fok, john - old testament survey (b)

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Old Testament Survey - Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter

1. Introduction to the Old Testament

The Pentateuch

2. Genesis - The Beginnings

3. Exodus and Leviticus - From Egypt to Mt. Sinai

4. Numbers and Deuteronomy - The Wilderness

The Historical Books

5. Joshua Through Ruth - From Conquest to Rest

6. 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles - The Rise of the Kingdom

7. 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles - The Collapse of the Kingdom8. Ezra Through Esther - Restoration and Preservation


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Old Testament Survey - Table of Contents

16. Jonah Through Zephaniah - Judgment and Restoration

17. Obadiah Through Malachi - Judgment and Hope

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Chapter One

Chapter One - Introduction to the Old Testament

This course is a general survey of the Old Testament. The aim is to give a general and comprehensive picture of each book from Genesis to

Malachi. With this in view, the basic goals of the course can be stated as follows:

1. to place each book in its proper historical setting. Background material from history, geography, and archaeology will be used to

accomplish this goal;

2. to see the fundamental message of each book and gain a synthetic view of the contents; and

3. to relate the spiritual principles of the books to practical Christian living. The contents of these books should be assimilated as part of our

Christian experience.

This chapter is divided into the following seven parts:

1. introduction;

2. the value of the survey approach;

3. division of the Old Testament;

4. typology and the Old Testament;

5. dispensations and the Old Testament;

6. the background of the Old Testament; and

7. practical emphasis of the Old Testament.

1. INTRODUCTION

Recent discoveries in the ancient Near East have created a resurgence of interest in Old Testament studies. Both the professional scholar and the

interested layman have been intrigued by finds such as the uncovering of the Dead Sea Scrolls in musty caves near the Qumran community This is

only one instance of scores of new discoveries which shed light on the biblical record.

You will notice in works written today on the contents of the Old Testament that there is a radical difference in the approach the authors take.There is a reason for this. The way we approach the Old Testament will be determined by the theological presuppositions we bring to the Word of

God. If I accept the thesis that the Old Testament is merely a witness to revelation and a fallible one at that, this will color my treatment of the

content of the individual books. But if I take the approach that the Old Testament is an infallible record of God revealing Himself to man, my


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Working from the whole to the parts in a study of the Bible may keep us from getting lost in the "side streets" of the Scriptures and may open our

eyes to the main arteries. With this in mind we can begin unfolding the map.

3. DIVISION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

It comes as a shock to the average Bible reader to find that the books of the Old Testament are not placed in chronological order. The order we

find in our English Bible, however, is a logical one, as the books are grouped by subject matter (For the order of the books in the Hebrew Bible,

see Section 6.6, Chapter 12: The Inerrancy, Canoncity and Interpretation of Scripture, of the course: Systematic Theology).

The first seventeen can be roughly classified as history while the last seventeen constitute the prophetic section of the Old Testament. Wedged in

between are the five books usually classified as poetical.

3917 5 17

Historical:

Genesis - Esther

Poetical:

Job - Song of Solomon

Prophetical:

Isaiah - Malachi

3.1 Historical Books

The historical books can be broken down even further. The first five books of the Old Testament are called the Pentateuch or Law. They were all

written by the same human author - Moses. The twelve remaining books have no specific title but can be divided into those describing events

before the Babylonian captivity and those tracing the history after the captivity.

HISTORICAL BOOKS (17)

Pentateuch

Law (5)

Written by Moses

Genesis - Deuteronomy

12 Remaining

Pre-captivity

(9)Joshua - 2 Chronicles

Post-captivity

(3)Ezra - Esther

3 2 Poetical Books

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Jeremiah Ezekiel Joel Zechariah

Daniel Amos Malachi

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

3.4 Comparison Between the English Bible and Hebrew Bible

The Hebrew Old Testament contains twenty-four books, beginning with Genesis and ending with 2 Chronicles. Though this arrangement of the

Old Testament is in only twenty-four books, the subject matter is identical with the thirty-nine book division of our Protestant English Bible. The

difference is in the order and division of the arrangement of the books. The reason for this is that the Protestant canon of the Old Testament has been influenced by the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint (LXX) made about 250-160 B.C.

The Septuagint divided the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah each into two, which makes eight instead of four. The

Twelve Minor Prophets were divided into twelve, instead of being counted as one book as in the twenty-four book division. This adds fifteen

making a total of the thirty-nine books as in the Protestant English Bible.

Since the year 1517, modern Hebrew Bibles divided the books into thirty-nine, but kept the three-fold division including the arrangement of the

books (Genesis through 2 Chronicles) as in the ancient Hebrew Bible.

This twenty-four book division in its three-fold division which became the thirty-nine book division is as follows:

1. The Law known also as the Torah or the Pentateuch (5 books): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

2. The Prophets (originally 8 books, then 21)

a. The Former Prophets (originally 4 books, then 6): Joshua, Judges, Samuel (1 & 2), Kings (1 & 2)

b. The Latter Prophets (originally 4 books, then 15): Major - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel (3 books) & Minor - The 12 (originally 1 book, then 12)

3. The Kethubhim or Writings (originally 11 books, then 13)


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Boston: W.A. Wilde company, 1956, pp. 208-209).

The New Testament gives ample justification for the use of typology. The discussion of Melchizedek in Hebrews 7 is an example of a person

being used as a type. Melchizedek is an Old Testament personage who bears a remarkable similarity and correspondence to Christ. He is both a

king and a priest like Christ. Like Christ also, his priesthood is not based on a genealogy. Adam and David are types of Christ as well.

