AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS

The name "Genesis" comes from a Greek word meaning "beginning". This title was taken from the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. The Hebrew title, HSN7225 - Bereshith ("in [the] beginning," literally, "head"), was derived from the first word of the Hebrew text. The Book of Genesis is an appropriate introduction to the entire Bible. The kernels of all truth are found in Genesis. More than half of all human history is covered in only 50 chapters! # Genesis answers the gnawing questions that we have about the origins of the universe, concerning ourselves, about all life forms, and of sin and evil in the world. Also, in a detailed manner, Genesis first unfolds the early history of mankind and then the family records of God's chosen family and related lines of descent, from the dawn of time to their settling in Egypt.

Although Genesis is, strictly speaking, not a scientific document, only divine inspiration can account for its accuracy in a pre-scientific age before modern times. Genesis is very clear that all things were created by and had a definite beginning point in the true God (Gen.1v1). Everything was well designed by the Supreme Intellect and continues on the basis of His purpose, not random chance. God controls the cosmos (see GSN2889) and truly cares about the centerpiece of His creation--people. Though the human race departed from God's ordered plan for them and must pay the consequences, God has lovingly provided the Way (Jn.14v6) back home to Paradise (compare Lk23v43).

Only Genesis fully informs us about the events which pre-dated Moses. Surely Moses wrote it, using some ancient sources under God's direction. In Lk.16v31, Lk.24v44, and Jn.5v46-47 Jesus referred to Moses as a writer.

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