Genesis

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth'.  Such is the majestic opening sentence of the Bible, God's wonderful revelation to mankind.  These few simple words underlie what science has taken millennia to discover: that the earth is unique among the heavenly bodies in its suitability to sustain human life (unlike the huge outer planets, which are constituted largely of fluids and have crushing gravitational forces).

It is just the right distance from the sun to provide a reasonable temperature range for plant and animal life, (note 1) and its axis is tipped at the appropriate angle to maintain the seasons.  The atmosphere shields the living world from lethal extra-terrestrial radiation while the areas of land and water provide just the right balance for continuing the 'hydrological cycle' -> evaporation from the oceans -> rainfall -> runoff back to the oceans (cf. Ecclesiastes 1.7).

The oceans themselves act as vast thermostats and by their continual circulation and by absorbing and releasing the sun's warmth, further restrict the extremes of cold and heat (note 3).  Liquid water, which occurs as such only on our planet in the solar system, has the most unusual property of freezing from the top down, so that life and mobility are maintained below the surface (note 4).

Is all this the result of 'blind chance'?  Is it not manifestly the work of an all-wise Creator?  And yet any hint, these days, that one accepts the Genesis record as factual accounts of the creation and the fall of man, and of Noah's flood, is received with raised eyebrows in polite society, and with stronger reactions in the less inhibited.  Nevertheless, as we hope to show, the Christian is doubly committed to full conviction on this matter, and Christianity apart, there are compelling reasons for taking these age-old stories seriously as a true historical record, both on archaeological and other scientific grounds.

First, a few basic and undisputed facts.  The name of the book in English Bibles is taken directly from the Greek version of the Old Testament, and simply means 'birth', i.e. the birth or origin of the heavens and earth.  The Jews, as is their custom with all Old Testament books, name it from the first significant word in the book, in this case 'Bereshith' -'In the beginning' - as already intimated.  An analysis of its contents reveals a simple chronological account, with the following main themes:

		Chap
1.	The creation and fall of man	1 - 3
2.	The world before the Flood	4 - 6.8
3.	The Flood and its aftermath	6.9 - 9
4.	The origin of nations:   Babel and its consequences	10 - 11
5.	The call and life of Abraham	12 - 25.18
6.	The story of Isaac	25.19 - 26
7.	Jacob and Esau	27 - 36
8.	The story of Joseph and his brothers	37 - 50

For the Christian, the truth and utter reliability of the book are based squarely on their endorsement by Jesus and his Spirit-guided Apostles.  It is not always realized how frequently the Lord and his disciples refer to the incidents recorded in Genesis in contexts which demonstrate their unqualified acceptance of these records as factual.

J.W.Wenham, (note 5) amongst others, documents the frequency of Christ's appeal to such details as the creation and fall of Adam and Eve, to Cain's murder of his brother Abel, to the Flood and the survival of Noah's family, to the overthrow of wicked Sodom and the cities of the plain - some of the most disputed accounts - and to many other Genesis records and their Mosaic authorship.  Inextricably involved in these citations is teaching concerning man's present sinful, mortal condition, his need for salvation and God's provision for it in the person of Jesus.

Genesis also contains types and parallels of our present age and the imminent and violent changes which will take place when Jesus returns to the earth, according to his express and repeated prediction that he would do so.  If then the Christian doubts the reliability of Genesis, he is in fact calling in question the infallibility of his Teacher, and drifting on the storm-tossed seas of human speculation and the unstable intellectual climate of pseudo-science and philosophy.  Archaeology provides one line of evidence for the reliability of Genesis (note 6).

Many books could have been written on this subject, but here are just a few facts.

1.  The creation of Adam and Eve, the garden of Eden and the fall of man are subjects not susceptible of archaeological confirmation.  In defence of the six days of creation, let it at least be said that no scientific evidence has been produced to refute the ORDER of events.  The simplicity of the Genesis narrative, a stumbling block to some, is in fact a necessity for an account intended to teach God's creative work to men and women of all ages and abilities.

There is too, an orderly pattern in the creation account.  Replacing the initial state of being 'without form, and void' and dark, the six days of Divine work provide first a 'forming' - of day and night, of sea and sky, then of dry land (Days 1-3); then a 'filling' of the void - with 'lights', fish and birds, and finally animals and man respectively (Days 4-6).