The Exodus from Egypt is an instance of an event serving as a type. Just as Israel was redeemed from bondage by the power of God, in the sameway we are redeemed from sin. The event bears an obvious correspondence and analogy with our salvation.

The sacrifices of Leviticus 1-5 are an instance of an institution which constitutes a type. The parallel between the shedding of the blood of the

animal and the shedding of the blood of Christ is clearly seen in Hebrews 9.

It is obvious that these similarities are more than accidental. They are divinely intended illustrations of spiritual truth. As we proceed through the

Old Testament, we will study the typology where there is an obvious relationship with a New Testament truth.

5. DISPENSATIONS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT

A basic understanding of the dispensational structure of the Old Testament is helpful if we are to place the books in their proper perspective. A

"dispensation" has been defined as:

"A distinguishable economy in the outworking of God's purpose" (Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, Chicago: Moody

Press, 1965, p. 29).

Marking out certain dispensations is merely a recognition that God's economy or method of operation is not always the same. God operates

under a different economy today. For examples:

1. We are not required to bring animal sacrifices to a tabernacle today.

2. We do not live under the edict concerning the tree in the midst of the garden.

Not all are agreed as to the number of dispensations found in the Bible but most dispensationalists accept seven or eight. Five of these are in the

Old Testament.


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(i.e. this is called progressive revelation).

A summary of the character of dispensationalism and the uniqueness of each dispensation can be found in Section 7, Chapter 1: Introduction to

Systematic Theology, Course: Systematic Theology. A detailed study of dispensationalism will be found in the book by Dr. Charles Ryrie

(Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, Chicago: Moody Press, 1965).

6. THE BACKGROUND OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

Unlike the New Testament which encompasses a brief span of a century the Old Testament covers events spanning well over 4,000 years. The

writing of the Old Testament books covers approximately one thousand years. During this period four Gentile world powers appeared on the

horizon and left their mark on Israel's history. The four Gentile world powers are as follows:

1. Egypt;2. Assyria;

3. Babylon; and

4. Persia.

6.1 The Call of Abraham and Jacob

Around 2000 B.C. God spoke to Abraham and he left his home in Ur and entered Canaan. The book of Genesis records the life of the patriarchs in

this land. In the closing chapters of the book the world power of Egypt comes into view, as the providential hand of God leads the family of Jacob

to the land of Egypt where they are preserved and protected for four hundred years. God used this period to weld and increase this little family

into a nation and prepare them for the Exodus.

6.2 The Exodus and the Law of Moses

The gracious treatment that characterized the Egyptians when Jacob and his family entered that land soon changed when a new dynasty arose. The

opening chapter of Exodus describes the slavery and oppressive conditions that resulted. In this setting God prepares Moses to lead the children

out of the bondage of Egypt and through the Red Sea. From here they are guided to Mount Sinai where God entrusts this young nation with the

law and the Tabernacle.

6.3 The Conquest of Canaan by the Judges

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(Source: Jensen's Bible Study Charts, Moody Press, 1981 Edition)

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8. REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER STUDY

1. Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, 1994 Revised and

Expanded Edition, by John H. Walton.

2. Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament, Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, by Irving L. Jensen.

3. Exploring the Scriptures, Chicago: Moody Press, 1981 Paperback Edition, by John Phillips.

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Chapter Two

Chapter Two - Genesis - The Beginnings

At the end of this chapter the student should be able to:

1. discuss the importance of the Pentateuch;

2. describe the major events (Creation, Fall, Flood, etc.) in Genesis 1-11;

3. summarize some of the theories associated with those events; and

4. explain the significance of the four key patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

This chapter is divided into the following four major parts:

1. the Pentateuch;

2. Genesis 1-11;

3. Genesis 12-50; and

4. useful background information.

1. PENTATEUCH

1.1 Importance

The Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) covers the period from the creation of the universe to the death of Moses. It is difficult to ascertain how much time is involved due to the problem of

constructing any chronological scheme prior to Genesis 12. Still, it is certain that the Pentateuch does embrace more time than all the rest of the Bible.

The Pentateuch is foundational in other respects as well, which can easily be seen by a brief review of its contents, including:

1. Doctrinally, the great themes of the Bible are found here in embryo form.

2. The dispensational significance is seen in that five of the seven or eight dispensations of the Bible are found here.

3. The most important covenants of the Old Testament, the Abrahamic and the Mosaic, are likewise introduced in the Pentateuch.

4. Historically, it forms the indispensable link between the primeval era and the origin of Israel's history.

1.2 Authorship

The authorship of the Pentateuch has traditionally been ascribed to Moses.

1.2.1 Hi gher Criticism

About 1875, German critics, especially Julius Wellhausen argued that the Pentateuch is not the work of a single author. It is considered, rather, to be a compilation of a number of documents, which have supposedly been woven together into a single narrative during the

course of the centuries, giving us the Pentateuch as we know it today. The documentary sources from which the Pentateuch emerged are often designated by the letters J, E, D and P. The main argument used to support these different sources is that these supposed writershad different theological outlooks and ordinarily used different names for God.

This theory is also known as "Higher Criticism" claims that:

1. J stands for the Jehovist who used the name Jehovah in his writings about 850 B.C.;

2. E is the Elohist who wrote about 750 B.C.;

3. D is the Deuteronomist who wrote around 621 B.C. in the reign of Josiah; and

4. P stands for the priestly code and supposedly represents a date of around 570 B.C.

The priestly writer especially interested in the sacrifice and priestly ritual. According to the theory these men were more like editors who took fragments of material already in existence and incorporated them into their writings. Their writings in turn found their way into

the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch, then, would be the product of several men covering a period of several centuries. According to these critics, the documents J, E, D and P were written a thousand years after Moses' death.

