Genesis is by far the oldest document extant, and is in many respects the most interesting book in the world. It is the basis of all science, as it alone contains a true and full account of creation, and also of the origin and unity of the human race. The groundwork of all history, whether ancient and modern, general and special, is laid in this grand old book, which traces the course of the families and nations of the earth from their respective sources—the three sons of Noah—besides furnishing a comprehensive sketch of the world's history for the first sixteen and a half centuries. We have here, too, the only reliable and Divine source from whence we can gather light as to man and the world's age. This is the only record preserved to us on which a safe system of chronology can be built. Nowhere else are all human relationships so fully unfolded in their original purity, whether towards God, man, or creation. What other book furnishes such a grand collection of rich and rare biographies? What work so full and positively fascinating as this in its truthful sketches of primeval life and times? Are not the far-distant lands of the east made familiar to us, while, under the Holy Spirit's guidance, we are conducted into the tent or stand beside the altar, or through the desert, with the camel bearing its costly stores from Arabia and aromatic perfumes from Egypt and the south? How vivid the delineation of eastern manners, customs, and ways! Should not the birthplace of civilization, the cradle of the human race, and the center from whence all religion—Patriarchial, Jewish, and Christian—emanated possess an undying charm above all to the Christian student?
Genesis is not only the first book of the Pentateuch or five-volumed book of Moses, and the first in order in all Hebrew and English Bibles, but is also first in moral order as to the contents of the Bible itself. As signified by its name, it is pre-eminently the book of Divine beginnings, and has been happily termed "The seed plot of the Bible," as it contains the germ of every truth and subject developed in the succeeding books of Holy Scripture. From the character of this divine and ancient record we would style it the book of sources, and Revelation the book of results.
This first-written book of Holy Scripture is older by several centuries than any human production. The Chinese profess to have books of a much earlier date, but their statements on this point cannot be relied upon, and although their chronology is undoubtedly very ancient, it is also involved in much obscurity. Certain Egyptian monuments, as the Great Pyramid, supply scraps of historical information shortly after the Deluge, but nothing definite. The first of all historians was Moses. Neither books nor monuments can furnish the slightest help in determining the age or characteristics of the times preceding the Flood. We are indebted alone to the Book of Genesis for a true, because Divinely-inspired account of the world's history for the first sixteen and a half centuries. It may be remarked that the three first words of our book -"in the beginning" - are also the three first words of the Gospel according to John; in the former, however, the start is creation, in the latter we are in eternity. What a boundless field of wealth is presented to the Christian student in this precious and interesting book.
To creation God reveals Himself as Elohim—it is a plural word denoting the fullness, glory, and power of the Creator, and is rightly enough translated God 2700 times in the Holy Scriptures. To man as such the Creator has been pleased to take the title of Jehovah, expressive of moral relationship towards the intelligent creation, more than 6850 times in the Old Testament alone. To the Patriarchs the Almighty God would be an all-sustaining power for weakness to cling to, and for faith to confide in. These are the three leading names of relationship with God found in our book.
In order that the general bearing of the book be apprehended and an intelligent idea of its contents be gathered up, we here append a list of the subject or subjects of each chapter:—
Gen. 1-God's work in creation, and man's responsible place in it as center and Lord.
Gen. 2.-God's rest and satisfaction in His work, and human relationships established in innocence.
Gen. 3.-Satan the tempter; details of the temptation; judgment upon the serpent by the promised seed; governmental judgment upon the woman and the man; sacrifice and righteousness prefigured in the coats of skin.
Gen. 4.-Approach to God on the ground of death; murder, a human religion, city building, polygamy, and the world-system founded, furnished, and adorned in the family of Cain.
Gen. 5.-God's elect, and testimony to Christ's return by Enoch (Jude 1414And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 14),15), and Noah (Matt. 24:37-3937But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37‑39)).
Gen. 6.-God's verdict of man; God's judgment upon man; God's remedy for man.
Gen. 7.-Salvation and judgment; or, the Ark and the Flood.
Gen. 8.-Appearing of the new world, and all blessing for man and the creature founded on sacrifice.
Gen. 9.-Institution of civil government; God covenanting with man and creation; Noah's failure and his prophetic utterances upon his three sons—the progenitors of the nations and families of the earth.
Gen. 10.-The world peopled by the descendants of Japheth, eldest son, Ham the youngest, and Shem the second.
Gen. 11.-The first general attempt of man to form a religious center, the Tower, and human center—the City of Babel—apart from God; the line of grace traced from Shem till Abram.
Gen. 12.-The call, walk, worship, and failure of Abram.
Gen. 13.-Lot, the man of the world choosing for himself; Abram, the man of faith, has his portion chosen by Jehovah.
Gen. 14.-Beautiful millennial chapter pointing to the conflicts, royal priesthood, rest, refreshment, and blessing of the future in connection with the earth and the Jews.
Gen. 15.-The connection between heirship and sonship ("If children then heirs"); all promise and blessing founded as to their security on sacrifice; the people delivered and their oppressors judged, and the limits of the land from west to east defined.
