Exploring Genesis: Foundations of God's Covenant and Redemption

Devotional

Day 1: Genesis as the Seed Plot of Scripture

Genesis is the foundational book of the Bible, where God's promises and plans are first revealed. It introduces us to the nature of God, the identity of humanity, the origin of sin, and God's plan to restore creation through Jesus Christ. Understanding Genesis is crucial for comprehending the New Testament and the full scope of God's redemptive work. The book of Genesis is not just a collection of stories but a cohesive narrative that sets the stage for the entire biblical narrative. It is often referred to as the "seed plot" of the Bible, where the seeds of God's promises and plans are planted, growing throughout Scripture and finding their fulfillment in Christ. By studying Genesis, we gain insight into the character of God and His unwavering faithfulness to His promises. [05:11]

Genesis 17:1-2 (ESV): "When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.'"

Reflection: Consider the promises God has made in your life. How can you walk faithfully before Him today, trusting in His covenant and plan for you?

Day 2: The Metanarrative of the Bible

The Bible is not merely a collection of isolated stories but a cohesive narrative that reveals God's overarching plan from creation to redemption, culminating in Jesus Christ. This metanarrative helps us see the beauty, intricacy, and intentionality of God's Word. By understanding the grand story of the Bible, we can better appreciate how each part fits into the whole and how God's faithfulness is woven throughout history. The narrative of Genesis, with its beginnings of God's chosen nation, the patriarchs, and the tribes of Israel, points us to Christ, who fulfills God's promises and brings redemption and renewal. As we study Genesis, we are invited to see how this narrative is intricately woven into the larger story of Scripture, revealing God's faithfulness and sovereignty. [03:47]

Ephesians 1:9-10 (ESV): "Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

Reflection: How does understanding the Bible as a cohesive narrative change the way you read and apply Scripture in your life today?

Day 3: Engaging with Scripture Critically

Our study encourages us to engage with the text critically and thoughtfully, exploring comprehension, interpretation, and application. This approach equips us to discern truth, recognize false teachings, and ground ourselves in the Word of God. By engaging with Scripture in this way, we develop skills to study any book of the Bible with confidence, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us and ground us in our identity and purpose as God's people. This method of study is not just about gaining knowledge but about allowing God's Word to shape our lives and guide us in living faithfully in a world that often opposes God's truth. [14:00]

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV): "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to engage more critically and thoughtfully with Scripture, allowing it to transform your understanding and actions?

Day 4: The Importance of Beginnings

Genesis is a book of beginnings, introducing the beginnings of God's chosen nation, the patriarchs, the tribes of Israel, and the journey to Egypt. These beginnings point us to Christ, who fulfills God's promises and brings redemption and renewal. As we study Genesis, we see how the narrative of beginnings is intricately woven into the larger story of Scripture, revealing God's faithfulness and sovereignty. The beginnings in Genesis are not just historical events but are foundational to understanding God's plan for humanity and His redemptive work through Jesus Christ. By exploring these beginnings, we gain a deeper understanding of our own identity and purpose as God's people. [22:13]

Isaiah 46:9-10 (ESV): "Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a beginning in your own life that has shaped your journey with God. How does this beginning point you to Christ and His work in your life today?

Day 5: Living Faithfully in a Secular World

By knowing our identity and purpose, we have a firm foundation on which God can sanctify us. This grounding enables us to live lives that glorify Him and make Him known in a world that often opposes God's truth. As we immerse ourselves in God's Word, we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, grounding us in our identity and purpose as God's people. This transformation equips us to live faithfully, standing firm in our faith and being a light in a secular world. By understanding who we are in Christ and the purpose He has for us, we can navigate the challenges of life with confidence and hope, knowing that God is with us and His truth prevails. [20:43]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: In what specific ways can you live out your identity as a chosen race and royal priesthood in your daily interactions and decisions this week?

