The book of Genesis is probably one of the most famous books of the Bible to those inside and outside of the church. The events that happen in this piece of literature easily explain its popularity. Whether someone affirms this book as God’s word or they disagree with its historicity, almost everyone knows about the narratives of the creation account, Adam and Eve in the garden, Noah and the flood, and Joseph in Egypt. These stories and others make this book significant and well known in all kinds of circles.
Christians are the most obviously group that is familiar with this book and that should be the case since Christians believe the book is true and accurately describes the beginning of God’s plan on the earth. Believers understand the book of Genesis is more than just engaging stories that can be crafted easily into a children’s picture book. They see the beauty in the details, how the book is the foundation for the other literature of the Bible, and how this work is structured in a way that contrasts the holiness of God with the fallenness of man. Here are three reasons to study the book of Genesis.
You Can See the Glory of God in the Details
Have you ever chosen to slowly cruise down a road that you’ve been down a thousand times just to take in the view? You will find many details and features of the landscape that you never noticed before. When you do that in the book of Genesis you will find details that are interesting, beautiful, and make you want to worship our great God even more. You will probably find details you never noticed even in the first chapter!
One way to slow down is by taking notes and asking questions. Here are six questions you can ask yourself in each chapter of Genesis that might help you have fresh eyes when reading it next time.
- What do I learn about the character of God?
- What do I learn about the fallenness or character of man?
- What do I learn about God’s plan of saving man?
- Are there patterns throughout the book I am beginning to see?
- Are there connections between this chapter I am reading and other parts of the book of Genesis?
- How can I see the themes in this book being developed in other parts of Scripture?
And if you get to a verse or a section you do not understand, what can you do? One way to continue to engage with the text is to put a “?” next to a verse or a passage you have questions about. A simple “?” in the margin of your Bible can be a reminder for you to do a bit of research in the future and it will help you not forget some of passages you have found more difficult to understand.
Genesis is the Foundation for the Rest of Scripture
Genesis is the beginning of the Scriptures and because of that it is beginning of many different subjects that are developed throughout the rest of the Bible. It is the first word that we have on theology and on God’s redemptive plan.
For example, we believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. Christians deny that we can be made right with God through works-based righteousness, and we affirm that any righteousness we have is gifted to us by God. This truth is crystal clear after reading the New Testament, but can we find anything on this subject in the book of Genesis? We absolutely can.
Genesis 15 describes the event where God made a covenant with Abraham and in Genesis 15:6 we find these words concerning Abraham, “6Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” God counted Abraham righteous not because of anything Abraham had done, but through faith God declared Abraham to be a righteous made. This doctrine called justification by faith is developed throughout the Scripture, but we see it explained for the first time here in only the 15th chapter of the Bible.
Not only do we see the beginning of many theological truths we hold to, but we also see the beginning of God’s plan for redeeming man in Genesis. In Genesis 3:15 we see God give the hope of redemption for the first time. He curses the serpent and refers to a seed that is to come that will crush the head of the serpent. “15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”
God promises to send a Man that will reverse the curse. This is the beginning of a thread that is weaved throughout the entire Scriptures, and it is that God will send (from an Old Testament perspective) and has sent (from a New Testament perspective) His Servant to redeem His people and defeat His enemies. We can find glimpses of Jesus Christ in just the third chapter of this book!
God’s Holiness is Contrasted with the Fallenness of Man
God’s holiness is on display throughout this book in all fifty chapters. One of the most prominent ways His holiness is seen is by contrasting God’s righteousness with the wickedness of the people on the earth. Even God’s people are seen as fallen and sinful in light of who God is!
Genesis is the kind of book that has “forehead smacking” events on nearly every other page. Adam and Eve are created and placed in paradise only to sin and rebel in the next chapter. Noah and his family are saved from a world-destroying flood only to sin seemingly right after he gets off the boat. Abraham is blessed by God and is promised a covenant with Him where God will multiple his descendants throughout the earth, only to lie to the Egyptians and try to pass Sarah off as his sister when she is really his wife because he fears the Egyptians. And he does this just six verses later.
Now these events are not written so that we may look down upon these saints of the Old Testament. Surely, we all would have sinned and rebelled in ways just as serious as they did. What these occurrences do for us is remind us of that God alone is the one who is inherently righteous, and God alone is the One to be praised. Genesis shows that God has always been the one who deserves all the glory and all the praise.
A Call to Read
So, I encourage you to find that special place where you can sit down with a cup of coffee and a pen to just read this wonderful book and witness all the different ways God worked in the first season of His creation. Take your time because it is a road worth traveling down slowly! Take notes, ask good questions about the text, and enjoy the time seeing God’s glory on display. It is a reminder that we serve a great God and He has been great from the very beginning.
Photo by Jenny Smith on Unsplash
