Genesis is the book of beginnings; it provides a dramatic account of the origins of mankind and his universe, the intrusion of sin into the world, the catastrophic effects of its curse on the race, and the beginnings of God’s plan to bless the nations through His seed.
Genesis is in the Bible primarily to teach us the following lesson: People can enjoy a personal relationship with God, and thereby realize their own fulfillment as human beings—only through trust in God and obedience to God. This is the message statement of the book. Genesis reveals that God is faithful to His promises and powerful enough to bring them to fulfillment.
We accept the ancient Jewish and Christian teaching that Genesis was written and compiled by Moses the man of God and Lawgiver of Israel. It comes down to a matter of faith. Either God is capable of producing such a work through His servants or He is not. Believers of all generations from primeval times to today have set their seal that God is true.
The early chapters of Genesis present what became of the heavens and the earth. What follows is the story of the Fall, the murder of Abel, and the development of sin within civilization. We see a threefold cursing: of Satan (3:14), of the ground because of man (3:17), and of Cain (4:11). Yet, in this deteriorating life, there is a token of grace (4:15) and a ray of hope — man began to call on God (4:26).
God’s immediate relationship with Adam was broken by the Fall (Chapter 3). In the Fall, man did two things: First, he failed to trust God’s goodness with his mind. And second, he rebelled against God’s authority with his will (3:6). God then took the initiative to re-establish the relationship with man that He had created man to enjoy (3:15) – which speaks of His grace and mercy. The first two chapters of Genesis are about creation. The remainder of the Bible is about redemption – God’s progressive plan to redeem his people from their sin.
Doctor Mike's Bible Studies and Devotionals for the Common Person 