Preview

Summary: Recurring Themes And Issues In Genesis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
847 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Summary: Recurring Themes And Issues In Genesis
Recurring Themes and Issues in Genesis
Throughout Genesis, there is a reoccurrence of tests of faith, forgiveness, and reconciliation. This is seen both between God and man and amongst men. Tests of faith, forgiveness, and reconciliation are indicative of God’s expectation that man will be like Him in His forgiveness and reconciliation and are faithful to Him. Faith is seen especially through Abraham within his covenant with God and his willingness to do what God asks. Forgiveness is exemplified through Joseph and his brothers. Finally, Abraham is another example, this time of reconciliation with Abimelech.
Faith is shown with Abraham numerous times. For instance, God promised Abraham numerous descendants in their covenant although his wife Sarah is barren. Abraham does
…show more content…
Although they wanted to kill him and then sold him into slavery, he eventually forgives them. It is not until his brothers seem genuinely repentant for what they did to him that he reveals himself. He says: “And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life/ God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors” (Genesis 45: 5, 7). Essentially, it is Joseph’s purpose as instilled in him by God that allows him to forgive his brothers. There is more to his life then the anger he could have towards them. In Genesis 50, the brothers outright apologize for harming Joseph and offer themselves as slaves. Joseph counters this, once again saying: “even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones” (Genesis 50: 20-21). Not only has Joseph forgiven his family, but he will also protect them. This is largely due to his recognition of God’s purpose for

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Noah follows the 5-Part foundations in all ways God intends him to. It all starts with the Preamble: God didn’t send a warning; he had Noah warn the people for him, but the people didn’t listen. For over 120 years Noah’s neighbors could have trusted and believed in God, but they would not listen to what he had to say. On the other hand, Noah did listen to God, and he did everything God told him to do in order to survive. This is an example of Noah have trust in God and understanding God’s greatness. The Historical Prologue is the second foundation: Noah understood that he was blessed. “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.” The next foundation is the Ethnical Stipulations:…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genesis 37-50 – Joseph is sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites, who sell him into slavery in Potiphar’s house (Egyptian captain of the guard). Joseph is falsely accused of sleeping with Potiphar’s wife and is imprisoned, but he is released for his prowess of interpreting dreams. He predicts the coming of great famine from Pharaoh’s dreams and that earns him respect and a high position in Pharaoh’s court. When the famine occurs, Joseph’s brothers are forced to come to Egypt to ask for food, but they do not recognize that Joseph is the one to whom they are making the request. Joseph tests his brothers and tricks them into bringing the youngest, Benjamin, to Egypt and he threatens to enslave Benjamin for a crime he did not permit. Judah…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    What does Genesis 1-11 Teach Regarding the Natural World, Human Identity, Human Relationships, and Civilization?…

    • 1066 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In addition, Joseph forgave his brothers even though they tried to kill him and sold him into slavery. He held nothing against them and when they came asking for food, Joseph tested them and when he realised they had changed. he willingly gave them some food.…

    • 204 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is truly amazing to find out how much God’s love is to mankind is. HE is a supreme being, because how can we explain the knowledge he possess. HE is a God of new beginnings and HE has existed before the world was even created. The bible says “In the beginning, God…” there was no account of how HE came into existence and the whole idea of what we are seeing today has been predetermined by HIM and it is still very much relevant to our lives today.…

    • 1126 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With every test and story, Abraham wrestled and challenged God by asking questions. For instance, Abraham had a son with Hagar after long awaiting on the promise child of God with Sarah, illustrating that even Abraham doubted God’s extraordinary promises. However, in the end Abraham wholeheartedly trusted God and God’s plans for his life, a special relationship that continues in present day Judaism. Abraham’s embodiment of the virtue of obedience was practiced in word and deed, being an example for other believers to be a hearer and doer of the Judaism faith. As seen in this story, piety to God leads to obedience. His obedience was his function of his piety, meaning Abraham was dutiful because he was devout and .faithful. This suggest that the Judaism faith has an element of causality, which is summarized in the Judaism retribution theology that God will reward those who follow his commands and punishes those who disobey them as seen in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.. Due to his unwavering faith to do as God commanded him, God did as promised: made him the father of a great people, gave him numerous descendants/ land, and a relationship with Him (…

