Genesis Outline

Theme of Genesis: God begins creation, redemption’s plan, the Abrahamic covenant, and the nation of Israel.

The beginning of creation (Genesis 1-2).
1. The Eye Witness and His creation (Gen. 1:1-25).
  1. Our Creator was not created. He is eternally self-existing (Gen. 1:1a).
  2. Our Creator created with a purposeful design. He has a plan (Gen. 1:2).
    1. He made life’s habitation (1:3-13).
    2. He made life (1:14-25).
  3. Our Creator created supernaturally. He is omnipotent (Gen. 1:1b).
2. What is man? (Gen. 1:26-2:3).
  1. Man is God’s creature (1:26).
  2. Man is God’s image (1:26-27).
  3. Man is the object of God’s blessing (1:28-2:3).
3. What is good for man? (Gen. 2:4-25).
  1. The gift of life is good for man (2:7). Life is a gift from God.
  2. The gift of labor is good for man (2:5-6, 15).
  3. The gift of location is good for man (2:8-14).
  4. The gift of law is good for man (2:16-17, 25).
  5. The gift of love is good for man (2:18-24).
The beginning of sin and redemption (Genesis 3-11).
1. Sin and redemption in Eden (Gen. 3:1-21).
  1. The deceitfulness of sin (Gen. 3:1-13).
    1. Sin uses deceitful advocates (3:1a).
    2. Sin deceitfully questions the Word of God (3:1b-5).
    3. Sin promotes deceitful advantages (3:6).
    4. Sin deceitfully avoids personal responsibility (3:11-13).
    5. The consequences of sin never deceive (3:7-10).
  2. The curse of God’s judgment (Gen. 3:14-24).
    1. The cause of the curse (3:14, 17, 22).
      1. Man’s sin is the cause of God’s judgment.
      2. God’s judgment is His strange work.
    2. The consequences of the curse (3:14-19, 23-24).
      1. From Romans (irreconcilable with evolution).
        
        Suffering and corruption in nature (Rom. 8:18-22).
        
