THEPENTATEUCHTHEOUTLINEOFGENESIS

SCRIPTUREREADING

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy

Matthew5:17

ThinknotthatIamcometodestroythelaw,ortheprophets:Iamnotcometodestroy,buttofulfil.

THEME

ThePentateuchcanbeviewedfrombothanhistoricalperspectiveandarevelatoryperspective.ThePentateuch
isanexcellentanalogyandexamplefortheChurch.Itisveryimportantthatwerealizetheoldgivesinsight
intothenew.ThelivesandproceduresofthoserecordedinthePentateuchserveasexamplesofhowwe
shouldandshouldnotconductourlives.ThePentateuchisfullofprinciplesthatwemustlearn;otherwise,the
negativesideofhistorywillrepeatitselfinourlives.ThePentateuchisarevelationofJesusandtheChurch.

I.INTRODUCTION
A.ThePentateuch,whichisalsoreferredtoastheTorah,containsthefirstfivebooksoftheBible:Genesis;
Exodus;Leviticus;Numbers;andDeuteronomy.
B.Chronologically,thePentateuchcoverstheperiodoftimefromthecreationtotheendoftheMosaicera.
C.AlthoughMoseswasnotaliveatcreationandhisdeathisrecordedinthelastchapterofDeuteronomy,heis
believed
tobetheauthorofthePentateuch.
D.ThePentateuchistheshadowofGod'sdesire,notthesubstance;Jesusisthesubstance.(Luke24:4453)
E.ThePentateuchcanbecomparedtothealphabet;thealphabetisonlyatoolusedtoformulatewordsfor
messages.
1.Thealphabetisnotthemessage,butwhenproperlyused,itconveysthemessage.
2.Likethealphabet,whenthePentateuchisproperlyused,itconveysthemessageofJesus.
F.ThePentateuchrevealsthebeginning,theprocess,andtheconclusionofredemption.
G.Thenaturalcomesfirst,thenthespiritual.
H.Wemustalwaysrememberthattheshadowreferstosubstance;itisnotthesubstance.