Gen. 16.-Hagar, (law) and Ishmael, (the flesh). The typical instruction conveyed will be found in Gal. 4.
Gen. 17.-The unconditional promises grander than ever; circumcision, i.e., death to the flesh instituted; Abram and Sarai have their names changed, and the child of promise, Isaac, here first named.
Gen. 18.-Communion with God as to the judgment of the world, and intercession founded thereon.
Gen. 19-Lot saved from the world's doom "as by fire;" the disgraceful origin of the Moabites and Ammonites.
Gen. 20.-Abraham fails to walk in holy separateness in presence of the world (Abimelech), yet when restored in soul intercedes with God for it.
Gen. 21.-Isaac, the child of promise, born, and weaned amidst general rejoicing; Hagar and Ishmael, law and flesh, rejected; the world entreats the favor of the man of faith.
Gen. 24.-The bride called out, adorned with Isaac's love-gifts, and conducted through the wilderness to her heavenly and risen bridegroom under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
Gen. 25.-Israel's future relationship to Jehovah figured by Abraham marrying Rebekah; Isaac heir of Abraham's wealth; the sovereignty of God in the choice of Jacob instead of Esau.
Gen. 26.-The Abrahamic promises confirmed in Isaac, who fails more deeply than even his father did in Gen. 12. and Gen. 20.
Gen. 27.-Jacob, representative of the Jew, is blessed with the fullness of earthly blessing; the chapter of family sin and failure.
Gen. 28.-The blessing of "God Almighty" resting upon Jacob; the union of Esau and Ishmael, or of the Edomites and Ishmaelites; Jacob, the Jew, outcast from home and land, but watched over and protected by angelic care.
Gen. 30.-Rachel the Jew gives birth to Joseph, figure of Christ in suffering and then in glory; Jacob enriched with the blessings of the earth.
Gen. 31.-Jacob's return by Divine command to the land of his fathers; Laban by Divine command cannot injure Jacob; Jacob the Jew and Laban the Syrian enter into a covenant—Jehovah watching between.
Gen. 32.-Jacob has no confidence in "God's host" to preserve him from his brother's enmity, but schemes and prays as to the coming meeting with Esau; God wrestling with Jacob so as to break his will.
Gen. 33.-The meeting of the long-separated brothers; Jacob again deceiving, turning his back upon Mount Seir, his brother's possession, after promising to meet him there.
Gen. 34.-Wickedness; deceit and cruelty.
Gen. 35.-Jacob called to dwell in Bethel, "house of God;" worldliness and idolatry are then judged; Rachel, the loved wife of Jacob, dies after giving birth to Benjamin (Christ in power acting on the earth); the twelve sons of Jacob.
Gen. 37-Joseph figures Christ first in suffering, then in glory; like Christ hated “without a cause;" dreams of earthly glory; sold to the Gentiles and carried into Egypt.
Gen. 38.-Judah's shameful wickedness.
Gen. 39.-Joseph's personal integrity and his sufferings for righteousness' sake.
Gen. 40.-Joseph ( Christ), even in suffering, the wisdom of God and interpreter of His ways.
Gen. 41-Joseph (Christ) revealing the counsels of God as to the world, and exalted to the exercise of the regal power.
Gen. 42.-Joseph (Christ) secretly nourishing his brethren, and dealing with their consciences as to their sin.
Gen. 43.-Joseph (Christ glorified) cannot reveal himself to his brethren till Benjamin (power) be united to him, thus the union of power and glory in Christ for the blessing of Israel.
Gen. 44.-Judah fully acknowledging the sin and guilt of Joseph's (Christ's) cruel rejection—the conscience is thoroughly searched and the sin confessed.
Gen. 45.-Joseph (Christ) revealing himself to his brethren. See Zech. 13
Gen. 46.-The rise of the nation from 70 souls who went down into Egypt; the touching meeting between Israel and Joseph.
Gen. 47.-Jacob the Pilgrim blessing the Monarch of the world (Pharoah) Jacob and his sons enriched and blessed in the richest part of the country, the land of Goshen; Joseph ( Christ exalted) the source of all blessing to the world.
Gen. 48.-Jacob's dying reflections upon his checkereda life; Israel and not Joseph in the mind of God as to the blessing of Manasseh and Ephraim.
Gen. 49.-The prophetic blessings of Jacob, in which the history of the nation is sketched from their rise in Egypt till settled in millennial glory.
Gen. 50.-Canaan hopes remembered both by Jacob and Joseph.
GENERAL DIVISIONS.
1.-From Adam till Noah, a period of 1656 years. The history of the old world. Gen. 1-7.
2.-From Noah till Abraham, a period of 427 years. Governmental dealing and general history characterize this period. Gen. 8-9.
3.- From the call of Abram till the death of Joseph, a period of about 276 years. God's ways with the Patriarchs in this lengthy section of the book display the admirable wisdom of God in grace, glory, discipline and government. Gen. 12-50.
Besides the foregoing general divisions, Genesis contains ten sections, each containing the words "the generations" as follows:-
(4) Gen. 10.-Generations of Noah's sons.
(9) Gen. 36-Generations of Esau, founder of the Edomites.