Helpful Books On Genesis and The Pentateuch

Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church
Adult C.E. Class: Survey of the OT:

Pastor Shane Sapp -- 2009/2010
Class 1: The purpose of this class is to identify the author of the Genesis and the Pentateuch.
Helpful Books on Genesis and the Pentateuch:

• John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis. You can read this commentary online at
www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom01.html. Calvin’s commentary on Genesis is one of the
best treatments of Genesis that has been written.
• Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch.
• R.C. Sproul and Robert Wolgemuth, What’s in the Bible (Nashville: W Publishing Group,
200). This book is an easy-to-read survey of the whole Bible.
• Catherine Vos, The Child’s Story Bible 3 volumes (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1977).
Eerdmans republished this work in 1 volume, but I recommend the Banner of Truth
version because it lacks the “pictures” of Jesus that Eerdmans added. You can find these
3 volumes on www.crownandcovenant.com. Don’t underestimate this children’s story
Bible. Catherine Vos masterfully explains Genesis and the other books of the Bible.
I. Who wrote Genesis and the Pentateuch?
A. Why should we spend time discussing the author of Genesis and the Pentateuch
(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)?
1. The Liberal church decided against Mosaic authorship by the end of the 19th Century.
2. Many commentaries and books available deny the Mosaic authorship of the
Pentateuch.
3. If Moses did not write the Pentateuch, the Bible has errors and the authority of the
Scriptures is compromised.
4. The Bible teaches that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, so we should care.
5. We should not be scared to answer the hard questions in the Scripture and the hard
questions that critics of the Bible ask.
6. We have a sound argument for the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch.
B. Documentary Hypothesis: An evolutionary theory of the origin of the Pentateuch,

which sees the Pentateuch consisting of various independent sources compiled by an
unknown editor long after the time of Moses.
1. History of the Documentary Hypothesis

a. 17th Century – Benedict Spinoza questioned the authorship of the Pentateuch
because of Moses’ use of we instead of I. His theory also came from the
existence of the narrative account of Moses’ death in Deuteronomy 34.
b. 18th Century – Jean Astruc noticed that the two accounts of creation in Genesis 1
and 2 used different names for God; therefore, he proposed that the parallel
creation accounts came from different sources.
c. 19th Century
(1) Wilhelm DeWette proposed an author called the deuteronomistic source.
(2) Herman Hupfeld proposed a source written by priests.
(3) In 1876 and 1879, Julius Wellhausen formulated the Documentary
Hypothesis. He synthesized the previous work of Biblical scholars with
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Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory.
2. The Hypothesis
a. The Pentateuch evolved into what we now have in the span of time from 850 B.C.
to 570 B.C. During this time, editors compiled and synthesized the Pentateuch
from the four sources. The sequence of evolution is called JEDP hypothesis.
(1) Jawhistic Source (J) – Completed about 850 B.C. in Judah.
(2) Elohist Source (E) – Comleted about 750 B.C. in Judah.
(3) J and E were combined about 650 B.C.
(4) Deuteronomistic Source (D) – Completed under Josiah about 621 B.C.
(5) Priestly Source (P) – Completed in various stages around the exile. (570 B.C.)
b. Illustration: Imagine writing a Christmas letter with the help of your whole
family over a period of twenty years.
3. Four of the many problems with the JEDP/Documentary Hypothesis

a. JEDP hypothesis begins with an unbelieving approach to the Scritpures.
b. Variation in the style, vocabulary, or subject matter of one author is denied.
c. The theory changes from scholar to scholar.
d. No other ancient document has been critiqued in this way.
C. Argument that Moses authored Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch
Genesis is part of the larger portion of Scripture called the Pentateuch. The
following points make the case that Moses authored the Pentateuch. Since Genesis is a
part of the Pentateuch, we deduce that Moses authored Genesis.
1. Arguments from Scripture: (Note that these arguments also support the argument
for the inspiration of the Pentateuch)
a. The Pentateuch claims that Moses wrote it under the inspiration of God
(1) Exodus 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a
book and recite it in the ears of Joshua...”
(2) Exodus 34:27 And the LORD said to Moses, "Write these words, for in
accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with
Israel."
(3) Numbers 33:1-2 1 These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they
went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of
Moses and Aaron. 2 Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage,
by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their
starting places.
(4) Deuteronomy 1:1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond
the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and
Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
(5) Deuteronomy 31:9, 11 9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests,
the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all
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the elders of Israel... 11 all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God
at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in
their hearing.
b. Other Old Testament books affirm that Moses wrote the Pentateuch. The
Pentateuch is given the name The Law or The Law of Moses in the rest of the
Bible. Also, Moses is recognized as writing the Law.
(1) Joshua 1:7-8 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do
according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you... 8 This Book
of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day
and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in
it...
(2) Joshua 8:31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the
people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, ... – Notice
that Joshua recognized that Moses wrote the Book of the Law.
(3) 1 Kings 2:3 and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways
and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as
it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and
wherever you turn,
(4) 2 Kings 14:6 But he did not put to death the children of the murderers,
according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the
LORD commanded, ...
(5) 2 Kings 21:8 ... if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have
commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses
commanded them."
(6) Ezra 6:18 And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their
divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of
Moses.
(7) Nehemiah 13:1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing
of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite
should ever enter the assembly of God,
(8) Daniel 9:11-13 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside,
refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the
Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we
have sinned against him. ... 13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this
calamity has come upon us...
(9) Malachi 4:4 "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules
that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. – Notice, even in the prophets,
the recognition that Moses wrote the law.
c. The New Testament affirms that Moses wrote the Pentateuch.
(1) Mark 7:10 For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, ... –
Moses wrote the 10 Commandments.
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(2) Mark 12:26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book
of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? – Moses
wrote the narrative of the burning bush.
(3) Luke 16:31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets,
neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"
(4) Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
(5) John 5:46-47 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of
me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"
– Jesus expresses the authority of Moses’ writings or the Pentateuch.
(6) John 7:19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law.
Why do you seek to kill me?"
(7) Acts 3:22 Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me
from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. – Peter
states that Moses wrote Deuteronomy 18.
(8) Romans 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the
law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. – Paul
recognizes that Moses wrote Deuteronomy 30:12-13.
2. The Nature of the Pentateuch: There is a unity and continuity in the narrative of the
Pentateuch. It tells one story. Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers all begin with a
conjunction in the Hebrew text. Deuteronomy begins by stating that the author is
Moses.
3. The Testimony of the Church: For Centuries, the Christian Church has
unanimously affirmed that Moses wrote the Pentateuch. Only at the Enlightenment,
beginning in the 17th Century, did Biblical scholars begin to question the Mosaic
authorship of the Pentateuch.
4. Two hard questions that we need to answer

a. How is Moses the author of the Pentateuch if Deuteronomy includes the
narrative of Moses’ death?
(1) First, Moses already showed that God made him a prophet, namely in Deut
18:15ff, so Moses could have written the narrative before his death. Note that
in Deuteronomy 34:5, the Scripture says that the Lord buried Moses. In light
of this truth, God could have commanded Moses to write the narrative of his
death because no one else was going to be there to witness it.
(2) Second, the narrative of Moses’ death could be an appendix to the Pentateuch.
Someone like Joshua could have written Deuteronomy 34 under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We have the same problem with book of
Joshua because Joshua 24:29ff includes the narrative of Joshua’s death and
burial.
b. Did Moses use oral or written resources to compose the Pentateuch? We do
not know. Whether or not Moses used oral or written resources does not impact
the authority, unity, or authenticity of the Pentateuch. This question is moot.
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Class 2: The first purpose of this class is to present an outline for the book of Genesis that
will be easy to remember and use. The second purpose of this class is to become familiar
with the material in the book of Genesis. A list of key references in the book of Genesis will
be given for purpose of memorizing. Once a person understands the outline of Genesis and
key references in the book, he or she will be able to study the book with more fluency and
retain the fruit of this study for use in understanding doctrine and studying other books of the
Bible.
Review:
• WCF 1.2 -- Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now
contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these: Of the Old
Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy ... All which are given by
inspiration of God to be the rule of faith and life.
• What is the Bible’s answer to the question, “Who wrote Genesis?”
Outline of Genesis
• There are several features in Genesis that help us outline the book. The outline presented
below considers the following features of Genesis.
o Genesis contains two covenants. One is the Covenant of Works (CoW). The other
is the Covenant of Grace (CoG). Genesis 1-3 teaches about the CoW. Genesis 3
through 50 focuses upon the CoG.
o The main “human” characters of Genesis are the Patriarchs. These include Adam,
Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The other characters like Ishmael, Esau,
Abimelech, and Pharaoh are secondary to the redemptive history presented in
Genesis.
o Moses returns to a refrain eleven times. The refrain is These are the generations
of. These refrains list the key descendents from the main characters of the
particular epoch of the redemptive history. Some of the generations serve the
purpose of revealing the Seed of the Serpent, and the others show the progression
of the Seed of the Woman. (The Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman
will be described later.) Sometimes the generations give narrative details about the
lives of the people in the generations.
o Joseph might not be considered a patriarch of the CoG, but Moses spends 13
chapters on the narrative of Joseph’s life.
• The outline that will be presented gives priority to patriarchs of the CoW and CoG.
Sections of the outline are organized by the generations whenever appropriate. Joseph is
given the last portion of the outline because it would be unwise to keep a human
convention when the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to focus the last 13 chapters of the
narrative on Joseph’s life.
• Remember that an outline deduced by the creation always falls short of the structure
established by the creator. Use you outlines with humility.
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Brief outline:
I. Creation (Ch 1-2)