        Death’s entrance into the world (Rom. 5:12).
      2. The snake (3:14).
      3. The woman (3:16).
      4. The man (3:17-19).
    3. The Christ of the curse (3:15, 20-21).
2. Sin and redemption before the flood (Gen. 4:1-6:8).
  1. The way of Cain (4:1-16).
    1. It ignores that life is a gift from God (4:1-2).
    2. It inhibits true worship (4:3-7).
    3. It hates its brother (4:8-10).
    4. It refuses to repent (4:11-16).
  2. The legacy of Cain (4:17-26).
    1. An inescapable legacy for man (4:17-22).
    2. A destructive legacy for man (4:19-24).
    3. God’s plan can defeat the legacy of Cain (4:24-26).
  3. Spiritual rules and exceptions from the history of mankind (5:1-6:8).
    1. Every man is create by God in His own image (5:1-2).
    2. Every man is a gift of God’s blessing to His parents (5:2).
    3. Every man’s days on earth are numbered.
    4. Every man experiences the tedium of God’s curse (5:29).
    5. Every man is a sinner who tests God’s patience (6:1-7).
    6. Some men walk with God and escape death (5:21-24).
    7. Some men find grace in the eyes of the Lord and are mightily used by Him (6:8).
3. Sin and redemption during the flood (6:9-9:29).
  1. The first Noahic covenant (6:9-22).
    1. The cause of pending catastrophe is man’s corruption (6:11-13).
    2. Hope in the face of pending catastrophe is God’s covenant (6:17-18).
    3. Days of pending catastrophe call for faithful obedience (6:9-10, 14-16, 19-22),
      1. Begins with a sanctifying relationship with God (v. 9).
      2. Influences one’s family (vv. 10, 18).
      3. Careful for how, not merely what (vv. 14-16).
      4. Dependent on supernatural power (vv. 19-21).
      5. Comprehensive (v. 22).
  2. What we must remember about the Flood (7:1-24).
    1. It was historical, not legendary (7:6-13).
    2. It was universal, not local (7:17-22).
    3. It was an act of God, not random (7:4, 23-24).
    4. It was survived by one family, not every one (7:1-5, 13-16).
  3. What God remembers during the Flood (8:1-9:17).
    1. God remembers blessing in difficult times (8:1-14).
      1. The blessing of rest (8:4).
      2. The blessing of patience (8:10, 12).
    2. God remembers the worship of His people (8:15-22).
      1. Worship is obedience (8:15-19).
      2. Worship includes offerings (8:20-21a).
      3. Worship depends on forgiveness (8:21b-22).
    3. God remembers to care providentially (9:21-19:17).
      1. Through reproduction (8:17, 9:1, 7).
      2. With food (9:2-3).
      3. With transcendent moral law (9:4-6).
      4. With a covenant (8:21-22, 9:8-17).
  4. The history of sin and salvation resumes (9:18-29).
    1. The curse of sin plagues the human condition (vv. 18-25).
    2. The promise of salvation heals the human condition (vv. 26-29).
4. Sin and redemption after the flood (10:1-11:32).
  1. God’s will for strong nations (10:1-11:9).
    1. Characteristics of a strong nation.
      1. Belief that all men are created equal (10:1, 32).
      2. The foundation of strong families with dads (10:5, 18, 20, 31).
      3. A common language (10:5, 20, 31, 11:1-9).
      4. Protected boarders (10:5, 19-20, 30-32).
    2. Globalism – a threat to strong nations.
      1. Globalism is a problem for man.
      2. Globalism is no problem for God.
The beginning of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12-36).
1. The call of Abram (Genesis 12-16).
  1. God’s promise to bless (11:10-12:3).
    1. God’s promise to bless preceded Abram (11:10-32).
    2. God’s promise to bless cannot be stopped by obstacles (11:30).
    3. God’s promise to bless requires obedience (12:1-3).
    4. God’s promise to bless is the promise of Abraham’s Son (12:7).
  2. Walking the path to a better country (12:4-20).
    1. The walk requires obedience to God’s Word (12:4-10).
      1. In spite of difficult circumstances (vv. 9-10).
      2. In spite of deceptive alternatives (v. 7).
    2. The walk requires the decision to begin (12:4-6).
      1. In spite of unanswered questions (v. 8).
      2. In spite of the reality of sacrifice (Heb. 11:9, 15).
    3. The walk requires reliance on God through Christ (12:7-8).
      1. Reliance on people fails (12:11-16).
      2. Reliance on self fails (12:17-20).
      3. God never fails even when we do (12:17).
  3. Crossroads in the land of Canaan (13:1-18).
    1. Restoration can correct a wrong choice at a crossroad (13:1-4).
    2. Repetition is part of facing the crossroads of life (13:5-9).
    3. Remuneration can deceive at the crossroads of life (13:10-13).
    4. Reward awaits those who choose correctly at life’s crossroads (13:14-18).
  4. Kings and pilgrims (14:1-16).
    1. Kings value earthly things; faithful pilgrims value the promises of God (14:1-11).
    2. Kings offer false security; faithful pilgrims trust the Lord (14:12).
    3. Kings make alliances for political gain; pilgrims make sacrifices for their brothers (14:13-16).
      1. Abram remembered the difference between mere allies and brothers (vv. 13-14).
      2. Abram risked danger because of the failure of his brother (v. 14).
      3. God’s reward was deliverance in support of Abram’s care for his brother (vv. 15-16).
  5. The superiority of the King of kings (14:17-24).
    1. The aid of the King of kings is superior to the aid of earthly kings (Gen. 14:17, 21-22).
    2. The realm of the King of kings is superior to the realm of earthly kings (14:18; Heb. 7:2).
    3. The priesthood of the King of kings is superior to the priesthood of Abram (14:18-20; the priesthood of Abraham is the Levitical priesthood, Heb. 7:4-10).
  6. Growing strong in faith (Gen. 15:1-21).
    1. Growing strong in faith is listening to God’s Word (15:1-6).
    2. Growing strong in faith is patience with God’s plan (15:7-16).