GENESIS

A.ThebookofGenesisisthefirstbookofthePentateuch.
B.ThetitleofthebookintheSeptuagintisOriginorBeginning.
C.ThebookofGenesisisdividedintofiftychapters.
D.Thefirst chapteropenswith,In thebeginning,God...,thereby revealing that Godexisted beforethe
beginningofcreationandthatcreationcameforthfromGod.(Genesis1:1)
E.Theaccountofcreationisgiveninsummarizeddetail.(Genesis1:131)
1.WeknowthatGodspokethingsintoexistence,butwedonotknowthedetailofwhattranspiredafterGod
spoke.
2.TheresultsofGod'sspokenwordsarerecorded,butthetimeelementandmethodofcreationareuncertain.
3.TheBibleplainlyrevealsthatcreationtooksixdays,butnoteveryoneagreesonthelengthofaday.(Genesis
1:31;Genesis2:1;IIPeter3:8)
F.Followingthesixdaysofcreation,Godrested.(Genesis2:2)
G.Chaptertwogivesfurtherinsightintothecreationofmanandwoman.
1.Manandwomanwerenotcreatedsimultaneously.First,manwasformedfromthedustoftheground;later,
thewomanwasbuiltfromtheribofman.(Genesis2:7;Genesis2:2122)
2.Wedonotknowthetimelapsebetweenthecreationofmanandofwoman,butwedoknowthatAdamwas
placedintheGardenofEdenandthathenamedalltheanimalsbeforethewomanwascreatedandbroughtto
him.(Genesis2:1520)
H.Chapterthreerecordsthefallofmanandtheconsequencesthatcameasaresultofhisfall.
1.ThefallofmanincludesSatan'sdeception,thewoman'stemptation,andthesinofAdam.
2.Goddealtwitheachoneinvolvedinthefallaccordingtohisaction.
3.Satanlied,thewomanyieldedtotemptation,andAdamsinned.
4.GodprophesiedofthecomingRedeemer,WhomHeidentifiedastheSeedofwoman.(Genesis3:15)
I.Chapterfourrecordsthefirstmurder;Cainkilledhisbrother,Abel.
1.God'sacceptanceofAbel'sofferingandHisrejectionofCain'sofferingprovokedCaintomurderAbel.
2.GodacceptedAbel'sofferingbecausehegavehisbest;GodrejectedCain'sofferingbecausehedidnotgive
hisbest.
J.ChapterfivegivesthechronologicalgenealogyfromAdamtoNoah.
K.Chapterssixthrougheightrecordthedegradationofmanandtheeventssurroundingtheflood.
L.Chaptersninethroughtenrecordthenewbeginningaftertheflood.
1.ChapterninedocumentsGod'scovenantwithNoahandNoah'smandatetobefruitfulandmultiply.(Genesis
9:117))
2.Ham(Canaan)wascursedbecausehelookedonhisfather'snakedness.(Genesis9:2027)
M.ChaptereleventellsofBabelandtheendofonecommonlanguage.
1.Thepeopleofthatdaybuiltacityandatower,whichweknowtodayasBabel.(Genesis11:19)
2.AprincipleforachievementisrevealedbyGodinthissetting.Theprincipleis:whenpeopleareunifiedand
speakthesamelanguageandarewillingtoworktogether,theycanaccomplishanything.
N.ChapterstwelvethroughtwentyfivegiveinsightintothelifeofAbrahamandhiscovenantwithGod.
1.God'scovenantwithAbramprovidedblessingsinthefollowingthreeareas:
a.NationalIwillmakeofyouagreatnation.(Genesis12:2)
b.PersonalIwillblessyouandmakeyournamegreat;andyoushallbeablessing.(Genesis12:23)
c.UniversalInyouallthefamiliesoftheearthwillbeblessed.(Genesis12:3)
2.BothnationalIsraelandtheChurcharerecipientsofparticularblessingsprovidedinthecovenantGodmade
withAbraham.
3.ChaptertwelvedescribestheinitiationofthecovenantandAbram'sresponse.
4.ChapterthirteentellsoftheseparationofLotfromAbram.
5.Chapter14revealsLot'scaptureandrescueandthetithethatwasgiventoMelchizedekbyAbram.
a.MelchizedekhadmanysimilaritiestoChrist:hewastheKingofSalem(peace);hewasthepriestoftheMost
HighGod;hehadtheabilitytobless;hereceivedthetitheofthespoilfromAbram.(Genesis14:1820)
b.AccordingtothewriterofHebrews,Melchizedekhasnobeginningorend;hehasnogenealogy;heismade
liketheSonofGod;andheremainsapriestcontinually.(Hebrews7:13)
6.ChapterfifteenrecordsthepromiseofasonandthecovenantGodcutwithAbram.
7.ChaptersixteentellsofSarai'splanthatproducedaftertheflesh.
8.ChapterseventeenexplainsthedetailsofGod'scovenantwithAbram:circumcision;namechange;andason
thatwouldbeproducedbySarahandhim.
9.ChaptereighteenreiteratesGod'spromiseofasonandAbraham'sintercessionforSodomandGomorrah.
10.ChapternineteenrecordsthedestructionofSodomandGomorrah,thesinofLot'swife,andtheschemeof
Lot'sdaughtersthatproducedthenationsofMoabandAmmon.
11.ChaptertwentyrevealsAbraham'slieandSarah'sdeliverance.
12.ChaptertwentyonerecordsthebirthofIsaacandtherejectionofIshmael.
a.IsaacwasbornasaresultofGod'spromise;Ishmaelwasbornasaresultoftheflesh.
b.TheacceptanceofIsaacandrejectionofIshmaelwerenotbaseduponpersonalityorfavoritism.
c.Godneveracceptstheworksoftheflesh;HeacceptsthefruitoftheSpirit.GodhonorsHis
promises,notman'sworks.(Galatians4:2131)
13.ChaptertwentytwodocumentsAbraham'ssacrificeofIsaacandthereiterationofthecovenantbyGod.
a.ThesacrificeofIsaacbearsgreatconnectionandsimilaritytothesacrificeofJesus.
b.Abraham'swillingnessandobediencetoofferIsaacgaveGodthelegalrighttoofferJesus.
c.Abraham'sobediencemovedGodtorenewHiscovenantwithAbraham.
14.ChaptertwentythreetellsofthedeathandburialofSarah.
15.ChaptertwentyfourdocumentstheselectionofIsaac'swifeandgivesinsightintotheprocedureGodis
usingtoselectabrideforHisSon.
16.ChaptertwentyfiverecordsthedeathofAbraham,thebirthsofJacobandEsau,andEsau'ssaleofhis
birthright.
O.ChapterstwentysixandtwentyseveninvolveIsaac,Rebecca,Jacob,Esau,thebirthright,andtheblessing.
1.Isaacfollowedhisfather'sexampleandliedconcerninghiswife.
2.Inspiteofthisincident,Isaacbegantoprosper,thusrevealingGod'sfaithfulnesstothecovenantthatHecut
withAbraham.
3.ChaptertwentysevendocumentsthedeceptionofJacob,theblessinggivenbyIsaac,andthefuryofEsau.
P.ChapterstwentyeightthroughthirtyfiverecordthelifeandtimesofJacob.
1.Inchaptertwentyeight,JacobhasapersonalencounterwithGodthroughadream.Asaresultofhisdream,
JacobmakesavowtoGod.
2.Inchaptertwentynine,JacobisdeceivedbyLabanandmarriesLeah.Later,healsomarriesRachel,for
whomhehadworked.
3.Theremainingchapters,thirtythroughthirtyfive,recordtheprosperityofJacobthroughchildren,flocks,and
herds,thussignifyingthefaithfulnessofGodtoHiscovenant.
a.Aninterestingprincipleisrevealedinchapterthirty;theprincipleisthatvisionaffectsfruit.
b.Whatwesetbeforeoureyeswillaffecttheoutcomeofourconception.
4.JacobleavesLabanandreturnstohishomelandatthecommandofGodgivenuntohiminadream.
5.Inchapterthirtyone,GodremindsJacobofthevowwhichhemadeatBethel.
6.GodprotectsJacobfromLaban'sillintentions.
7.ChapterthirtytwodisclosestheconfrontationbetweenJacobandtheangeloftheLord,whichbroughtabout
anamechangeandachangeinhiswalk.
8.Inchapterthirtythree,Jacobisreunitedwiththebrotherwhomheoffended.
9.ChapterthirtyfourdocumentstheactionsofLeviandSimeonagainstShechemforthedefilementoftheir
sister,Dinah.
10.ChapterthirtyfiverecordsJacob'sreturntoBethel,hisnamechange,God'scovenantwithIsrael(Jacob),
andthemothersofhistwelvesons.
Q.ChapterthirtysixrevealsEsau'sgenealogy.

