Go Bible - Flipbook - Page 8
The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of
Genesis
Who wrote it?
We’re not sure who wrote the book of
Genesis, but some really smart people
think it was Moses.
was WAY before you were born! Many
of those really smart people think that
Abraham was born around 2166 bc and
Joseph around 1915 bc.1
What’s it about?
Why does this book matter?
If you like true epic stories, this is the book
for you! Genesis is filled with fascinating people and places. It tells how God
creates the universe, including the world
we live in today. It shows how God hates
sin but loves his people. Genesis contains
God’s first promises to people, including
his promise to send a Savior, his promise
of the rainbow after the Flood, and his
promises to Abraham. It also shows how
the first of God’s people, the Israelites,
end up in Egypt.
This book tells us about the beginning
of time and shows God’s perfect power,
knowledge, and love. God creates everything (even mosquitoes—why?), and he
makes human beings in his image, more
special than anything else. In Genesis, we
see how the first sin happens, how that
sin still hurts us today, and how God sets
his great rescue plan in motion. Genesis
shows how much God loves us, how he
makes and keeps his promises, and how
he takes care of his people.
Where does it take place?
How does it fit in God’s story?
Genesis takes you on a journey from
Mesopotamia (Genesis 1–11), through
Canaan, which is also known as the Promised Land (Genesis 12–38), and finishes
in Egypt (Genesis 39–50). That’s a lot of
traveling in one book! Can you keep up?
From the beginning, God has always
wanted to have a loving relationship with
his people and to live among them. But
human sin breaks that fellowship and
separates us from God. Genesis shows
the beginnings of God’s amazing plan
to destroy sin and death and restore a
relationship with us. The rest of the Bible
tells how God’s plan miraculously unfolds
and is eventually accomplished by Jesus!
When does it take place?
The Bible doesn’t give dates for much
of what happened in Genesis, such as
Creation and the Flood. Let’s just say it
SEEK AND FIND
As you read through Genesis, watch for these important elements
that pop up throughout the story. How many can you find?
1. People who choose to follow God
2. People who turn away from God
3. Brothers who start as enemies but
turn into friends
4. People given new names by God
1
Most dates for people and events in the first eight books of the Bible depend on the date of Israel’s
Exodus from Egypt. Some Bible experts think it took place around 1446 BC, while others think it was
closer to 1260 BC. Either way, everything the Bible says really happened! (It’s just a matter of when.)
Timeline
God creates
the universe.
God creates
Adam and Eve,
the first humans.
Sin enters
the world.
God sends
the Flood.
The people
2166
tower of Babel.
is born.
build the
BC:
Abram