1.2.2 Fall acy of the Hi gher Critici sm

We can explain the differences the unbelieving higher critics have found between documents J, E, D, and P, and answer the arguments they use as follows:

1. Moses, not two other authors, used different names for God to reveal various characteristics of God. Jehovah means the eternal, self-existent One and Elohim means the strong and majestic One.

2. The so-called J, E, D and P documents are so interwoven that it is impossible to separate them without producing gaps between them or overlapping sections.

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3. The vocabulary (choice of words) and writing style are different in the sections because the subjects Moses wrote about were different, not because the sections had different authors.

4. Archaeological discoveries have demonstrated the historical accuracy of the Pentateuch and have brought to light customs practiced in the second millennium B.C. that were not practiced in the first millennium B.C. How, then, would an author have known of

these customs (e.g. the double portion going to the oldest son, the sale of a birthright, the validity of an oral will; cf. Genesis 48:17-20) unless he had lived during that earlier period? Undoubtedly, Moses had both oral and written records of early history, which he

used under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to write about events that antedated his own life. Naturally, someone else (i.e. Joshua) must have written the account of Moses' death (Deuteronomy 34).

5. Aside from any internal inconsistencies in this theory (which are numerous), the New Testament clearly teaches the Mosaic origin of these books. Compare such references as Matthew 19:8; John 5:46-47; 7:19; Acts 3:22; and Romans 10:5. It is not just a case of

determining the sources of these Old Testament books. It is a case of denying the authority of Christ and the early church as well, if we accept the critical theory.

For further information on the archaeological discoveries, please study Chapter 4 of the course: Apologetics. For further information on the reliability of the Old Testament, please study Chapter 3 of the course: Apologetics and Chapter 12 of the course: Systematic

Theology. For a more detailed analysis and critique of the documentary hypothesis, see Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, Chapters 6-13, Chicago: Moody Press, 1964 Edition.

1.3 Historicity

It is also a common practice today to treat many of the narratives in the Pentateuch not as ordinary history but as "myth." A myth in current theological usage is a literary device that is designed to convey a theological truth. The Fall of man in the Garden would be a good

example of this. The account of the Garden of Eden is not to be taken as history in the generally accepted use of the term, but as a very significant narrative which God can use to teach some basic theological truths.

It is evident, of course, that the Bible does use literary devices such as parables, which are not historical in nature and yet which do convey spiritual truths. A parable, however, is always clearly designated as such and there is no such designation in passages like Genesis

3. The Fall of man is written not as a parable or myth but as history. And once again there is the use that the New Testament makes of the Old. Paul, in Romans 5, treats Adam as a historical figure just like Christ and not as some mythological entity. He refers to the Fall

in 2 Corinthians 11:3 as a historical happening. Christ likewise treats the creation account, the Flood, and the story of Lot as history (Matthew 19:4; Luke 17:26-29). The historical accuracy of these books will, therefore, be assumed as we continue our study.

2. GENESIS 1-11

A basic division is ordinarily made in Genesis at the end of chapter 11. Prior to chapter 12, God's dealings are with all men indiscriminately. In chapter 12, God chooses one man, Abraham, and on the basis of certain unconditional promises He makes to him, He deals

with him in a unique way from this point on. From Abraham the nation Israel emerges. The first eleven chapters center around four great events. Chapters 12-0 deal mainly with four great individuals.

1 - 11 12 - 50GOD DEALING WITH ALL MENGOD DEALING WITH ISRAEL

Four Great Events:

Creation

Fall

Flood

Babel

Four Great Individuals:

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

Joseph

The key to understanding Genesis is the Abrahamic covenant. In chapter 12, God makes certain unconditional promises to Abraham which are ratified officially in chapter 15. The Abrahamic covenant is a grace covenant in that God does it all. Included in the

covenant are certain promises God makes to Israel as well as the prediction of a coming Messiah. Chapters 1-11 are designed to show the necessity for such a covenant. Twice in the first part of Genesis God places man in ideal surroundings - first in the Garden and then

in a purged earth after the Flood. Both times man fails God. The first situation results in the Fall of chapter 3, which leads to a murder in chapter 4 and culminates in extreme wickedness in chapter 6.

After the Flood we see man in an ideal environment once more, but chapter 9 ends with Noah in a drunken stupor, and chapter 11 is a further demonstration of man's rebellion in the Tower of Babel. The point is clear. Man by himself will inevitably rebel against God and

assert his independence. If the human race is to survive, God must intervene. God does intervene with the Abrahamic covenant in chapter 12 and following.

The last half of Genesis shows God taking the initiative and providing the Abrahamic covenant. The fulfillment of the promises are not up to man but depend on God Himself. Chapters 12-50 show how these promises are protected and fulfilled (in part at least) by God.

Our concern in this part of lesson one is with the first part of the book, chapters 1-11.

1 - 11 12 - 50

GOD PREPARING FOR THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT GOD PRESERVING THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

The Failure of Man The Faithfulness of God

2.1 The Creation of the World (1-2)

The creation account occurs twice in these chapters, which are designed to supplement rather than contradict one another. Chapter 1 gives a chronological day-by-day outline of the creative week. Chapter 2 amplifies certain aspects of the account of chapter 1, namely,

the creation of man.

2.1.1 The chronological account (1:1-2:4)

In verse 1 the account begins with a description of the entire universe: "the heavens and the earth." In this simple statement God designates not only our solar system, but all of the galaxies, constellations, and super-constellations which lie beyond it. Hebrews 11:3 tells

us that this act of creation was performed out of nothing and did not involve pre-existing materials.