II. Adam (Ch 3-5)
III. Noah (Ch 6-11)
IV. Abraham (Ch 12-25)
V. Isaac (Ch 25-26)
VI. Jacob (Ch 26-36)
VII. Joseph (Ch 37-50)
Detailed outline:

A. Creation 1: The narrative history of God’s work of creation with 6 days of work and 1
day of rest is given (Ch 1-2:3)
B. Creation 2: One perspective on the second creation narrative is that is focuses upon the
“generations” or the people of the creation. (Ch 2:4ff)
II. Adam (Ch 3-5)

A. The Fall of Man (Ch 3)
B. Progression of Sin
1. Cain and Abel (Ch 4)
2. Lamech (Ch 4:18-24)
C. Genealogy
III. Noah (Ch 6-11)
A. Flood (Ch 6-9)
B. Noahic Covenant (Ch 9)
C. Noah’s Geneology (Ch 10-11)
D. Tower of Babel (Ch 11)
IV. Abraham (Ch 12-25)
A. Call of Abraham (Ch 12)
B. Abraham, Sarai, and Pharaoh (Ch 12)
C. Abram and Lot (Ch 13-14)
D. Covenant Ceremony with Abram (Ch 15)
E. Sara and Hagar: Sin leads to Strife (Ch 16)
F. Sign of the Covenant with Abram: Institution of Circumcision and a new name (Ch 17)
G. God’s promise meets laughter (Ch 17:15-18:15)
H. Judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, Intercession, Rescue and Pillar of Salt (Ch 18-19)
I. Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech (Ch 20)
J. Conception of the promised son and Casting out of the slave’s son (Ch 21)
K. Sacrifice of Isaac: The Lord will provide. (Ch 22)
L. Sara’s Death (Ch 23)
M. Isaac and Rebekah: preservation of the promised seed and providential love (Ch 24)
N. Abraham’s Death (Ch 25)
V. Isaac (Ch 25-26)
A. Jacob and Esau: Barren womb to wrestling Birth (Ch 25:19ff)
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B. God renews the Covenant with Isaac (Ch 26:1-5)
C. Isaac, Rebekah, and Abimelech (Ch 26:6ff)
D. Isaac Blesses Jacob: Sovereignty of God despite the Deception of Man (Ch 27)
A. Isaac sends Jacob to Laban to get a wife (Ch 27:46-28:1-5)
B. Jacob’s Ladder: God renews the Covenant with Jacob (Ch 28:10-22)
C. Marriage drama: Jacob marries Leah and Rachel (Ch 29)
D. Covenant promised fulfilled: Jacob’s sons are born (Ch 29:31-30:1-24)
E. God provides and Jacob has to flee from Laban (Ch 30:25-31)
F. Out of the frying pan into the fire: Jacob fears Esau (Ch 32:1-2)
G. A faith of his own: Jacob wrestles with God (Ch 32:22-32)
H. Peaceful reunion: Jacob and Esau (Ch 33)
I. Real-life Drama of Dinah: Defilement, Deception, and Destruction (Ch 34)
J. Bethel to Bethel: God blesses Jacob and calls him Israel (Ch 35)
K. Two Deaths and One Birth: Isaac, Rachel, Benjamin (Ch 35)
L. Generations of Esau: Enemies of Israel (Ch 36)
A. From dreams of exaltation to slavery (Ch 37)
B. Judah and Tamar: An ancient soup-opera in Canaan (Ch 38)
C. Joseph in Potiphar’s House: Joseph stands up under temptation (Ch 39)
D. Joseph in Prison: Success and more Dreams (Ch 40)
E. Joseph in Pharaoh’s service: Dreams and Power (Ch 41)
F. Joseph’s dreams fulfilled (Ch 42)
G. Reconciliation with brothers (Ch 45)
H. Israel in Egypt (Ch 46-47)
I. Israel blesses his sons (Ch 48-50:14)
J. The Eleven brothers cover themselves (Ch 50:15-21)
K. Death of Joseph (Ch 50:22ff)
Index of Key References in Genesis

• Covenant of Works – Gen 2
• Fall of Man – Gen 3
• Protoevangelium – Gen 3
• Cain and Able – Gen 4
• The Flood -- Gen 6-8
• Tower of Babel – Gen 11
• Call of Abraham – Gen 12
• Covenant ceremony with Abraham – Gen 15
• Abraham justified by faith – Gen 15
• Circumcision – Gen 17
• Sodom and Gomorrah – Gen 19
• Sacrifice of Isaac – Gen 22
• Birth of Jacob and Esau – Gen 25
• God renames Jacob – Gen 35
• Joseph sold to slavery – Gen 37
“You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” – Gen 50:20
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Class 3: We should be aware that our standards, the RPCNA Constitution, teach the doctrine of
creation as revealed in Genesis 1-2 and the rest of the scriptures. There are many ways to
approach the study of the first two chapters of Genesis and the creation, but due to time, we will
stick with the method that the Church has used to teach the doctrine of creation. The WLC
question 15 asks What is the work of creation? The answer given is the work of creation is that
wherein God did in the beginning, by the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all
things therein, for himself, within the space of six days, and all very good. This study will
address this important doctrine using the framework of WLC Q/A 15.
Review: How would you outline the book of Genesis?
I. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning
II. By the word of his power, make of nothing the world, and all things therein
• In Gen 1, God spoke and creation came into existence. Psalm 33:5-6 confesses by the
word of the Lord the heavens were made...
• The concept make of nothing is often called ex nihilo. Hebrews 11:3 testifies to this truth.
III. For himself
• Humans are to do everything to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).
• For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever (Rom
11:36)
• No one has an excuse to deny the existence of God (Rom 1:19-20).
• Creation demands us to worship God (Rev 4:11).
IV. Within the space of six days
• This phrase has been the topic of debate for about 200 years. Darwin’s theory of evolution
and its requirement of a very long time has caused many people, even Christians, to
question the definition of a day or yom in Genesis 1:1-2:3.
• The Westminster Assembly articulated that God created all things in the space of six days,
but the question that is being asked is how long was each day? We will look at three
answers to this question that have been given by “Bible-believing” Christians.
• Literary Framework Theory: This theory recognizes that Gen 1 is a poetic portion of
Scripture. Rather than communicating a scientific or historical account of creation, Gen
1 uses a literary device to teach God’s sovereign power in creation; therefore, Gen 1 does
not demand 6 solar days or consecutive ages for creation.
o There is a refrain and there was evening and there was morning, the ____ day.
o The whole structure of creation is poetic. Day 1 and Day 4, Day 2 and Day 5, and
Day 3 and Day 6 are related to each other.
o Both of these observations are wonderfully true, but does this feature of Gen 1
exclude a historical creation account. Stated differently, can history be accurately
communicated in a poetic form?
• Old Earth or Day-Age Theory: This theory accommodates two pieces of information.
First, geology seems to show that the earth was created in a span of longer than six days.
Second, the word for day, which is yom in Hebrew, can mean a solar (24-hour) day or an
age or span of time. As a result, the creation account is interpreted as six consecutive
periods rather than 6 solar days.
o Several passages use the word day to mean a period of time. Examples include
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Zech 4:10 and 2 Peter 3:8. Gen 2:4 is an interesting example.
o The first three days of creation did not have the sun, which determines our solar
or 24-hour day. Joshua 10:12-14 records an interesting “solar day” when the sun
and moon stood still. Thus, do the first three days have to be 24-hour days.
o The Seventh day marks the end of God’s creative work and the “eternal Sabbath.”
o These observations come from the Scripture, but do they change the meaning of
yom or day in Gen 1, or do the other uses of yom in the Scriptures prohibit the
interpretation of the Gen 1 days?
• Young Earth or Short Day Theory: This interpretation of Gen 1 recognizes a six, 24-
hour day creation.
o The normal use of the word for day is a solar day or 24-hour day. Evening and
morning is a poetic way to mark the normal 24-hour day. Days 4-6 six have the
evening and morning marker and the existence of the sun and moon. It is true that
the Days 1-3 do not explicitly have the sun to indicate a solar day, but this fact
does not demand that the first 3 days have a different length that the last 3 days.
o Proper interpretation of the Scriptures demands that a word be interpreted in its
local context, so the age use of day does not require ages in Gen 1.
o God can create in such a way that gives the appearance age. Adam and Eve were
created as adults.
o In Ex 20:11, the 4th Commandment uses 6 normal days as a reason for keeping the
Sabbath.
o The beautiful nature of Gen 1 as a literary framework does not prohibit historicity.
V. And all very good: In Genesis 1:31, Elohim saw everything that He had made, and behold, it
was very good. We need to realize that the heavens and earth and all the dwells in them was
made very good. Greek philosophy creeps into our minds sometimes to make us think that
matter is evil, but the Bible teaches us differently. When God created us, we were very good.
Now, the Fall affected this moral attribute of the creation...
Lessons from Creation:

