What Is Genesis 1-2?

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Genesis is the first book of the Penetuch, written by Moses approximately 1445 B.C. presumably after the Exodus during the wandering in the dessert (Cartwright, Gutierrez, & Hulshof 2016). It is written mainly as narrative, with the exception of Genesis 1-2, which may be considered poetic-narrative. The book is divided into three main sections: Creation and the Fall (Genesis 1-3) the decedents of man (Genesis 1-11) and the birth of the Jewish nation (Genesis 12-50). Genesis told the Israelites, who were wandering the desert, the story of God’s redemption of mankind, God as creator of everything, mankind’s fall into sin, the total depravity of mankind, and the election of Abraham as the means through which God would bring salvation to the world. …show more content…
First mention is Genesis 11:26 as the son of Terhan, descendent of Noah’s son Seth. As recorded in Genesis 11, Abram was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, and was brought by Terhan to Haran with Sarah his wife and nephew Lot. He was then called by God to be a sojourner in the land of Caanan. Originally named Abram, exalted father. Known as a friend of God and a man of faith, he is the first recipient of the Abrahamic covenant, the promise of God to provide Abraham an offspring, through whom all the nations would be blessed, ultimately fulfilled through the birth of Christ. The Abrahamic covenant also included the promise of land and of children, although Abraham and Sarah were exceptionally old and barren. In a lapse of faith, at the age of 86, Abraham became the father of Ishmael (the God who hears) through Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave. In the faithfulness of God, when he was 100 years old, God gave him Isaac (he laughs) through his wife Sarah. Characterized by his extraordinary faith, he willingly prepared to sacrifice Isaac, fearing and trusting God-having faith that God could even raise him from the dead. Used numerous times in the New Testament as an explicit example of justification by faith: “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6 ESV). Abraham was a typology and foreshadowing of Christ,