AN OVERVIEW OF THE GENESIS STORY

22. Abraham journeys through the land of Canaan, which God promises to give to his descendants. 23. God makes a covenant (a special binding agreement) with Abraham. 24. The covenant that God makes with Abraham is the beginning of Israel’s story as a nation. 25. Jacob is Abraham’s grandson who tricks his father and brother into receiving a special blessing. 26. Jacob has twelve sons from which the twelve tribes of Israel trace their lineage. 27. Joseph, who has prophetic dreams of greatness, is Jacob’s favorite son. 28. Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery, but through his God-given wisdom, he ascends to the position of second-in-command over all Egypt. 29. The story of Genesis sets the stage for the rest of the Pentateuch. 30. The Book of Genesis is a long prologue to Israel’s beginnings as a nation. 31. A “prologue” is an introduction. 32. The Book of Genesis is a story of the promises God makes to humans that He begins to fulfill through the rest of the Bible. 33. The focus of Genesis is on the words that God says to Abraham: “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” (Gen.17:7 KJV) 34. A covenant is a solemn, binding agreement between two or more parties. 35. Covenants usually involve promises, conditions, blessings for keeping the covenant, and curses for breaking it. 36. The Book of Genesis records God’s agreement with the post-flood world (Genesis 9:1–17) and his covenants with Abraham (Genesis 15, 17). 37. The theme of covenants moves the story forward in Genesis. 38. God promises the childless Abraham that he will be the father of nations, that his descendants will have land, and that they will be a blessing to the world. 39. Thirty-eight of Genesis’ fifty chapters follow Abraham’s family as God begins fulfilling the first part of His promise. 40. In the Book of Genesis, the word, “swear” relates to making covenants. 41. After Genesis, the next four books in the Pentateuch tell the story of how Abraham’s descendants become a nation and begin to claim their promised land. 42. In the twelfth chapter of Genesis, God promises to bless Abraham and his allies, and to curse his enemies. 43. Through Abraham, God promises to bless only Israel. 44. The Book of Genesis records the promises of God as they unfold in time. 45. Jacob “inherits” the blessing that God gives to Abraham and Isaac. 46. The narrator proposes that Jacob escapes to a distant land to start a new life before another “Cain and Abel situation” takes place. 47. Jacob wrestles with God, and God blesses him. 48. Another theme in the Book of Genesis centers on owning the land of Canaan. 49. Abraham wanders through Canaan, Isaac settles there, and Jacob eventually lives there also. 50. At the end of the Book of Genesis, the patriarchs of the nation of Israel in its early stage of development dwell in Egypt.

For Reflection:

The word “beginning” (Heb. Bereshit) occurs throughout Hebrew Scriptures. Find at least five (5) examples of the use of the Hebrew word Bereshit and explain the meanings based on the context of the Scriptures. Use reliable internet Bible study tools to respond effectively. Document sources. Post your findings on the discussion board. Label the post: A Reflection on the Use of the Expression “Bereshit” in Hebrew Scriptures.

A Closing Thought:

“There was no such thing as new truth. Error might be old or new; but truth was as old as the universe.”

-Frederick Douglass

LESSON EIGHT

THE LITERARY PLOT OF GENESIS

Lesson Overview:

The first eleven chapters of the Hebrew Bible, also known as “primeval history,” have definitive literary plots. In literature, the plot of a story is the sequence of events where each affects the next one through the principle of cause-and-effect. The Book of Genesis opens with an account of how the universe came into existence. Beginning with the Creation narratives, the early chapters of Genesis focus on humanity’s proliferation of rebellion against their Creator. After gaining the knowledge of good and evil, humans live in disharmony with God and among themselves. The proclivity to turn to evil leads humankind to continual trouble and a need for redemption. This lesson gives students more insight into the underlying messages conveyed within the stories. Key Concepts: historical narratives, primeval history, plots, theme, rebellion, disharmony, judgment, grace, repentance, redemption

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:  use online Bible study tools to access, read, interpret, and explain information.  summarize the common themes (main ideas) in the biblical text (Genesis, Chapters 111).  use information in biblical resources to support analysis, reflection(s), and research.  make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information using evidence from the text as support.  state the writer’s intended purpose for writing the text.  synthesize information from various sources.  draw conclusions and make inferences from primary and secondary sources.  discuss the literary and historical aspects of narratives in Genesis, Chapters 1-11.

Expected Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students will:  recognize and understand common plots and themes in biblical literature.  discuss literary and historical elements found in biblical text, including common unifying themes.  participate in class discussions.  edit writing to correct errors.

Duration: 3-4 hours

Materials:

 Video: G e n e s i s : t h e B i b l e ’ s s t o r y b e g i n s by Jeffrey Kranz

(https://overviewbible.com/genesis/)  Genesis 1-11 Study Guide by the Bible Project (https://d1bsmz3sdihplr.cloudfront.net/media/Study%20Notes/1-Genesis-Pt.-1-Study-Guide.pdf)  A computer with internet access and editing capability  Paper, pen, pencil

Procedure:

 View the video: G e n e s i s : t h e B i b l e ’ s s t o r y b e g i n s by Jeffrey Kranz

(https://overviewbible.com/genesis/)  Respond to the study questions.  Use the study guide for Genesis, Chapters 1-11 by the Bible Project to respond to the study questions. (https://d1bsmz3sdihplr.cloudfront.net/media/Study%20Notes/1-

Genesis-Pt.-1-Study-Guide.pdf)

Study Questions:

Reference: Video: G e n e s i s : t h e B i b l e ’ s s t o r y b e g i n s by Jeffrey Kranz https://overviewbible.com/genesis/) Based on the video, are the following statements (A) CORRECT or (B) INCORRECT?

1. The book of Genesis is the first book of the Hebrew Bible. 2. It is the second longest book of the entire Bible. 3. The interesting and well-loved stories in Genesis are thousands of years old. 4. The stories in Genesis began as an oral tradition. 5. They passed down from one Hebrew generation to another until they became a part of the law of Moses in the Torah. 6. The law of Moses began as a list of conditions that an ancient prophet gave to the

Israelites about how they should interact with their God. 7. The stories in the book of Genesis are foundational to how the people of Israel came to be associated with the law of Moses. 8. Over centuries, scribes worked on the books of Moses to construct the Tanakh. 9. Genesis sets the stage for divinity to interact in human affairs throughout the rest of the

Bible. 10. The Hebrew Bible records God's relationship to humans through the nation Israel and through His son, Jesus, in the New Testament in Christian Bibles. 11. Genesis recounts a default relationship between humans and God. 12. The Hebrew Bible explores humans’ purpose in life, as well as human nature. 13. Throughout the Book of Genesis, one sees elements of humanity that are not commendable.