Beginning to Survey

     Now that I've read through the whole book from cover to cover, it's time to start trying to pick out some of the more major movements and/or subjects. A good first comparison to make is that of the first paragraph with the last paragraph. Genesis is a little different because the best observation is seen when Genesis 1:1-2:3 is compared with the last paragraph. When we do this we can see one of the most important purposes of this book. In Genesis ~1, man is  perfect and residing in an immaculate biosphere. In the last paragraph we see the contrast: death; our readings through the book reveal to us that this is due to the entrance of sin in the world. From this observation we can see traces of one of the greatest truths in Scripture: mankind is in desperate need of a Savior. Genesis shows us the start of God's Redemptive Work for His Elect.

     Another thing to look for is content change, in Genesis we see four major events: Creation (1-2), the Fall (3), the Flood (6-9), and the Tower of Babel (11). All four of these are contained in the first eleven chapters. Beginning in chapter 12 and continuing through the end of the book, we see four main people: Abraham (12-23) and his descendants Isaac (24-27), Jacob (or Israel, 28-45, 39), and Joseph (37, 39-48, 50). Together, these four men make up the Patriarchs of Israel. Although Joseph is not always included with the first three, he actually ties with Abraham for the largest number of chapters devoted to a single subject, so I've included him. There are two reasons that some people do not include Joseph: (1) Joseph is almost never mentioned with the first three elsewhere in the Bible, and (2) the reason for this is that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel stood alone. Abraham was the only one chosen out of his family by God to enter into His covenant, Isaac was an only child, and Jacob was chosen over Esau by God. Joseph is different though because he is one of Jacob's twelve children, all of whom were chosen by God to form His nation Israel. So although Joseph is prominent (by him the nation of Israel was preserved), he is still one of the children of Israel, not a true patriarch (L. der. from patria - father).

     There is a second movement to be seen not from events to people, but from people group to people group. In chapters 1-11 we see all of the human race involved, its beginning, instruction, and preservation. Then in chapters 12-50 we can observe the beginning, instruction, and preservation of the people of Israel. This shift in subject matter is not really seen as prominently elsewhere in Scripture. This is because Genesis lays the foundation for what man is and where he came from as well as his relationship to God. After that is established, the majority of the Bible then focuses on God's relationship with not all of mankind, but with His elect; more specifically their salvation (beginnings), instruction, and preservation.

   If you take a close look at each of the four main events in Genesis 1-11, you will notice that all of them (minus creation) involve sin. First, in the Fall, Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Second, the Flood came because all of mankind had rejected God and given themselves over to all types of sin. Lastly, the Tower of Babel was built in direct opposition to God's command to fill the earth, their stated purpose was to not fill the earth.

     Genesis. The name means beginnings, here are all the significant firsts I found in the first eleven chapters. See if you can find their references: Heaven/Earth, Light, Day, Night, Dry Land, Vegetation, Planets/Stars, Animals, Man, Woman, Command, Sin, Pain, Prophesy, Curse, Blessing, Death, Clothing, Weapon, Offering, Murder, Child, City, Musical Instrument, Flood, Covenant, Rainbow, Altar, Vineyard, Drunk, Language, Tower, Barren Woman

Chapter Titles 39-50

Yahoo!! Finally done with the chapter titles :D

39. Joseph's Success
40. Cupbearer and Baker
41. Plenty of Famine
42. Joseph's Brother's Come
43. Benjamin Comes
44. Joseph's Cup
45. Joseph Revealed
46. Israel and Joseph
47. Egyptians Sold for Food
48. Israel Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim
49. The Twelve's Blessings
50. Israel Buried

Chapter Titles 36-38

Three again :)

36. Generations of Esau
37. Joseph Sold
38. Judah and Tamar

Chapter Titles 32-35

Three more today:

32. Jacob Fears Esau
33. Jacob Meets Esau
34. Dinah Defiled
35. Rebekah and Isaac's Death

Chapter Title 31

Just one today:

31. Jacob Fled

Chapter Titles 29-30

Finished up a couple more:

29. Leah!
30. Jacob's Sons and Sheep

Chapter Titles 21-28

Got a pretty good amount done today:

21. Hagar Departed
22. Offering of Isaac
23. Sarah Died
24. Rebekah
25. Abraham Died
26. The Lord Blessed Isaac
27. Jacob's Blessing
28. Jacob's Dream