Beliefs to Have Before Beginning to Study Genesis

* Genesis is first and foremost a holy and spiritual book inspired by the Holy Spirit. Secondly, it is a historical book; meaning all of it's context happened literally in history as told by the book. Jesus, the LORD, confirmed this. He acknowledged that Adam and Eve were created by God, that they were two living human beings, not merely symbols of mankind and woman kind, and that they acted in specific ways (Matt. 19:3-5; Mark 10:6-8). He verified events connected with the flood of Noah's day; namely, that there was an ark and that the flood destroyed everyone who was not in the ark (Matt. 24:38- 39; Luke 17:26-27). On two different occasions, Jesus authenticated God's destruction of Sodom, and the historicity of Lot and his wife (Matt. 10:15; Luke 17:28-29). He accepted Moses and his writings (Genesis 8:4; John 5:46), as well as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as men who were real and alive (Matt. 8:11; John 8:39). Christ did not merely allude to these events, but he authenticated the events in them as factual history to be completely trusted.

* Genesis makes the assumption that there is a God. It does not set out to prove there is a God.

* Genesis is God's book of the beginnings. God gave it to mankind to help us understand Him, and His love for fallen mankind. It also teaches us who mankind is, where we came from, and where we are going.

* Genesis is not meant to be a science book. However it does not contradict science. One of the more than human qualities about this book is that the language of it, while written by men whose knowledge was in accordance with their times, it does not contradict the increased knowledge of later times. Through it we can learn many great truths. But most importantly may God use it to help me know what he wants me to know.

* God rebukes the atheist who says in his folly, "There is no God." He enlightens the polytheist who worships many gods. He refutes the pantheist who identifies God with what God has created. He convicts the materialist of childish credulity in believing that the universe is the product of chance, and that "everything was created by no one out of nothing." Genesis is the most rational explanation of the origin and nature of man.

* God gave Moses Genesis, with the rest of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible often referred to the books of Moses) while the Israelites were in the desert, before they entered the promised land. The Pentateuch claims Moses was the author (Ex. 24:4,7; Deuteronomy 31:9, 24-26). In Joshua's day it was definitely recorded as being in written form (Joshua 1:7-8, 34; 22:5). The rest of the Old Testament claims Moses wrote it (1 Kings 2:3; and 2 Chronicles 23:18; 34:14; Ezra 3:2; 6:18; Neh. 8:1-8; Dan. 9:11, 13). Finally, Jesus, the LORD, claims Moses wrote it (Mark 12:26, Luke 16:29, 31; 24:44).

* The word "Genesis" comes from the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) "geneseos". The title was derived from the heading of the various sections of the book, each of which begins with "the book of the geneseous" (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2). "Geneseous" meaning, generations, origin, source.

* I do not know much. I am not a great scholar, only a amateur. I can only learn a finite amount. I will not learn all that can be learned. I will make errors in studying Genesis. I will come to know God and truth only by His help. God will use what I have learned in his redemptive plan.