The creation story from the biblical Book of Genesis describes how God created heaven and earth, plants, animals, and people; and later how the first people were cast out of the Garden of Eden as punishment for eating from the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil. ‘ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Is the account of Creation in Genesis a myth or an actual historical event, and why is this chapter so important to the Christian faith?
This lesson addresses the importance of the seventh day of Creation. Learn what the two trees mentioned in Genesis 2 give us concerning the psychology, sociology, and spirituality of contemporary man. You’ll be equipped to comprehend the root issues facing society today and God’s answers to those issues.
What is wrong is wrong with the human race? Is society believing a lie, and if so, who is behind that lie? This chapter lesson addresses those questions. It is a study that is very relevant concerning the world we live in today.
Are social evolutionists right? Is man getting better as culture evolves or is man spiraling out of control? This chapter gives the student insight into what was behind the story of Cain and Abel and how the first murder in history still affects us today.
Have you ever wondered why the genealogies listed in the Book of Genesis and the whole concept of Genealogies was so important to the Jewish people and to truths laid out in the Book of Genesis? This chapter lesson answers that very question.
This chapter on Chapter Six of Genesis answers two questions, one Biblical and one moral, that arise when people read this chapter in Genesis. Who were the sons of God, and specifically, who were the “Nephilim”. The great moral question that is always asked, “ Why would a loving God bring such intense judgment on the earth, destroying the human race?” This lesson answers those two important questions.
Why did a man named Noah find grace in the eyes of God? Are we saved by faith or by works or both? And why did God bring such an intense judgment on the earth? Did that judgment have to be so severe? This chapter lesson addresses those important questions.
Have you ever struggled in trusting God when circumstances around you were opposite from what you believed God had promised? You will find that this chapter lesson will give you answers and personal strength when facing this life reality.
This chapter lesson answers two questions in which many believers in Christ struggle: “When God judges, does that mean that God is no longer a God of love and goodness?” and “What about curses? Do I suffer in my life now what someone did in a former generation?”
The account of the family lines of Shem, Ham, and Japheth and how the human race became diverse in languages, cultures, and geographical locations. This lesson will give you an understanding what was behind the judgment that took place at a place called Babel.
The second half of Genesis covers what is called the “Patriarchal Period” where God chooses a man called Abraham as a chosen vessel to begin the unfolding of the plan of God to redeem the human race. These 28 chapters capture one of the greatest stories of human history that still impacts our world today.
God began to move in history to redeem the human race, and He will do it through a man named Abram. This lesson will also answer the question concerning slavery, and why the Bible cannot be used to justify the atrocities of slavery throughout history.
We are going to see from the life of Abram that our vision determines our choices and character, and that there are consequences for our choices.
Melchizedek will be a pre-Christ figure pointing to the high priesthood of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant. This lesson will address the moral argument: Is force ever necessary to stop evil?
Genesis explores the covenant that God made with Abram. This is the first time that a covenant comes into the relationship between Abram and God. Abram’s faith is weakening. To strengthen Abram’s faith, God reinforces His promise to Abram with a covenant. The doctrine of being justified by faith is introduced in this lesson. This lesson also addresses how a covenant that God makes is related to faith.
This chapter addresses two important questions concerning our walk with God that we learn from God’s relationship with Abram in the Book of Genesis. The first question is, “can someone who is known for their faith fail at times in trusting God?” Also, what happens when we try to make God’s promises come to pass in our own efforts?
This chapter addresses us to the concept of circumcision as a sign of the Covenant between God and Abraham and how this covenant principle relates to the New Covenant in Christian baptism. This lesson also answers the question of why God delays at times in fulfilling His promises.
This chapter can be titled “The Three Visitors”. It introduces us to the theological concept of a theophany. It also reveals to us the nature of God who in His compassion will spare a city because of the remnant of the righteous who live there. This chapter also gives us insight into the nature of intercession and how to appeal to God in prayer.
This chapter gives us insight into how wicked the city of Sodom had become and why God was justified in His judgment of this city. In this story, we also witness the affect and influence Sodom had on Lot and his family and their attachment to the materialism of this city.
This chapter lesson focuses on the story of Abraham staying in Gerar where out of fear of King Abimelek, Abraham once again convinces his wife Sarah to say that Abraham was her brother, concealing the truth that she was Abraham’s wife.This chapter lesson addresses the contrast between Abraham’s human schemes and God’s faithful sovereignty.
