The Gospel in Genesis

~ 4 Individuals Show The WAY ~ 

In Scripture there are many “types” or “foreshadows” of things to come. Some are much clearer than others. A great many of these are pictures of the coming Messiah, some present the Good News of the Messiah, and there are others.

The last 39 chapters of the book of Genesis, covering about four centuries, primarily contain a record of the lives of four men following the great flood. Each illustrates a critical component of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Abram  ~  Abram was called apart from God to be the Father of the nation of Israel. Abram represents God’s great grace in God’s program of divine redemption. We read the account of Abraham in Genesis 12-50. Like Abraham all Christians are called apart for God’s specific purposes in their lives.

Isaac (Abram’s son) ~  In Isaac we see selective calling (election, predestination), of God to an individual.  Isaac’s story is found in Genesis 24-26.

side note:  Do I fully understand the interaction of God’s “election” of individuals and the “free will of man.” No! Many past Christian leaders have also acknowledged this lack of comprehension. One of my favorite quotes is by C. I. Scofied: “In all the Christian centuries men have endeavored to account, philosophically, for the apparent paradox of God’s sovereign election and man’s free will, but none have ever succeeded. Both are wholly true, but the connecting and reconciling truth has not been revealed.”

Jacob (Abram’s grandson)  ~  In the life of Jacob in addition to grace we clearly see justification by faith. Jacob’s story is found in Genesis 27-36.

Joseph (Abram’s great grandson)  ~  In Joseph we clearly see a picture of ultimate glorification. Joseph’s story is found in Genesis 37-50.

side note:  Joseph’s life is also one of the clearest “types” of the coming Messiah—Jesus Christ. It is fascinating to study the parallels between their lives.

summary:  In the lives of these four individuals we see the progressive steps of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Abram’s story we have picture of the separation or calling to God—which is strictly by God’s grace and grace alone. Isaac provides a picture of election or predestination by God of His children—who He knew “before the foundations of the world” would become His children. In Jacob we see that justification is by faith and faith alone—the individual’s part. Finally, in Joseph we have a picture of the ultimate glorification of God’s people which is yet future—the Christian’s future is known and secure. 

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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Christ in Genesis

~ Jesus Christ is the “Seed of the Woman” and More ~

The Bible is about Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Jesus Christ is found throughout the book of Genesis. Some theologians have remarked that the primary purpose of Genesis is to introduce us to Jesus Christ. Consider a few of the many examples.

Creator   ~  We know an amazing Savior—who is found in the very first verse of the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (1:1). The word translated into English as “God” is a plural word—indicating the triune God.

Confirmation of Jesus Christ as the creator occurs later in the Bible, such as: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-18).

“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” John 1:1-3).

Breath of Life  ~  “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (2:7).

Adam is a Picture of Christ  ~  “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).  “And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45).

Seed of the Woman  ~  “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (3:15). This has been called the proto-evangelism—the first mention in Scripture of a coming Savior.   

Abel’s Offering for Sin  ~  We learn many key things in this account (chapter 4) including that the offering must be of an innocent substitute and blood must be shed.

Interestingly enough, in the account of Cain and Abel we have representatives of all other religions and Christianity. Religions include the works of man whereas a relationship with Christ is all because of His grace. 

Notice also that Abel was the first shepherd in history and he died a violent death. 

Noah’s Ark  ~  Another picture of salvation. One of the many interesting aspects is that nothing was left up to Noah. God gave him clear instructions about all the details. Note also that the ark had one door—there was only one way in!  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). There was no fleet of arks—only one!

A major portion of Genesis (chapters 12-50) provides an account of four men: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Each foreshadows Christ and together they present a picture of the Good News of God’s salvation plan. Abraham pictures the sovereignty of God, Isaac God’s great grace, Jacob the justification which comes through faith, and Joseph our ultimate glorification because of God’s grace (c.f. Romans 8:29-30).

Isaac  ~ The account of Abraham offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice has many aspects of foreshadowing the death of Jesus Christ. Here are some examples: He was promised long before he was born. His name was given before he was born (17:19; Matthew 1:20-21). Abraham was confused when God told him about his future son (17:15-17, Matthew 1:19-20). Likewise Sarah was confused (18:10-14, Luke 1:30-31). Isaac’s birth involved a miracle.

Abraham is directed to sacrifice his only son (22:2, John 3:16). It involved a three-day journey during which time Isaac was as good as dead in Abraham’s mind—Christ was buried for three days. An important aspect here is that the entire process was between a father and his son. Isaac carried the wood (22:6, John 19:17-18). Notice that there was no conflict between father and son—Isaac was obedient and trusted his father to do what was right.

The account makes a sudden turn when a substitute lamb is offered in place of Isaac. Isaac was a sinner and an innocent lamb took his place and died on that altar. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is our substitute. 

Comment  ~  We have only touched the surface of Christ in Genesis. Much more could be said about each of the previous examples. We have not even touched upon Joseph who is one of the clearest types (foreshadows) of Jesus Christ in all of Scripture. 

additional comment:  While on earth Jesus Christ often quoted the Scriptures including all five books of Moses. He quoted Genesis 2:24 in Matthew 19:5 and in Mark 10:7-8; He quoted Genesis 1:27 in Mark 10:6.

The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “JESUS CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE” SERIES ~~~   

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~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW