Before we dive into this incredibly awesome book, we must first take a look at what Genesis is all about. As with any and all Bible studies, the hermeneutics of the book you are studying is vital to its interpretation and application. Simply reading a verse without looking at the context in which the author intended can be detrimental to understanding the principle and the application of the verse or chapter being studied. In this study, we will discuss different interpretations that present themselves along the way, but we may end up saying, “The Bible does not give us an answer on this, so we will classify this as an opinion.” We will let Scripture interpret Scripture; therefore, it will be perfectly acceptable to say “We don’t know”.

Genesis is the first book of five books that make up the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy). It is widely held as a book of the law or of instruction. The author is ascribed as Moses and his intended audience is the Children of Israel. Genesis comes from the Greek translation “origin” and is a fitting title since the book contains many “origins” or beginnings. This book records history accurately and many facts written in this book are verifiable.

Although this book is considered law, it is mostly about relationship. When I read through its pages, I see little about law and much about relationship. Written on these pages, we will discover our relationship with God, the problem of sin and how it affects our relationship with God and our relationship with each other. Many people try to use Genesis as a means to answer scientific questions about the creation of the universe and man, but I believe God never intended this book to be about science. It is a book about God and His redemptive plan for His people. In other words, it’s a book about relationships.

Finally, the Children of Israel had a severe problem with trusting God. As we continue through the book, we will see many instances where man seeks his own way rather than trusting in God’s way and timing. The main principle for this study is trust. If we walk away with only one thought, I hope that it will be, “You can trust God in every area of your life”. You cannot love without trust, you cannot believe without trust and you cannot have faith without trust. Are you ready to trust God entirely with your life?

How did Moses know what to write?That is a very good question. If you think about Moses was not there for the creation of the universe and he was not there when Adam and Eve where created. So how did he know what took place?

Many generations passed between the creation of Adam and Eve to the birth of Moses, you must question where Moses got the information. If you follow the lineage from Adam to Moses, it is conceivable to say that Moses heard about these things through word of mouth. Even though the world’s entire population was wiped out by the flood, God saved a remnant in the family of Noah. From there you can trace the generation down to Moses. But wait; there is much more detail and accuracy written in this book. How can it be possible to pass such detail down through the years without compromising the integrity of the information?

Read Exodus 24:9-18

How much time did Moses spend with God on Mount Sinai? _____ days and _____ nights

In Exodus, God instructs Moses to write two times (17:14, and 34:27). It could be that during this forty day and forty nights, God revealed to Moses the details of His redemptive plan including the creation of the universe and man. If you had the opportunity to meet with God for forty days and forty nights, wouldn’t you write down what He said? Moses was appointed by God to be the spokes person for His people (Exodus 3). I invite you to put on the sandals of Moses and walk with me through this amazing book.

Chapter 1

Read Genesis 1:1If we can’t get past the first verse and believe that God always existed, then you might as well put this study in the garbage. The Bible does not resolve the argument that God exists. You won’t find it in there. The Bible was written to describe the character and nature of God and how he deals with sinful man; not to prove that He exists. Can we continue?

What is this the beginning of? The beginning of __________ The creation of the ________________

Read Genesis 1:2

What does it mean that the “earth was without form and void”? Not in a state that man could ___________ on

Isa 45:18 – “For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other’”.

Read Genesis 1:3-25

By what power did God create this world that we live on? By His __________ – “and God said”

In light of Macro-Evolution; what is evident in these verses that proves Macro-Evolution to be wrong?

“After its ________” There has never been a cross-species creature

When God saw what He had created, what did He say? It was ________ All that God created was good meaning beneficial to ______

Read Genesis 1:26-31

Who is “us” in these verses? God the __________, God the __________ _________ and God the ______

Considering all other creatures, what does it mean to be made in the image and likeness of God?

We are p__________, rational and m________ We are conscientious of r___________________, c_____________ and m____________ We are able to reason and u_______________ commitment We have a r________________ with God God’s intention was and is that man should have f_____________ with Him in o____________

What did God tell Adam and Eve immediately after He created them? Be f_____________ and m_____________; fill the e_________ Subdue it – means to yield service to; make the earth u_________ to man Have dominion over every living thing – R_________ over everything Psalm 8:3-9 We are to rule over this e_________ in the same manner as God r_________ over us

So why was all this created? John 1:1-3 – ______ things were made through Him Heb 1:1-3 – Heir of ______ things Col 1:15-20 – In Him ______ things hold together Psalm 136:1-9

According to the Scriptures that we just read, we were created for the Son of God. This world that we live in and everything God provided was intended for us to enjoy. God created this universe with the glory of His Son in mind. We are a gift from the Father to the Son. We continue to exist because the Son wills it. Currently, Jesus is holding all things together and without Him, we would surely perish. Think about how valuable we are for God the Father to give us to His Son as a gift that would magnify the Son with glory an honor.

Chapter 2

Here we come to the seventh day of creation. God has created the universe that was deemed “good” for man to inhabit. He created an environment, food system and living creatures all for the good pleasure and use by humans. When God created man, Scripture says that “behold, it was very good”. When we think of God as being good and we think of His loving kindness, think about what He said was good. The earth we live on, the food we eat, the air we breathe and the creatures we encounter; all these things are good. Imagine if all the “good” things were taken away.

Read Genesis 2:1-3

Take a close look at the previous six days described in Chapter 1. What is missing at the end of the seventh day? (Hint: 1:5, 1:8, 1:13, 1:19, 1:23, 1:31 and 2:3)

“and the e_________ and the m__________ were the Nth day”

The seventh day is the only day that does not have an evening and a morning. There are several opinions out there regarding whether these days were a literal 24-hour period or not. Many people take the verse 2 Peter 3:8 to mean that God took several thousands of years to create all that He created. However, why would Scripture make certain that each day ended with an evening and a morning? This is why I believe it was a literal 24-hour period. Those that use 2 Peter 3:8 as their argument, simply take that verse out of context.

The fact that the seventh day seems to never end alludes to the promise of entering “His rest”. It’s almost like God is still resting in the completeness of His creation and is waiting for the time when the church (true believers) are joined with the Son in a perfect holy union for the rest of eternity. Oh, thank you Father for your loving kindness and patience!

Verse 3 indicates something significant about the seventh day. What is it? God b__________ the seventh day, and s_______________ it

What does sanctified mean? Set apart, to make holy

If the seventh day never ended and God sanctified it, what should be the true Christians response to how each day is lived out?

We should be s_______________

We should not allow the influences of e______ enter into our presence

When e______ enters in, we must be sanctified again by c_____________ and r_____________ (I John 1:9)

It’s a moment by m___________ cleansing; a lifestyle of r_______________

Read Genesis 2:4-17

Go back to Genesis 1:1; note every occurrence of the name of God and compare to the name of God in 2:4.

I count 33 occurrences of the name “God”

What is different about God’s name in 2:4? The name L________ is added

Up until now, the general term “God” has been used. This is important to the context of the passage. Chapter 2 begins with the institution of the seventh day and then moves into a more detailed description of the creation of man. It is fitting here that the name used of God changes to a more personal name. Lord God (Yahweh) underlines the personal and relational nature of God. Our God is a personal and relational God.

Stop for a moment and make list of what we had in all that God created for us:

Reread Genesis 1:28 and 2:15; what was Adam’s responsibility in the garden?

1. Be fruitful and M___________2. Fill the e________3. S__________ the earth4. Have d____________5. Till and K______ it

6. Eat f__________7. Do not e____ of the tree of the knowledge of g______ and e______

Read Genesis 2:18-25

Was Adam doing what God had instructed him to do in the garden? Yes, he was exercising d____________ over the living creatures

What does God mean by “I will make him a helper fit for him? Helper (Ezer) – One who supplies strength in the area that is lacking in the one being helped The helper is neither s___________ or w__________ than the one being helped Woman completes man in the area he is l__________ in

God’s original plan was for the Woman to be the “h________”. This “helper” came when there were “__________ __________” or fitting for the man. This is G____’s perfect design for marriage.

What do you think Adam meant by “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh? Terminology used to identify blood relatives Note that God created only ______ Eve for Adam Also note that it was not Adam and Adam or Eve and Eve – M______ and F________ (Marriage)

Why is this passage often read at weddings or used in reference to marriage?

Verse 24 –“Therefore a man shall leave his f________ and m________ and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one f______.”

Marriage is the closest of all h________ relationships The relationship between a h__________ and a w______ override duty to one’s own parents

What does the term “hold fast” mean? Term used for practicing covenant faithfulness Marriage is a c__________ and covenants were until d________

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 not only is a pivotal point of Genesis, it is jam packed with Theology and the workings of a God who is truly relational. This chapter comes after the stage is perfectly set. God had created this beautiful world we live in, made completely perfect for use and inhabitation by humans. He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden as a prized possession as a gift to His Son. God then establishes the first covenant between two humans and calls this marriage. The covenant of marriage is set before us as an example of the relationship between God and man. A covenant that must not be broken until death transpires. Death is the requirement for any separation of the marriage relationship as well as the relationship between God and man. God will hold accountable by punishment of death to the one who defiles His covenant.

God set before Adam a choice by instructing him on what he could eat for food. This was a simple test of Adam’s faithfulness to the covenant God established with him. This test was more of a test of trust rather than obedience in what God had said. God also warned Adam what the consequences would be if he ate of the fruit. The faithfulness of Adam was tested by the Serpent. Scripture describes the Serpent as subtle, crafty or cunning which is translated from the word “aruwm” which means shrewd, sensible or prudent and does not carry the negative connotations of the English definition. We think of the Serpent as a wrinkly scaly snake but this may not have been the case here. This Serpent most likely was beautiful with graceful movement and stunning colors. Obviously there was no threat sensed by either Adam or Eve when approached by the Serpent.

Read Genesis 3:1-7 & reread Genesis 2:16-17

What was God’s EXACT command? “You may surely _____ ___ _______ _____ of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of

_________ and __________ l you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you m shall surely die.”

How was God’s command changed by the serpent? He left off not eating of the tree of the knowledge of ________ and _______

He _____________ the personal name of God; “Lord”

What does this say about the Serpent? Deceiver – Makes God’s ___________ uncertain or unreasonable

Took what God said and _____________ it slightly – Divergent Scripture

His motives were clear, to make God seem __________________ and a tyrant

How was God’s command changed by Eve? She added “____________ it”

She also ______________ the personal name of God; “Lord”

She did not ______________ which tree, just the one in the “midst of the Garden” – There were two trees in the midst of the Garden; the Tree of L________ and the Tree of the K_______________ of Good and Evil

What does this say about the woman? God’s _________ is open to our interpretation

She knew the consequence – “lest you _______”

o Romans 6:23 – Spiritual and physical _________

o Wages are something earned which is the ________________ of a free gift

She was extra __________________, didn’t want anything to do with the wrong tree – “Touch it”

This brings us to the viable question; why would God even create a tree that He didn’t want them to eat from? If God’s desire is to have uninterrupted fellowship with us, why would He create a tree that would break that fellowship? I don’t know if there is a great answer to this question. The fact that we possess a soul and are created as relational beings, we have to be able to make choices and decisions. Otherwise, we would be robotic and incapable of true love. In additional to love, there is also spiritual growth that occurs as we seek to know God on a deeper level.

With that being said, I do know that everything God created was good; good for man. Therefore, this Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not made poisonous. There was nothing toxic or cancerous about the tree, it was simply a test of will and obedience. This leads me to the next question.

What is wrong with knowing good and evil? Up to this point, they only knew “______________”

All that God had given them was ______________; they did not know ___________

Why does God want to keep us from knowing evil? It’s e____________________ evil that God wanted to keep from us

Up to this point, they _________ ________ encounter evil – no evil thoughts

Imagine what that would be like

Once evil was __________________, we could no longer be in His p____________

He set before us ______________ (not to eat) and ________________ (to eat): God or World

Where was Adam? What does 1 Tim 2:14 say about Adam regarding this situation?

Adams sin was w__________ – He was not d________________ by the Serpent

I Timothy 2:14 – “And it was the woman, not Adam, who was deceived by Satan, and sin was the result.”

This act was not merely disobedience, but rather a direct rebellion against God and his commands. The heart of Adam became rebellious against God the moment he chose to disobey the Creator; who gave him life. Adam’s act of rebellion involved the following:

Lack of t___________ in God

Conscious _______________ to disobey

Doubted what God had ____________ about the fruit

Denied the consequences God had ______________ him about

Failed to exercise d_____________ over the Serpent by listening to the Serpent rather than G_____

He did not exercise his God-given a_____________ to stop the temptation

Finally, he allowed sin to come __________________ him and God

A few years ago, a man asked me why “he had to pay for some guy’s sin that happened thousands of years ago” (he was referring to Adam). What you would say to that person? I remember sharing Romans 5:12 with him. I could have also shared Romans 5:19 as well, but I should have taken him through the list above and asked him if he was any different from Adam in regards to the list. If we are to be perfectly honest with ourselves, we would see that we are just as bad as or even worse than Adam.

Adam did not fear the Lord. This is a very prominent problem with Christians today. I am becoming more and more convinced that Christians fear the wrath of people rather than the wrath of God. This is how you get people who believe they are Christian, but live a lifestyle that is very far from Christian. They ask God to clean them from sin like it is some filthy spot; yet they have no idea what sanctification really is. These are the “Christians” that compromise their commitment to God in an effort to be accepted in this world.

Proverbs 1:7 says “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Here we see Adam despising wisdom and instruction from the Lord. There is a clear difference between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is applying or experiencing wisdom in real life

situations. This verse in Proverbs sets the stage for the rest of Proverbs for the instruction of everyday situations and relationships. Knowledge can only be found in the fear of the Lord.

Read Genesis 3:8-24Knowing good and evil, Adam and Eve hid from God and then tried to cover up their sin using fig leaves. Their eyes were opened and for the first time, they experienced evil. They experienced shame; something that was completely foreign to them. As I mentioned previously, Adam did not fear the Lord. Fear can be defined as terror or it can be used for reverence and respect. A true Christian will obey the commands of God out of reverence (fear), not out of terror. Here we see the opposite effect of Adam who moves from reverential fear to terror; whereas a true Christian moves from terror to reverential fear.

Why was God asking them all these questions when He knew the answers? He was giving them an _________________ to repent; Opportunity to own up to their sin

The c_____________________ will still be there and the ____________ will eventually be revealed

What is wrong with the way they responded to their sin? It was a good ___________ to do, but was it the right __________ to do?

Proverbs 28:13 - “People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.”

Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out”

Man wants to __________ his sin whereas God wants to b________ out our sin.

Verse 21 - God made a provision for their sin, an innocent animal had to _________

Note: Isn’t it funny how Adam and Eve are always shown wearing leaves rather than the animal skin God provided? I wish they were always pictured with animal skins as a reminder of God’s plan of redemption.

How does God blot out sin? Hebrews 9:22 - “In fact, we can say that according to the Law of Moses, nearly everything was

purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”

The shedding of innocent ________________ is necessary for the f________________ of sin.

This is the first shedding of blood mentioned in the Bible. It is an example of what Jesus will ultimately do bringing complete forgiveness of sin by blotting it out (Col 2:13-14).

Isn’t it a bit cruel for God to kick them out of the garden? If God had not ____________ them out of the garden, the result could be man experiencing

__________ forever; all man had to do was take a bite of the tree of life

God now makes a p___________ for man to exist temporarily until the p___________ for sin was paid

What seems c_________ on the surface, is actually God p____________ us until the “appointed time”

What do you think God would have done had they repented? There would still be a ___________ for a sacrifice

Justice d______________ a verdict; without a verdict, justice would not be j____________

What does this say about God’s attributes: Holiness, Righteousness, Justice and Loving?

He is Holy because He is s_______________ from sin

He is Righteousness because He deals r______________ with sin

He is Just because He d______________ a verdict for sin

He is Love because He p______________ a atonement (compensation) for sin

Did God’s actions, when He made the coats of animal skin, remove their sin?

No, it just c________________ up their nakedness

God was showing them His plan of redemption, knowing that J___________ will ultimately blot out t___________ sin and the sin of the entire w___________

How is our thinking kind of like Adam and Eve when it comes to our sin? We rely on our efforts to j_____________ ourselves

We think that if we just confess our ______ and say sorry, that it is enough to c_________ our sins

We think God should not p_____________ sin, because He is l__________

From here, I am compelled to describe salvation. You might be thinking that you already know all about salvation and the next few questions are very pedestrian and irrelevant to this study. However, I whole heartedly believe that the True Gospel message has been so watered down that most “Christians” have

a tough time explaining or even understanding it. For the spirit of being trite, please bear with me through the next few questions to ensure that you understand the magnitude of what Jesus accomplished through the cross. Although I am fully aware that I am incapable of explaining it in its entirety, I pray that God’s word on the matter will so penetrate your heart and either spur you on to tell others or spread you out prostrate as the truth of the Gospel awakens you.

In order to get the full effect of what the True Gospel message is, we must get a correct understanding of the definition of some words that are the keys to unlocking this marvelous mystery. You will need a Bible dictionary or Strong’s Concordance to look up the definition of some of these words.

What is sin? Definition – To miss the ___________

Does the Bible define sin? I John 3:4 - Everyone who makes a ________________ of sinning also practices

________________; sin is _______________________. KJV - Whosoever ____________________ sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the

transgression of the __________ An act of disobedience to Divine __________

What is transgression? Definition – to go b____________, to over step To see the line, know it’s there and intentionally ______________ ___________ that line

What is Lawlessness? Definition - the r_____________ of the law, or will of God and the substitution of the will of self Definition - flagrant d______________ of the known will of God Iniquity – synonymous with Lawlessness It is the equivalent of living in a kingdom with the attitude of “I don’t know if the King has a law

or not and I do not care even if he does”

What is law? Definition - the s______________ for the administration of justice Civil Law – Governs how we function in s____________ Ceremonial Law – Governs how we w________________ Moral Law – Governs how we become r___________ or just

What Law is Scripture referencing in 1 John 3:4? Moral Law – The Law of M_______________ 10 Commandments – Can you say them? This is the s_______________ by which God declares someone to be just

James 2:10 - For whoever keeps the whole _________ but fails in one point has become accountable for ________ of it.

This is the “mark” that the definition of sin is referring to

Apart from Christ, how do we measure up to this standard? Rom 3:11-20 – Through the ________ come the knowledge of sin Psalms 19:7 - The _______ of the Lord is perfect, reviving the ________; the testimony of the

Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

What does it mean - that every mouth may be stopped? No one can j___________ themselves No human being will be j______________ We are all g__________ – Rom 3:23

Now Read Exodus 23:7 & Proverbs 17:15 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will _______

acquit the w________ He who j______________ the wicked and he who c_______________ the righteous are both

alike an abomination to the Lord

Although the above verses are in the context of earthly judges, we can catch a glimpse of the character and nature of an omnipotent Judge who governs rightly. We must move forward understanding that God is a righteous Judge and He will judge rightly. There is no deceit or unrighteousness found in Him.

Now Read Exodus 34:6-7 God is l____________; forgiving i____________ and t________________ and s______ but who will by no means ________ the guilty

How can God forgive all kinds of sin, yet not clear the guilty? If God is to be t__________; He cannot contradict Himself If God is to be j__________; He cannot clear the guilty If God is to be h_________; He cannot be an abomination

Now Read Isaiah 55:7 & Micah 7:18 Let the w__________ forsake his way, and the u________________ man his thoughts; let him

return to the Lord, that he may have c___________________ on him and to our God, for he will abundantly p_____________

Who is a God like you, p_____________ iniquity and passing over t__________________ for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast l_________

How can God being Holy and Just tolerate sinful man without inflicting the full penalty for sin on each and every person?This time the answer is the all-time favorite Sunday school answer, “J_________”. Here is why we are forgiven: Col 2:13-14 “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” In the Greco-Roman world, the “record of debt” was a written note of indebtedness. Paul uses this as a word picture to characterize each person's indebtedness to God because of sin. God himself has mercifully resolved this problem for all who put their faith in Jesus by taking this note and nailing it to the cross, where Jesus paid the debt. The image comes from the notice fastened to a cross by the Roman authorities, declaring the crime for which the criminal was being executed (ESV Bible note on Col 2:14). When God spoke in Exodus 34, He was explaining His redemptive plan. The guilty can be forgiven because of the finished work of Jesus.

What work then did Jesus accomplish? We know that He was sinless; therefore He was not guilty of sin. Romans 3:23-26 says, “But now the r_________________ of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the r_______________ of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall s_________ of the glory of God, and are j___________ by his grace as a gift, through the r________________ that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his b________, to be received by faith. This was to show God's r_______________, because in his divine forbearance he had p________ o______ former sins. It was to show his r________________ at the present time, so that he might be j______ and the justifier of the one who has faith in J_______.” Jesus is the propitiation by His blood. What is propitiation? Propitiation means to appease one person and grant favor to another. In this passage, Jesus appeases God’s wrath and grants forgiveness to the sinner. It is important to note that this appeasement is for those who have “faith in Jesus”. We see Jesus considering the wrath that was to come when He went to Gethsemane and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus did not fear the beating He was about to take or the Garrison of soldiers who would spit on Him, though this was part of His suffering; He anguished over the Cup of God’s Wrath that was to be pour out on Him for the sin of the world. This Cup of Wrath was appeased or satisfied by Jesus “so the he might be just and the justifier” (Rom 3:26).

The love and justice of God is only found in the person of Jesus Christ. The person that rejects Jesus is rejecting the only acceptable appeasement of God’s wrath. Therefore, God does not send the sinner to Hell; the sinner sends himself. God in His great love and mercy provided a way to escape this wrath. If God is to be just, He must punish sin. The sinner that is not covered by the blood of Jesus WILL suffer the same wrath that was poured out on Jesus.

Now Read Romans 1:18-25 Consider these last thoughts:

The person that r________ Jesus is rejecting the only acceptable person that could satisfy God’s anger against us

God in His great l_______ and m_________ provided a way to escape this w________ If God is to be just, He must p___________ sin

Reread Genesis 3:14-19 There are five curses that God points out as the effects of evil in the world. Satan’s tool (the serpent) is cursed, God promises a redeemer (Christ will draw a fatal blow to Satan), the effects on the woman, the effects on the man and the effects on the ground. There are great relational truths packed into each one of the curses that evil brings. We will look specifically at the man and woman relationship simply to keep the main focus of this study to be about relationships.

What does God say specifically to the woman regarding her husband? (v16)

Your desire shall be for your h____________

He shall r_______ over you

What does it mean that your desire will be for your husband? Desire – Same word found in Gen 4:7 – Means to stretch out after

God told Cain that he must r________ over his sin because sin’s desire is to r________ over him

Likewise; the woman’s d_________ will be to rule over the husband, but God clearly states that the Husband is to r________ over the wife

What does God say specifically to the man regarding his wife? (v17) You l_______________ to your wife and

You have e__________ from the tree I told you not to eat from

Is God saying that we should not listen to our wives? Emphatically, No

What should have Adam done regarding the situation with Eve and the Serpent?

Adam should have exercised d_____________ over the Serpent and l________________ to God’s word

Abram should have exercised d_____________ over the woman and reminded her about God’s instruction

What are the two problems that will be prominent in your marriage that you must master?

The woman’s desire to l_________

The man’s failure to l__________

Adam was right there “with” Eve when she ate. Why did he not try to stop her? When the Serpent approached his wife, why did he not step in and exercise his God-given right to have dominion over the Serpent? A Husband sins when he fails to lead and a Wife sins when she fails to submit to her husband’s leadership role. If the Husband leads rightly, the desire for the wife to feel the need to lead diminishes. Men, our wife’s desire to lead is directly proportional to our failure to lead.

Chapter 4 & 5Chapter four is also a pivotal point in this study that will reveal two types of people. These two types plague the church even today. We also catch a glimpse of things to come as we are introduced to “types” and “shadows” that are found in Scripture. A “type” is simply something like another thing but not the actual thing itself, whereas a “shadow” is a fuzzy picture found in the OT of something that is made clear in the NT. Much like a shadow, we can see the shape or form of something and make a fairly accurate guess as to what it is, but we may not be able to describe it in detail. Details such as hair color, eye color, gender, height, outfit or nationality of a person is nearly impossible to determine by looking at that person’s shadow and nothing else. We’ve already seen one “type” in the animal sacrifice performed by God to make tunics of skin for Adam and Eve, now we see a shadow of what will take place between two seeds that come from Adam. It paints a fuzzy picture of the two types of people found throughout the entire Bible and how God deals directly with them.