However, it should be appreciated that the Bible is concerned only with the outworking of God's purpose with the present creation, i.e. over a period of some 7,000 years to the end of the millennial reign of Christ.  Genesis 1.2 expressly states that the earth and the oceans were already present at the beginning of the creation week, so they may well have been the scene of earlier creative activity, as the fossil record would seem to imply.

2.  That a widespread flood took place in the area of the Tigris and Euphrates valleys was demonstrated several decades ago by Sir Leonard Woolley, (note 7 and Web editor's note 1) and such a flood is not surprisingly a feature of world-wide folk memory.  Much more detailed evidence of its global extent, of the climatic changes involved, and of the feasibility of the construction and function of Noah's ark was published by Morris & Whitcomb a few years ago (note 8 and Web Editor's note 2).

3.  The tower of Babel appears to have been a typical example of the large artificial structures called ziggurats, of which several sites have been identified in Babylonia (note 9).  The confusion of tongues, consequent upon the building of this tower (Genesis 11) is supported by the diversity and extraordinary complexity of the oldest known languages (note 10), the very opposite to what we might reasonably expect if the popular view of man's descent from the ape were true.

4.  Woolley's book has proved that the Biblical account of Abraham's world is fully in accord with the civilisation uncovered by archaeological 'digs' in that area (note 7).

Within recent years, however, revolutionary finds have been reported from Tell Mardik, situated between Aleppo and Damascus.  This is a vast archive of many thousands of fragmented clay tablets, inscribed with cuneiform characters, and dating from about 2,300 BC (note 11).

The texts were quickly identified as documents in a language closely related to Biblical Hebrew (together with others in Ugaritic and Phoenician).  They involve the commercial, political and cultural records of a large but hitherto unknown empire centred in the city of Ebla.

In these texts the names Abraham, Ishmael, Israel and Esau occur hundreds of times - evidently popular names in that era.  Extensive descriptions of the Creation and Flood are included, and Ebla's relationship to Jerusalem at the time of Melchizedek is discussed.  This archive throws a flood of light upon a hitherto 'dark area' of history and archaeology, and it will take years to be published and evaluated in full.  From the Bible student's point of view, it is a further and most welcome confirmation of the patriarchal era and background.

5.  Finally, the Joseph-section of Genesis (chapters 37-50) with its frequent references to Egyptian life and customs, has been substantially supported, not only by archaeology but also by the painstaking linguistic analysis of A.S.Yahuda (note 12).  All in all, Bible lovers can view with satisfaction the many supporting evidences of the authenticity of the Genesis records.

The gospel taught by Jesus (Matthew 4.23; Mark 1.14; Luke 8.1; Acts 1.3) and his Apostles (Luke 9.2,6; Acts8.12; 20.25; 28.31) was the 'good news' of the coming kingom of God on earth.  In his letter to the Galatians Paul pronounced a curse on anyone preaching any other gospel (Gal 1.8).

It may surprise some that in the same letter he states that this gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham (Gal 3.8 RV).  This statement, with Paul's other references to 'the promises made unto the fathers' (i.e. to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the patriarchs of the Jewish race) and to 'the covenants of promise' (Romans l5.8; Ephesians 2.12) should make us look more carefully at the Genesis account of God's promises to these righteous men.

These promises were repeated and reinforced to Abraham, and were renewed with Isaac and Jacob, his immediate descendants.  The fullest account appears in Genesis 17.1-14; here God promises Abraham that He will make an everlasting pact or covenant with him, incorporating the following provisions:

1.  Abraham would become the father of a multitude of nations (verses 4-6 RV; previously promised in 13.16 and 15.5; confirmed afterwards in 18.18 and 22.17);

2.  God Himself would be the God of Abraham and his descendants for ever (verse 7);

3.  The land of Canaan, in which Abraham was then a stranger and a sojourner, would be given both to him and to his descendants after him, for an everlasting possession (verse 8; also affirmed in 12.7; 13.14,15 and 17; 15.18- 21; 24.7; 26.3; 28.4; 35.12 and 50.24.  N.B. - this provision necessitates Abraham being made immortal in order to inherit the land 'for ever');

Closely related promises include:

4.  In Abraham and his descendants all families of the earth would be blessed (12.3; 18.18 and 22.18);

5.  Abraham's descendants would'possess the gate'of their enemies, i.e. exercise power and authority over them (22.17).  To 'possess the gate' of a city was to enjoy effective military and judicial control over it;

6.  This solemn covenant with Abraham, in all its provisions, was re-enacted with Isaac (17.19 and 21; 26.2-5 and 24; 35.12 and 50.24) and with Jacob (24.60; 27.29; 28.3,4 and 13-15; 35.11,12; 48.3,4 and 50.24).