Sermon Summary

As we embark on our Term 3 Bible study, we delve into the second part of Genesis, focusing on the God of covenant. This year, we will explore chapters 12 through 50, examining the lives of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob—and the story of Joseph. This study is designed to deepen our understanding of Genesis, a foundational book that sets the stage for the entire biblical narrative. Genesis is not merely a collection of stories but a cohesive narrative that reveals God's overarching plan from creation to redemption, culminating in Jesus Christ.

Genesis is often referred to as the "seed plot" of the Bible, where the seeds of God's promises and plans are planted. These seeds grow throughout Scripture, finding their fulfillment in Christ. Understanding Genesis is crucial for comprehending the New Testament and the full scope of God's redemptive work. The book of Genesis introduces us to who God is, who we are, what went wrong, and God's plan to restore creation through Jesus.

Our study will involve a comprehensive approach, encouraging us to engage with the text critically and thoughtfully. We will explore comprehension, interpretation, and application, aiming to understand what the text says, what it means, and how it applies to our lives. This method equips us to discern truth and recognize false teachings, grounding us in the Word of God.

Genesis is a book of beginnings, and as we study it, we will see the beginnings of God's chosen nation through Abraham, the patriarchs, the tribes of Israel, and the journey to Egypt. These beginnings point us to Christ, who fulfills God's promises and brings redemption and renewal. As we study, we will see how the narrative of Genesis is intricately woven into the larger story of Scripture, revealing God's faithfulness and sovereignty.

Our goal is to gain a deeper understanding of Genesis and develop skills to study any book of the Bible with confidence. By immersing ourselves in God's Word, we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us, grounding us in our identity and purpose as God's people. Together, we will explore the richness of Genesis, seeing how it points us to Jesus and equips us to live faithfully in a world that often opposes God's truth.

Key Takeaways

1. Genesis as the Foundation of Scripture: Genesis is the seed plot of the Bible, where God's promises and plans are first revealed. Understanding Genesis is essential for comprehending the New Testament and the full scope of God's redemptive work. It introduces us to who God is, who we are, what went wrong, and God's plan to restore creation through Jesus. [05:11]
2. The Metanarrative of the Bible: The Bible is not just a collection of stories but a cohesive narrative that reveals God's overarching plan from creation to redemption, culminating in Jesus Christ. This metanarrative helps us see the beauty, intricacy, and intentionality of God's Word. [03:47]
3. Engaging with Scripture Critically: Our study encourages us to engage with the text critically and thoughtfully, exploring comprehension, interpretation, and application. This approach equips us to discern truth, recognize false teachings, and ground ourselves in the Word of God. [14:00]
4. The Importance of Beginnings: Genesis is a book of beginnings, introducing the beginnings of God's chosen nation, the patriarchs, the tribes of Israel, and the journey to Egypt. These beginnings point us to Christ, who fulfills God's promises and brings redemption and renewal. [22:13]
5. Living Faithfully in a Secular World: By knowing our identity and purpose, we have a firm foundation on which God can sanctify us. This grounding enables us to live lives that glorify Him and make Him known in a world that often opposes God's truth. [20:43]
** [20:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:54] - Introduction to Genesis Part Two
[02:19] - Importance of Studying Genesis
[03:47] - The Metanarrative of the Bible
[05:11] - Genesis as the Seed Plot
[08:25] - Study Structure and Approach
[09:28] - Comprehension, Interpretation, Application
[11:03] - The Art of Summarizing
[14:00] - Engaging with Scripture Critically
[15:15] - Goals of the Study
[17:49] - Authorship and Context of Genesis
[18:53] - Moses' Role and Purpose
[20:43] - Relevance for Today
[22:13] - Historical Narrative and Themes
[29:27] - Setting the Scene for Chapter 12