    3. Growing strong in faith is remembering God’s covenant (15:17-21).
  7. The patience of faith (Gen. 16:1-16).
    1. When God asks us to wait (16:1-3).
    2. When others treat us with contempt (16:4-6).
    3. When alone in the wilderness (16:7-16).
2. The blessing of Abraham (Genesis 17-36).
  1. The God who covenanted with Abraham (Gen. 17:1-27).
    1. God is absolutely omnipotent, so His promise to Abraham cannot fail (vv. 1-2).
    2. God is universally sovereign, so His promise to Abraham affects everyone (vv. 3-8).
    3. God is compassionately personal, so His promise to Abraham involves a saving relationship with Him (vv. 7-8, 23-27).
  2. Sharing a meal with Yahweh (Gen. 18:1-15).
    1. Theophany was a part of sharing a meal with Yahweh (vv. 1-2).
    2. Hospitality was a part of sharing a meal with Yahweh (vv. 3-8).
    3. Promise was a part of sharing a meal with Yahweh (vv. 9-11, 14).
    4. Transparency was a part of sharing a meal with Yahweh (vv. 10b-13, 15).
  3. Some responsibilities of spiritual privilege (Gen. 18:16-33).
    1. The responsibility of obedience (vv. 16-19).
    2. The responsibility of hating sin (vv. 20-22).
    3. The responsibility of intercession (vv. 23-33).
  4. The hideousness of sin (Gen. 19:1-14).
    1. Its hypocrisy is hideous (vv. 1-3).
    2. Its corruption is hideous (vv. 4-5).
    3. Its relativism is hideous (vv. 6-8).
    4. Its pride is hideous (vv. 9-11).
    5. Its unbelief is hideous (vv. 12-14).
  5. The compassionate God who destroyed Sodom (Gen. 19:15-38).
    1. Patience with sinners is compassionate (vv. 15-22).
    2. Judgement of sinners is compassionate (vv. 23-28).
    3. Answer to prayer is compassionate (vv. 27-29).
    4. Rejecting this compassion has consequences (vv. 30-38).
  6. Facing failure: a layman’s lessons for a prophet (Gen 20:1-18).
    1. Failures repeat (vv. 1-2).
    2. Failure requires confrontation, not hypocrisy (vv. 3-10).
    3. Failure requires repentance, not excuse-making (vv. 11-16).
    4. Failures of leaders are especially costly (vv. 17-18).
3. The blessing of Isaac (Genesis. 21-26:33).
  1. God’s promise: the one thing you can always count on (21:1-8).
    1. God keeps His promises one person at a time (v. 1).
    2. God keeps His promises right on schedule (v. 2).
    3. God keeps His promises after preparatory testing (vv. 3-4).
    4. God keeps His promises to display His glory (v. 5).
    5. God keeps His promises to give His people joy (vv. 6-8).
  2. Facing conflicts with the Everlasting God (21:9-34).
    1. Conflicts in the home (vv. 9-14).
    2. Financial pressure (vv. 15-21).
    3. An inhospitable world (vv. 22-34).
  3. The provision of the mount of the Lord (22:1-19).
    1. God’s test for Abraham pictures the provision (vv. 1-8).
    2. God’s replacement for Abraham pictures the provision (vv. 9-14).
    3. God’s oath to Abraham guarantees the provision (vv. 15-19).
  4. A godly testimony in money matters (22:20-23:20).
    1. Contentment (22:20-23:4).
    2. Humility (23:5-7, 12).
    3. Accountability (23:8-10, 18).
    4. Industry (23:11-16).
    5. Ownership and responsibility (23:17-20).
  5. Making decisions in God’s will (24:1-27).
    1. Obedience to the Lord’s parameters (vv. 1-10).
    2. Trust in the Lord’s promise-keeping love (vv. 11-14).
    3. Sensitivity for the Lord’s providence (vv. 15-21).
    4. Thanksgiving for the Lord’s provisions (vv. 22-27).
  6. The matters that come from the Lord (24:28-60).
    1. They enjoy His provision (vv. 28-36).
    2. They serve His purposes (vv. 37-41).
    3. They execute His providence (vv. 42-48).
    4. They require a proper response (vv. 49-58).
  7. Laying the foundation for a happy home (24:61-67).
    1. The godly wife (vv. 61, 64, 67).
    2. The godly husband (vv. 62-63, 67).
  8. Taking inventory of God’s blessings (25:1-18).
    1. Recovery over time (v. 1).
    2. Daily miracle of new life (vv. 1-4).
    3. The gift of God’s Son (vv. 5-6).
    4. Victory over the grave (vv. 7-10).
    5. Hope for the next generation (v. 11).
    6. Promises well kept (vv. 12-16).
    7. The gospel’s good news (vv. 17-18).
  9. Some means of grace (25:19-34).
    1. Faith in God’s mercy to save (vv. 23-26).
    2. Prayer for God’s help in difficulty (vv. 19-22).
    3. Spiritual privilege to accomplish God’s will (vv. 27-34).
  10. How God blesses His children (26:1-33).
    1. By withholding some of His blessing (vv. 1-6).
    2. By showing them their weakness (vv. 7-11).
    3. By meeting their needs and giving good gifts (vv. 12-33).
4. The blessing of Jacob (Gen. 26:34-36:43).
  1. Man’s bitterness in the midst of God’s blessing (26:34-28:9).
    1. Misplaced affections cause bitterness in the midst of God’s blessing (26:34-27:4; 27:46-28:9).
    2. Misdirected schemes cause bitterness in the midst of God’s blessing (27:5-17).
    3. Mistaken confidence causes bitterness in the midst of God’s blessing (27:18-40).
    4. Miserable grudges cause bitterness in the midst of God’s blessing (27:41-45).
  2. The surprising place of God’s blessing (28:10-22).
    1. It can be anywhere because God is everywhere (vv. 10-12, 18-19).
    2. The place God’s promises speak to us (vv. 13-15).
    3. The place we learn to fear God more (vv. 17-22).
  3. Match-making for married couples (29:1-30).
    1. Develop an interest in your spouse’s interests (vv. 1-9).
    2. Develop expressions of love for your spouse’s enjoyment (vv. 10-20).
    3. Refuse to break your marriage vow, for better or worse (vv. 21-30).
  4. The Lord’s concern for our homes (29:31-30:24).
    1. The Lord sees the needs of our home (29:31-32).
    2. The Lord hears the prayers of our home (29:33-30:21).
      1. He hears, but his answers take time (29:33-35).
      2. Impatiently, we often seek substitutes (30:1-21).
        