Eve just conceived a son and named him Cain. His name means “acquisition” or “possession”. Some Theologians believe that Eve thought of Cain as the promised seed God spoke of back in Genesis 3:15. In verse 15, the “seed” is referring to Jesus and not Cain. As we continue in Genesis, we will follow the specific line from which Christ is born out of. Genesis 3:15 is a prophecy concerning Christ and His victory over Satan.

Read Genesis 4:1-5

What was Cain’s occupation and what was Abel’s?A) Cain – F________B) Abel – H___________

Why did God reject Cain’s offering, but accepted Abel’s offering?Write out how you would answer this question:

Let’s compare the two offerings to see if we can understand why God would reject Cain’s offering:

Abel Cain

F________g of his flock F_____t of the ground

Very c________ Little c________

F_________g = Birthright Result of ______ labor

It is interesting to note that both offerings are later mentioned as part of the Levitical system of worship. Deuteronomy 15 talks about offering of the firstborn of your flock as a peace offering meal in the presence of the Lord. Deuteronomy 26 mentions the offering of the fruit of the ground as an expression of consecration by keeping His holy commandments. This presents an interesting dilemma; since both offerings were later established as acceptable, did God change His mind on what He would accept? Both Cain and Abel’s offerings are mentioned in the New Testament; let’s look at the following Scripture to see if we can find the answer:

Read 1 John 3:12; then read Hebrews 11:4

What was the difference between the two offerings?Abel – His offering was an offering of relationship. The a____________ of the offering was evidence of God’s a_____________ of the person. Abel’s offering was an offering of faith which is the foundation of his righteousness and ours.

Cain – His offering still came from the h________, however his heart was evil. The r____________ of the offering was evidence of God’s r______________ of Cain’s evil heart and the r___________ of the “evil one” who Cain was of.

The answer most likely is different than what you were thinking. Most of us look that the Cain and Abel story and chock the rejection up to the fact that Cain’s offering did not involve the shedding of blood. Though that is a key point of Scripture, I do not think I am off base in saying that if Cain’s offering was exactly like Abel’s, God still would have rejected it. Why?

Let’s define the word “respect” or “regard”. Both words are used in Genesis 4:4-5 as God’s response to each offering. The word used here is “sha`ah” which means to look at or gaze about.

What do you think God gazed at or about? Their h________s

Abel was considered r_______________; he had a relationship with God

Cain was considered w__________; he had a responsibility to God

Remember what Cain’s name means (possession)? I think it is only fitting to bring up the meaning of Abel’s name at this point. Abel means “exhalation (breath)” or “that which ascends”. Could it be that their very names tell the story that Abel understood that every breath is from He who ascends and Cain was more interested in his possessions?

I mentioned earlier that there are two types of people found in Scripture and in the church today. We just took a look at the two. As we continue, we will see clearly the difference between the two types and also see how God deals which each type. I hope that you will see clearly the type of person you are and understand how God will deal with you.

Read Genesis 4:6-7

What is God really saying to Cain in verse 7? There is still a chance for you to t______ from your wicked ways and be accepted In order to be accepted, you must r_______ over your sin

What should Cain’s response have been? Flat on his f_________ Crying out for m__________ Realize the magnitude of his s_____ Repented of his self will Restore the broken re_________________

What was Cain’s response? Angry His countenance f_____ Silence, no r______________ from Cain is recorded here

Read Genesis 4:8-16

What does verse 8 tell you about Cain’s ability to rule over his sin? Sin r________ over him Slew – very intense word meaning to slaughter Cain makes his first “b________ sacrifice” – His own brother

What does Cain’s response in verse 9 tell you about his heart? ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________

What did Cain realize about his punishment? Greater than I can b______ He is now alienated from the e________; even more than when the fall took place He is now alienated from G______

He will be a fugitive and a w_______________ People will want to k______ him He u______________ perfectly, but still did not repent

What was the mark that God placed on Cain? We don’t know (ha ha; trick question)

Read Romans 1:18-32

What does the NT say about the “Cain” type people? They suppress the t__________ They are without e__________ They knew God, but they did not h___________ Him as God or give th_________ They exchange the ___________ about God for a _______ God gives them up to a debased (defiled) m__________ They are filled with a manner of un_________________ness According to God’s decree, they deserve to _________ They not only do evil d____________, they approve of those who p_____________ evil

Read Genesis 4:17-24Here we follow the line of Cain down to a man named Lamech; not to be confused with the Lamech who is Noah’s father. The two lines draw a stark contrast to each other and the two types of people we are studying.

Where did Cain get his wife? Very good q_________, we don’t really k_________ (Scripture does not say)

Remember, Genesis is all about man’s r_____________ with God, therefore some of the details were left o_____

Probably a sister is the only l___________ answer here

Opinion – People say that Adam and Eve represented several people, however when you break down the grammar, Adam and Eve are proper names signifying one man and one woman.

There are 6 “firsts” mentioned in this passage, what are they? First ________ built

First person to have two ____________

First mention of dwelling in __________

First mention of having l____________

First mention of playing i_______________

First mention of metal f____________

What do verses 23 and 24 say about the heart of Lamech? Took two w_________, no regard for God’s design of _______ man, _______ woman

No regard for the l______ of others

His response to someone s__________ him is way out of line

Seventy-sevenfold – a statement used to show extravagant excess

His h_________ was excessively evil

Read Genesis 4:25-5:32

What did people begin to do after the birth of Enosh? To call on the __________ of the Lord

Notice how G_____ is not mentioned throughout the entire line of Cain

What is unique about the description about Seth’s birth? Fathered a son in his own l________________, after his image

Seth means “Compensation” or “Reward”

Seth is not mentioned again except through genealogies

What is unique in the description about Enoch’s birth and his death? W___________ with God

No mention of d___________, “he was not, for God took him”

Enoch means “Dedicated”

What is Lamech saying about his son Noah? Noah means “rest”

He doesn’t know it, but he makes reference to the flood

This is a different Lamech than the Lamech mentioned in Cain’s line. Lamech means “Powerful” and through these passages on the two Lamechs, we see a powerful contrast between an evil heart and a

righteous heart. Again, Moses is pointing out that there are two types of people; people with a righteous heart and people with an evil heart.

Considering that ALL of Scripture is profitable; what is chapter 5 all about?

Move t__________ along

To show the longevity of l______ back then

To show that all p___________ die

Main reason – To link A_________ to N________

To answer the question; how did we get h________?

Who or what stands out to you in chapter five? Make a list and give a reason.

The focus of chapter 5 has been all about the longevity of life, Enoch’s translation, Methuselah’s extreme old age and the fact that most all people die. I would like you to consider some other thoughts concerning this chapter:

First, let’s do the math:

Father SonHow long until he

fathered a sonSeth Enosh 105

Enosh Kenan 90Kenan Mahalalel 70

Mahalalel Jared 65Jared Enoch 162Enoch Methuselah 65

Methuselah Lamech 187Total years: 744

If Adam lived 800 years after Seth was born, what does the math indicate? That A________ was still alive when L____________ was born

Lamech was ______ when Adam died

What is significant about the fact that Adam was still alive when Lamech was alive?

All those mentioned in chapter 5, with the exception of N_________, lived while A________ was still alive

They all were able to l_________ about God and life from the 1st created man

Adam spent time with God in the g____________ – we don’t know how long it was until the fall

Adam lived 930 years, imagine the k____________________ he had and could pass on directly to these men

There is a d_________ link from Adam to Noah through L__________

Why is it important for Moses to link Adam to Noah? Verse 29; Noah shall bring “C_________” or “R__________”

Just like Christ, N_________ will bring “rest” from our toil

It is interesting to note that there are two Lamechs mentioned; one from the evil line of Cain and one from the righteous line of Seth. The evil Lamech is surrounded by a wandering or tormented life and the righteous Lamech speaks of a restful life. This whole concept of entering God’s rest is hard to grasp, but we can see clearly that there are some who enter in and some that do not or cannot.

Chapter 6In this chapter, we will see God’s redemptive plan further revealed to the Children of Israel. There are a few more types and shadows we will see in this chapter. As man began to multiply on the earth, evil expanded. As we will see, the whole human race continued to get worse and some very interesting things begin to happen.

Read Genesis 6:1-9

Who are the “Sons of God” and who are the “daughters of men”? The identity of both groups are uncertain, we will discuss some of them:

o Sons of God – Angels; godly line of S_________

o Daughters of men – Women; ungodly line of C_______

One thought is that this is a reference to fallen Angels marrying human beings

Another is that this is a reference to the godly line of Seth marrying the ungodly line of Cain

What is more important to focus on regarding this passage? There is a n____________ tone to the entire passage; even to the point where God says, “My

Spirit shall ______ abide in man forever”

Wickedness of man was g_________ in the earth

Every intention of the t_____________ of his (man’s) heart was ONLY _________ continually

The Lord was s__________ that He made man on the earth and it grieved Him to His h________

God will b_____ out man from the face of the land

But Noah found f_________ in the eyes of the Lord

What did the “Sons of God” do to the “Daughters of men”? They s______; they t_______

They _________ that the daughters of men were attractive and they ________ them as wives

Chose = to select or try, there was no lasting r__________________

Wives = women in general

Does this remind you of a time in Scripture where someone “saw” then “took”? (Hint – Genesis 3:6)

Eve – s_____ that the fruit was “good” and she “t_______”

Consider verse 6; did God make a mistake in creating man? Repent – to feel sorrow, to suffer grief, to have compassion or to be moved to pity

Pity – to spare, to look upon with compassion

Does it seem like there is a contradiction between verse 6 and 7? Verse 6 talks about how God had pity or felt compassion however, the next verse talks about God blotting out all of mankind. In fact, He states that He will take out even the animals, creeping things and the birds of the Heavens.

How did God show compassion? He didn’t just wipe everyone out, He extended grace to N________

It is a harsh reality that not everyone will be saved. You might even look at the flood as unfair and not right saying, “God did not give them a chance”. The harsh reality is that God will punish sin. It is in His nature to do so, it is part of His attributes to do so and it is in His will to do so. If God does not punish sin, He would not be just. If we do not think this about the god we worship, we are not worshiping the one true God.

Remember that we are looking at a shadow of God’s redemptive plan for the salvation of men. As we continue through the rest of chapter 6, we will see how this all ties together. It is very important to understand the end time events that will take place in the not so distant future.

Read Genesis 6:9-22

Take a quick glance at the Church Age

1. Jesus comes to earth – Matthew 1:18-25

2. Jesus walked and dwelt among us – John 1:14

3. Jesus died on the cross – John 19:28-30

4. Jesus rose on the third day – John 20:1-10

5. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1-4

6. The rapture of the church - I Thessalonians 4:13-18

7. The judgment seat of Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:10

8. Crowns are given to the believer – 1 Corinthians 3:8 & Matthew 16:27

9. Marriage Supper of the Lamb – Revelation 19:7-10

10. Seven year tribulation on the earth - Dan 9:24-27

11. Believers before the Rapture return with Christ – Revelation 19:11-16

12. Jesus establishes His Millennium Kingdom – Revelation 20:4

13. The Great White Throne Judgment – Revelation 20:11-15

14. The unsaved are cast into eternal darkness – Revelation 20:15

15. The saved enter eternal life with Christ – Revelation 21:9-27

For this chapter, we want to focus in on items 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 13 (not necessarily in that order). Read the Scriptures relating to our focus items and let’s see if we can relate these items to what we see happening in Chapters 5 and 6.

Item 6: What do you see in Chapter 5 that might resemble the rapture of the church?

Genesis 5:24 – E_________ walked with God, and he was not, for God t_______ him

Item 7: What do you see in Chapter 6 that might resemble the Judgment Seat of Christ?

Verse 8 – N_______ found favor in the eyes of the Lord

Verse 9 – Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; N________ walked with God

Item 13: What do you see in Chapter 6 that might resemble the Great White Throne Judgment?

Verse 11 – The earth was c___________ in God’s sight

Verse 12 – All f_______ had corrupted their way

Item 10: What do you see in Chapter 6 that might resemble the seven year Tribulation?

Verse 13 – I will d__________ them with the earth

Item 9: What do you see in Chapter 6 that might resemble the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?