The cumulative effect of the wealth of Divine assurance is most impressive to the unbiased student - but sadly neglected in most church teaching.  It is reaffirmed or alluded to very frequently, both in Old and New Testaments (e.g. Exodus 33.1; Leviticus 26.42-45; Psalm 105.8-12; Micah 7.20; Acts 3.25, Romans 4.13; Galatians 3.16-18; Hebrews 6.13-15), and is the essence of God's 'good news'.

Jesus, as THE descendant or seed of Abraham (Galatians 3.16) has already in part blessed the nation by offering forgiveness of sins (Acts 3.26), thus enabling them to share with him in his coming kingdom.  At his return he will complete all that remains to be fulfilled: he will bless all peoples (Psalm 72.17), inherit the land of Israel (Zechariah 2.12; 9.9,10; Luke l.32,33) and become absolute ruler over all nations - even over those who will try in vain to oppose him (Psalm 2).

The student of these promises must beware of falling into the error of those who teach that Jesus has already returned 'in the hearts of believers' and reigns in a kind of spiritual kingdom.  Such teaching cannot be reconciled with the details of the promises themselves, nor with their subsequent mention and expansion in the prophetic writings.

Further, we are expressly told that the patriarchs did not receive in their lifetime what God had promised them (Acts 7.5, Hebrews ll.13,39).  Therefore the fulfilment of the covenants of promise is still future, and is guaranteed by God's oath, sworn by His own existence (Hebrews 6.13-18).  As provision 3 above mentions, it involves the resurrection of Abraham at Christ's return, and the gift of everlasting life to him and others of 'like precious faith' (Luke 13.28-30; 2 Peter 1.1).

Because it is part of our divinely inspired Bible, it should not surprise us that Genesis has an inbuilt structure of typical teaching, i.e. patterns of God's purpose recur in this and subsequent books in order to increase the earnest student's understanding of God's Word, and to underline the plain gospel message outlined above.  The following are just a few examples of the deeper lessons underlying the simple Genesis narrative.

1.  Adam and Eve in Eden, given dominion over all other living creatures (Genesis l.28) and living in undisturbed harmony with their Maker, are a type of the finality of God's purpose when 'the last Adam', Jesus, will reign over a cleansed and beautiful earth with HIS bride.  She is the type of the whole collected assembly of his faithful servants from all ages, resurrected at his second coming and rewarded with everlasting life (2 Corinthians 15.45 and 15.22,23; 2 Corinthians 1l.2,3; Ephesians 5.25 and 5.29-32; Hebrews 2.5-1O quoting Psalm 8.4-6).

The means of their redemption from sin and death is the sprinkled BLOOD of Jesus, affording cleansing from sin, together with their burial in WATER, i.e. baptism into Jesus' Name.  These two liquids flowed from his SIDE when he had fallen into a 'DEEP SLEEP' at his crucifixion (Genesis 2.21-24; John 19.34,35; lJohn 5.6).  God's final gracious promise is that will 'make all things new' (Revelation 2l.5).

2.  The disobedience of our first parents brought sin and death into the world, an unhappy inheritance we all share (Romans 5.12).  The way to the tree of life was set under guard lest they should - catastrophically as transgressors -'take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever' (Genesis 3.22-24).

The work of Jesus was to provide a COVERING (i.e. forgiveness) for sins, thus reversing the whole process and paving the way for the redemption of mankind (Genesis 3.21; Romans 4.6-8; 5.14-21).  He was thus enabled to 'possess the gate' of the greatest enemy of mankind, death itself (1 Corinthians l5.25,26).

3.  The overthrow of the old world by a flood, sent by God because of the violence and corruption then filling the earth (Genesis 6.5-7,11-13) and the destruction of Sodom by fire because of the depravity of its citizens (Genesis l8.20,21; 19.12-14) are both cited by Jesus as parallels.  He was alluding to the conditions extant at the time of his return (our own age!) and the judgements he will employ to cleanse the world of its evil (Luke 17.26-30).

Just as Noah and his family became the sole inhabitants of a renewed earth (Genesis 8.15-17, 2 Peter 2.5) so Jesus and those related to him by baptism will eventually become sole heirs of a new and beautiful world (Revelation 21.1-7).

