THE PRELIMINARIES (1-11)

This first part of Genesis describes four great happenings: the creation of the universe, the fall of humanity, the universal flood, and the Tower of Babel.

GENESIS 1-2

This section describes the creation of all things.

GOD'S WORKING SCHEDULE (1:1-2:19)

First day: creation of light (1:3-5):

"Then God said, 'Let there be light.'" He then divides the light from the darkness.

Second day: creation of space and water (1:6-8):

He separates the atmospheric, upper water from the earthly, lower water.

Third day: creation of plant life (1:9-13):

First he separates the water from the land. The earth then brings forth green grass, plants, trees, and vegetation of every kind.

Fourth day: creation of sun, moon, and stars (1:14-19)

Fifth day: creation of fish and fowl (1:20-23)

Sixth day: creation of land animals and people (1:24-31; 2:7-20)

The brute creatures: livestock and all wild beasts (1:24-25) 2. The blessed creature, who is given two things:

The image of God (1:26-27)

The instructions from God (1:26-31; 2:15-19)---People are to rule over all nature (1:26, 28):

To fill the earth with their own kind (1:28),

To cultivate and care for their beautiful home, the Garden of Eden (2:15),

To eat from any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:16-17), and

To provide names for all the other creatures (2:19-20).

Seventh day: God rests (2:1-6):

His creative work is complete and is pronounced good. God blesses and sets apart the seventh day.

GOD'S WEDDING SCHEDULE (2:20-25)

The making of Eve (2:20-22):

Eve, the first woman, is formed from the flesh and bone of Adam's side.

The marriage of Eve (2:23-25):

Eve is returned to Adam's side. "This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." This marks history's first marriage.

GENESIS 3-5

This section describes the corruption of all things.

THE TRANSGRESSION OF ADAM (3:1-24)

Adam's disobedience (3:1-6)

The treachery (3:1-5)

Satan begins by casting doubt on God's Word (3:1-3):

"Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?"

Satan concludes by denying God's Word (3:4-5):

"'You won't die!' the serpent hissed. 'You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil."'

The tragedy (3:6):

Both Eve and Adam disobey God and eat of the forbidden tree.

Adam's deceit (3:7-8):

He attempts to cover his nakedness by making clothes from fig leaves. He then hides among the trees.

Adam's despair (3:9-11):

He acknowledges his fear and nakedness before God.

Adam's defense (3:12-19):

Adam blames Eve, but Eve blames the serpent.

Adam's discipline (3:14-19):

God sets up his divine court in Eden and imposes the following sentences:

Upon the serpent (3:14-15):

to be the most cursed of all creatures and to crawl on its belly, eating dust. Also, his head will be crushed by the offspring of the woman.

Upon the woman (3:16):

to suffer pain in childbirth and to be ruled by her husband.

Upon the man (3:17-19):

to endure wearisome labor as he grows food from unproductive soil and to eventually die physically.

Upon nature (3:18):

to be infested with thorns and thistles.

Adam's deliverance (3:15, 20-21)

The promise (3:15):

Someday a Savior will defeat Satan, the serpent!

The provision (3:20-21):

After Adam names his wife Eve, God clothes both of them with animal skins.

Adam's dismissal (3:22-24)

The grace (3:22-23):

God removes them from the garden so that they cannot eat of the tree of life and live forever in their sin.

The guards (3:24):

God stations angelic beings with flaming swords at the eastern entrance of Eden to keep Adam and Eve out.

THE TESTIMONY OF ABEL (4:1-26)

Abel, the godly son (4:1-2, 4):

He is a shepherd who obediently offers an animal sacrifice to God.

Cain, the godless son (4:3-26)

The apostate (4:3):

He offers God a bloodless offering.

The angered (4:5-7):

God refuses Cain's offering but urges him to offer an acceptable one.

The assassin (4:8-16)

Cain's crime (4:8):

In a fit of rage and envy, Cain kills Abel.

Cain's curse (4:9-12):

He becomes a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.