Verse 18 – I will establish my c______________ with you, and you shall come into the a_____

Item 12: This item is not realized until Chapter 8 and verse 16 Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you

As you can see, God’s compassion fell upon one person by the name of Noah and through Noah God’s compassion continued. It is only by God’s grace and mercy did mankind continue. God could have and should have wiped the earth clean, but He had compassion knowing that His Son would ultimately endure the full wrath required for human sin. In this, God remained Just, Righteous and Holy.

There are some really cool things to note about the ark: The ark represents Christ – He saves His people from judgment

The person who is “in” Christ will experience rest

The ark also had only one door – Noah, his family and all the animals had to enter through the only door (John 14:1, I am the way, the Truth and the Life…).

The ark was covered inside with pitch – The word for pitch here is “Kaphar” which means to make an atonement or to make reconciliation; our hearts are reconciled to Christ

The ark was covered on the outside with pitch. The word used here is “Kopher” which means price of a life, ransom or bribe; Christ paid the price of a life on our behalf

The ark only had one window; the only thing those on board the ark could control is how much light they let in

Before we move on, I hope that you are asking yourself a very important question. How did Noah find favor in the eyes of the Lord when all this corruption filled the earth? Consider what Isaiah 6:2 says, “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite (repentant) in spirit and trembles at my word”. Let’s take a look at what Scripture reveals about Noah:

Reread Genesis 6:9

What does verse 9 say about Noah? He was r______________ - cleansed

He was b___________ – without blemish

He w____________ with God – manner of life

There is only one other person in the OT that is said to have found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This person is none other than the author of this book (Exodus 33:17 – “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.’” What a rarity, to find favor among such a vile, wicked and perverse world.

Chapters 7 & 8

Read Genesis 7 - 8:19

What is significant about verse 5 of Chapter 7? Noah did ________ that the Lord had c__________________ him

John 14:15 - “If you love me, you will keep my c____________________.”

John 14:21 – “Whoever has my c__________________ and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Deut 5:9 – “I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my c_________________________.”

Did God forget about Noah and his family in Chapter 8 verse 1? No, God is about to take action for Noah’s welfare

It’s like remembering someone in a will; you didn’t forget about them, they are about to receive something from you

God is about to take action on His promise to Noah and his family

How long were they in the ark? 7:24 – 150 days; the waters p______________ upon the earth

8:3 – 150 days; the waters d_____________

8:6 – 40 days; since the m________________ tops were seen

8:10 – 7 days; Noah waited after sending a d________ out to find dry land

8:12 – 7 days; the third time a d_________ was sent out, but this time the dove did not return

7: 11 & 8:13-14 – 11 days; year 600, 2nd month and 17th day until year 6001, 2nd month and 27th day

Total on the ark = 365 days which is one solar year

Read Genesis 8:20 – 8:22

What was the first recorded thing Noah did when he got out of the ark? Built an a_________

Offered up a burnt o_______________ – was to express gratitude for divine deliverance

The term “pleasing aroma” conveys the idea of r_______ or tranquility

The burnt offering soothed God’s a__________ at human sin

Did the flood wipe out all sin? No, verse 21 states that the intention of man’s h_________ is evil from his youth

Though there is still sin in the world, sacrifice and offerings can s_________ God’s anger (for a while anyway)

Is God saying that He will never again punish every living creature? No, He is simply saying that He will never again cause it to f__________ on the earth killing

every living creature like He just did

The c___________ on man and the earth are still in place

In this act of Noah’s worship to the Lord, God responds to the “pleasing aroma” with an acknowledgment that we all should acknowledge. God said, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done”. Because man is evil in every intention of his heart; God will never again curse the earth and will never again strike down every living creature? God’s statement seems backwards. It seems that God should have said, “I will continue to curse the ground and strike down every living creature, because every intention of man’s heart is evil.” We need to acknowledge that every intention of our hearts is evil. I John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”.

This is the beauty of God’s love. He sees man’s sin, he looks at man’s heart, He considers man’s intentions and He smells the “pleasing aroma” of THE SACRIFICE then He responds with GRACE. Col 2:18 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Chapter 9The Covenants

So far in Genesis, God has established two important covenants. Chapter 9 introduces us to a third covenant that is of equal importance. I think it is a good time to go back and review the first two covenants to be certain we are clear on them.

1. Edenic – Genesis 1:28-30 & 2:15-17 – The responsibility of man

Be fruitful and m__________; fill the earth

S__________ the earth – acquire knowledge and mastery for the good use and service to mankind

Exercise d______________ over the animal kingdom

Care for the e________ – eating fruits & herbs

Do not eat from the tree of k_______________ of good and evil

2. Adamic – Genesis 3:15 – Result of sin and God’s remedy

Jesus vs. S_________ – Our need for a Redeemer

Promise of a R_______________

Woman – Pain and s____________ in child birth & the man will r_______ over her

Man – Burdensome work & sorrow of life

Read Genesis 9:2-17God establishes a covenant with Noah regarding Human Government. In this covenant, three things are outlined that begin to set that stage for God’s expectation of human conduct.

1. God reaffirms our d_____________ over all living creatures, however, He adds that all living creatures will f________ us

2. In addition to eating fruits and herbs, God adds every m_________ thing to our diet

3. God establishes the first l______ – Life for life

Why did God need to establish a law regarding human life? E_________ still existed and will continue to exist until Jesus creates a new Heaven and a new

Earth

Man failed to r________ rightly, this did not go away with the flood

God v____________ human life; even if an animal takes a human life, that animal should be put to death

Man rules or governs with self in mind, not with G______ in mind

God’s government was originally set up to protect l________ and subdue e_______ (look at what government does now)

What is God saying about man in verse 6? To m___________ a man is to m____________ that which is most like God

An attack on man is like an attack on G________

God wants humanity to flourish and not be destroyed by v_____________

Read Genesis 9:18-28

What was Noah’s sin? Both being d_______ and n_________

Many scholars liken this fall to the fall Adam and Eve experienced in previous chapters of Genesis. Noah was a righteous man, he was blameless in his generation and he walked with God (Gen 6:9). Yet, here he is a few chapters later and he is drunk and naked. What happens in a man’s life that could make the righteousness pendulum swing from one extreme to another? How does someone go from righteous and blameless to sinful and shameful?