4.  God called Abraham to separte himself from idolatrous Ur in Babylonia, and even from his father's household, and to journey in faith to the promised land of Canaan.  Although he was promised it for an inheritance, he patiently lived there as a stranger and sojourner (Genesis 12.1; 23.4; Hebrews 11.8-16).

All this is typical of the Divine call to those who wish to become God's sons and heirs; they must separate themselves from the surrounding wickedness and idolatry, and live as aliens in this present evil world until the changes outlined in the previous paragraph take place (2 Corinthians 6.14 to 7.1; l Peter 2.9-12).

5.  Later, God tested Abraham 'nd obedience by commanding him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac (Genesis 22.1ff) - the very one through whom a multitude of descendants had been promised! (Genesis 15.4-6) Abraham's hand was stayed at the very last moment, and a ram entangled in a thicket was offered instead.

Abraham had, in a figure, received his son back from the dead (Hebrews I1.17-19).  Nearly 2,000 years later God gave His beloved son as the supreme sacrifice, and after three days raised him from the dead.  In his case no substitute was possible; Jesus alone was able to take away the sins of the world and become the 'Everlasting Father' of a great multitude of immortalised believers (1saiah 9.6; Psalm 45.16; Revelation 7.13-17).

6.  One of the foremost is the story of Joseph, whose brothers hated him and plotted his death, selling him for a few pieces of silver to get rid of him, his temptations and faithfulness as a slave in Egypt.  The account continues with his sudden rise to rulership over the whole land because God gave him the wisdom to interpret Pharaoh's dreams and save Egypt from the famine that was soon to come.

The last acts of this story deal with the 'providential' way his brothers came to Egypt to buy corn and with their failure to recognise him, and how on their second visit (Genesis 45.1; Acts 7.13), when they were in great trouble and fear, Joseph made himself known to them, forgave them their murderous hatred and became their saviour.  All this and much more is closely paralleled in the history and future work of Jesus, and his especial relationship with the Jewish race (Zechariah 12.10-14).  Over 70 parallels between the lives of Jesus and Joseph have been listed.

Notes:
(Press your 'Back' button to return to the text from any of these notes.)

1: By one estimate, just 7% nearer to the sun would result in a run-away greenhouse effect as on Venus.  ('The uniqueness of the earth's climate.' Science 187p. 245 Jan. 24th 1975).
3: A contrast to the ocean-less surface of Mars, with its persistent and violent dust storms.
4: An excellent review, 'Water - the unique chemical', appeared in the publication 'Chemistry in Britain' 12 pp 278-280 Sept. 1976.
5: 'Our Lord's View of the Old Testament' Inter-Varsity Fellowship 2nd Edn., 1964.
6: Specially recommended are the two books by K.A.Kitchen, of the School of Archaeology and Oriental Studies, University of Liverpool: 'Ancient Orient and Old Testament' London, Tyndale Press, 1966, and 'The Bible and its World, the Bible and Archaeology Today' Exeter, Paternoster Press, 1977.  See, for example, the articles by H.M.Morris and P.A.Stevenson in 'Creation Research Society Quarterly' 12 19-22 and 23-25 June 1975.
7: 'Ur of the Chaidees' Penguin Books, 1938.
8: H.M.Morris and J.C.Whitcomb, Jr.: 'The Genesis Flood' Evangelical Press, 1969.
9: A.Parrot: 'The Tower of Babel' S.C.M. Press, 1955.
10: Sanskrit, for example, has 743 different forms of the verb, classical Greek has 268 and modern English normally only 4!
11: 'The Times' 26th June l976; 'Washington Post' 27th June l976.
12: 'The Accuracy of the Bible' Heinemann, 1934.

Web Editor's notes:
1: Woolley's conclusions are questioned by some on the basis that the flood layer appears confined to the Tigris river flood plain.  This does not, however, call into question the Biblical account.  There are many folk legends concerning a devastating flood, and these appear all over the Earth.
2: Morris's conclusions have been doubted on the basis, supposedly scientific, that there is too much deposit to be attributable to a single flood.  This ignores the possibility of numerous floods, only one of which is detailed in Genesis.  Some base their dismissal of the scheme of Morris and Whitcomb on the impossibility of rapid deposition and rock-formation rates.  These deposition rates are given plenty of support by Cook in his book 'Prehistory and Earth Models'.