Our first overview. How exciting! I think it is important to have a general overview of the books before we begin them. Genesis is created from 11 documents written separately and then put together to be what we call the ‘BOOK OF GENESIS’.
When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not contain chapter or verse references. The Bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly. The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the chapter divisions into place in around A.D. 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern.
The title of the books were often taken from the first word of the section. In Hebrew, the first word is ‘Bereshit’- which means ‘The Origins’ or ‘In the beginning’. Genesis is the foundation the other 65 books will sit on.
Genesis chapter 1 gives an “overview” of the Creation and then Genesis 2 rewinds and puts it under a microscope for detail.
Our agenda for the next 3 days is Genesis 1-11: The Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah, and the Tower of Babel. Have you read these before? (ask someone to join the read that maybe has never read them….that was me just a few years ago)
Don’t skim…read it like you have never read it before!
- Author: God (we believe through Moses….he actually will be the author for the first 5 books)
- Setting: Middle East (you should have seen my face when I learned this!)
So let’s look at the map and see where it all begins (and ends). Oh my Stars!!
Reading the Bible - 2021 