In verse 2 and following the description is focused on the earth. Three descriptive phrases are used to depict it as it was when God began the creative process. It was (1) without form and (2) void. The words used here mean "unformed" and "uninhabited" and do not of

necessity imply anything of a catastrophic nature. (3) Darkness was on the face of the deep. It was upon this condition that the Spirit of God moved to create order.


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The verses that follow show how God took the earth as it was in this unformed state and made it into a habitable planet. The first three days parallel the following three days in many ways. The first three are days of formation and separation. The following three days

show how the earth was populated.

DAYS OF FORMATION

DAYS 1 - 3

DAYS OF POPULATION

DAYS 4 - 6

1. Light

2. Water Divided

3. Land Appears Plant Life

4. Light Bearers

5. Water and Air Populated

6. Land Animals, Man Created

2.1.2 The meaning of the word " kind"

The phrase "after its kind" occurs repeatedly in chapter 1 (1:11-12, 21, 24-25) and shows that God has set certain boundaries upon His creative work. It would thus preclude an evolutionary scheme which taught that man evolved from some lower form of life. The word

"kind" would allow for variation within the groups, but would prohibit a scheme where life evolved from sea creatures to land animals and ultimately to man. The biblical usage of the term (cf. Leviticus 11:16, for example) shows that it should not be equated with the

term "species" as that term is ordinarily used by biologists. The term "kind" is broader and might embrace many species. (See John Klotz , Genes, Genesis, and Evolution, Chapter 3, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1955. Klotz shows that biologists themselves

are not agreed on a uniform definition of the word "species.")

2.1.3 The supplementary account (2:5-25)

The account of creation in chapter 2 gives details which supplement chapter 1 and prepare for chapter 3. Man is the focal point of interest. In addition to a description of how he was created we are told of his:

1. new home (2:4-17); and

2. new helper (2:18-25).

Man is put in the garden and is placed under one prohibition - he is not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God then makes "a help meet for him" (2:18). The word "meet" carries the concept of answering to, complementing, or filling up what is lacking

in the other partner. These final verses of chapter 2 reveal several concepts concerning the marriage relationship:

1. The role of the sexes is carefully distinguished by the term mentioned above. Man's role is distinct from that of woman.

2. Man is incomplete without woman. Woman makes up what is lacking in man. She is his complement in somewhat the same way that two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle fit to gether.

3. The verses show the unique nature of the marriage relationship. The two are to be "one flesh."

4. Sex is not sinful in itself but is to be the normal relationship for a man and woman joined in marriage.

2.1.4 Relation ship between the six cr eative days and the age of the world

From a superficial reading of Genesis 1, the impression would seem to be that the entire creative process took place in six twenty-four-hour days. If this was the true intent of the Hebrew author, this seems to run counter to modern scientific research, which suggests that

the planet Earth was created several billion years ago. In the nineteenth century the chief evidence for this extreme antiquity was found in the rate at which sediment is deposited by water action in modern times. This, of course, is valid only upon a uniformitarian

hypothesis, that is, that natural forces have been operating through the processes of erosion, sedimentation, and magnatic (or volcanic) action in just the same manner and at the same rate, throughout all preceding ages as they do now. Uniformitarianism has been

vigorously challenged by many authorities on account of the evidence of violent twisting and tilting and thermodynamic metamorphism exhibited in many mountainous, or once mountainous, regions. One important point that is that terrific forces surpassing anything

now known (and therefore impossible to estimate as to length of time) have disturbed the earth's surface on a scale and at a rate altogether different from what is observable today. Estimates of time based upon present-day geologic processes are therefore quite valueless

(for further information, see Harold W. Clark , New Diluvialism, Angwin, Calif.: Science Publications, 1946, pp. 12-13).

Certain theories now need to be discussed which are related to the creative week, including:

1. the gap theory;

2. the day-age theory;

3. the solar-day theory; and

4. other theories.

2.1.4.1 The gap theory

The gap theory concerns the relationship of Genesis 1:1 to 1:2. Adherents of this position hold that a long period of time, or a "gap," exists between these verses. The thesis is that God's perfect earth of verse 1 was the scene of a catastrophe. The reason usually given for

such a catastrophe is the fall of Satan (Isaiah 14:12-20). (For further information, see J. Sidlow Baxter , Exploring the Book , I, pp. 34-36, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960)

Gap theorists contend that the Hebrew words used in the first two verses of Genesis 1 allow for an indefinite lapse of time between an original creation and a subsequent condition in which the earth became "without form and void." Some who accept this theory suggest

that the verb translated "was" (1:2) may be translated "became," permitting this interpretation. Isaiah 45:18 and Jeremiah 4:23-25 are cited to support this view.

While the Bible may allow for such a gap in the creation process, certain problems are faced by this theory:

1. The gap is nowhere mentioned in Scripture and is thus based entirely on human interpretation.

2. The Hebrew construction of verses 1 and 2 links the two together in a circumstantial clause.


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3. Though some claim that the word "was" in verse 2 should be translated "became," there is little linguistic support for such a proposal.

4. The terminology of verse 2 does not imply a "catastrophe." The creative work is incomplete at this point, but the language does not necessitate a ruined earth. The words "without form and void" simply describe an unformed, un inhabited earth.

5. If such a gap did exist, there is no biblical reason to suggest that it extended through vast geologic ages. It might have been a very brief period of time.

6. We cannot automatically assume that fossils were formed during a gap or indefinite period. Genesis 1 indicates that animals and plants were not created until the third, fifth, and sixth days, which follow later in the creation record. Some gap theorists attempt to

place the entire fossil record in the gap.

