E2 Modern Biblical Commentary
The Book of Genesis
Genesis begins the Bible, and it begins with God. This book was written by Moses for the people of Israel around 1430 BC, with the intended purpose of recording God's creation of the world and his desire to create a people set aside to worship him.
Genesis is about beginnings. It's about the origin of the Universe. It's about the nature of God who is at the root of all things. It is about the birth of mankind, mankind's subsequent discovery of evil, and the beginning of that great conflict between good and evil that exists between and within all human beings.
An Overview of Genesis
The Story of Creation (Genesis 1 and 2)
The classic Biblical tale of creation opens Genesis. The overriding spiritual theme is that because humankind is the special creation of God, we have dignity and worth.
The Story of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2 through 5)
Adam and Eve are the first humans, created by the hand of God. After committing the first sin of eating the forbidden fruit, the two are cast out of Eden. They have two children, Cain and Abel. Cain kills Abel and is banished for this. Basically, the point here is to illustrate the truly destructive power of sin; because of sin, Adam and Eve lost everything that they had, and later even lost a son.
The Story of Noah (Genesis 6 through 11)
Noah is told by God to build an ark and place in the ark two of every species. After Noah does this, God brings a flood that covers the world, washing away all of the evil people. After the flood, God shows Noah a rainbow which is the symbol of His promise to never destroy the world by water again. In essence, God protected Noah because Noah believed in God.
The Story of Abraham (Genesis 12 through 25)
God orders Abraham through a long series of trials, but Abraham passes every one, even when God orders Abraham to kill his own son, Isaac. Abraham is an example of how to lead a life of faith in that he followed his belief without question through thick and thin.
The Story of Isaac (Genesis 25 through 28)
Isaac was willing to be sacrificed and didn't flinch when his father was about to kill him. He also gladly accepted a wife that was chosen for him by God. Isaac was able to put his faith before his other needs.
The Story of Jacob (Genesis 28 through 36)
Isaac's son, Jacob, lives a life in the service of God, but Jacob makes a great number of mistakes along the way. God was able to change Jacob's life for the better, despite the human inadequacies of Jacob.
The Story of Joseph (Genesis 36 through 50)
Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, is sold into slavery in Egypt and later is jailed on a whim. After many trials, Joseph winds up ruling the country. The story of Joseph is one of perseverence; one can use setbacks to build character, and one can turn their defeats into victory with the help of God.
Themes of Genesis
Beginnings & Origins
Genesis describes the beginnings of most of the important themes in life: the universe, Earth, all living things, humanity, sin, and faith. The idea is that all of these things are creations of God and that He made the world a complex and beautiful place.
Disobedience & Sin
People are always facing a great number of choices in life. Being human, sometimes we make the wrong choices. Working to consistently make the right choices, through personal improvement and faith, leads to a better life.
Promises
God makes several promises to help and protect humanity. In Genesis, these are referred to as covenants; most notably is the covenant he makes with Noah after the landing of the Ark. God has kept the covenants stated in Genesis, thus demonstrating the wonder and power of a promise kept.
Prosperity
Prosperity goes beyond mere material wealth; true prosperity comes from living a life of personal improvement and faith. With the help of God, inner prosperity is attainable for all people.
Israel
A large portion of Genesis is devoted to the classical definition of Israel. Israel is a nation of dedicated people who were to keep His ways alive in the world, proclaim His word to the peoples of the world, and prepare the world for the coming of Jesus. Although God literally sets aside land for his people, the idea of Israel today (aside from it being an actual political region in the Middle East) is more of a state of mind; believers in God and His message are all a part of Israel.
Significant People in Genesis
Adam was the first man; he was thrown from the Garden of Eden along with Eve.
Cain and Abel were two children of Adam and Eve; Cain became the first murderer by killing Abel.
Noah was told by God to build a great ship, which he and his family used to survive the flood.
Abraham went through a great many trials set by God, including attempting to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and the infertility of his wife Sarah.
Jacob, Isaac's son, went through many trials before discovering God's path.
Joseph was imprisoned and sold into slavery in Egypt, but he grew in character and in faith and one day ruled Egypt.
Significant Places in Genesis
Mount Ararat, somewhere in the Ararat mountain range in what is today Turkey and Iran, is where Noah's ark landed after the flood.
Babel, in modern-day Iraq near Baghdad, is where people built a tower trying to reach heaven as a monument to mankind.
Ur, in modern-day southeast Iraq, is where Abraham was born.
Haran, along the border of what is today Syria and Turkey, is a city where Abraham and his family lived for many years.
Sechem, Hebron, and Beersheba are all cities near the border of modern-day Jordan and Israel where Abraham lived out his later years, and Isaac and Joseph spent much of their lives.
Bethel, in modern-day Jordan, is where Jacob went through many of his trials in life, making a great many mistakes along his life's journey.
Egypt is where Joseph underwent many sufferings, eventually becoming ruler of the land. Egypt will play a huge role in the next book, Exodus.
The E2 Modern Biblical Commentary is an ongoing project that is intended to provide modern commentary and insight into the Bible and serve as a modern supplement to the Matthew Henry commentary, both as introduction for new readers and for points of reflection for experienced readers. See tes's homenode for more details. Send tes messages if you would like to see changes or additions.