• Creator-Creature Distinctive: The Bible does not give to us a date for the creation, so
the proper date of creation must not be of ultimate importance. On the other hand, the
Bible emphasizes another key concept that we must learn from the creation accounts of
Genesis. The concept is: God is the creator, and everything else is creation or a
creature. This idea is very important to grasp as we begin to read the Bible. We need to
read the Scriptures with the humility of a creature who is totally dependent upon the
creator to reveal all things to him.
• Creation gives man meaning: No meaning can be found in chance, i.e. evolution.
Knowing that we were created by God gives us meaning. God created man very good, in
his image. We have been created to glorify and to enjoy Him forever.
• Creation communicates God’s sovereignty to us.
o Paul recognized that creation work reveals God’s sovereignty. Rom 1:19-20.
o Job struggled to understand his suffering. The Lord answered Job by reminding
him of God’s sovereignty demonstrated in creation (Job 38-41). Then, in Job
42:1-6, Job confesses that he understands God’s sovereignty. The reminder that
God is the sovereign creator put Job’s trials and questions into perspective. We
need to remember that if God created all things, He is able to control all things too.
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Class 4: The goal of this study is to understand the Covenant of Works in Genesis 2.
I. Covenant of Works
A. Definition of a Covenant:
B. Nature of the Covenant of Works: (Genesis 2:15-17)
1. Parties: God and Adam
a. In Genesis 2:15, God, the creator, put Adam, His creation, in the Garden of Eden.
Adam did not have a choice in the matter. God was in control. This covenant
relationship that God established with Adam is what we call monopleuric.
Monopleuric means a covenant between the creator and the creature. Thus,
the two parties are God and Adam. Adam, not Adam and Eve, is the “covenant
head” or “federal head” or “representatice” of all mankind in the covenant.
We are familiar with dipleuric covenant agreements. A marriage and a
mortgage is a dipleuric agreement. Dipleuric covenants are covenants between to
equal beings, i.e. a man and a man or a man and a woman. Examples: ...
b. The relationship between God and Adam was a legal relationship, but it was more
complex. God loved Adam and cared for him. He realized that it is not good for
man to be alone, so God set out to create a helper for Adam. Nevertheless, God
was creator and Adam was his creature. They were not equals, and as a result,
Adam owed God perfect obedience to His revealed will.
c. In verses 19-20, God creates the beasts of the field and birds of the air. Then, He
brings these animals to Adam. Notice the interesting relationship between the
almighty God-creator and Adam in verse 19. God brought [each animal] to the
man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living
creature, that was its name. God had a special relationship with Adam. No other
creature has the privilege of working with God to name the animals. God seems
to be enjoying the relationship. The name Adam gave to each animal stuck.
d. When the Lord God brings Eve, who He made from a rib of Adam, Adam named
her. He called this perfect helper woman because she was made from man.
2. Condition: perfect obedience
a. Positive Requirements of the Law: Creation Ordinances. Genesis 1-2 reveal
three important commands or laws which we call creation ordinances. Adam was
responsible for positively doing keeping these ordinances, and when Eve was
created, she assisted Adam in keeping the creation ordinances.
1) Work: In Gen 1:28, God commands Adam to be fruitful and multiply and fill
the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of sea etc. In Gen
2:15, The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work
it and keep it. So, work is a creation ordinance. This statement means that
“man” (to use Biblical language) was created to work. The creation mandate
to work is very applicable to us even today. We must remember that we were
made to work. Thus, by working, we glorify God. The mandate to work is
not a Mosaic or New Covenant mandate. This ordinance was given in
creation, so it transcends all other relationships that God has to man.
Let’s break down the type of work:
(i) Procreation: Adam and Eve along with their posterity (descendents)
were to have lots of babies. They were to fill the earth with humans who
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would glorify God by keeping these creation mandates.
(ii) Ruling: Adam was to rule over all of the creatures of the earth. This
concept is more precisely entitled dominion.
(iii)Gardening: God put Adam in the Garden for the purpose of working and
keeping it. It is safe to say that Adam was to expand the Garden of Eden
to fill the entire earth.
2) Sabbath: Adam was to remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Thus, the
Sabbath is not an ordinance that was abrogated with the New Covenant.
3) Marriage: (Gen 2:18-25) God created Eve (a name that is not yet revealed in
Gen 2) for the purpose of marrying and being a helper for Adam in the work
that God called Adam to do. Woman was made from a bone of Adam. When
a man and woman are married, they become one flesh. God even reveals that
a man and a woman who are married are to leave their father and mother and
cleave to one another. It was not good that the man should be alone, so God
created woman and instituted marriage in creation.
b. Negative Commands of the Law: You may surely eat of every tree of the
Garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat. God
and Adam had an intimate relationship, but in verse 16, we see that Adam’s
relationship to God and Adam’s life was dependent upon perfect and voluntary
obedience to this command.
1) God required that Adam show perfect obedience in order to remain in the
covenant relationship with God. The nature of this condition is very
interesting. God gave every other tree as food for Adam. How hard is it to
refrain from one tree when you have all the rest?
2) Adam was dependent upon God to reveal the condition for obedience.
3. Threat: You will surely die. The threat or curse of the covenant of works is death.
Adam already had life, at least a conditional life. If he disobeyed God’s law, he
would lose his life and die. The death includes both a physical and spiritual death.
4. Promise: Eternal Life, i.e. eat of the Tree of Life. The promise is life, and this life is
more that the life that Adam already had. Adam already had life, but in Genesis
3:22-24, we read about the promise that Adam would only receive if he obeyed God.
Now, Genesis 3 only gives a shadow of the meaning of the Tree of Life. Revelation
2:7 and 22:1-5 shows that the promise to Adam is the same as the promise to all who
rest alone upon faith in Jesus Christ.
C. Scriptural argument that Genesis 2 is a covenant

1. Berith does not have to be used at the time that the covenant was communicated. (2
Sam 7, Ps 89:19-37)
2. Genesis 2 contains all of the elements of a covenant: parties, stipulations, promises,
and curses.
3. Hosea 6:7 implies that Adam transgressed a covenant.
4. The New Testament gives a parallel between Christ and Adam. Just as Jesus the
Christ was the representative of the New Covenant (Luke 22:20, Heb 9:15), Adam
was the representative of a covenant arrangement in Genesis 2. (Rom 5:12-19, 1 Cor
15:22, 46-47)
D. Review: WCF 7.2, WLC Q/A 20, WSC Q/A 12
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Class 5: The purpose of the fifth study is to understand what the book of Genesis teaches us
about the nature of our God. Remember that the rest of the Scriptures give the fullest teaching of
God’s nature, but we are going to focus primarily upon those attributes of God presented first.