        Resentment toward others (30:1).
        
        Reliance on other people, not God (30:1-2).
        
        Degrading sinful schemes (30:3-13).
        
        Disorder ensues (30:14-21).
    3. The Lord remembers the covenant of our home (30:22-24).
  5. Receiving wages from the God of Bethel (30:25-31:16).
    1. God tests his servant’s faithfulness as He gives him his wages (vv. 25-26, 29-31a).
    2. God vindicates his servant’s integrity as He gives him his wages (vv. 27-28, 31b-36; 31:1-10).
    3. God corrects his servant’s failures as He gives him his wages (30:37-43, 31:11-16).
  6. Gods that can be stolen away (31:17-55).
    1. Money is a god that can be stolen away (vv. 17-18, 20-24, 36-43a).
    2. Family is a god that can be stolen away (vv. 25-29, 43).
    3. Flexible religion is a god that can be stolen away (vv. 19, 30-35, 53).
    4. The true God sees all that is stolen away (vv. 44-55).
  7. Jacob’s journey to the God of Israel (32-33).
    1. There was concern along Jacob’s journey (32:6-8; 13-23).
    2. There was company along Jacob’s journey (32:1-2).
    3. There was calling out along Jacob’s journey (32:9-12).
    4. There was change along Jacob’s journey (32:24-32).
    5. There was comfort along Jacob’s journey (33:1-20).
  8. The ugly nature of sin (34:1-35:7).
    1. Universally pervasive.
    2. Hazardously contagious.
    3. Blindingly selfish.
    4. Violently destructive.
    5. Stains that only God can cleanse.
  9. The amenities of the house of God (35:8-29).
    1. Passing generations (vv. 8, 16-29).
    2. God’s omnipotent work (vv. 9-13).
    3. Spirit-filled devotion (vv. 14-15).
  10. This is Edom (36:1-43).
    1. Edom’s founder knew the Lord (vv. 1-8).
    2. Edom possessed God-ordained leadership (vv. 15, 31, 40).
    3. Edom faced a decision every Gentile must face (Amos 9:11-15; Acts 15:12-21).
The beginning of the nation of Israel and God’s providence (Genesis 37-50).
1. Providential provision and the life of Joseph (37-45).
  1. Providence and submission (37:1-11).
    1. Submit though young (vv. 1-2a).
    2. Submit when pressured to do wrong (v. 2b).
    3. Submit when people hate you (vv. 3-4).
    4. Submit when facing a difficult task (vv. 5-11).
  2. Providence and surrender (37:12-36).
    1. Make the presentation of faithful surrender (vv. 12-14).
    2. Practice the persistence of faithful surrender (vv. 15-17).
    3. Avoid alternatives to faithful surrender (vv. 18-35).
    4. Remember the promise of faithful surrender (v. 36).
  3. Providence and purity (38:1-39:23).
    1. Judah (38:1-30).
    2. Joseph (39:1-23).
  4. Providence and patience (40:1-23).
    1. Patient when treated as unfaithful (vv. 1-4).
    2. Patient when questions are unanswered (vv. 5-15).
    3. Patient when the task is unpleasant (vv. 16-19).
    4. Patient when feeling forgotten (vv. 20-23).
  5. Providence and wisdom (41:1-36).
    1. Wisdom to minister to troubled spirits (vv. 1-8).
    2. Wisdom to admit our mistakes (vv. 9-13).
    3. Wisdom to bring Him glory (vv. 14-32).
    4. Wisdom made practical (vv. 33-36).
  6. Providence and thankfulness (41:37-57).
    1. Thankful for our testimony (vv. 37-39, 45).
    2. Thankful for our responsibilities (vv. 40-44, 47-49).
    3. Thankful for our home (vv. 45, 50-52).
    4. Thankful for our freedom (vv. 45b-46).
    5. Thankful for our success (vv. 53-57).
  7. Providence and perception (42:1-38).
  8. Providence and forgiveness (43:1-34).
  9. Providence and humility (44:1-34).
  10. Providence and brotherly love (45:1-28).
2. Jacob in Egypt and the death of Joseph (46-50).

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