Concise Series Outline
Presentation and discussion will follow as below, but with exhaustive, full version of outline worksheets.
O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures…when you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. Psalms 104:24-30
Background
The beginning of Genesis gives us the beautiful grandeur of creation using gracefully poetic and majestic narrative. The things created are good and perfect. Man is the completion of God’s creative work.
Theme
The first section of Genesis begins with a symmetrical account of creation. It describes the order of God’s creative works with a void and formless earth. This displays God’s sovereignty over his creation, the goodness of his creation, and his introduction of the role of mankind.
Outline
I. Book Title
II. Creation
III. Creation Corrects Chaos
IV. Role of Mankind
V. Conclusion
Generations of the Heavens and the Earth 2:4-4:26
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. Psalms 19:1-2
Background
The poetic and majestic account of God’s creation of the world in Genesis turns to a narrative of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, and human disobedience.
Theme
After the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the rest of Genesis is organized by sections of generations. This first genealogy, or tôledôt in Hebrew, introduces the generations of the heavens and the earth. The section addresses corruption, which entered the world through human disobedience. The former creation account dealt only with blessing; now we are introduced to curse. The theme follows man’s created nature of serving God, His provision, His declaration of prohibition, and man’s fall toward the growing cycle of sin.
Outline
I. Section Title
II. Change of Tone
III. History of Adam
IV. Temptation: The process of Sin
V. Contagious: The escalation of Sin
Generations of Adam 5:1-6:8
What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Job 7:17-20
Background
The narrative of Genesis now turns to a genealogy covering a large amount of time, connecting major characters, and making a significant theological point about the effects of sin.
Theme
An account is traced from Adam’s line to Noah through a second tôledôt. This time it is a record of people where we find rapid growth of sin creating a wide decay of righteousness. There is a repeated theological theme in the statements “and all the days of [person] were [X] and he died.” The only exception is a person who walked with God. We are introduced to a spirit world that has unnaturally integrated with human society and formed giants.
Outline
I. Section Title
II. Reminder of Imago Dei
III. Recurring chorus
IV. Long linkage of early history to the flood
V. Nephilim
Generations of Noah 6:9-9:29
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:38-39
Background
This is the second genealogy of men. Mankind has reached a state of major degeneration from Imago Dei. Violence has increased to the point of saturating the human race. The line of Seth, the replacement for Abel, is corrupted. God pronounces a cataclysmic judgment that will end all flesh. One man receives the grace of God for the continuation of his promises toward mankind.
Theme
In this third tôledôt we read about Noah and the account of a flood purposed to wipe out all flesh. The world fell so deeply into sin that God declared an end to its inhabitants. A man, Noah, finds grace to continue the human race. He is called perfect and stands alone in commitment to oppose evil amidst ungodly company. God warned the people and then sent rain until the mountains were covered. Sin is found to be inseparable from the flesh as Noah and his sons fall into it once again after the flood.
Outline
I. Section Title
II. God Declares End
III. Ancient Literature
IV. A New Beginning
V. Curse of
Canaan
Generations of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth 10:1-11:9
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in [the land], as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Ezekiel 14:20
Background
An account is given of how and where the descendants of Noah dispersed after the flood. This is the fourth tôledôt section. The origin of these post-flood people begins with Noah. He is the second Adam in a sense. This is a new beginning of the race of men.
Theme
This section is labeled the Table of Nations because it relates the entire human family to this dispersion of men. This genealogy has the feel of deterioration until a final judgment. After mankind began to repopulate, a tower was built which displeased God. This act was full of human pride and arrogance. God confused the one language without a statement of reunification. Noah’s descendants are traced throughout the Ancient near East. This begins a turning point whereas the remaining 39 chapters of Genesis trace Abram and the birth of
Israel.
Outline
I. Section Title
II. Table of Nations
III. Ziggurats of
Mesopotamia
IV.
Tower of
Babel
Generations of Shem 11:10-26
The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. Psalms 14:1-2
Background
The faithful line of Adam continued through Seth, Noah, and now through this tôledôt of Shem. This is the last tôledôt before the narrative of Genesis turns its focus to the lives of the patriarchs. Sin continues after the flood, but God remains represented in the lives of faithful examples.
Theme
There is a pattern of blessing → sin → grace in Genesis. Adam was given dominion, mankind fell into sin requiring judgment, and grace was extended through God’s preservation of mankind. This tôledôt of Shem makes a clear tracing of the fulfillment of the promises through the line of Shem: the son blessed by Noah. This line is a continuation of Seth: the replacement of Abel born to Adam and Eve. In Seth, men again called upon the name of the Lord. This line is a continuation of the line of Abel whom Cain murdered. This genealogy of Shem takes us to Terah, the father of Abram, where we learn of specific members of this family line who will continue the work of grace being performed by God.
