Genesis
Summary Genesis is the first step of the Bible and the book that opens its great prologue, in which God, who created the heavens and the earth, does not give up on a humanity fallen into sin, but restores the relationship through covenant and begins the history of redemption.
- Date written
- 1445-1405 BC (traditional)
- Historical period
- From creation to the patriarchal age
Background
Genesis is often called ‘the gateway to the Bible.’ This is because it is a book that shows how the world and human beings began, how sin entered, and how God begins to restore humanity once again. The Hebrew title, ‘Bereshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית),’ means ‘In the beginning.’ It does not speak only of the beginning of time; it can be seen as meaning that the story of God’s salvation, which runs through the whole Bible, begins here. Genesis was written in an ancient society that served many gods, yet it delivers a clear message: everything, including the sun, moon, and stars, is not divine but a creation made and ruled by the one and only God. It also does not regard human beings as mere labor or as a component part of the universe, but says that they are honored beings created in the image of God. Compared with the worldview of that time, this was a truly remarkable declaration. But because of sin, humanity’s relationship with God is broken, and as a result suffering and death enter the world. Even so, God does not completely abandon human beings, and even in judgment He carries His promise and grace forward. So Genesis is not simply a book explaining “How did the world begin?” but can be called the book in which the story of God, who saves and restores fallen humanity, begins.
Content
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, shows how the world and human beings began and where the history of God’s salvation starts. It says that the universe and life did not come into being by chance but were created within God’s will and plan. Genesis is broadly divided into the primeval history in chapters 1–11 and the patriarchal history in chapters 12–50. The primeval history deals with the fundamental problem of human sin and God’s judgment through the creation, the fall, the flood, and the Tower of Babel. Through this it shows that human beings cannot solve the problem of sin on their own or restore their relationship with God. Then the patriarchal history, through the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, shows how God chooses one family, makes a covenant with them, and concretely carries the history of salvation forward. In the end, Genesis is a book that shows that despite human sin and failure, God does not give up on humanity, and through promise and covenant He opens the way of salvation and restoration.