R.Withtheexceptionofchapterthirtyeight,whichgivesinsightintoJudah'slife,chaptersthirtyseventhrough
fiftyrecordthelifeandtimesofJoseph.
1.ChapterthirtyeightrevealssomelessthandesirableeventsinthelifeofJudah,yetthemercyofGodabounds
andtheMessiahcomesthroughthelineageofJudahthroughPerez,thesonofJudahandTamar,Judah's
daughterinlaw.(Matthew1:13;Luke3:33)
2.Chapter thirty nine tells of Joseph being sold to Potiphar, his promotion in Potiphar's house, the false
accusationagainstJosephbyPotiphar'swife,andtheimprisonmentofJoseph.
3.ChapterfortydisclosesthedreamsofthebutlerandthebakerandJoseph'sinterpretationofthedreams.
4.ChapterfortyonerevealsPharaoh'sdreams,Joseph'sinterpretationofthedreams,Joseph'spromotion,his
wifeandchildren,andhisdistributionofthegrain.
5.ChapterfortytwogivestheaccountofJoseph'sbrotherscomingtoEgypttobuyfood.
6.ChapterfortythreedocumentsthesecondtripofJoseph'sbrotherstoEgypt.
7.ChapterfortyfourtellsofJoseph'sdealingswithhisbrothers.
8.Inchapterfortyfive,Josephrevealshimselftohisbrothersandrequestthattheybringhisfatherandtheentire
familytoEgypttolive.
9.ChapterfortysixgivestheaccountofJacobandhisdescendantsmovingtoEgypt.
10.ChapterfortyseventellsofthefamiliesofIsraelsettlinginthelandofGoshenandJoseph'svowtoburyhis
fatherinhishomeland.
11.ChapterfortyeightrevealstheblessingofJoseph'ssons,EphraimandManasseh.
12.ChapterfortyninedisclosesthewordsofJacobthathespoketohissonsbeforehisdeath.
13.Genesisconcludeswithchapterfifty,whichtellsofJacob'sburial,Joseph'sreassurancetohisbrothers,
Joseph'srequestconcerninghisbones,andthedeathofJoseph.
14.JosephisatypeofChrist:hewashatedbyhisbrothers;hewassold;hewasfalselyaccused;hewasexalted
toapositionofauthoritythatrequiredkneestobowbeforehim;hewasgivenaGentilebride;hedelivered
manypeoplefromdeath;andhegavehopeforfuturedeliverance.
15.TheroutethatGodchosetotakeJosephtohispositionofauthorityandfulfillmentofhisdreamswasvery
unorthodox.
S.TheChristofGenesisistheCreator.
1.AccordingtoColossians1:16,allthingsinheavenandearth,visibleandinvisible,werecreatedbyHim.