Outline
I. Section Title
II. Chain link to Abram
III. From Table to Family
IV. Continuation of blessing
V. Passing the torch of faith
Generations of Terah 11:27-25:11
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the
land of
Canaan, and multiplied his seed. Joshua 24:2-3
Background
The genealogies lead us to the father of Abram, Terah. The line of Seth has been traced to the receiver of the promises. The father of
Israel’s faith, Abraham, meets a cosmic backdrop that began with Adam. The account of creation lives on through a faithful line God’s children.
Theme
It is demonstrated that God continues the work of redemption in the midst of sin, failure, and human interference.
Outline
I. Section Title
II. The Call of Abram
III. Melchizedek and Bela
IV. Abrahamic Covenant
V. Threat to the Promise
VI. Confirmation of Covenant
VII. The Lord Appears to Abraham
VIII.The Lord Visits Sodom and Executes Judgment
IX. Abraham Lies to Abimelech
X. Isaac Born
XI. Offering Isaac
XII. Death of Sarah
XIII. A Bride for Isaac
XIV. Death of Abraham
Generations of Ishmael 25:12-18
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. Genesis 16:11
Background
Abraham died and was buried with his wife in the
land of
Canaan. This displayed another significant symbol of commitment to the promise of inheriting the land. Isaac has been officially announced as the receiver of the promises made to Abraham. The blessed family line has been identified. The text now turns to Abraham’s son, Ishmael, to give an account of his line.
Theme
Ishmael is not the chosen line or promised seed. God grants a blessing to Ishmael because he remains the son of the blessed Abraham. The promises God made toward Ishmael to be fruitful and blessed exceedingly are kept in view; however, the focus on Isaac remains most important.
Outline
I. Section Heading
II. The Faithfulness of God
III. A Great Nation Forms
IV. Focus of God’s Word
Generations of Isaac 25:19-35:29
It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring…When Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad - in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls. Romans 9:8-11
Background
The author of Genesis has given an account of Ishmael. The narrative now moves into another tôledôt. This is an account of the children of Isaac and a continued focus on the chosen line of ancestry.
Theme
Two sons are born to Isaac, the inheritor of the promises of Abraham. This section concentrates on the activities of the son chosen to inherit the blessings. There is an account for the struggle between two brothers that threatens the promised line as it did with Abraham and Sarah. Eventually, deception turns to redemption between the brothers.
Outline
I. Section Heading
II. Forty years: Isaac married Rebekah
III. Two Sons
IV. Isaac Dies
Generations of Esau 36:1-37:1
Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for
Jerusalem, you were like one of them. But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of
Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. Obadiah 1:10-12
Background
This section of narrative gives an explanation of the descendants of Esau who came to live in
Mount
Seir. A large nation has formed called the Edomites. The Mount was referred to as
Mount
Esau. This is the area south and east of the
Dead Sea. The promises to Esau were fulfilled.
Theme
The same pattern given to the other accounts of patriarchal history is given to the account of Esau. This connecting link to the Edomites gives an account for the hostility between descendants of Jacob and Esau. The blessings put on Esau by Isaac have been fulfilled. God divinely honors the blessed line from Adam. Esau had many foreign wives showing his separation from the blessed family line. The next can now continue with the inheritors of the promises in the line of Jacob.
Outline
I. Section Heading
II. Esau is
Edom
III. Land Cannot Sustain
Edom
IV.
Edom Kings Before
Israel
V. Esau Promise Fulfilled
Generations of Jacob 37:2-50:26
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. Hebrews 11:21-22
Background
Division and hostility followed the bloodline of Abraham being introduced through Hagar. The sibling hostility grew more profound through Isaac’s son Jacob and Esau. Jacob favored Joseph and created hostility between Joseph and his other brothers.
Theme
Showing favor between men can cause as much hostility as interference with the promised plan of God. The repeated theme of God’s deliverance of his promises, regardless of human meddling, remains the focus of the narrative. This speaks against the powers in the world who work to cause divisions. At the ultimate end in Christ Jesus, the powers of darkness learn God is fully able to redeem man. Spiritual blessings demand patience. The righteous are they who believe God and wait for Him.
Outline
I. Section Heading
II. Favoritism
III. Story of
Judah
IV. Triple Dreams
V. Joseph Sold
VI. God reassures support of Joseph
VII. History of
Israel
VIII. Good through trials
IX. Jacob Dies
X. Joseph’s Death
God created mankind to be a blessing to His creation and enjoy the work of His hands. Man’s sin interfered with God’s will. God continues to demonstrate His sovereignty over His creation, His will, and redeems mankind by accomplishing His own promises. | 
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