A. Names of God
1. Elohim – The One True God or Mighty One – This name is used in Gen 1.
2. Yahweh Elohim – LORD God – This is the covenant name of God. It is the name
used in the narrative that describes God’s relationship to man. (Gen 2ff)
B. Nature of God
1. Existence of God: In Genesis 1:1 we see the Old Testament apologetic argument for
the existence of God. What is the argument? The OT simply assumes the existence
of God.
2. Singular and Plural Nature of God
a. Elohim is a plural noun.
b. God refers to himself as “us” when He decrees to make man in His image. (Gen
1:26). Then, in Gen 1:27, God creates man in His own image. The plural
phrases, let us, and the use of the singular his and image shows the complexity of
God’s nature.
3. Personal nature of God
a. In Gen 1, God creates.
b. In Gen 1:26-27, God has a relationship within himself.
c. In Gen 2:15ff, God knows Adam. He interacts with Adam and lets Adam
cooperate with Adam. God communicates the covenant relationship with Adam.
C. God is sovereign
1. Gen 1 and 2 demonstrate God’s sovereign power to create.
2. In Gen 2:15, God is author of law and justice. God reveals the standard for
obedience to Adam. God demands perfect obedience from his creatures. God reveals
that He will judge and give just rewards for obedience and curses for disobedience.
II. Adam (Ch 3-5) – Holiness, Justice, and Mercy
A. Fear of the Lord: Before Adam fell, he could freely and peacefully interact with God.
In Gen 3:8 and 10, fallen Adam hides from God and is afraid of God’s presence.
B. Adam, Eve, and the Serpent: The Justice of God is demonstrated in Gen 3:14-19.
C. God shows His mercy to Adam and Eve in Gen 3:20-21.
D. Holiness of God: God violently banishes sinners from His presence. (Gen 3:22-24)
III. Noah (Ch 6-11) – Wrath, Justice, Election, and Providence
A. In Gen 6:5-7:24, God’s hatred of sin and justice is communicated.
B. In Gen 6:9-9:29, God chooses people upon whom He will pour out His love and mercy.
God personally preserves His chosen creatures in the Ark. (Gen 7:16) Notice how God’s
providence was executed in a way that included Noah’s obedience to God’s commands.
C. God’s relationship with His elect, i.e. Noah, is a covenant relationship. (Gen 8:20-9:17)
D. The Tower of Babel incident shows God’s sovereignty over men and nations. (Gen 11)
IV. Abraham (Ch 12-25) --
A. Names of God
1. El Elyon – God Most High (Gen 14:19)
2. Adonai Yahweh – My Lord, GOD (Gen 15:2)
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3. El Shaddai – God All-Sufficient or Almighty (Gen 17:1)
B. God chooses another, Abram. God’s relationship with Abram and his offspring is a
covenant. (Gen 12, 15, and 17)
C. God’s forbearance with His fallen creation is highlighted in Gen 15:16.
D. God is truth and is immutable. This fact is demonstrated by the covenant ceremony in
Gen 15 and the everlasting nature of His promises to Abraham in Gen 17.
E. God sovereignly opens and closes the womb. Gen 20:18(closes) and Gen 21:1-2(opens).
F. God decrees all things but the Scriptures show an interesting relationship between God
and His people. God allows and hears Abraham’s prayers to preserve Sodom and
ultimately does preserve Lot. (Gen 18:22-19:29)
G. God forebears Abraham’s sin, and He providentially blesses Abraham despite his sin.
(Gen 12:10-20 and 20:1-18).
H. God also restrained the sin of Abimelech. (Gen 20:1-7) God temporally provides for
the reprobate Hagar an Ishmael. (Gen 21:8-21)
I. God hears and answers the prayers of His people (Gen 24:10-21).
J. God’s decrees for Jacob and Esau are hard to understand, but the whole counsel of God
reveals that God chooses his elect and the reprobate before they have been born. (Gen
25:19-23, Mal 1:2-3, and Rom 9:10-13)
V. Isaac (Ch 25-26)
A. God restrains the wicked heart of Abimelech and prospers Isaac. (Gen 26)
A. God sovereignly overrules the plans of men to execute His decrees. In addition, God
uses means, including the sinful acts of men, to execute His purposes. (Isaac’s Blessing
Gen 27; Laban, Jacob, and Jacob’s wives Gen 28-30)
A. God will accomplish His decrees using means that include the sinful plots of men. As
for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many
people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Gen 50:20)
VIII. The Confession of our church concerning the Doctrine of God
WLC Q. 6. What do the Scriptures make known of God? A. The Scriptures make known what
God is, the persons in the Godhead, his decrees, and the execution of his decrees.
WLC Q. 7. What is God? A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory,
blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere
present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and
gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
WLC Q. 12. What are the decrees of God? A. God's decrees are the wise, free, and holy acts of
the counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably
foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time, especially concerning angels and men.
WLC Q. 18. What are God's works of providence? A. God's works of providence are his most
holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their
actions, to his own glory.
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Class 6: The purpose of is to learn what God reveals about the Doctrine of Man in the book of
Genesis.
I. Man before the Fall (Gen 1-3:7)

A. Man was created with two parts--a body and a soul
1. God made Adam out of the dust of the earth (Gen 2:7). Then, God made Eve out of
one of Adam’s ribs (Gen 2:21-22).
2. God breathed life into Adam’s nostrils, and this breath is a symbol of man’s soul.
"But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand."
(Job 32:8, ESV) "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his
innermost parts." (Proverbs 20:27, ESV)
3. Adam was able to reason. This conclusion comes from the implication of Gen 2:20.
4. Man was created very good. (Gen 1:31)
B. Man was created in God’s image (Gen 1:27). It originally included knowledge
righteousness, and holiness (Col 3:10 and Eph 4:2).
C. Man was dependent upon God. Man was not an autonomous being
1. Adam was dependent upon God for life (Gen 2:7). Adam was the creature, and God
is the creator. Adam depended upon God for food (Gen 1:29)
2. Adam was dependent upon God for revelation (Gen 2:15). Adam was dependent
upon God for the law and realization of the covenant works. Adam was dependent
upon God to understand the Sabbath (Gen 2:1-3). Adam was dependent upon God to
understand the dominion and work that God had created for Adam to do. (Gen 1:28ff)
D. Man was created in a unique relationship toward sin. Adam and Ever were both able to
sin and able to not sin. Man’s nature before the Fall is free to make choices both for
good an evil before the Fall. (Gen 3:1-7) Man is no longer in this state of morality.
E. Components of human choices (Gen 3:1-7):
1. The Inducement is something outside of man that is object and passive. In Eve’s
case, the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the inducement.
2. The Motive is the personal and internal desire a person has for the inducement. In
Gen 3:6, Eve noticed that he fruit was good for food and pretty. She recognized that
it was desirable to make her wise.
3. The will is the part of man that acts upon the motive or the desire for the inducement.
In Gen 3:6, Eve acted on her desire or her motive by taking and eating of the fruit.
When she gave some of the fruit to Adam, he did the same.
II. Man after the Fall (Gen 3ff) --
A. Man is sinful and aware of his sin. (Gen 3:7ff) Fallen man is now able to sin and unable
not to sin. The total corruption of Man’s nature is evident by a short survey of Genesis.
1. The sin of Adam is passed down to his children. The fruit of the sin that Adam
passed down to Cain was manifested when he murdered Abel. (Gen 4)
2. Lamech, one of Cain’s descendents, murdered a man. (Gen 4:23)
3. The long lives of fallen men produced a great corruption and wickedness. God
reveals the total depravity of man in Gen 6:5-7.
4. Even the covenant people of God contained the corruption of sin. (Gen 8:21) Noah
gets drunk, and his son Ham does something sinful to his father and was cursed by
Noah. (Gen 9)
5. Tower of Babel is a manifestation of sin after Noah. (Gen 11)
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6. God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah for their gross depravity (Gen 19).
7. Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, was defiled. (Gen 34)
8. Potiphar’s wife burns with lust for Joseph. (Gen 39)
B. Man still maintains the image of God (Gen 6:6). The reason why it is wrong to kill a man
is that man is made in God’s image.
C. Man still has a soul
1. Man can have faith (Gen 15:6)
2. Man makes plans in His mind. Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob are involved in a dramatic
plot. (Gen 27) Joseph’s eleven brothers plot to kill Joseph (Gen 37).
3. Man has dreams. Abraham (Gen 15), Jacob (Gen 28).
4. Man can meditate or think. (Gen 24:63)
5. Man can love. (Gen 24:67)
D. Man exercises dominion. Abraham rescues lot (Gen 14). Pharaoh and Abimelech rule
over nations. Joseph (Gen 41:37ff)
E. The true covenant people of God are somehow able to sin and able not to sin. Joseph (Gen
39)
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Class 7: The purpose of is to learn the Doctrine of Man after the Fall in the book of Genesis.
I. Man before the Fall (Gen 1-3:7).

