Last week we began session 3 with an overview of the book of Genesis and a detailed look at the Hebrew names for God given throughout the Old Testament, with an emphasis on those in the book of Genesis. An understanding of these names and their meaning to the Hebrew readers gives us a glimpse into the character of God. Understanding Genesis as the foundational book of our faith is so important because it is under attack by skeptics today more than any other part of the faith. If we can provide basic answers to those who ask, then we are doing our part as disciples of Jesus.

Check out this week’s presentation here. The overview notes are below:

Overview notes from the presentation:

Genesis
The Apologetics

A few important questions to answer:

1. Where did we (and all life) come from? The question of origin
2. What is wrong with the world? The problem of evil and suffering
3. Does the world’s geography, topography and environmental conditions indicate sudden catastrophe or slow evolutionary processes? The question of the Biblical Flood
4. Where did the idea of race come from? The question of dispersion at the Tower of Babel
5. How does God continue to provide for the original Promise? The question of eternal security and a return to the Garden

(Note: Questions 4 and 5 will be addressed next week in part 3)

Genesis
The Apologetics

1.  Where did we (and all life) come from? The question of origin

There are only 2 choices:

• God created via intelligent design

Or…

• Spontaneous generation via the evolutionary view

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis 1:1 (NASB)

All of the known properties in the Universe (time-force-energy-space-matter) are found in this first verse of the Bible:

In the beginning = Time

God = Force

Created = Energy

Heavens = Space

Earth = Matter

Evidence Categories

Evidence for the existence of a Creator God:

• Philosophical evidence
• Cosmological evidence
• Teleological evidence
• Moral Law evidence

Note: There are many examples of the evidence in each of these categories  given in the presentation video. You can also go back to the previous class: “A Case for Creation” for a more in-depth discussion.

2.  What is wrong with the world? The problem of evil and suffering

There are only two choices:

• Christianity offers the most reasonable answer and solution to the how and why of this question because of the “Fall” and God’s subsequent “Promise”

Or…

• We are all just dancing to our DNA via evolution, which is by random chance (no fault of our own) and, accordingly, the fittest will evolve to higher levels

Evidence Categories

Evidence for the effects of the Fall from the Christian Worldview:

• There is a “principle of evil” in the world because of the curse from the Fall and the Flood (natural disasters, famines, floods etc.)
• Satan and his forces know that their time is short, wanting to take as many with them as possible they twist Scripture and are focused on deception
• We bring much of the hardship we experience on ourselves through bad choices (human nature is bent toward evil because of the “Fall”)
• The ‘Job’ factor: God allowed Satan to test Job—sometimes God is refining us, teaching us or testing us for a greater purpose

3.  Does the world’s geography, topography and environmental conditions indicate a cause by sudden catastrophe or slow evolutionary processes? The question of the Biblical Flood

There are only two choices:

• A catastrophic atmospheric and subterranean water and volcanic event known as the “Great Flood of Noah’s Day”

Or…

• Slow processes over long periods of time via evolutionary philosophy

Evidence Categories

Evidence for the flood:

• God had ample reason to destroy the world at that time, keeping the Covenant Promise through Noah
  • Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. …“Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that in on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” Genesis 6:5, 8, 17-18 (NASB)
  • Genesis 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you ‘alone’ I have seen ‘to be’ righteous before Me in the time.”
• Jesus spoke of these same things foreshadowing the last days…
  • And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them. For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.  Luke 17:22-30 (NASB)

Additional facts:

• The Ark was big enough to hold all the animals (kinds not species) and was it designed well enough to withstand catastrophic flood waters
• The geological evidence worldwide matches what we would expect from a flood of catastrophic and cataclysmic magnitude
• There is a multitude of cultures that have flood legends supporting the Biblical account
• The various secular science dating methods are suspect, and give dramatically different ranges including some that match the Biblical record
• The Geological Column does not match the evolutionary timescale and is missing millions of years in many places around the world – the Biblical Flood record best matches the layers found worldwide
• The fossil record does not support the evolutionary model – There are no transitional fossils, the earliest life forms appear suddenly and many fossil life forms in the earliest layers are still with us today—This is because the genetic barrier cannot be crossed – DNA has to be added to create new and different life forms – “the principle of irreducible complexity and genetic specificity”

Importance resource for research references on these topics and more:

• SearchCreation.org

Searches the top 50 Christian Apologetics’ sites on science, the Bible and worldviews

• Genesisapologetics.com

Search answers to questions, view video shorts and references from top scientists in their fields – get the app for your phone

• Icr.org

Institute for Creation Research – Creation science articles, videos and top research supporting the Christian Biblical Worldview

• Creation.com

Sponsored by CMI (Creation Ministries International) – top scientists share their most current science research supporting the Bible Creation model – this includes seminars, articles, videos, podcasts and more…

Reflection

Practice knowing the books of the Old Testament and their categories

1. What are the 39 books of the Christian Old Testament and their categories, in order? (clue: 5-12-5-5-12)
2. What are the major events, who are the major players and what are the major Covenants in the book of Genesis?

Bible Study

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us.

Read Genesis Chapter 18 through Chapter 20
Abraham speaks with Angels and the LORD; Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot and his family; and Abraham, Sarah and Abimelech 

1. (Genesis 18:1-15) Who appeared to Abraham while he was sitting by the oaks of Mamre? What clues in this passage tell you that Abraham was speaking directly to God (known as a Christophany)?

Discuss: How did Sarah respond to what God said would happen that next year, and what did she do when He “busted” her? Would we have responded differently than Sarah?

2. (Genesis 18:16-33) In this part of the story the LORD (YHWH) stays behind to talk with Abraham while the other two men (Angels) head for Sodom. What did Abraham ask for and how did God respond?

Discuss: Why do you think God entertained Abraham’s questions/requests? Is it alright for us to ask God questions like that too?

3. (Genesis 19:1-29) Summarize: What happened when the two men (Angels) went down to Lot’s house in Sodom, and what was the outcome?

Discuss: Why do you think Lot’s family did not take the Angels’ warning seriously? Do we see this attitude toward God’s warnings (from His Word) in people today?

4. (Genesis 19:30-38) In this part of the story Lot’s daughters do the unthinkable. Why did they do this and what was the outcome?

Going Deeper: Two sons were born out of this situation. What can you uncover about their descendants and their relationship later on with Israel?

Cross-referencing: Was Lot considered to be a righteous man? Read 2 Peter 2:6-8

5. (Genesis 20:1-18) Abraham and Sarah repeat the same mistake they made earlier in Egypt (12:9-20). How is this story different?

Discuss: What example is being set for Abraham and Sarah’s descendants when they repeat these kinds of exploits? Do we think about how our own repeated behaviors could affect our descendants/the next generation?

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for the Old Testament: Session 3, Part 3 – Genesis Apologetics – questions 4 and 5″

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