“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Moses has set the stage for the greatest story ever told in one masterful sentence. It’s exactly seven words in the Hebrew, corresponding to the seven days of creation. It tells us from where this universe and time itself came. It also tells to whom they belong. God created them and therefore they are His. The implications of these truths are astounding and too numerous to begin to recite here. Moses has set the hook and the first sentence leaves the reader with so many questions that need to be answered. How did God create the heavens and the earth? Did He have help? Did He use material that already existed? What will be the end of the beginning? Did God create humans as well, or are they simply a bi-product of creation? Genesis answers these questions and more. It tells us who we are as humans and what went wrong in the world. Genesis is foundational for our understanding of God, man, sin, and the gospel. It introduces to us almost every major doctrine found in the Bible. Kenneth Matthews wrote in his commentary on Genesis, “If we possessed a Bible without Genesis, we would have a house of cards without a foundation.” Christians need the book of Genesis, but sadly like much of the rest of the Old Testament it has been neglected and left on the shelf to gather dust bunnies. I hope to persuade you to revisit the book of Genesis as we see the theological foundation it provides for us as Christians.
A Theological Foundation
Almost every major doctrine can be found, at least in seed form, in the book Genesis. To list the doctrines out would be boring and probably bring an end to your reading of this article. So, for the sake of time and your attention, we will briefly look at 4 major doctrines introduced to us in the book Genesis. The first we will exam is the Doctrine of God. There is really only one major doctrine in the Old Testament, God created the heavens and the earth and everything else follows from that one great truth (Gen. 1:1). God is our creator and all allegiance is due Him. God’s words are life giving. God spoke the world and everything in it into existence. By the power of His word, life was created. Ten times in the creation account Moses records these words, “And God said…” (Gen. 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26,28 & 29). It’s by no mistake that Moses most often refers to the ten commandments as the ten words (modern translations often translate the Hebrew word dāḇār as commandments rather than words which is the literal meaning). The implications are clear. Living out Gods commands are life giving. God is benevolent (Gen. 1:28). God is holy (Gen. 3:22-24). God is just (Gen. 6:1-6). God is mercifully involved in the affairs of men (Gen 50:20). The list could go on, but the point has been made. As Christians we are introduced to God in the beginning of the story. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
We are also introduced to the doctrine of man. One of the great tragedies of our day is that the worldview that is held by most can assign no real value to a human being. Humans have no innate worth or dignity. We are simply animals to be dispatched or protected by the person with biggest stick. There is a reason why murders, suicides, mass shooting, and abortions are on the rise. People are simply living out their worldview. The bible’s view of humanity is radically different. People are created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-28). Every human, regardless of age, gender, or ability, is to be valued, nurtured, and protected. They are people of worth and dignity by the design of the Almighty God. Biblical manhood and womanhood are addressed in the creation story, which is extremely relevant in our day of gender confusion.
The fall and the doctrine of sin are introduced on the very first pages of the book. Moses tells us what went wrong in God’s very good creation. Man’s rebellion against the Creator and its effects are still being felt today. Broken families, murders, deceptions, and an unruly creation itself are all a result of sin and rebellion. Adam and Eve committed treason against the King of creation and death and destruction quickly followed. Adam and Eve hide from God after their act of treason (Gen. 3:8), but they also hide from one another (Gen. 3:7). They had taken more from God than he had willingly given them, and perhaps they reasoned, how long will it be before my spouse takes from me more than I am willing to give? As a result of man’s sin, he was alienated from God and from his fellow human being. The first couple was cast out of the garden of Eden, away from the presence of God, and the very first story we read after this is a story of a brother murdering his brother (Gen 4). Sin effects all human relations both with our Creator and our fellow human being.
As you read the book, the theme of broken relationships plays out time and time again. Abraham and Sarah butt heads (Gen. 16). Abraham experiences the difficultly of living life in the midst of the seed of the serpent (Gen. 12, 14, 20), as do the other patriarchs. Brothers attempt to murder brothers throughout the book, ultimately culminating in the life of Joseph and his brothers.
In this broken world what hope is there? How shall the curse be undone? How can broken relationships be restored? Genesis 3:14-15 gives the answer, albeit in seed form once again, “So the LORD God said to the serpent…I will put enmity between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” God speaks a life-giving word of promise to the first couple. He has not completely given them over to the serpent. They will not die at this moment in time, although they will die. Life and the conflict will be on going but one day one of her own children will overcome the serpent and deliver him a deadly blow. This hope of the seed of the woman is why genealogies were so closely guarded in the Old Testament. They are looking for the seed of promise. The one who will bring the rest that was lost in the fall. This is the first gospel. Adam and Eve respond in faith to this life-giving word of promise as seen in the naming of Eve and the words of hope spoken at the birth of Cain. Eve’s hope was misplaced but known the less reflected her belief in the promised seed of the woman who would overcome the seed of the serpent (Gen 3:20 & 4:1).
The hope and faith of Adam and Eve is the same hope that every Christian has today. We to believe in the promises of God, namely that Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman who has and will overcome that serpent of old. Adam and Eve’s broken relationship with each other is the same relational problems that we experience today. Man’s chief problem has not changed throughout the ages. Man is separated from the presence of God. Genesis lays out for us how all these problems will be remedied. The story of Joseph is a fitting end to the book of Genesis. A Godly King-like figure extends forgiveness to his brothers and brings blessings to all the nations of the earth. This is our eschatological hope as well. We long for the day when the merciful, gracious, forgiving King of Kings is visibly seen on His throne, as the nations stream to Him to receive blessings. Genesis is a picture of the end of the ages. If you want to understand the age to come you must first understand where the story began. Christian, read the book of Genesis again and again.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Cadon