    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genesis and Gilgamesh

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages

    After reading the flood story of Gilgamesh and the flood story in Genesis it is obvious that there is a relationship between the two. If someone were to tell you a summary of one, they would ultimately be telling you a summary of the other. But just because the overviews are the same does not mean that they are not different. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Genesis have very minor differences, but these differences make each story distinct.…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Too Chains

    • 7209 Words
    • 29 Pages

    Abraham - God made a covenant with him (story of Abraham: pg. 128) (J, C, I)…

    • 7209 Words
    • 29 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genesis World View Essay

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What does Genesis, chapters one through eleven in particular, teach pertaining to the world? Specifically speaking in regards to the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and civilization. In accordance with all that, how then could this affect your worldview today? What exactly does the bible say? How exactly can it shape the way we see life and are these conclusions about the world we live in today parallel with what the bible states as truth?…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genesis Worldview essay

    • 1067 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I even here? These are the kind of questions that each and every one of us ask at a certain point of our live. Do I remember the first time I heard the words “God”, or “Bible”? I guess I was too young to recall. One thing I can certify however is that these two words epitomize the rocks I have used to build my worldview. The book of Genesis contains the very first ideologies that establish the fundamental levels of this framework through which I view and understand the world.…

    • 1067 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The stories of the Old Testament are familiar to many. We know the tale of Noah and the Ark, the story of Ruth and Naomi, the narrative of Abraham, and the storyline of Kind David. All of these stories have something in common. However, what they all share is something not many people are aware of. Chesed it God's commitment to us. And in all of these books of hope, friendship, and faith, God's chesed is apparent.…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Genesis 22

    • 1847 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Throughout the Old Testament, God poses many challenges for people both in the sense of entire nations to individuals as well. In each instance there was a purpose for the challenges. Sometimes God was looking to see how people would act and follow laws and other times he wanted to test them. In Genesis 22 God posed a test for Abraham. He commanded him to travel to Moriah and offer his son Isaac to him as a burnt offering. Abraham obeys God and takes Isaac to the place God had told him. He brings with him two of his servants and on the way to the mountain Isaac asks Abraham why there is not sheep for the offering. It would seem that Isaac was catching on to what was happening and he still did not hesitate to follow his father carrying the very wood he was to be burned with. When Abraham was about to slay his son an angel of the Lord stopped him and told him that since he did not withhold his son he was the favored one.…

    • 1847 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Genesis

    • 309 Words
    • 2 Pages

    For two countries that share the same island, Haiti and the Dominican Republic could seemingly not be more different. While Haiti and the Dominican Republic are both Latin American, they are clearly differentiated thrthis is the language, economy, and customs.…

    • 309 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Exegesis of Genesis 22:1-19

    • 2399 Words
    • 10 Pages

    The biblical context of Genesis, divides it into two sections. Genesis 1-10 describes the creation story and the flood. Genesis 11-50 provides the genealogy of Abraham’s family, back to Noah, followed by the tradition of the earliest ancestors of Israel (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob known as the ‘Patriarchs’) wherein their faith is rooted and articulated (Brueggemann, 2003:43.) It is essentially a book of promises, a preface to the history of the Israel; identifying the nation of Israel and its God (Barton 2001:39).In Genesis 12 we see God choosing Abram, like Noah. A relationship ensues whereby Abram obediently follows God’s commands. God graciously acts in his life, providing him with a much wanted son and heir from his barren wife, Sarai. Abram pleases God who establishes covenants (God initiated agreements with man (Holdsworth 2005:59) with him, renaming him Abraham (and his wife Sarah); making them founders of the nation of Israel. The final chapter finds Jacob and his family in Egypt; precluding a central storyline the ‘Exodus’ ;the foundation of Jewish history and faith (Barton…

    • 2399 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    that it is in reality the telling of three different stories, all of which took place at the same time. The story of David Barksdale and Mac…

    • 5196 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays

Related Topics