2.1.4.2 The day-age theory

Some Bible students have suggested that the word "day" in Genesis 1 refers to a vast period of geologic time during which God performed the work of creation. The "day-age" theory purports that the six days of creation represent six vast periods or "ages" of time. Those

who accept this theory believe the earth's age to be up to four or five billion years. They hold that extended periods of fossil formation occurred during these long "day-ages," and they believe that Adam and Eve were formed a million or more years ago. (For further

information, see S. Maxwell Coder and George F. Howe, "Studies on Science and Bible," in Science Asks - God Answers, pp. 84-86, Chicago: Moody Bible Institute Correspondence School, 1966)

However, the "day-age" theory has the following weaknesses:

1. Although the word "day" ( yom) is sometimes used in the Hebrew to indicate a longer period than the solar day it generally indicates a twenty-four hour period when it is associated with a numeral ("first" day, "second" day).

2. The use of the terms "evening" and "morning" would lend credence to the twenty-four hour interpretation. The words would seem to indicate that these were genuine days of earth's rotation in relation to a light source, rather than indefinite ages of time.

3. It appears evident that the word "day" stands for a twenty-four hour period when the act of creation is described elsewhere in Scripture, "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day: wherefore the

Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:11).

2.1.4.3 The solar day theory

Finally, many interpret the six days as literal days. The term "literal day" refers to the time for one rotation of the earth on its axis, today approx. 24 hours, resulting in a day / night sequence. But according to Genesis 1, whereas light and the day / night cycle were created

on day one, the sun wasn't created until day four, so there was no sun during the first three days. In Scripture, however, there is no differentiation between the length of the first three days and the last three, and the entire week is referred to as being "6 days" long,

followed by a day of rest. According to the Scripture, God Himself is the source of light (John 1:1-14; Revelation 21:23; 22:5, 16). He can provide temporary light energy to the universe in the first 3 days of creation.

The seemingly long geological ages are a problem with this position. Several solutions are suggested:

1. Creation scientists showed that the age of the earth is less than 20 thousand years (i.e. the earth is very young).

2. The universal flood, known as the Genesis Flood, had major effects on the topography of the earth (Genesis 7-8).

3. There are gaps in the early genealogies of Genesis, and therefore creation should be considered to have occurred much before 4000 BC.

4. Since God created man with the appearance of age (Adam was created full-grown), He may also have created the earth with the appearance of age.

5. The interdependence of the created earth conditions.

Personally, I prefer this theory.

2.1.4.4 Other theories

Other creation theories are summarized in below table:

(Source: Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, 1994 Revised and Expanded Edition, p. 97, by John H. Walton)

Creation Theories


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2.1.4.5 Conclusion

While there is no question that God could have created the earth in individual ages if He had so willed, it seems best to explain the "days" of creation as twenty-four hour periods. For further discussion on the various creation theories, please study Chapter 6 and Chapter

7 of the course: Apologetics and Section 4, Chapter 16, of the course: Systematic Theology.

2.1.5 Biblical creationism verse evolutionism

More fundamental an issue than the length of the creative days is the question of the fact of divine creation as over against such competing theories of origin as Darwinian evolution. As formulated by Charles Darwin in his Origin of Species (1859), evolution sought to

explain the origin of biological species by natural selection rather than by God's design. That is to say, the process by which plants and animals developed was not governed by any divine intelligence, but rather according to a completely mechanical principle: the

survival of the fittest.

As the reproductive cycle progresses, taught Darwin, the following generation shows slight variations from the generation preceding. Over a long period of time, after hundreds and thousands of generations, some of these variations become more or less fixed

characteristics which are passed on to the descendants. These new characteristics contribute to the formation of varieties or subspecies, and finally to the emergence of new species. Those characteristics which enabled their possessors to compete more successfully in the

ceaseless struggle with their environment insured their survival. Hence only those that were fittest to survive were perpetuated and became a successful species. Thus the lower and simpler gradually became more advanced and complex, until finally Homo sapiens (i.e.

human beings) appeared as the climactic product of natural selection.

As to the most fundamental question of all, the origin of matter itself, and the related question as to the origin of the earliest form of life to appear in the primeval ooze, Darwin had no answer to give. Yet there remained no objective basis at all for the moral law or for

spiritual values beyond materialistic considerations of survival, the survival of "the fittest." Furthermore, the Darwinian theory left no room for any meaningful divine in the process of "creation"; except for the supplying of primeval raw material, there really was no

creation but only development according to natural selection. But we must ask who or what determined the selective process?! This represented almost a total contradiction of Genesis 1.

It will be sufficient to point out a few areas in which Darwin's theory not seem to square with the evidence. We shall treat these weaknesses under the following six headings:

1. comparative anatomy;

2. vestigial organs;

3. embryology;

4. bio-chemistry;

5. paleontology; and

6. genetics.

2.1.5.1 Comparative anatomy

There are marked similarities between the anatomy of man and that of the higher vertebrata. This, it is suggested, points to the evolution of man from animal. However, if man and animals partake of the same food, same air, and have the same environment as other


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creatures, should not the lungs, digestive tract, skin, eyes, and so forth, be similar? Further, similarity in anatomy suggests a common Creator (i.e. the God), not one creature springing from another. Two symphonies by one composer might be expected to have some

marked similarities.

2.1.5.2 Vestigial organs

These are organs, like the the pituitary gland, the thymus gland, the pineal gland, the tonsils, the appendix, and the coccyx, or tailbone, which, according to the evolutionist, were useful to our supposedly more primitive ancestors but now become functionally useless.