When God ransomed Noah and his family from His judgment of the earth, He did so knowing that sin would still continue in the world. God did not wipe out all sin on the earth; sin continued because Noah and his family were spared and they still had sin in their lives. When it comes to others, we must realize that we all have sin. No one is perfect and everyone deals with some sort of sin whether in secret or in public. The question then remains, “Are we willing to love that person despite of their sin?”

Why was Canaan cursed and not Ham? This is widely debated among scholars and the best possible answers seems to lie in the fact that

in chapter 9 verse 1 God blessed Noah and his sons. This blessing included Ham.

What should have been Ham’s response to Noah’s condition? C_____________ him up

T______ no one – Honor your Father & Mother

Confronted N________ about his sin

In light of someone’s sin, how are we a lot like Ham? Make light of it

Tell o_______

Speak nothing to them about their s_____

Why? We are just as g__________

We don’t want o___________ to know what’s inside us

We have a flippant attitude towards s________

There are two responses to someone else’s sin. One response resulted in a curse that went way beyond the scope of Canaan serving his brothers. This passage was wrongly used in past centuries to justify the grievous, inhumane practice of enslaving African people. The other response resulted in the blessing of the Lord.

Let’s look at the right response first and then we will grapple with the wrong. Take a look at what great lengths Shem and Japheth went to honor their father even though he had sinned. Scripture does not indicate that they told a single soul of the predicament their father was in. They took a garment and laid it over their shoulders and walked backwards. Their faces were even turned backwards for Scripture tells us that they did not see their father’s nakedness. I imagine this took some time; we are talking about extreme caution here. No careless quick fix; just honor, respect and dignity. What is right in their actions? They did not speak of it to other people, they used extreme caution when handling the situation and they treated their father respectfully. They did not allow their father’s sin to draw them into sin. This is the right way to handle this situation.

Ham, on the other hand, dishonored his father in several ways. He looked upon his father’s nakedness. Scripture does not say if this was by accident or on purpose. Either way, it doesn’t matter because Ham’s action afterwards is what caused the curse. Not only did he tell his two brothers, he failed to address the situation. You might be thinking that his motives may have been pure in telling his two brothers. Maybe his brothers were more apt in dealing with this situation than he was. I say that is hogwash. Ham chose to allow his father’s sin to entangle him in his own sin (God only knows how many times I have done that). Many times we tell other people about someone else’s situation out of “love” or “concern”, but we fail to handle it properly. This situation was meant for Ham to deal with, not his brothers. God allowed Ham to see his father in order that Ham could respond appropriately. He failed and a curse was set upon him that affected tens of thousands, maybe millions of people bringing pain and misery for many, many years. Ham should have kept quiet, grabbed the garment, walked backwards, turned his face backwards and covered his father’s nakedness. Most importantly, he should have told no one.

Chapter 10Verse 25 of chapter 9 is where the ungodly excuse to enslave blacks originated. Canaan shall serve Shem and Japheth will dwell in the tents of Shem. Ham, Shem and Japheth are all key people linking the various clans to the geographical location they settled in. Ham meaning “Hot” settled in north Africa, Japheth meaning “open” or “enlarged” settled in the islands of the Mediterranean Sea and Shem meaning “name” or “renown” settled in Arabia and Mesopotamia. Chapter 10 gives more detail to the descendants and the approximate area they “spread out” to. Some people want to add to Scripture here and say that when God blessed Ham, Shem and Japheth, He blessed them with certain skin color. Ham is said to be Black, Shem reddish and Japheth white. I could not find any indication of this in my study. However, Chapter 10 begs the question; what does the Bible say about race? The truth of the matter, there is not mention of race in the Bible (except “race” as in running a race). The Bible does speak of generations, seeds and clans. The important truth to remember is that these clans were doing just as God had planned. They were multiplying and spreading out. Many of the nations we know today were established here in Genesis Chapter 10. Let’s move on to Chapter 11.

Chapter 11If you read Chapter 10 carefully, you might be wondering if there is a contradiction between 10:31 and 11:1. Chapter 10 speaks to the tone that they had their own languages; yet in Chapter 11, Moses tells us that the “whole earth had one language”. Chapter 10 simply covers a huge period of time as the descendants of Noah act out their God-designed purpose in filling the earth. Chapter 11 focuses in on how this spreading out and division played out then zooms in on the generations of Shem. From the line of Shem, our Savior was born. This line is also the line in which the Israelites most identify themselves with because Abraham descended from Shem. This might just send you into a few verses of “Father Abraham”; sing with me now, “Father Abraham had many sons, had many sons had Father Abraham…” Okay, let’s move on.

Read Chapter 11:1-10

Was it acceptable for them to dwell at Shinar? No, they were to f_____ the earth

They were to be nomads

Why did God strike their language and not the tower? If you want to d___________ a group of people, take away their ability to c_________________

Was building the tower the problem? No

What was the reason they built the tower? To make a n________ for themselves

To specifically not get d______________ over the face of the whole earth

What was God’s first response to their tower? He came d_________

Let’s pause and get the big picture of what is going on here. The people of the tower flat out rebelled against what they knew God wanted them to do. Does this sound much like a previous chapter in Genesis (Hint: chapter 3). Consider the goal of the people; they wanted to get to Heaven by the sweat of their brow. We still have people today that sincerely think that the merit of their salvation will rest in the things that they do or not do. This is very tragic. God’s response is interesting. Did God come down to see the tower? No, He came down to protect them from themselves. The terminology used in

verse 7 about God coming down simply means to descend. God is so Holy that He humbles Himself in order to deal with our sin. That is what He did on the cross.

What did God observe about the Tower People? They are one – united a___________ God

They have one l_______________ - easy to communicate

This is only the b_______________ of what they will do

So God disperses them and confused their language. Therefore the city was named “Babel” which means to confuse, mix or mingle. This city represents the never ending problem of our sin. We are forever confusing, mixing and mingling who God really is.

Read Genesis 11:10-31

Now read Genesis Chapter 5:3-32

Compare the two chapters and identify what is missing or different: Lived ### y__________ and died

Length of time lived is much s__________

S_________ lives the longest at 600 years

Up until now, we have been dealing with many generations. From this point on, we will be following only four generations. The lives of the people in these four generations will reveal to us how God interacts with His people. We will see the undying love, grace and mercy of God as we dig deep into the lives of people whom He has protected, guided for the sole purpose of birthing a Redeemer; a Redeemer that you can trust.