My Proposed Theme and Structure/Outline of Genesis

           I am now taking a three week independent study called: "Exegesis of the Pentateuch: Genesis". It is specifically on Genesis and NOT the whole Pentateuch (the Pentateuch is a name derived from the Greek in regards to the first five books of the Bible written by Moses). Here is a statement on Genesis including my proposed theme and outline.

           The book of Genesis can be summed up into one word: origins. By examining Genesis; one can come to this conclusion because there are many origins or beginnings in Genesis such as[1]:

·         the origin of the earth (1-2:3),

·         the origin of man and all humanity (2:4-2:25; 4:1-15; 10:1-32 and others),

·         the origin of evil (as it is concerned with man—3:1-7),

·         the origin of salvation or redemptive revelation (3:15; 22:17-18 connected with Gal. 3:8 and Gen. 49:10),

·         the origin of the doctrine of justification (15:6 in light of Rom. 4:23-25),

·         the origin of the sovereign election of God (in regards to God seeking out Adam and Eve after they sinned; God’s choosing of  Isaac and not Ishmael and His choosing of Jacob and not Esau),

·         the origin of promises and curses (3:14-19, 12:1-3, etc.),

·         the origin of God’s separation of a certain nation/people group (3:15, 12:1-3),

·         the origin God’s covenants with His people (8:20-9:17)

·         and the origin of divine judgment (Gen. 3 in light of 2 Peter 3:3-10).

           Therefore, origins is a good theme that runs throughout all of Genesis to provide cohesiveness, unity and continuity. There are many proposed themes found in commentaries that are hard to nail down ONE theme for Genesis. However, the one I proposed is by far from perfect, nor the only and absolute correct and only one that could be true. This is only a suggestion that I proposed.

           Again, the structure of Genesis is broken up many ways by commentators today; however, most agree with the two sections I propose and or with the 10 toledoth found in Genesis. Therefore, Genesis’ structure can be divided into two main parts; first, chapters 1-11 known as Primeval History and chapters 12-50 the Patriarchal History. This is the easiest way to separate this book into two simple parts. 

        These two parts are unified together with the toledoth (translated as "the generations of" so and so) structures throughout both sections (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10; 11:27; 25:12; 25:19; 36:1; 37:2). Also, the mention of  Abraham at the end of chapter 11 and beginning of 12 provides a solid, cohesive link between the two outline sections (11:27-11:32 and Genesis 12ff.). Abraham serves as a hinge on which these two sections are linked together and function together. 

           Therefore, the following outline is proposed for Genesis. This could be much more detailed; one can continue to look up if they'd like to in order to find a more detailed outline. The parenthesis mark the chapters and verse to which the events listed before take place

1.      Primeval History (1-11)

a.       The Creation (1-2)

b.      The Fall (3-11)

                                                              i.      The Cause of the Fall (3)

                                                            ii.      The Effects of the Fall (4-11)

1.      Cain and Abel (4)

2.      Adam’s Descendants to Noah (5)

3.      Noah and the Flood (6-8:19)

4.      God’s Covenant with Noah (8:20-9:17)

5.      Noah’s Descendants (9:18-10:32)

6.      The Tower of Babel: The Spreading of Nations (11:1-9)

7.      Shem’s Descendants (11:10-11:26)

8.      Terah’s Descendants (11:27-32)

2.      Patriarchal History (12-50)

a.       Abraham (11:26-25:11)

b.      Isaac (21-35:29)

c.       Jacob (Chapters 25:19-36)

d.      Joseph (Chapters 37-50:26)

---

[1] James Montgomery Boice names some of these that I've listed in his commentary Genesis: Creation and Fall Volume 1 (chapters 1-11). Also, Unger’s Bible Handbook (pg 36) mentions some of these I listed; therefore I combined some of the listed ones and included some of my own as well.

Wise Words of Warning from A. W. Tozer

For my Christian Doctrine classes at Kuyper College (Grand Rapids, MI) in 2008; I had the privilege to read a book by A.W. Tozer called The Knowledge of the Holy. I don't know if I fully appreciated it at the time because I read it for class work, but I saw it on my shelf last night, picked it up and lay it on my desk in hopes of reading it. It is a relatively short book (120 pages) with multiple chapters not exceeding 10 pages. Therefore, you can read a chapter in a short sitting, plus Tozer is not writing a systematic theology book; he is writing for laymen. The book is about the attributes of God. However, as I began reading this book, what struck me was what was in the preface. Here are portions of it:

"True religion confronts earth with heaven and brings eternity to bear upon time. The messenger of Christ, though he speaks from God, must also, as the Quakers used to say, 'speak to the condition' of his hearers; otherwise he will speak a language known only to himself. His message must be not only timeless but timely. He must speak to his own generation. The message of this book does not grow out of these times but it is appropriate to them. it is called forth by a condition which has existed in the Church for some years and is steadily growing worse. I refer to the loss of the concept of majesty from the popular religious mind. The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. This she has done not deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic. The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us.....with our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and conscious of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit. The words 'Be still and know that I am God,' mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshiper in this middle period of the twentieth century (1961 to be exact)."

So what Tozer is basically saying is that the Church is suffering because she has lost the high, majestic, and lofty view of God. Basically, the Church isn't thinking correctly about God anymore.

And like is mentioned above, this is in 1961 that he writes this; today is January 3, 2014. If anything has changed; I don't think the Church has regained the high, majestic and lofty view of God; if anything, she has slid down farther and farther to a low view of God where reverence before God and fearing God is not even a discussed topic.

In Chapter 1 Tozer continues by discussing "Think Rightly About God". Some noteworthy quotes are as follows:

"Without doubt, the mightiest though the mind can entertain is the thought of God, and the weightiest word in any language is its word for God........That our idea of God corresponds as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us........A right conception of god is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well" (page 2)

"Low views of God destroy the Gospel for all who hold them...The idolatrous heart assumes that God is other than He is....the essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him" (page 3)

"The idolater simply imagines things about God and acts as if they were true. Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear....The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God" (page 4)

"The heaviest obligation lying upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him--and of her. In all her prayers and labors this should have first place. We do the greatest service to the next generation of Christians by passing on to them undimmed and undiminished that noble concept of God which we received from our Hebrew and Christian fathers of generations past. This will prove of greater value to them than anything that art or science can devise" (page 4)

I cannot say that I have always had or always have a high, majestic and lofty view of God, but I do know that when my view of God is that way--it is amazing to stand in awe and wonder of His majesty. And it helps my personal spiritual growth as well.

I am reminded of what my Christian Doctrine professor, Dr. D. A. Felch at Kuyper College said

"Live out everything as you are doing it in the presence of the Lord and to the Lord."

May we all strive to do this as we retain a high and majestic and lofty view of God not only in 2014 as this new year is here, but for the remainder of time that our great God gives us on this earth to know Him and to make Him known.