After a century of medical research, we now know that all of these structures have an important function in man, and, in fact, without many of them, we cannot live. The pituitary, thymus, and pineal glands are vital to our existence. The tonsils and the appendix are now

known to be, among other things, important disease-fighting organs. The tailbone serves to anchor certain pelvic muscles. You cannot sit comfortably without it, and it protects the end of the spinal column. In a scientific journal, not long ago, an evolutionist published an

article in which he declared that supposed vestigial organs offer no support for evolution. Just because we do not as yet understand fully the use of these various organs, we should not question the wisdom of the Creator who put them there.

2.1.5.3 E mbryology

The evolutionists argue that the human fetus develops through various stages which are parallel to the alleged evolutionary process, from a one-celled organism to an adult species. But a close study of the human fetus reveals that there are too many dissimilarities to

supposed parallels in the worm, fish, tail, and hair stages. Further, developments are often the reverse of what is alleged. The earthworm has circulation, but no heart, and it is therefore advanced that circulation must have come before the heart. However, in the human

fetus, the heart develops first, then the circulation. The so-called gill slits were at one time assumed to be rudimentary gills, but have more recently been found to be simply a groove between two parallel blood vessels ( Davidheiser , Evolution and Christian Faith, pp.

240-254).

Furthermore, in the human embryo, the tongue develops before the teeth, the heart before the blood vessels, and the brain before the nerve cords. This is the opposite order that would be expected if the embryo were repeating the supposed evolutionary process. Just

recently, an instrument has been developed called a fetoscope, which can be inserted into the mother's uterus to observe and photograph the embryo as it develops. Using this instrument, scientists discovered that at every stage of its development, the human embryo is

totally human. God has programmed the embryo of each creature to start out as a single cell, and to develop into a new-born creature completely prepared to survive and thrive in the world into which it is born.

2.1.5.4 B io-chemistry

Living organisms are all similar in their bio-chemical makeup. This is to be expected because the various life systems all depends on the same or similar acids, proteins, etc. Again, similarity in bio-chemistry suggests a common Creator (i.e. the God).

2.1.5.5 Paleontol ogy

The study of fossils is used to defend evolution. Evidence for various kinds of life is found in the various rock strata, from the pre-cambrian period on. The evolutionist seeks to find evidence of continuity between, for example, man and beast, fish and fowl, and reptile

and fish. However, in the study of fossils there is as much evidence for discontinuity as for continuity. There has been found no link between man and monkey. The Bible says that there is a flesh of man and a flesh of beast (1 Corinthians 15:39). The evolutionist cannot

provide the link and the Bible does not allow for such a link.

2.1.5.6 Genetics

New forms of plants and animals have supposedly been seen to arise suddenly in nature, suggesting the emergent evolution, or sudden changes whereby new life forms have appeared. This is the study of heredity and variations among related organisms. And is this not

an argument for evolution?

DNA research is one of the latest arguments demonstrating the impossibility that any new life forms could be established by chance. The laws of Mendel still govern the variations and possibilities afforded by genes and chromosomes within each life form. It bears

repeating that in no way does DNA research demonstrate the possibility of going from one life form to a higher one in any sudden change.

It is readily acknowledged that mutations do take place, but they will not turn a monkey into a man. Further, some types of changes tend to make the organism less well suited for its environment, thereby threatening its very survival. As we know that some diseases are

caused by mutation of genes. Finally, after generations of testing with the fruit fly, there have been no transmutations. There has not been, nor can there be, any crossing over of the "kinds" of Genesis 1. Man is a special species, he did not come from the beast.

2.1.5.7 Conclusion

In Darwin's generation it was confidently expected that more extended geological and biological research in subsequent decades would uncover the transitional forms of life which would bridge the gap between the various orders and phyla. But most twentieth-century

scientists have completely despaired of this search. The Darwinian theory of evolution is now abandoned by most foremost scientists today.

Evolution as a philosophy of world view really involves an outright denial of spiritual reality even as it rejects the existence of a personal God. In view of such factors as these, it seems a very dubious procedure for a convinced Christian who means to be loyal to the

authority of Scripture to acknowledge himself an evolutionist. For a Christian, there is no alternative to identifying natural selection with divine selection.

For further discussion on the fallacies of the theory of evolution, please study Chapter 6 and Chapter 9 of the course: Apologetics and Chapter 6, of the course: Systematic Theology.

2.1.6 The antiqui ty of the human race

While no dates are given in the Bible for the creation of Adam, the genealogical tables from Adam to Christ (see Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Genesis 5:3-31; 11:10-32) would lead us to believe that the origin of man took place between 4000 BC and 8000 BC.

Archbishop Ussher (AD 1581 - 1656) worked out a series of dates from the genealogies in the Bible and concluded that the world was created in 4004 BC (Note: The chronology calculated by Archbishop Ussher which is found in many English Bibles is not a part of the

original text, should be treated as a reference instead of the Word of God.).

Since the first discoveries of the fossils and artifacts of prehistoric man back in the 1850s, the antiquity of the human race has provided a problem of reconciliation with the Genesis record. According to modern estimates the so-called Swanscombe man (found in Kent,

England), the Pithecanthropus (found in Java) and the Sinanthropus (found in Peking, China) lived anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 years ago. The radiocarbon analysis of the more recent find indicates strongly an age of at least 50,000 years.

There are three solutions proposed by Bible scholars in order to solve this problem, they are:

1. They were pre-Adamic human-like creatures;


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2. They were human beings other than Adam's line; and

3. The dating estimates were based upon faulty methodology and misinterpretation.

2.1.6.1 Pre-Adamic hum an-like creatures

Evolutionists point to fossil human-like beings as evidence of evolution. Some explain this fossil evidence by saying that a race of creatures existed before Adam was created. Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, the theory goes, there was a gap of time during which a great

catastrophe destroyed the world. These creatures, created in 1:1, became extinct or were destroyed during the gap between 1:1 and 1:2.