A. Components of human choices (Gen 3:1-7):
1. The Inducement is something outside of man that is object and passive. In Eve’s
case, the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the inducement.
2. The Motive is the personal and internal desire a person has for the inducement. In
Gen 3:6, Eve noticed that he fruit was good for food and pretty. She recognized that
it was desirable to make her wise.
3. The will is the part of man that acts upon the motive or the desire for the inducement.
In Gen 3:6, Eve acted on her desire or her motive by taking and eating of the fruit.
When she gave some of the fruit to Adam, he did the same.
B. A man or woman sins in the motive or the will. This dissection of the components of
human choices simply helps us to understand how and why we do what we do. A man
may sin in the motive and it may never materialize externally. A may sin in the motive
and also take the extra step to willfully carry out the sin. The process is the same for all
other decisions.
C. See 2 Samuel 11.
II. Man after the Fall (Gen 3ff) --
Noah. (Gen 9)
39)
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Class 8: The purpose of is to learn the Doctrine of Man after the Fall in the book of Genesis.
I. Man after the Fall (Gen 3ff) --

Noah. (Gen 9)

39)
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Class 9: The purpose of this study is to learn about the Covenant of Grace in Genesis.
I. Covenant of Grace in Genesis

A. Genesis 3:15 – Immediately after the fall, God enters into a new relationship with man.
(Rom 16:20)
B. Noah – In Genesis 6:8-9:17, God communicates a gracious covenant with Noah.
C. Abraham – God establishes the covenant of grace with Abraham in several progressive
episodes.
1. Genesis 12:1-9
a. Abram is chosen out of the descendents of Shem.
b. Promise:
(1) God will make Abram a great nation.
(2) God will bless Abram, his descendents, and all who bless Abram.
(3) God will give to Abram’s offspring the Land of Canaan.
2. Genesis 15
a. God recapitulates the promises that He made to Abram. God will give Abram an
offspring.
b. Abram is justified (or counted righteous) by faith in the Lord’s covenant promises.
Rom 4 discusses Abraham’s justification by faith alone. We are justified in the same
way.
c. God promulgates the covenant, and He recapitulates the immutable promises to
Abram.
3. Genesis 17
a. God calls Abram to walk blamelessly before Him.
b. God recapitulates and clarifies the covenant promises to Abram.
(1) Abram will be a father of a multitude of nations, and God changes his name to
Abraham.
(2) God promises to establish the covenant with his offspring as an everlasting
covenant.
(3) God promises to give Canaan to Abraham’s offspring as an everlasting
possession.
c. God institutes the sacrament of circumcision as a sign and seal of the everlasting
covenant.
d. God promises to provide the offspring, Isaac.
e. The covenant of grace can be summarized: I will be your God, and you shall be my
people.
4. Genesis 22
a. God commands Abraham to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac. The tension builds as
Abraham trusts God’s promise to build a nation through Isaac and sacrifices Isaac at
the same time.
b. God stops Abraham from sacrificing his only-begotten son. God reveals that He will
provide the surety (or guarantee) of the covenant. This lamb points to Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world.
c. Abraham’s faith was vindicated by his obedience to the Lord.
d. God recapitulates the covenant promises.
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D. Isaac – God renews the covenant with Isaac. (Gen 26:2-5). Isaac gives the covenant
blessing to Jacob (Gen 27:27-29)
E. Jacob -- God renews the covenant with Jacob. (Gen 28:13-15)
1. God recapitulated the promise to bring Jacob back to Canaan. (Gen 15:13-14/46:3-4)
2. Jacob gives the covenant blessing to his children (Gen 48-49)
3. God has cared for Israel as He promised – (Gen 50:20)
4. As Joseph dies, he leaves with the hope of the covenant of grace. (Gen 50:24)
Closing Thoughts:
The blessing to Abraham and his offspring is salvation by grace through faith and eternal life.
All who are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ receive the blessing to Abraham. In
Galatians 3, Paul explains that the promise, in you shall all the nations be blessed, is the Gospel
Promise! He goes on to write that we, who are in Christ, are Abraham’s offspring. Thus, God
has one covenant relationship with His people, and there is one way of salvation.
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Class 10: The purpose of this study is to learn how Jesus Christ is anticipated in Genesis.
I. Offspring of the Woman: Gen 3:15
II. Melchizedek: He is a mysterious character who shows up in Abraham’s life as a type of

Christ.
Gen 14:17-24
A. In Psalm 110, The Father swears an oath to the second person of the trinity. Jesus is
promised to be a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
B. In Heb 7, the Apostle makes five comparisons of Melchizedek to Christ
1. The Name of Melchizedek
2. The seat of his kingdom
3. The Perpetuity of his life
4. His right to tithes
5. His benediction
III. Isaac: Gen 22

A. Isaac falls in the line of the offspring of the woman. He was the promised son of
Abraham. In Gen 22:2, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham’s only
son, whom he loved.
B. God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac at Mt. Moriah, which is in the mountains around
Jerusalem. It is possible that this mountain was the location of the temple. (2 Chron 3:1).
C. Abraham told Isaac that the Lord will Provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering,
my son. Yet, Abraham knew that God had called him to sacrifice Isaac. God stopped
Abraham from killing Isaac, and He provided a lamb for the sacrifice.
D. God’s provision of a sacrifice in Gen 22 reveals that God would provide an only son who
would be given up as a burnt offering for the sins of Abraham and his offspring (the
Church).
IV. Joseph: The story of Joseph in Gen 37-49 anticipates the saving work of Jesus Christ
A. Joseph was beloved by his father Jacob. (Gen 37:3)
B. Joseph had dreams of ruling over his parents and brothers (Gen 37:5-11)
C. Humiliation: Joseph’s ministry to Israel began by his slavery and imprisonment.
1. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of Him and conspired to kill him. (Gen 37:11-20)
2. Joseph was sold into slavery. Jacob thinks that Joseph is dead. (Gen 37:21-28)
3. Joseph was unjustly tried for defiling Potiphar’s wife, and he was imprisoned. (Gen
39:19-20)
D. Exaltation: Joseph ministers to Israel through his exalted position
1. Pharaoh makes Joseph the ruler over Pharaoh’s house. (Gen 41:37-45)
E. Back in Canaan, Israel was starving under the great famine. (Gen 42:1-2)
F. Joseph saves Israel through famine. (Gen 45:1-20)
G. Joseph’s life is very similar to Jesus’ life. Both had to take on a state of humiliation to
save the Church. Both saved the church from a state of exaltation. (Phil 2:5-11)
V. Judah’s Scepter: In Gen 49:10, the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, is promised to come from the
tribe of Judah. He shall be king over Israel, king of the Church. (Matt 1:3, Eph 1:22, 1 Cor
15:25, Rev 5:5)
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This table provides an interesting parallel between Joseph and Jesus Christ. You can find it on
the internet at http://pages.sbcglobal.net/clocks/josephtp.html.
Joseph Jesus
Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph Matthew 3:17 "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom
I am well pleased."
Genesis 37:4 his brothers, they hated him John 15:25 They hated me without a cause.
Genesis 37:8 His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed Luke 19:14 We do not want this man to rule over us.
to reign over us?... So they hated him even more because
of his dreams and his words.
Genesis 37:11 So his brothers were jealous of him, Mark 15:10 it was out of jealousy that the chief priests
had handed him over.
Genesis 37:18 They saw him from a distance, and before Matthew 27:1 the chief priests and the elders of the
he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring
about his death.
Genesis 37:23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, Matthew 27:28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe
they stripped him of his robe on him
Genesis 37:28 sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty Matthew 26:15 They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
pieces of silver.
Genesis 39:4 Joseph found favor in his sight ...he made John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all
him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all things in his hands.
that he had.
Genesis 40:2-3 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers Luke 23:32 Two others also, who were criminals, were
... and he put them ... in the prison where Joseph was led away to be put to death with him.
confined.
Genesis 40:13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up Luke 23:43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will
your head and restore you to your office (to one, a be with me in Paradise."
message of life)
Genesis 40:15 I have done nothing that they should have Hebrews 4:15 one who in every respect has been tested
put me into the dungeon." as we are, yet without sin.
Genesis 41:46 Joseph was thirty years old when he Luke 3:23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he
entered the service of Pharaoh began his work.
Genesis 41:55 Pharaoh said ... "Go to Joseph; what he John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever
says to you, do." he tells you."
Genesis 45:1 Joseph made himself known to his Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened, and they
brothers. recognized him
Genesis 45:7 God sent me before you to preserve for 1 John 4:9 God sent his only Son into the world so that
you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many we might live through him.
survivors.
Genesis 45:12 And now your eyes ... see that it is my Luke 24:39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I
own mouth that speaks to you. myself.
Genesis 45:18 Take your father and your households and Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you that are weary ...
come to me and I will give you rest.
Genesis 45:26-28 26 And they told him, "Joseph is still Luke 24:5 Why do you look for the living among the
alive! ... Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still dead? He is not here, but has risen.
alive. I must go and see him before I die."
Genesis 46:30 Then Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me Luke 2:29 "Now Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant
die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive." depart in peace, according to Thy work; For my eyes
have seen Thy salvation,
Genesis 47:23 Then Joseph said to the people, ...I have 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 you are not your own? For you
this day bought you were bought with a price
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Class 11: The purpose of this study is to learn what God teaches us about faith in Genesis.
I. Faith has a trustworthy object

