Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 11
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WELCOME TO
GENESIS
Every journey starts with the first step. And your journey through the Bible begins
with Genesis, the book about beginnings: the beginning of the world, the beginning
of humanity, the beginning of sin, and the beginning of redemption. In fact, the word
genesis means “origin” or “beginning.”
Genesis also tells us the story of the beginning of God’s special people, as God calls
Abraham to leave his home and move to Canaan, the land God will give Abraham’s
descendants. Abraham’s family isn’t perfect, but God loves them and promises to bless
the entire world through them.
Genesis is more than a collection of stories, though. It answers the most basic human
questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Why is there evil in the world?
Does God care? The answers to these questions shape every facet of our lives, and in
Genesis we hear answers that come from God himself.
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ON THE FLYOVER ROUTE: You’ll get a glimpse of the great stories of Genesis as they
outline God’s plan for his creation and his people. Your first stop is on page 6.
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ON THE DIRECT ROUTE: Along the way, you’ll see God at work in the life of the
world and then in the lives of Abraham and his descendants. Your first stop is on page 6.
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ON THE SCENIC ROUTE: You’ll be reading all of Genesis except for a few chapters,
so sit back and enjoy all the fabulous stories, starting at the very beginning. Your first
stop is on page 6.
STOPS
STOPS
STOPS
FINDING JESUS IN GENESIS
Before the events in the book of Genesis even begin, Jesus is there. Jesus, the Word,
already existed with God before the creation of the world (John 1:1). God created all
things through his Son, Jesus.
You will catch glimpses of Jesus throughout the book: He is Eve’s promised offspring
who will crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15); he is Abraham’s descendant who will
bless the whole world (12:2); and he is the ultimate king promised as a descendant of
Judah (49:10). In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is likened to Melchizedek, the priest-king
who appears in Genesis 14.
When Abraham climbs Mount Moriah, prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on an altar,
a ram is found to take Isaac’s place, prefiguring what Jesus would become for us: our
substitute.
EVENTS IN GENESIS
Creation
Great Flood
Abraham
is born
?
3500 bc
2166 bc
Abraham
travels
to Canaan
Isaac
is born
Jacob & Esau
are born
Joseph is
sold into
slavery
Jacob’s
family moves
to Egypt
Jesus
is born
2091 bc
2066 bc
2006 bc
1898 bc
1876 bc
4 bc