This time span is considered to be quite large (millions of years) and is also reputed to encompass the so-called "geologic ages." Proponents of this theory also postulate that a cataclysmic judgment was pronounced upon the earth during this period as the result of the fall

of Lucifer (Satan) and that the ensuing verses of Genesis chapter 1 describe a re-creation of the earth from a chaotic state and not an initial creative effort on the part of God.

This theory can be traced back to the 19th century when the new discipline of geology was breaking upon the scientific scene. Theologians were in no intellectual position to argue, from a scientific basis, the claims of the geologists that the processes responsible for the

formation of the surface features of the earth were occurring at almost imperceptibly slow rates as they had always done in the past (the principle of uniformity). Rather than accept the accusation that the Biblical record was no longer valid in the light of "scientific"

claims, they chose to accommodate the Scriptural presentation to these new geological theories. A place had to be found for the vast ages of the past, the most accommodating place was between the two aforementioned verses of Genesis.

Creation as we know it began with Genesis 1:2. Its "gap" creates a problem with Romans 5:12 which teaches that death entered the world with Adam, not before. Added to this are the claims of 1 Corinthians 15:21,22 that by "man came death" and "as in Adam all die."

It is seen from these Scriptures that death on the earth did not precede Adam's sin, but resulted from it. To insist that anything died prior to the judgment passed upon Adam is to be in contradiction with these passages in Romans and Corinthians.

2.1.6.2 Human beings other than Adam's lin e

The proposal is that Adam was not the first man created by God. Adam was merely the first man created by God during the re-creation (or renovated) week as recorded in the book of Genesis Chapters 1-2. In other words, before the earth was re-created or renovated,

there were human beings existing in the earth. Proponents of this solution claim that it not only solves the problem of the antiquity of the human race, but also it explains the source of wives for the descendants of Adam.

But the clear implication of Genesis 1:26 is that God was creating a qualitatively different being when he made Adam (for note that the word rendered "man" in Genesis is the Hebrew 'Adam), a being who was uniquely fashioned in the image of God. Only Adam and his

descendants were infused with the breath of God and a spiritual nature corresponding to God Himself. Romans 5:12-21 demands that all mankind subsequent to Adam's time, at least, must have been literally descended from him, since he entered into covenant

relationship with God as the representative of the entire race of man. This indicates that there could have been no true genetic relationship between Adam (the first man created in the image of God) and the human-like creatures (such as: Cro-Magnon, Swanscombe,

Pithecanthropus and the Sinanthropus). However close the skeletal structure of the Cro-Magnon man (for example) may have been to Homo sapiens. Adam, then, was the first man created in the spiritual image of God, according to Genesis 1:26-27.

2.1.6.3 Dating estimates were based upon faulty methodology and misinterpretation

Recent research prove that all of these dating estimates were based upon faulty methodology and it may conceivably be that these earlier anthropoids will have to be dated as much more recent ( Leakey, National Geographic, Chapter 15, n. 12, October 1961). But what

do recent scientific facts tell us? They declare that our planet is only a few thousand years old. The common problems of all radioactive dating methods are as follows:

1. G.T. Emery discovered that long half-life radioactive elements do not have consistent half-lives! This would be like having a clock, with one "sixty minutes" actually eight minutes long, with another two days in duration.

2. F.B. Jeaneman noted that just one catastrophe, such as a worldwide flood, would throw all the dating clocks off. Immense contamination of all radioactive sources would occur; there would be major shifting of rock pressure and reversals in earth's magnetic core.

3. All aside from contamination and other problems, everything hinges on unchanging decay rates. But H.C. Dudley noted five ways they could change. Dudley actually changed the decay rates of 14 different radioisotopes by means of pressure, temperature, electric

and magnetic fields, and stress in molecular layers. He also cited research by Westinghouse laboratories which changed the rates simply by placing inactive iron next to radioactive lead.

(Note: For the latest scientific evidences which prove that the earth is actually very young, please study Section 5 of Chapter 7 of the course: Apologetics.)

Evolutionists believe that humans evolved from ape-like creatures, beginning millions of years ago. Evolutionists' faith in their theory makes it necessary for them to believe that a tooth, or a piece of a skull, or a jawbone, or some other fossil bone came from a creature

partway between ape and man. When a person believes in something very strongly, he pays little attention to things that contradict what he believes. Often times they are certain they have found evidence that a fossil is from a creature partway between an ape and ahuman, but they are badly mistaken. Let us look at some examples of the misinterpretation of fossil bones:

I) Th e Piltdown hoax

In 1912, Charles Dawson, discovered a few fragments of a jawbone and pieces of a skull in a gravel pit near Piltdown, England. The jawbone appeared to be quite ape-like, but the teeth and the skull appeared to be quite human-like. Dawson and the English scientists

with whom he consulted were certain that all of these fossil bones were from a single individual - a creature combining human-like and ape-like features. They declared that these fossils were from a creature intermediate between ape and man that existed 500,000 years

ago. This creature became known as the famous Piltdown Man.

But in 1950, it was shown that Piltdown Man was a hoax - a fake! Someone had taken the jawbone of an ape and the skull of a modern human, treated them with chemicals to make them look old, filed the teeth with a file to make them look human-like instead of ape-

like, planted the "fossil" bones in the gravel pit, and fooled the world's greatest experts!