Sermon Clips

"Genesis is called the seed plot of the Bible. And what this means is that it's a book that is full of all these seeds that God has planted. And as we keep walking through scripture, what we see is that these seeds will grow and they'll be built upon throughout the rest of the story until we see the fulfillment in Jesus when he is sent when he dies when he rises again ascends to heaven and he comes back at the end all of these things we learn in Genesis are all fulfilled in Christ." [00:05:02]

"And if you're feeling a bit fancy, you can call this story the metanarrative of the Bible. So from beginning to end, it tells this one big story, the story of creation, fall, redemption and restoration when Jesus returns again. But isn't the Bible written by like heaps of different authors? Well, yeah. That's true. And in 2 Timothy, we read that all scripture is God breathed. And in 2 Peter, we actually read as well that all the authors who wrote the Bible were led and directed by the Holy Spirit." [00:04:06]

"So what we see is that God himself is writing this story of scripture for us, every single detail of it from the start to the finish. And every single detail of this story is important to us. And Genesis is the start of this story. And it's a really, really good translation for us to have a very good understanding of." [00:04:41]

"Genesis is a book about beginnings we can see that full well but at the same time it points us straight to the fulfillment of all of those beginnings and that's god's one son jesus christ so what a beautiful thing it is to see the faithfulness of god through all generations and this is why we need to know that whole story of scripture and this is why we need the firm foundation of genesis so that the holy spirit can reveal to us god's initial plan and his perfect fulfillment in jesus christ amen amen definitely so i'm so excited to be exploring the rest of the book of genesis with you." [00:27:58]

"So by knowing our identity and knowing our purpose, we too will have a firm foundation on which God can continue to sanctify us so that we can live lives that glorify him and make him known in a world that really knows nothing about him. So together, let's first learn for those who it was written for then and there, so we can properly apply it to us here and now and see how it rightly applies to us." [00:21:46]

"And finally, the last thing we will do is we'll look at application. Where we ask the question, well, what does this even say? What do I do with this? Sorry. What does this mean for me? What do I do with this? Now, all the hard work that you've just been done will be worth it because you cannot make proper application of the text until you first know what it says and what it means. So all that hard work of comprehension and interpretation is totally worth it because then we can apply the text appropriately." [00:14:46]

"but I love hearing what you all think and what you've all learned over the study. So we will do our questions at home. Like I said, we'll come together, we'll chat, and then we'll be hearing the teaching from a video lecture. We'll be watching Jen each week. And the men will also be following the same format, but they'll be having Cam and Paul, who'll be doing their teaching. They don't want to hear about like the lipstick analogies and all those types of things." [00:15:15]

"but it's really intentional. The reason we're asked to do this is it's actually quite a high level skill to be able to summarize a chunk of text that you've read. And it means you need to really understand what you've read and you have to take it in to be able to make it nice and short." [00:10:21]

"and we had a look at Adam and Eve and from there we saw the spread of not only mankind but the spread of sin as we zoomed out again then we came back in as we looked at Noah and his family and then we zoomed back out again as we spoke about the nations and the tower of Babel which is at the start of chapter 11 and then what we see is it then comes back into a genealogy which is now tracing the righteous line which will be focused on throughout the rest of the book of Genesis so last year this righteous line can actually be tracked right back to Adam we saw it go from Adam to Seth to Noah to his son Shem now Shem he was that one who received the blessing of the righteous line if you remember the story the time when Noah was lying in his sin and nakedness and he had three sons one son who mocked him two sons who walked in backwards and actually covered his nakedness and shame one of those sons was Shem and Shem was the one who received the blessing and promise of the righteous line so what we do now is we actually have a look at his line and we're going to start to see some familiar names so if I read to you chapter Genesis chapter 11 verse 26 after Terah had lived 70 years he became the father of Abram Nahal and Haran now what was the name that you picked up there Abram well done gold star well done perfect so Abram the familiar name who we should go oh that's who we're talking about and he's the one who the righteous line will continue through we'll be focusing on this line now for the rest of Genesis so let's keep reading from chapters 27 where we get a bit more detail so this is the account of Terah Terah became the father of Abram Nahal and Haran and Haran became" [00:27:39]