A. Abraham’s faith is grounded in the Word of God. (Gen 12, 15, 17)
B. Abraham’s faith believes the promise of God. (Gen 15:6)
C. Abraham’s faith relies upon the nature of God. (Gen 15)
II. Faith grows or matures
A. Gen 12 – Abraham obeyed God and left his father’s house for an unknown land.
B. Gen 15 – Abraham’s belief and trust in God’s promises matured, and Abraham desired
more faith. We share this same experience. Read Mark 9:24.
C. Gen 17 – Abraham feared God. Abraham demonstrated submission to God’s command.
D. Gen 22 – Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is the climactic demonstration of his faith. At
God’s command, he offered up both his beloved son and the son of the promise of
salvation. He trusted and depended upon God’s promise to build a nation through Isaac
despite his present circumstances.
III. Faith implies a belief in supernaturalism: Abraham expected the promises of the
Covenant of Grace to be fulfilled through God’s supernatural provision.
A. Romans 4:17-23 – Abraham trusted in God’s power to call things that are not as they
were. In other words, Abraham trusted that God could make Sarah’s body and his body
fertile again.
B. Heb 11:17-19 – Abraham trusted in the omnipotence of God to raise Isaac from the dead.
C. Gen 14 – Abraham did not take the spoil of his conquest because his blessing was from
God. Instead, he waited upon the Lord to fulfill the promises in His divine way.
IV. Faith rests in the promising God alone
A. God did not fulfill the promises in the lives of the patriarchs. (Gen 12:7, Heb 11:13)
B. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were content with dwelling in tents. We do not see any regret
that they did not posses the promised land. (Heb 11:9, 13)
C. In Heb 11:10 & 11:14-16, the Apostle to the Hebrews reveals what we might miss in the
concrete nature of the Genesis narrative. The patriarchs had a faith that rested upon God.
They embraced the promising God and not the possession or not-yet-possession of the
land.
V. In Genesis, Faith (belief, trust, and devotion to God’s Word) is vindicated in life of a
believer
A. First, we must admit that the patriarchs do not always demonstrate faith in their actions.
B. Abraham obeys God’s commands (Gen 22). Abraham finds a wife for Isaac from the
Shemites (Gen 24).
C. Rebekah conspires for Jacob to bless the son of promise, and Jacob gives the blessing of
Abraham to Jacob (Gen 27)
D. Joseph refuses to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife because he realized his
relationship to God (Gen 39:8-9). Though he was a slave in Egypt, he knew that he was
part of a higher, spiritual world.
E. Joseph reminds his brothers of God’s promise to return them to the land of promise (Gen
15, 50)
VI. Attempts to explain the nature of Faith in Genesis
A. Geerhardus Vos: “[Faith] is, firstly, dependence on the supernatural power and grace
of God; and secondly, the state or act of projection into a higher, spiritual world.”
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B. Rick Gamble: “Despite their wandering, however, faith meant for them [the patriarchs],
and for all believers, a reliance upon God’s word, even when earthly sight does not
seem to certify God’s promises.”
C. John Calvin: “And this is the true trial of faith; when relying on the word of God alone,
although tossed on the waves of the world, we stand as firmly as if our abode were
already fixed in heaven.”
WCF CHAPTER XIV
Of Saving Faith
I. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the
work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts; and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word:
by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and
strengthened.
Heb. x. 39; 2 Cor. iv. 13; Eph. i. 17,18, 19; Eph. ii. 8; Rom. x. 14, 17; 1 Pet. ii. 2; Acts xx. 32; Rom. iv. 11; Luke
xvii. 5; Rom. i. 16, 17.
II. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the
authority of God Himself speaking therein; and acteth differently upon that which each
particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at
the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to
come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ
alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.
John iv. 42; I Thess. ii. 13; 1 John v. 10; Acts xxiv. 14; Rom. xvi. 26; Isa. lxvi. 2; Heb. xi. 13; 1 Tim. iv. 8; John i.
12; Acts xvi. 31; Gal. ii. 20; Acts xv. 11.
III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed,
and weakened, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance
through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.
Heb. v. 13, 14; Rom. iv. 19, 20; Matt. vi. 30; Matt. viii. 10; Luke xxii. 31, 32; Eph. vi. 16; 1 John v. 4, 5; Heb. vi.
11, 12; Heb. x. 22; Col. ii. 2; Heb xii. 2.
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Answer to Bryan Noll’s question: What measure of faith do we who are New Testament
Christians have in God’s supernatural power?
• First, we need to explore Abraham’s faith in the redemptive historical context:
o God made 3 promises to Abraham: 1) the chosen family would be made into a great
nation, 2) the land of Canaan would be their possession, 3) the chosen family were to
become a blessing for all.
 Rom 4 and Heb 11 show that Abraham trusted in God’s supernatural power to
make the chosen family into a great nation.
 Gen 14 shows that Abraham trusted God’s supernatural power to give his
chosen family the land of Canaan. Abram’s response to the king of Sodom
shows that he had an understanding that God give Abram the promised
inheritance with Abram’s help.
o In Gen 17, God made a specific promise to Abraham that Sarah would become
pregnant with the promised son. Since Sarah was apparently past menopause,
Abraham trusted that get would make Sarah conceive in a supernatural way. God
supernaturally opened her womb.
o In Gen 25:21, Isaac prays that God would open Rebekah’s womb. The promise that
she would have children is not as clear as it was to Abraham, but I would say that by
good and necessary consequence we can deduce that Isaac trusted in that promise.
o Gen 30 is complicated (Leah and Rachel). We see them pray for the Lord to open
their wombs, and God does answer. The problem is that neither Leah nor Rachel had
a direct promise in Scripture that they would have a prescribed number of children.
o In 1 Sam 1:9-11, Hannah prayed for a son because she was barren. She did not claim
a promise from God, but she did know that God opens and closes the womb.
• Second, we need to understand our redemptive historical context

o Abraham’s saving faith was that God would supernaturally give him salvation. The
WCF 14.2 states that the principle acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and
resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of
the covenant of grace. In other words, we, like Abraham, rest upon God’s
supernatural power and grace in Jesus Christ for our salvation. The first phrase in
WCF 14.2 seems to address the faith of a Christian; therefore it addresses our original
question.
o We cannot claim this promise that was made to Abraham and Sarah for
ourselves. We cannot name and claim a promise to open our womb just because
God made that promise to Abraham and Sarah. That promise was given specifically
to Abraham and not to us.
o Saving faith does require that the God upon who we believe is a God with
supernatural power. Thus, we should ask God to open our womb and heal the
pancreatic cancer and deliver people who are still lost in the rubble alive by His
supernatural power. But, we must know that God will only answer requests
according to His will. God is not bound to provide because we ask, while believing
in God’s power to perform our request. Prayer is not a guarantee. God may
simply say no.
o Does God still work in supernatural ways? God works in two ways: WCF 5.2 and
5.3
Page 24 of 33
 WCF 5.2 states that God “orders [His decrees] to fall out, according to the
nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.” Second
causes would be God using the “laws of nature.”
 WCF 5.3 states that, “God in His ordinary providence makes use of means, yet
is free to work without, above, and against them at His pleasure.” Here, our
confession of faith recognizes that God does work out His decrees in
supernatural ways.
 Should our faith be in a God who can work against nature to provide? I would
say yes. To believe in less would be at best a deistic view of God.
o Miracles are those supernatural expressions of God’s power used at times of new
revelation. The OT prophets performed miracles in order to show that they were
from God. Christ’s miracles showed that He is the Son of God. The Apostles
miracles showed that they were of Christ.
Conclusion:
• As Christians, our faith in God’s supernatural power and grace is accepting, receiving, and
resting in Christ for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of
grace. We have this in common with Abraham.
• As Christians, we need to recognize that God’s providence (the way He works out His
decrees) is complicated. Sometimes, God generally uses means. The confession of faith
calls these things second causes. (example: my final test at LMCO). God also has the
freedom to work without using means, and He sometimes does.
• As Christians, we may pray for God to work outside of the laws of nature because our God is
omnipotent. Yet, we must not assume that our prayers are a guarantee. God may know
that our request would not be good for us. God may not will that our request be answered.
God has not given us any promises in Scripture that He WILL open wombs, heal us from
cancer, or deliver us from a collapsed coal mine. God did promise to deliver us from His
wrath and curse for our sin through faith in Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, I cannot
discourage anyone from lifting our requests in prayer.
Page 25 of 33
Class 12: The purpose of this study is to learn about the structure and worship of the Church in
Genesis.
I. A Couple Definitions of the Church

A. WLC 62 What is the visible Church? The visible Church is a society made up of all
such as in all ages and places of the world do profess the true religion, and of their
children.
B. WLC 64 What is the invisible Church? The invisible Church is the whole number of the
elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head.
C. In Genesis, the Church is revealed in its state of infancy, but the visible and invisible
nature of the Church can be clearly seen. The Lord reveals the development of the
structure of the Church in two stages. We also see the revelation of how the Church shall
worship God.
II. Adam and His Descendents
A. Structure of the Church

