Colleyville Presbyterian Church - Adult Sunday School

Overview of the Old Testament: Genesis

January 24, 2016

Summary: Genesis is the book of beginnings. In it, God makes human beings in his
divine image and sets them in the garden as rulers of his good creation, but deceived by
the serpent, human beings rebel against God. In response, God curses human beings in
their relationship with one another, their relationship with creation, and with the
penalty of death - and also promises an eternal conflict between the seed of the serpent
and seed of the women that will end finally with one who crush the serpent even as the
serpent bruises his heel. The rest of Genesis fleshes out this story as humanity
experiences the curse of sin and death while God faithfully preserves the seed of the
woman in order to bless the world.

Outline: ! I. Creation, Fall, Promise (1-3)

! ! II. Descent into Death and Rebellion (4-11)
a. Cain, Abel; Seth, Lamach: 4-5
b. Noah: 6-9
c. Tower of Babel: 10-11
! ! III. The Seed is Preserved in Order to Bless the World (12-50)
! ! ! a. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac: 12-26
! ! ! b. Jacob: 27-36
! ! ! c. Joseph: 37-50

Key Theme: Despite the wickedness of the seed of the serpent and the weakness of the seed of the
woman, Gods is faithful to his good promises (cf. Genesis 50:20).

! ! a) Pervasiveness of the wickedness of humanity: 4, 6, 11, 19, 29, 34, 37, 39

! ! b) Weakness of the seed of the woman: 9, 16, 17, 19, 27, 49, 50

! ! c) The repeated promises (covenants) of God: 3, 9, 12, 15, 17, 26, 28, 35

i. Gods preference for younger sons (4, 21, 25, 37, 48) and barren
mothers (11, 25, 30)

ii. Gods selection of one man to save humanity (6, 12, 28, 41, 49)

! ! ! iii. Gods interest in preserving a good land for his people (8, 12, 13,
! ! ! ! ! ! ! 15, 17, 23, 26, 33, 49, 50)