A-Z: Books of the Bible

1 Chronicles
1 Corinthians
1 John
1 Kings
1 Peter
1 Samuel
1 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Chronicles
2 Corinthians
2 John
2 Kings
2 Peter
2 Samuel
2 Thessalonians
2 Timothy
3 John
Acts
Amos
Colossians
Daniel
Deuteronomy
Ecclesiastes
Ephesians
Esther
Exodus
Ezekiel
Ezra
Galatians
Genesis
Habakkuk
Haggai
Hebrews
Hosea
Isaiah
James
Jeremiah
Job
Joel
John
Jonah
Joshua
Jude
Judges
Lamentations
Leviticus
Luke
Malachi
Mark
Matthew

A-Z: Books of the Bible: Genesis

Genre

OT Law

Description

The Creation; Fall of humankind and universal or original sin; Noah and the Flood; the call of Abraham (start of salvation history), followed by the stories of the other patriarchs, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

Big ideas: Creation; Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve; Cain and Abel; Noah and the Flood; Patriarchs

Famous stories from the Bible: Adam and Eve / Creation; Noah's Ark; Abraham

In the Bible, 'creation' can mean both the process by which the universe was made by God and the created order which emerged.

Adam and Eve's act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden described in the Old Testament Book of Genesis which led to estrangement from God for them and their descendants.

State of disobedience to - and alienation from - God believed to have characterised human beings since the Fall of Adam and Eve.

In the Old Testament book of Genesis a righteous man who obeyed God. On God's instruction, Noah built an ark for himself, his family and two of every kind of living creature. They lived in the ark during a great flood and were saved.

The Bible describes how, in the time of Noah, God caused it to rain perpetually for forty days and nights as a punishment for human wickedness. Noah had been told by God to build an ark, and collect one set of each species of living creature.

In the Old Testament Abraham was called by God to search for the land God promised to him and told he would be the 'father of many nations'

In the Bible, salvation is seen as God's commitment to save or rescue his people from sin (and other dangers) and to establish his kingdom.

The principal ancestors of the Israelites: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

In the Old Testament the son of Abraham, father of Esau and Jacob, husband of Rebekah.

In the Old Testament the son of Isaac and Rebekah and twin brother of Esau. He wrestled with God and was often devious.

1. Joseph (son of Jacob) 2. Joseph (the carpenter) 3. Joseph of Arimathea

Noah and the ark Memories of a great flood or floods are universal and are known from Babylon and other ancient civilisations. The story of the Genesis flood belongs to a time before records began and its context is the escalation of human sin and corruption to the point where God is shown deciding to destroy humankind. The exception is Noah and his family, because Noah 'walked with God', that is lived in an obedient relationship with him. Noah is instructed to construct an ark in which he, his family and every species of animal, male and female, will be preserved for the duration of the flood. Noah knows that the flood waters are subsiding when a dove he releases returns with the twig of an olive tree. The story illustrates: ' the universality of human sinfulness and the inevitability of divine judgement ' the equal certainty that God would ultimately save the world through Noah and his descendants. Read the full story at Genesis 6:9 - 9:13.

Related topics

Big ideas: Dove; Noah and the flood

Abraham is an apparently wealthy and successful man who receives a mysterious call from God to leave the security of life in Haran (in the Middle East) and travel to a land which God will show him. In return, God promises he will bring blessing to the entire world through this act of obedience. Despite the great age of both Abraham and his wife Sarah, God also promises that they will have a son as proof of God's faithfulness to his promise. Abraham sets out in faith and Genesis records the many upsets and setbacks which he Sacrifice of Isaac experiences. The most remarkable of these is God's command that he offer up his son Isaac ' by now a youth ' as a sacrifice, culminating in angelic intervention as Abraham is about to wield the knife. Abraham has met the supreme test of faith. This stirring and very human story illustrates: ' Abraham's trust in the bare promise of God ' God's faithfulness in performing that promise.