"to christ because we're going to see that christ alone he is the one who will make all things new once and for all he is the one who will deal with sin and crush the head of the serpent he is the one who brings the final redemption and renewal to god's people he is the promised seed through whom all nations will be blessed he is the one who will bring salvation and deliverance to every tribe nation and tongue yes genesis is a book about beginnings we can see that full well but at the same time it points us straight to the fulfillment of all of those beginnings and that's god's one son jesus christ so what a beautiful thing it is to see the faithfulness of god through all generations and this is why we need to know that whole story of scripture and this is why we need the firm foundation of genesis so that the holy spirit can reveal to us god's initial plan and his perfect fulfillment in jesus christ amen amen definitely so i'm so excited to be exploring the rest of the book of genesis with you but before we jump into chapter 12 next week i think it's really important just to finish off reading the last little bit of chapter 11 which we didn't quite finish last year but it really sets the scene of what's going to happen now in the next 39 chapters of genesis so we'll open up to chapter 11 if you've got it and prior to this in the previous 11 chapters what we see is what the narrative actually does is it starts large and it zones in and focuses in then it goes out again and focuses back in and goes out again what i mean by this is we started by god with god who created the world and then all of a sudden we zoomed in" [00:25:58]

"and we had a look at Adam and Eve and from there we saw the spread of not only mankind but the spread of sin as we zoomed out again then we came back in as we looked at Noah and his family and then we zoomed back out again as we spoke about the nations and the tower of Babel which is at the start of chapter 11 and then what we see is it then comes back into a genealogy which is now tracing the righteous line which will be focused on throughout the rest of the book of Genesis so last year this righteous line can actually be tracked right back to Adam we saw it go from Adam to Seth to Noah to his son Shem now Shem he was that one who received the blessing of the righteous line if you remember the story the time when Noah was lying in his sin and nakedness and he had three sons one son who mocked him two sons who walked in backwards and actually covered his nakedness and shame one of those sons was Shem and Shem was the one who received the blessing and promise of the righteous line so what we do now is we actually have a look at his line and we're going to start to see some familiar names so if I read to you chapter Genesis chapter 11 verse 26 after Terah had lived 70 years he became the father of Abram Nahal and Haran now what was the name that you picked up there Abram well done gold star well done perfect so Abram the familiar name who we should go oh that's who we're talking about and he's the one who the righteous line will continue through we'll be focusing on this line now for the rest of Genesis so let's keep reading from chapters 27 where we get a bit more detail so this is the account of Terah Terah became the father of Abram Nahal and Haran and Haran became" [00:27:39]

"to christ because we're going to see that christ alone he is the one who will make all things new once and for all he is the one who will deal with sin and crush the head of the serpent he is the one who brings the final redemption and renewal to god's people he is the promised seed through whom all nations will be blessed he is the one who will bring salvation and deliverance to every tribe nation and tongue yes genesis is a book about beginnings we can see that full well but at the same time it points us straight to the fulfillment of all of those beginnings and that's god's one son jesus christ so what a beautiful thing it is to see the faithfulness of god through all generations and this is why we need to know that whole story of scripture and this is why we need the firm foundation of genesis so that the holy spirit can reveal to us god's initial plan and his perfect fulfillment in jesus christ amen amen definitely so i'm so excited to be exploring the rest of the book of genesis with you but before we jump into chapter 12 next week i think it's really important just to finish off reading the last little bit of chapter 11 which we didn't quite finish last year but it really sets the scene of what's going to happen now in the next 39 chapters of genesis so we'll open up to chapter 11 if you've got it and prior to this in the previous 11 chapters what we see is what the narrative actually does is it starts large and it zones in and focuses in then it goes out again and focuses back in and goes out again what i mean by this is we started by god with god who created the world and then all of a sudden we zoomed in" [00:25:58]

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