First Day into Genesis
Genesis is the first of five books written by Moses during the Exodus period, about 1450 – 1400 B.C. Moses used direct revelation from God and the written and oral traditions of his people as sources. He surveyed history from the creation to his own day.
The Book of Genesis is divided into two parts. Genesis 1-11 tells of God’s dealings with the whole human race from creation to the time of Abraham, about 2100 B.C. Genesis 12 introduces a vital theme. God makes a covenant with one man and with his descendants. God will work through this man, Abraham, and his family, Israel, to reveal Himself to humanity and ultimately to provide a salvation available to all.
The practical purpose of Genesis is to encourage the reader to trust and obey God. Originally, the purpose was to encourage the Israelites to trust and obey God. Moses may have composed Genesis before the Israelites left Egypt in the Exodus, but he probably did so during the wilderness wanderings. In any case, this was his obvious purpose, as is clear from what he wrote. He wanted to prepare the Israelites for the future by reminding them of the past. This is its function for us today too. As we read the text, we should continually ask ourselves, “What did this mean to the original readers?” That is what God intended it to mean to us today.
Moses’ main point was that the same God who created Israel had created the universe. His word was the key instrument in creating both entities. As He had brought order, fullness, and rest to the material world, so He could do for His chosen people. He is the sovereign of the universe, its ultimate authority. Therefore mankind should trust and obey Him.
Outline
- God’s Dealings with the Human Race Gen 1-11
- Creation Gen 1-2
- The Fall Gen 3-5
- The Flood and aftermath Gen 6-11
- God’s Dealings with Abraham’s Family Gen 12-50
- Abraham Gen 12-25
- Isaac Gen 22-27
- Jacob & Esau Gen 25-36
- Joseph Gen 37-50
Pray and ask God for a sincere desire to spend 10-15 minutes each day reading through the book of Genesis for the next 10 weeks. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read His word, and to guide you in your daily life.
NOTE: The passage for each day may not cover the whole chapter. We encourage you to go on PGC website to listen to the whole chapter being read usually less than 5 minutes. www.peoplesgospelchurch.org/devotional/ (Chinese), www.peoplesgospelchurch.org/260-devotional/ (English)