“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said.” This visitation of God was a supernatural event. God chose the means of supernatural intervention versus the process of what is natural to fulfill His promise to His people. This chapter applies this great lesson of how we are saved by God’s choosing and power versus the efforts of man trying to save himself through law.
God puts Abraham through a severe test requiring complete consecration to God when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. This chapter will address what real faith looks like when it is expressed through trust and obedience.This chapter will challenge you to live a life of radical faith and obedience because of your indomitable faith in the character of God.
What does faith look like when you are waiting for God to fulfill His promise to you? The story of Abraham buying the cave of Machpelah to bury his wife Sarah is an example of faith for us as we claim the promises of God with certainty by making claims through our actions what will be a reality later.
Chapter 24 tells the story of Abraham finding a wife for Isaac. The descendants of Abraham had to come through Isaac; therefore, the wife of Isaac had to come through a righteous family line. God guides Abraham’s servant to the right woman who would be the wife of Isaac. This chapter will establish the significance of God’s faithfulness in watching over His sovereign plan in the way He guides us into the fulfillment of His will.
We start with the end of Abraham’s life. We will observe how all that belonged to Abraham was passed down to Isaac according to the principle of progeniture, the practice of all one owns goes to the firstborn son. We will also be introduced to the grandsons of Abraham, Jacob and Esau, and how God chose one over the other to be the inheritor of the Abrahamic Covenant. The doctrine of Election will be introduced in this chapter lesson.
The narrative of Genesis now focuses on Isaac, the chosen son of Abraham whose conception in the womb of his mother Sarah was a miraculous work of God’s Spirit. We will see in this chapter how Isaac walked in the footsteps of Abraham and how the purpose of God moved forward because of Isaac’s faithfulness to God’s direction and his honor of the inheritance and responsibility he received from Abraham.
Having already stolen his brother’s birthright in Chapter 25, we see the full scale of Jacob’s deception and manipulation to possess what God has already chosen to give him by his own evil schemes and selfishness. We see how Rebecca from her complete mistrust toward Esau and her favoritism toward Jacob develops a scheme that will bring a great curse on her and Jacob. Yet, God in His Sovereignty will use their sin to bring about His plan.
In the unfolding story of the patriarchs, Jacob has stolen his brother Esau’s birthright in Chapter 25, and now in Chapter 27, he stole his brother’s blessing. Esau has vowed to kill Jacob. Isaac and Rebekah, seeing that God’s blessing is on Jacob, send him to Paddon Aram to Rebekah’s family for his safety and to find a wife among Rebekah’s family. God reveals Himself to Jacob at a place that will be named Bethel, The House of God.
Jacob works for his uncle Laban for seven years to earn the right to marry Rachel, but Laban deceived Jacob by neglecting to tell him that he must marry his daughter Leah first according to custom. In doing so Jacob must marry Leah and Rachel to be able to marry the woman Jacob loved. Jacob now is an indentured servant for a total of 14 years. God shows great compassion upon Leah who is despised by Jacob and gives her four sons to Jacob.
This chapter begins with the grief and shame that Rachel was experiencing because she could not bear children. As a result, she gives her servant Bilhah to Jacob who gives him two sons. This sets off a competition between the sisters concerning who is giving Jacob more sons. The result of this competition between sisters is that seven more sons, plus the four sons that Leah had already given Jacob, were added to the family in addition to one daughter who was named Dinah.
Jacob is cheated by Laban over and over again yet God prospers Jacob. Laban’s attitude changes toward Jacob and Laban’s sons falsely accuse him of stealing Laban’s sheep and goats. Jacob takes his family and livestock and flees to Canaan to join his family while Laban pursues him.
Jacob is now free from Uncle Laban’s grip and enters into Canaan. He now meets his greatest challenge, and that is, he must now face his brother Esau, who twenty years prior had vowed to take Jacob’s life because of the birthright and blessing that Jacob stole from him. He then finds out that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men.
After sending a company of people in groups with livestock as a gift to Esau and after wrestling with an angel of God all night, Jacob finally meets his brother Esau. What was feared as an encounter with violence and hatred turns out to be an encounter of grace.
Jacob leads his family to the town of Shechem with hope of using this city as a basis of settling down and doing business with the Canaanites. Unfortunately, his daughter Dinah is sexually seduced by the son of the head of the city leading to the massacre of the town and total chaos in his family.
