (Gen. 46:5-7)

Counted among a Growing Family (Gen. 46:8-27)

Comforted in the Reunion with Joseph (Gen. 46:28-30)

God’s Care through the Leadership of Joseph (Genesis 46:31-47:31)

Lending of the Land of Goshen (Gen. 46:31-47:12)

Loss of Land throughout Egypt (Gen. 47:13-26)

Longing for the Land of Promise (Gen. 47:27-31)

God’s Restoration through the Family of Joseph (Genesis 48:1-22)

Arrival to a Dying Father (Gen. 48:1-2)

Adoption of Favored Grandsons (Gen. 48:3-6)

Affection for Reunited Relatives (Gen. 48:7-11)

Assignment of Future Blessings (Gen. 48:12-20)

Assurance of God’s Presence (Gen. 48:21-22)

God’s Blessings through the Prophecy of Jacob (Genesis 49:1-28)

Call for Blessings (Gen. 49:1-2)

Reuben (from Leah): Demoted for Debauchery (Gen. 49:3-4)

Simeon and Levi (from Leah): Dispersed for their Destruction (Gen. 49:5-7)

Judah (from Leah): Destined for a Dynasty (Gen. 49:8-12)

Zebulun (from Leah): Designated for Deep-Sea Trade (Gen. 49:13)

Issachar (from Leah): Durable but Dominated (Gen. 49:14-15)

Dan (from Bilhah): Elevated Stature but Egregious Sin (Gen. 49:16-18)

Gad (from Zilpah): Raided and Raiding (Gen. 49:19)

Asher (from Zilpah): Residing in Richness (Gen. 49:20)

Naphtali (from Bilhah): Elegant and Eloquent (Gen. 49:21)

Joseph (from Rachel): Fruitful, Fortified, Fulfilled (Gen. 49:22-26)

Benjamin (from Rachel): Ferocious (Gen. 49:27)

Conclusion of Blessings (Gen. 49:28)

God’s Comfort in the Death of Jacob (Genesis 49:29-50:14)

Longing for Burial with the Patriarchs (Gen. 49:29-33)

Lamenting the Loss of a Patriarch (Gen. 50:1-3)

Listening to the Last Request of a Patriarch (Gen. 50:4-6)

Laying to Rest Another Patriarch (Gen. 50:7-14)

God’s Glory in the Death of Joseph (Genesis 50:15-26)

Entreaty from God’s Servants (Gen. 50:15-17)

Encouragement from God’s Providence (Gen. 50:18-21)

Evidence of God’s Grace (Gen. 50:22-23)

Expectation of God’s Faithfulness (Gen. 50:24-26)