Your Access to the Bible

Third Session:  Genesis - 3 main cycles

Genesis:

Genesis itself is divided in three main cycles:

Creation and first experiences

            We’ve already looked at the first two creation stories.

            Fall

            Cain        Genesis 4

            Noah      Genesis 6

            Babel      Genesis 11

Abraham and patriarchs

            Abraham

                        Promise            Genesis 12. 1-9

                        Egypt               Genesis 12. 10-20

                        Covenant          Genesis 15; 17. 1-14

                        Hagar and Ishmael        Genesis 16; 17: 20

                        Isaac    Chapters 21, 22

            Isaac 

Jacob

Joseph and the arrival in Egypt

            Coat of many colors

            In Egypt

            Family joins

Three things to remember:

1.        Genesis contains the story of Abraham, one of two foundational stories for the Hebrews (the other being the Exodus). God’s covenant with Abraham is the agreement on which all else follows.

2.        Covenant: An agreement, ‘I’ll do this for you; this is what I expect in return.” With Abraham, the covenant is that God will have his descendants as the chosen people living in the promised land—God will see to every need of his people; in return, the people are to worship God only.

3.        The story of the Patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—leads ultimately to Jacob’s son Joseph and the arrival of the recipients of the promise/covenant of God in Egypt.