Cain's complaint (4:13-16):

He worries that whoever finds him will kill him! To prevent this, God puts a mark on Cain to warn those who might try to kill him. Cain then marries someone who is probably one of his sisters.

The architect (4:17-24)

The talented society founded by Cain (4:17-22):

Cain builds history's first city. His descendants are the original tent dwellers and herdsmen. They also are the first musicians and metalworkers.

The treacherous society founded by Cain (4:23-24):

They practice polygamy and are given over to violence.

Seth, the granted son (4:25-26):

Eve gives birth to a third son, Seth, whom God grants to take the place of the murdered Abel.

THE TRANSLATION OF ENOCH (5:1-32)

The first patriarchs living before the Flood (5:1-17):

There are six, from Adam to Jared, each living more than nine hundred years.

The favored patriarch living before the Flood (5:18-24):

Enoch

Enoch's relationship with God (5:18-22):

He walks with God!

Enoch's removal by God (5:23-24):

He is taken to heaven without dying!

The final patriarchs living before the Flood (5:25-32):

There are four, from Enoch to Noah. One of them, Methuselah, lives for 969 years, making him recorded history's oldest human being! Another, Noah, fathers three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

GENESIS 6-10

This section describes the condemnation of all things.

THE PREPARATION FOR THE FLOOD (6:1-22)

God's grief (6:1-7):

He sees nothing but human wickedness of every kind, everywhere, at all times.

God's grace (6:8-10):

Noah, because of his righteous living, finds favor in the sight of God.

God's guidance (6:11-22)

Destruction! (what God will do) (6:11-13):

He is going to destroy all life upon the earth except for Noah and his family-through a flood.

Construction! (what Noah will do) (6:14-22):

He is to construct a wooden boat that is 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Upon completion, Noah is to bring his family inside, along with at least one male and one female of every animal.

THE PROTECTION DURING THE FLOOD (7:1-24)

The occupants inside the ark (7:1-9, 13-16):

They include Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives, plus a pair of all animals and seven pairs of clean animals.

The ordeal outside the ark (7:10-12, 17-24):

The underground waters burst forth, and torrential rain falls from heaven for forty days, covering the highest mountains and drowning all human and animal life.

THE PARTICULARS FOLLOWING THE FLOOD (8:1-10:32)

Noah's security (8:1-5):

"But God remembered Noah."

Noah's search (8:6-12)

The unsuccessful attempt by the raven (8:6-7):

It cannot find dry ground.

The successful attempt by the dove (8:8-12):

After one earlier attempt, the dove finds dry ground, returning with a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak.

Noah's surveillance (8:13-14):

Noah removes the ark's covering and surveys the new world after the Flood!

Noah's summons (8:15-19):

God orders Noah, his family, and all the animals to leave the ark.

Noah's sacrifice (8:20-22):

He builds an altar and sacrifices on it animals approved by God for that purpose.

Noah's sign (from God) (9:1-17)

Concerning the animals of the earth (9:1-10):

They will fear people and provide food for them, but their blood is not to be consumed.

Concerning the rainbow in the sky (9:11-17):

It will serve as a sign of God's promise that he will never destroy the earth by water again.

Noah's shame (9:18-29)

The failure (9:18-24):

Noah becomes drunk with wine and exposes himself.

The foretelling (9:25-29):

Noah curses Canaan and his descendants and blesses Shem and Japheth and their descendants.

Noah's sons (10:1-32)

Japheth (10:2-5):

a list of his descendants, including Gomer, Magog, Tubal, and Meshech

Ham (10:6-20):

a list of his descendants, including Canaan and Nimrod

Shem (10:21-32):

a list of his descendants, including Peleg (who may have lived during the tower of Babel dispersion). He was the ancestor of Terah (the father of Abram) and Abram and Sarai

GENESIS 11:1-32

This section describes the confusion of all things.

THE SIN (11:1-4):

All human beings attempt to unify themselves for their own glory.

THE SENTENCE (11:5-9):

God scatters them by confusing their language at the tower of Babel.

THE SETTLEMENT (11:10-32):

A history is given of Shem's descendants. Shem is the ancestor of Abraham.