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Genesis 12-50

God created a people to live in His place enjoying His blessing as they obey His rule (word). The people rebel against God by breaking his rule and are therefore thrust out of the garden and live under His judgement, though with hope for the future. The spiral downward of rebellion against God and judgement from God ends with mankind scattered over the earth with languages confused. And yet mankind is not without hope. In Gensis 12:1-3,7 God makes unconditional promises to Abraham.

From Genesis 12 to the end of Joshua we see in general terms:

       I.      The creation of a people, Genesis 12- Exodus 19

    II.      The giving of a rule, which promises the blessings of obedience, Exodus 20- Deuteronomy

 III.      The placing in a land, Joshua

1. Genesis 12-36: The Patriarchs

Genesis 12-36 focuses on the three great Patriarchs of Israel – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel).

a) Abraham

The promises made to Abraham come in three stages: Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21, 17:1-22

Some issues in the story of Abraham that become developed themes:

i) Promises and apparent failure

·     goes to Egypt, 12:10

·     gives the best land to Lot, Ch 13

·     has no child, Abraham and Sarah laugh at the idea, 17:17, 18:12

ii) Promises and God’s sovereign hand

·     the miracle of the birth of Isaac, 21:3

iii) Promises and faith

·     faith is reckoned as righteousness, 15:6

·     faith in being willing to sacrifice Isaac, 22:1-19

·     faith not meaning perfection,

12:1-18

16:1-16

20:1-18

iv) Promises and the familiar pattern, 18:16-19:29

·     sin

·     judgement

·     rescue

v) Promises and family difficulty

·     Isaac and not Ishmael

Summary: At the end of Abraham’s life, although he has other children (25:1-4), Isaac alone is the one blessed. Abraham hasn’t been given possession of land (he even has to buy some land as the burying place for Sarah and himself, 23:4)

b) Isaac

The story of Isaac is the briefest of the three Patriarchs. (Although Isaac doesn’t die until Genesis 35:29, his account really ends in chapter 27)

Points to notice:

i) The development of sacrifice, 22:13

ii) The gaining of a wife–the promises to Abraham will develop through Isaac, 24:1-67

iii) The promises are personally restated, 26:1-5

c) Jacob

As with Isaac, Jacob is seen as another miracle birth, 25:21

Points to notice:

i) Promises and family difficulty

·     Jacob and Esau

·     God’s sovereign choice

·     God’s surprising choice

ii) The gaining of a wife – the promises to Abraham will develop through Jacob. 27:41-28:10, 29-31 and note the story of Dinah (Gen 34)

iii) The promises are personally restated. 28:10-22, 35:11-15

Summary: At the end of the patriarch’s the promises to Abraham show some fulfilment. Jacob and his 12 sons are living in the land of Canaan, and have some measure of blessing. However there are severe family difficulties.

2. Genesis 37-50: The Joseph Narrative

Although Jacob is still alive (the surprise of 37:2) there is little doubt that the narrative now centres on Joseph. Joseph provides the link between the Patriarchs and the story of Exodus.

a) Genesis 37-44

I. Joseph is sold into slavery, 37:1-36 (followed by an interjection about Judah, making Chapter 49 surprising)

II. Joseph’s rise in Egypt, 39-41

III. Famine in Ehypt and the brother’s arrival, 42-44

b) Genesis 45-50

I. The revelation of Joseph to his brothers, 45

II. Jacob arrives in Egypt, 46, 47

III. The inclusion of Manasseh and Ephraim, 48

IV. The primacy of Judah in the blessing of Jacob, 49

V. The will of God triumphs despite evil, 50 (cf 50:20, 24-26)

Some points to notice:

i) The story of Joseph is one of rescue, Acts 7:10

ii) The story of Joseph has parallels with another Joseph, Matthew 1,2

iii) The story of Joseph is one of blessing to nations, (remember Gen 12, cf 50:20)

iv) The story of Joseph shows God is with His people (Gen 39:43, Acts 7:9)

v) The story of Joseph continues the pattern of unexpected choices

Summary: By Exodus 1:5 (see also Gen 46:27), Abraham has 70 descendants of the promised line, but they are now living away from Canaan in Egypt, where they will become slaves again.

• Man created differently
• Man placed in a real garden
• Man to care for God's garden