1. Narrowing of the Church
a. Mankind is divided between the covenant people and the world (Gen 3:15).
b. Abel and Seth are true worshippers of God. Cain is not a man of faith (Gen 4)
c. God chooses Noah and His family out of all people on earth (Gen 6:8).
d. God chose to be the God of Shem. Ham/Canaan are separated from the chosen
people. Japheth (the Gentiles) will dwell in the presence of God (Gen 9:26).
2. The Church has a family organization, but it lacks the clarity that arises with Abram.
B. Worship of the Church

1. Eve acknowledged God as her Covenant God in the naming of Cain and Seth. (Gen
4:1, 25)
2. Cain and Abel voluntarily brought gift offerings to the Covenant God. (Gen 4:2-7).
We can learn as early Cain and Abel that faith is required in acceptable worship. (Heb
11:4)
3. When Enosh was born to Seth, communal worship began (Gen 4:26). Thus, the
Sethites were known as worshippers of the Covenant God. The phrase call on the
name of the LORD does mean prayer (1 Kings 18:24), but it also refers to public
worship (Ps 116:17-18).
4. Enoch, the father of Methusela, walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
(Gen 5:21-24). We learn that worship and pleasing the LORD includes a fellowship
with the LORD and the whole life of a believer.
5. Worship has a covenantal and dialogical nature (Gen 8:20-9:17).
6. Summary: Worship is covenantal act between God and His chosen people. It is
corporate and private. It is includes prayer, sacrifice, and fellowship with the Lord.
III. Abraham and His Descendents
A. Structure of the Church
Page 26 of 33
1. Narrowing of the Church: God chooses Abram out of Shem to be the chosen people
(Gen 12).
2. Patriarchal: a family model of the Church is established
a. God made a covenant with Abraham Gen 12, 15, & 17. Thus, Abraham’s family
became the separate covenant people of God.
b. Abraham (the Father of the house) is the prophet, priest, and king of the Church.
Abraham receives revelation from God, leads in worship, and rules the Church.
1) Prophet: Gen 12, 15, 17, and 18:22-33
2) Priest: Gen 15, 17, & 22
3) King: Gen 14, Gen 18:19 (both prophet and king)
c. Isaac enters into the patriarchal role/office (Gen 25:21, 26:1-5, 27:26ff)
d. Jacob enters into the patriarchal role/office (Gen 33:18-20, 35, 48-49)
3. Visible and Invisible nature of the Church: Hagar/Ishmael and Esau (Gen 21:8ff, Gen
25:19ff).
B. Worship of the Church: Worship is revealed to be a covenant ceremony and dialogue

between God and the chosen people.
1. 4 Covenant Dialogues between the Covenant God and the Chosen People
a. Gen 15: The LORD came to Abram. Abram prayed. God answered. Abram
believed the LORD. The LORD renewed and communicated the covenant with
Abram. The LORD commanded how Abram was to respond. Then, God spoke
communicated the blessings.
b. Gen 17: God came to Abram and spoke to him. Abram responded to God by
falling on his face. God communicated the covenant with Abraham and
commanded Abraham to give all of his family the covenant sign of circumcision.
In verse 22, Abraham responded to God by leading His whole household in the
act of worship, which was circumcising all of the males in His household.
c. Gen 22: God called Abraham to worship, and God commanded the place and
the means of worship. Abraham goes to Mt. Moriah. He offers the sacrifice that
the Lord commands. Then, the Lord blesses Abraham.
d. Gen 26: In Gen 26:24, the LORD appeared to Isaac. The LORD renewed the
covenant with Isaac. Isaac responded by building an altar and worshipping the
Lord.
2. Summary of worship in Genesis from Dr. Clark Copeland: “Worship is also
becoming clearer that man’s approach to God in worship is in response to the call,
presence and direction of God; and that man can come to Him only through sacrifice”
Summary:
• The Structure of the Church in Genesis is patriarchal. Note that the patriarchal nature of
the church ends with Moses an the Tabernacle.
• The Patriarch is the prophet, priest, and king. He is the pastor and ruling elder of the
Church. See Job 1:1-5 also.
• Worship is established as a covenant dialogue between the Lord and the chosen people.
• True Worship is as God commands, by faith, through sacrifice.
Page 27 of 33
Class 13: The purpose of this study is to learn about God’s grace through the life of Jacob
The life of Jacob is a demonstration of how God’s “grace overcomes human sin and
transforms human nature.” Jacob is not ideal patriarch in Genesis, like Abraham and Isaac.
Jacob’s life proves that God does not choose a man for any reason other than grace.
When we stop and think about the life of Jacob, we must recognize that Jacob really
represents us well. Abraham had this robot-like faith. Not enough is said about Isaac to show
his real character. He loved his father, was willing to lay down his life as a sin offering, and he
demonstrated amazing love for his wife. Joseph was like the super-Christian without a cape, but
Jacob is a different story. Jacob was a real person, or we should recognize that the Scripture
intentionally shows Jacob with all his flaws.
I. The Principle of Election and Grace

A. God’s decree of election: WCF 3.5 Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life,
God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and
immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, hath chosen, in
Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight
of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the
creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto: and all to the praise of His
glorious grace. (Eph 1:4,9,11; Rom 9:11,13,16 etc)
B. In Gen 25:23, God announced his choice of Jacob before the birth of the two boys.
God’s grace alone was the source of all the good in Jacob’s life.
C. God chose the younger before either boy was born to demonstrate the election of Jacob
was based upon God’s sovereign choice not any moral or desirable quality in Jacob.
(Rom 9:11-13)
II. Jacob’s Early Life: Jacob lacks desirable piety.

A. Jacob buys Esau’s birthright. (Gen 25:29-34).
B. Isaac blesses Jacob through a conspiracy and lies. (Gen 27)
III. The Dream at Bethel (Gen 28:10-22)

A. God spoke to Jacob in a dream and face to face because Jacob needed strength as he
travelled to Laban’s land.
B. God renewed and repeated the covenant promises to Jacob from the top of the ladder.
The ladder represents the real communion with God that we have in Jesus Christ. (John
1:51)
C. The dream revealed to Jacob that God had already been ministering to Jacob before he
was aware of them. The angels ascended up with the prayers and descended down to
minister to him. The Holy Spirit ministers to believers in a similar way (Rom 8:26).
D. Jacob is strengthened by God, but his vow shows an immature faith. He seems to make a
bargain with God. If God will bless Jacob the way God has promised, Jacob the Lord
will be Jacob’s God. (Gen 28:18-22) Notice that Elohim is used for the name of God,
and Yahweh is only used in verse 21. Jacob’s response to this wonderful vision and
conversation with God reveals that Jacob does not deserve God’s favor.
E. How often to do we respond to God the same way?
Page 28 of 33
IV. The Display of God’s Election of Jacob and God’s Grace

A. God begins to transform Jacob through trials that follow the vision at Bethel. In chapters
29-32, God demonstrates His gracious providence for Jacob. God’s grace flows from His
choosing Jacob.
B. Jacob gets two wives, but this time Jacob is the object of Laban’s deceit. We might say
that Jacob had to drink his own medicine. (Gen 29:1-30)
C. The Lord makes Jacob rich and provides eleven children through the trials in Laban’s
house. (Gen 29:31-30) Jacob’s shrewd way of doing business with Laban did not make
Jacob rich. God made Jacob rich.
D. God protected Jacob from Laban as he fled from Laban. (Gen 31:24-32) Jacob was
guilty of stealing from Laban because Rachel had taken idols from her father’s house.
V. The Transformation at Peniel (Gen 32:1-33:3)
A. Jacob was afraid to meet Esau as Jacob returns to the Promised Land. (Gen 32:7)
B. Jacob has matured spiritually through the years in Laban’s house. Jacob demonstrates a
new recognition of God and dependence upon God’s grace for deliverance from Esau.
(Gen 32:9-12)
C. Jacob wrestles with God at the place called Peniel. (Gen 32:22-32).
1. Jacob wrestled with the man, and the man wrestle with Jacob. God was displeased
with Jacob.
2. Jacob’s perseverance demonstrates a persistency faith and prayer. We should learn
from Jacob here.
3. Jacob’s prayer is in verse 26 is complicated. He seems to have been transformed
through the wrestling with God. It seems like Jacob repented of his sin and cried out
for God’s blessing (Gen 32:26 and Hosea 12:3-4).
D. Fruit of Jacob’s transformation. His original plan was to send his whole household to
meet Esau first, but in Gen 33:1-3, Jacob goes out in front of his family.
VI. More Trials: The Defiling of Dinah (Gen 34)
VII. Jacob’s Maturity:

A. Jacob worships God and repents from idolatry. (Gen 35:1-15)
B. Jacob shows mature faith at the death of Rachel and when he renames Benjamin. (Gen
35:18)
Summary: Jacob was a man who was chosen by God. God promised to Jacob salvation, but
Jacob had to repent of his sin as we do. God poured out His grace upon Jacob to transform Jacob
and fulfill the promises that He made to Jacob all of His life. The transformation in Jacob—like
us—was the result of his election and the product of God’s grace.
Page 29 of 33
Class 14: The purpose of this study is to under the concept of law and civil government in
Genesis.
I. The Law
A. Law before the Fall—Creation Ordinances
1. Ethic: Man must be aware of God’s authority and do God’s will out of obedience and
love.
2. Man shall rule or exercise dominion over all creatures of the earth (Gen 1:26)
3. Man shall labor (Gen 1:28)
4. Man shall procreate (Gen 1:28)
5. Man shall keep the Sabbath (Gen 2:1-3)
6. One man and one woman shall marry (Gen 2:24-25)
B. Law after the Fall

1. Concept of Ethics after the Fall: Man must be aware of God’s authority and do God’s
will out of obedience and love. Law now is given in light of a corrupted creature.
Gen 17:1 gives the requirement for the people obey God, even under the covenant of
grace.
2. Later in Ex 20 and Deut 6, the Ten Commandments are given as clear revelation of
God’s law to the Church, but the essence of the moral law was alive before it was
clearly revealed.
3. 1st Commandment: It is implied throughout Genesis and emphasized in Gen 17:8 &
Gen 35:2.
4. 2nd Commandment: Gen 35:2-4 demonstrates the prohibition of idols.
5. 3rd Commandment: Esau maligned, scorned, and reviled God’s truth, grace, and
ways when he married Ishmaelite women. (WLC 113, Gen 28:6-9). Esau received
circumcision which was the sign of the covenant of grace and the sign that Esau
belonged to God, but while bearing the name of God, he showed no regard for God’s
grace in his rebellion.
6. 4th Commandment: The Sabbath is an abiding creation ordinance.
7. 5th Commandment: The Lord commanded Hagar to return and submit to her mistress
Sarai. (Gen 16:9). The Scriptures teach that the 5th commandment includes
submitting to superiors. (See WLC 124 for the Scriptural argument for this doctrine).
8. 6th Commandment: God forbids the murder of humans. (Gen 9) The commandment
is one of the few formally revealed commandments in Genesis.
9. 7th Commandment: Joseph reveals that adultery was a sin against God. (Gen 39:8-9)
10. 8th Commandment: Laban pursued Jacob to seek justice because Jacob had stolen
Laban’s gods/idols (Gen 31:30). Jacob preserved Laban’s wealth and was faithful to
the contracts he made to Laban (Gen 31:36-42). In Gen 1:28-29 and 9:1-7, God
commands men to procure, preserve and earn wealth justly and lawfully. (WLC 141)
11. 9th Commandment: Jacob appeals to honesty (Gen 30:33). Abraham lies to Pharaoh
and Abimelech (Gen 12:10ff, Gen 20).
12. 10th Commandment: Joseph’s brothers covet his relationship to Jacob, and their
jealousy produces further wickedness (Gen 37:4, 8ff).
Page 30 of 33
II. Civil Government
A. The motivation for asking about the existence of civil government in Genesis is that some
branches of the Church reject that civil government is redeemable, and some forbid
involvement in civil government. One group of Christians is the Swiss Anabaptists. The
Schleitheim Confession of 1527:
Finally it will be observed that it is not appropriate for a Christian to serve as a magistrate because of these
points: The government magistracy is according to the flesh, but the Christian's is according to the Spirit; their
houses and dwelling remain in this world, but the Christian's are in heaven; their citizenship is in this world,
but the Christian's citizenship is in heaven; the weapons of their conflict and war are carnal and against the
flesh only, but the Christian's weapons are spiritual, against the fortification of the devil. The worldlings are
armed with steel and iron, but the Christians are armed with the armor of God, with truth, righteousness,
peace, faith, salvation and the Word of God. In brief, as in the mind of God toward us, so shall the mind of the
members of the body of Christ be through Him in all things, that there may be no schism in the body through
which it would be destroyed. For every kingdom divided against itself will be destroyed. Now since Christ is as
it is written of Him, His members must also be the same, that His body may remain complete and united to its
own advancement and upbuilding.
B. Allusions to Civil Government

1. The protection of Cain and the confession of Lamech hint at a civil authority. (Gen 4)
2. The law against murder implies the institution a civil magistrate to punish murderers
(Gen 9:6)
3. Abraham subdues a rogue civil magistrate and executes justice (Gen 14:1-16).
Abraham’s war seems to be a just war.
a. A just case: Therefore, recapturing things taken or punishing people who have
done wrong.
b. Comparative justice: Although there may be rights and wrongs of both sides of
the argument, to override the presumption against the use of force, the injustice
suffered by one party must sufficiently outweigh that suffered by the other.
c. Legitimate Authority: Only duly constitute public authorities may use deadly
force or wage war.
d. Right Intention: Force may be used only in a truly just case and solely for that
purpose, but it is not for the regaining of material wealth or economic superiority.
e. Probability of Success: Reasonable chance of success.
f. As a last resort: War is entered into as a last result. Forces may be used only
after all peaceful and viable alternatives have been serious.
4. The civil magistrate can and has been used by God for good and the salvation of the
Church. Members of the Church serve as a civil magistrate even under a pagan king.
(Gen 41:37-57)
5. The obvious observation in Genesis is the evidence of several established civil

governments.
Page 31 of 33
Genesis Pre-Quiz – 12 questions for the 12 tribes of Israel
1. Who wrote the book of the Genesis and the Pentateuch? How do you know?
_______________________
2. In the space below, write down an outline for the book of Genesis
3. How long did it take God to complete creation?

______________________________________________
4. What is a covenant?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
5. In Genesis, with whom did God enter into a covenant?

_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
6. What is the nature of the Church in Genesis? Where does worship take place? Who leads
worship?
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
7. What attributes of God does Genesis reveal? Where?

_________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
8. Does Genesis teach predestination and reprobation? How? Where?

_____________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________
Page 32 of 33
9. What does Genesis teach us about the nature of man? How?
___________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________
10. How does Genesis teach that fallen man is saved?

_________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
11. How and where is Christ revealed or prefigured in Genesis?

_________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________
12. What does Genesis reveal about civil government?

_________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Page 33 of 33

Helpful Books On Genesis and The Pentateuch

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Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church

Adult C.E. Class: Survey of the OT:

Helpful Books on Genesis and the Pentateuch:

I. Who wrote Genesis and the Pentateuch?

B. Documentary Hypothesis: An evolutionary theory of the origin of the Pentateuch,

1. History of the Documentary Hypothesis

3. Four of the many problems with the JEDP/Documentary Hypothesis

c. The New Testament affirms that Moses wrote the Pentateuch.

4. Two hard questions that we need to answer

• What is the Bible’s answer to the question, “Who wrote Genesis?”

I. Creation (Ch 1-2)

I. Creation (Ch 1-2)

II. Adam (Ch 3-5)

Index of Key References in Genesis

Review: How would you outline the book of Genesis?

I. The work of creation is that wherein God did in the beginning

Lessons from Creation:

C. Scriptural argument that Genesis 2 is a covenant

I. Creation (Ch 1-2)

VIII. The Confession of our church concerning the Doctrine of God

I. Man before the Fall (Gen 1-3:7)

I. Man before the Fall (Gen 1-3:7).

I. Man after the Fall (Gen 3ff) --

C. Man still has a soul

I. Covenant of Grace in Genesis

I. Offspring of the Woman: Gen 3:15

II. Melchizedek: He is a mysterious character who shows up in Abraham’s life as a type of

III. Isaac: Gen 22

I. Faith has a trustworthy object

WCF CHAPTER XIV

• Second, we need to understand our redemptive historical context

I. A Couple Definitions of the Church

II. Adam and His Descendents

A. Structure of the Church

B. Worship of the Church

III. Abraham and His Descendents

A. Structure of the Church

B. Worship of the Church: Worship is revealed to be a covenant ceremony and dialogue

I. The Principle of Election and Grace

II. Jacob’s Early Life: Jacob lacks desirable piety.

III. The Dream at Bethel (Gen 28:10-22)

IV. The Display of God’s Election of Jacob and God’s Grace

VI. More Trials: The Defiling of Dinah (Gen 34)

VII. Jacob’s Maturity:

B. Law after the Fall

B. Allusions to Civil Government

5. The obvious observation in Genesis is the evidence of several established civil

3. How long did it take God to complete creation?

5. In Genesis, with whom did God enter into a covenant?

7. What attributes of God does Genesis reveal? Where?

8. Does Genesis teach predestination and reprobation? How? Where?

10. How does Genesis teach that fallen man is saved?

11. How and where is Christ revealed or prefigured in Genesis?

12. What does Genesis reveal about civil government?

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