In Chapter 35, we see what happens in the aftermath of the atrocities of Shechem where Levi and Simeon killed all the males in Shechem who they persuaded to get circumcised and the other sons of Jacob stole the possessions of the people of Shechem which included idols. God speaks to Jacob who is overwhelmed with fear of the consequences of his sons’ actions and the retaliation of surrounding nations.God tells Jacob to “ Go to Bethel”. There God reveals Himself to Jacob again.
In Chapter 36, we take an interlude to the Genesis story to tell the story of Esau moving his tribe from the promised land to the Transjordan region of the middle-east. This chapter gives us the Genealogy of Esau’s descendents who became the Edomites in Israel’s history. What you will find is significant theological truths from this chapter.
Jacob is now the sole inheritor of Canaan and his descendants and Esau’s descendants will be at war throughout the history of Edom. But first the descendants of Abraham must go down to Egypt and wait until the sins of the Canaanites comes to such a level that God will judge it according to His prophetic word to Abraham (Genesis 15:16). God leads the descendants of Jacob to Egypt through a famine and by raising up a son of Jacob that will save his family from destruction.His name is Joseph.
Judah separates himself from his brothers, possibly due to the guilt felt for what took place at selling Joseph to a caravan on its way to Egypt. He marries a Canaanite woman who gives him three sons. This is a chapter about sin, its consequences, and how God in His grace places a woman who plays the role of a prostitute, becomes part of the family line of Jesus Christ.
In Chapter 39, we are introduced to a phrase that describes Joseph’s favor in captivity, and that is, “ The Lord was with Joseph.” Joseph finds favor with Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh, and Potiphar places his whole household under Joseph’s trust. However, all is not good as Potipher’s wife does all that she can to lure Joseph into committing adultery with her. Joseph resists and pays the price.
Even in prison, Joseph finds favor because “The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” In prison, Joseph interprets a dream for Pharaoh's cupbearer and chief baker. Although his interpretation of their dreams was correct, Joseph is left forgotten for two more years.
Pharaoh receives two disturbing dreams in one that neither he nor his magicians can interpret. Pharaoh's cupbearer recognizes that he forgot about Joseph and what he did for the cupbearer. He tells Pharaoh about Joseph’s gift of interpreting dreams. Joseph’s promotion has arrived.
Famine has taken place all over the world. Because of Joseph’s wisdom, Egypt has an abundance in storehouses that can be sold to other nations. This fact will cause Joseph to unexpectantly face his brothers. The sons of Jacob do not recognize Joseph so he treats them as spies in order to get more information about his father, Jacob, and his brother Benjamin. The dream Joseph had at 17 years of age is coming to pass.
Jacob wants his sons to go back to Egypt to get more grain because the famine is severe. His sons remind him that they cannot go back without Benjamin because Joseph was testing them to see their sincerity. Although Jacob resists for fear of losing Benjamin, he yields to the reality of this request, not realizing that God is about to bring about a great healing and restoration in his family.
Joseph tests his brothers a second time by having his steward place his divining cup in his brother Benjamin’s sack. He wants to test his other brothers’ attitude toward Benjamin, who is also the son of Rachel as Joseph is. How would they respond to Benjamin if it meant their sacrifice? Would they betray their youngest brother like they did with Joseph if it meant their sacrifice. Judah, though, steps up and offers his life.
Unable to contain himself after Judah’s emotional and contrite appeal to not take Benjamin as a prisoner, Joseph cries out, “ I am Joseph! Is my father living?” His brothers are terrified. What could this mean to them for what they have done?
Jacob takes his sons, daughter in law as, and grandchildren along with all of his possessions and goes to Egypt. God meets him along the way and reaffirms His covenant with Jacob.
Jacob and his family have arrived in Egypt and Joseph presents them to Pharaoh. When asked their profession, they tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds. Pharaoh graciously allows them to occupy Goshen. Jacob also blesses Pharaoh. The greater blesses the lesser.
Jacob is about to die, but before he dies, Joseph brings his two sons, Manneseh and Ephraim to Jacob to receive his blessing; however, Joseph is surprised because Jacob gives the greater blessing to the younger brother. Both these brothers, though, will receive a greater blessing than Jacob’s two oldest sons, Rueben and Simeon.
Jacob blesses his sons before he dies and prophecies through these blessings what the future holds for the descendants of these sons in the Promised Land and beyond. These blessings are witnessed even in the present time in which we live.
Jacob has died and Jacob’s sons and the Egyptians mourn his death. A great entourage of mourners bury Jacob in the cave of Machpelah. Then Joseph must reassure his brothers that there would be no revenge for what they did.
