Reading Report - Genesis

7. An Overview of the Pentateuch
The Pentateuch contains a single plot flowing through each of the books in a skillfully unified narrative from start to finish. There is a focus on the link between the promise of blessing and the nationhood of Israel, for the nation cannot be born without the fulfillment of the promise. There is also a link between the faithful promises of God and the faithful trust that the people must have in those promises to enjoy them. Finally, while the fruition of God's blessing is realized in the people of Israel they do not experience the fulfillment of God's blessing realized in the promise land, so the end of the Pentateuch is future oriented and is an unfinished story completed in the book of Joshua.

8. The Royal Lineage in Genesis
The book of Genesis begins by focusing our attention on the most important family line of Adam and traces this line throughout the book giving careful attention to the seed of the woman, while interweaving a view of the seed of the serpent. Adam's family line though is a royal line of chosen descendants in which God actively works to preserve and continue the seed of the woman unto salvation, from Adam to Seth to Noah to Shem to Terah to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and ultimately Judah and Joseph. These seeds produce the accounts that are given the most attention to draw a distinction between life and death. The New Testament implications of this are seen as Abraham's offspring natural or adopted are provided life giving spirit by being made righteous through faith.

9. The Blessing of the Nations
God's blessing was present with Adam and Eve within the garden, but when Adam disobeyed the sin of his choice brought about the presence of God's cursing. This meant that not only was Adam's sin imputed upon all mankind, but that we would also experience the increased pain of God's curse upon the ground. Furthermore, the affects would be experienced by the entire family line of Adam, but with the coming of this curse there was also a blessing for the chosen royal lineage. This blessing was given to Adam's descendant Abraham as he was promised to be a blessing to many nations and thus the royal line would function as a mediatorial lineage of God's blessing to others. Genesis lays the foundation for a future descendant of Abraham who would be a blessing to the whole world by removing the curse and obeying like Adam did not. The New Testament implication for this are found in the person and work of Jesus Christ who comes to ultimately fulfill this promised blessing to the nations through the line and as the seed of Abraham.

10. Paradise Lost
There is an inextricable connection between humanity and the earth. Both were created perfectly to abide together in an interdependent relationship as seen in the Garden of Eden, thus the result of sin would not only affect man morally, but would affect man physically as he was expelled from the garden. The garden was where man could commune with God intimately and personally, so the implications of this lost paradise were far reaching. But man was not left without a solution to this problem, as God promised Adam's descendants through their faith in God a promise land. This land would once again be a sign of God's blessing upon the royal lineage which would resemble the garden, but most importantly provide a way for them to experience the riches of his blessing. The New Testament implication here is that of a greater fulfillment in the promise land and a restored harmony between man and earth in the new heavens and new earth, but ultimately a restored relationship to God dwelling in his very presence continually.

11. By Faith Abraham…
God promises Abraham a seed, land and his divine blessing upon both as a result of Abraham's faith and obedience, but his obedience can only come as a result of his faith in the promises. This is how God credits to Abraham his righteousness, through faith alone and not by any meritorious obedience. God not only establishes a covenant with Abraham and promises him the blessing of a seed and land, but he also gives Abraham a sign and seal of this covenant promise through circumcision displaying the special relationship between God and the royal lineage. The New Testament implication for the righteousness of Abraham's seed is that it would be credited to them through faith alone and not through a cultic ritual. While circumcision laid before the royal family the sign of God's promises it was not necessary for Gentile believers to be circumcised for salvation, but for them to experience the saving power by faith alone in Christ alone.