Christ in Genesis

by Vern S. Poythress

Theme: Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (Luke 24:44-47)

Structure of Genesis
I. Early History Gen. 1-11
	Creation Gen. 1-2
	Fall Gen. 3
	Adam and Eve's descendants Gen. 4-5
	Noah's flood Gen. 6-9
	The nations Gen. 10-11
II. Abraham and his descendants
	A. Abraham 11:27-25:19
	B. Isaac 25:19- 36:43
	C. Jacob 37:1-50:26

Genealogical divisions
	These are the generations of the heavens and the earth, 2:4.
	This is the book of the generations of Adam. 5:1.
	These are the generations of Noah. 6:9.
	These are the generations of the sons of Noah, 10:1.
	These are the generations of Shem. 11:10.
	Now these are the generations of Terah. 11:27
	These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son. 25:12.
	These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. 25:19.
	These are the generations of Esau, 36:1.
	These are the generations of Jacob. 37:2.

Themes: promised offspring; redemption; inheritance; God's choice of people; God's love and care for his people; creation and re-creation.

Reading:
C. John Collins, Genesis 1-4: A Linguistic, Literary, and Theological Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2006.
 Vern Poythress, The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1995.