II ) The Neanderthal man

In 1860, the first few fossil fragments of Neanderthal Man were found in the Neanderthal Valley, in Germany. The Neanderthal people manufactured tools and weapons, and they buried their dead just like modern-day people. Furthermore, their brains were somewhat

larger than those of modern-day humans. All of this indicated that they were fully human, Homo sapiens. They did, in some ways, however, appear to be rather primitive. Their skulls were flatter than ours, some of them had rather heavy eyebrow ridges, and the skeleton

in France appeared to be hunched over, as if Neanderthal Man did not walk completely upright like you and I. Based on these findings, the Neanderthal people were declared, by evolutionists, to be subhuman ancestors of man.

A famous anatomist, Dr. Rudolph Virchow, declared that the primitive features of the Neanderthal people were not due to the fact that these people were subhuman, but were due to diseases, or pathological conditions. He pointed out that the skeleton discovered was of

an old man who couldn't walk upright because he had a bad case of arthritis! Dr. Virchow declared, further, that all of these people suffered severely from rickets (a condition caused by the lack of Vitamin D) which causes bones to become soft and deformed. X-rays of


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the fossil bones and teeth showed, just as Dr. Virchow had declared, that all of the Neanderthal people had rickets. Scientists finally concluded that all of the so-called primitive features of the Neanderthal people were due to pathological conditions, or diseases.

II I) Java Man, Peking Man, Cro-Magnon man

Dr. Eugene Dubois, the discoverer of Java Man and the one who first claimed that Java Man was an ancestor of man, changed his mind about 15 years before he died, and declared that Java Man was nothing more than a giant ape - more particularly, a giant gibbon. In

addition, scientists now agree that the once loudly proclaimed Cro-Magnon Man was identical to a modern European.

IV ) Apes from man?

Recently, an astounding development has taken place. In the last few years, several evolutionists have declared they now believe that rather than man evolving from apes, apes evolved from humans! This theory is exactly opposite of the evolutionary idea that man

evolved from apes. The reason two such contradictory theories can be arrived at from the same set of evidence, is that these scientists begin with a basic assumption that is wrong - that is, that evolution has taken place. If fossil evidence is viewed in the light of

creation, such contradictions and problems vanish.

2.1.6.4 Conclusion

According to the above reasons and examples, it is clear that the Bible is the most reliable record of the origin of human race and therefore we should believe that the origin of man took place between 4000 BC and 8000 BC.

For further discussion on the origin of human race, please study Chapter 9 of the course: Apologetics.

2.2 The Fall of Man (3-4)

Chapters 3 and 4 occupy a cause-effect relationship to one another. Chapter 3 shows the process by which sin originated in the human race. Chapter 4 shows the awful implications of that act.

2.2.1 The origin of sin (3)

The process of temptation is an instructive one since Satan uses the same tactics with us today. He implies to Eve that God's restriction regarding the tree is because of a selfish motive on God's part.

God knows that you will be just like He is, Satan suggests in verse 5, and this is the reason for the command regarding the tree. God is withholding something good. In planting this doubt concerning the character of God he also impugns the Word of God. "You will not

die," Satan states (3:4), in contradiction to what God has already clearly said. Thus tempted, the woman yields and brings a fourfold judgment upon:

1. herself;

2. Adam;

3. the serpent; and

4. even upon the physical environment in which the sin occurred.

With the word of judgment there is also a promise. In 3:15 we have what is usually called the "protevangelium" (first announcement of the gospel). This is the first promise of a coming redeemer. The "seed of the woman," Jesus Christ, will ultimately triumph over the

satanic forces which are so evident in the chapter. With the advent of sin, a cure is promised by God.

2.2.2 The Outcome of Sin (4)

The narrative of chapter 3 describes how sin has originated in the human race and destroyed the ideal conditions of chapter 2. Chapter 4 now pursues the implications of this fact and reveals the effects that sin will produce. In 4:1-15 we have the effect of sin on the

individual, and in 4:16ff., we see the results of sin on society. The first part of the chapter describes the sin of Cain in murdering his brother. Sin has so affected man that his depraved fallen nature will stop at nothing. A heart of envy leads to murder. This is what sin has

produced individually.

In 4:16ff., we see what sin has produced collectively in society. A description is given of a proud self-sufficient society. This Cainite civilization is cultured, industrious, and progressive in many ways. But it is a society that excludes the spiritual and has no time for God.

2.3 The Disaster of the Flood (5-9)


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2.3.1 Events before the F lood (5-6)

The human race now consists of two lines, a godless line stemming from Cain (4:16-24) and a godly line originating with Seth (4:25-26). Chapter 5 traces the history of the godly line.

One is immediately struck with the long life span of many of these men. Many in this list lived over 800 years. The most plausible explanation for this is that the atmospheric conditions before the Flood kept out environmental radiations and enabled men to live longer.

It is due to God's judicial dealing with mankind in the Flood. During the Flood, God significant altered the atmospheric conditions so that after the Flood the life span plunges downward at a remarkable rate.

An ungodly union between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" precipitates the Flood in 6:1-8. The increased wickedness leads God to choose a man, Noah, and through him, to build an ark . The material to be used is gopher wood (6:14) which apparently was

a hard, durable substance which would withstand water. The measurements are given in 6:15. The ark was approximately 450 feet in length, 75 feet in width and 45 feet in height.

2.3.2 Events durin g the Flood (7-8)

Noah and his family are invited into the ark and the door is shut. The water comes from the atmosphere above as well as from "the fountains of the deep" (7:11). This latter source refers to subterranean pockets of water that rose to the surface.

In chapter 8, the waters begin to subside. God uses a wind to dry up much of this water and return it to the atmosphere (8:2). Great topographical changes in the earth's surface also undoubtedly took place, trapping much of this water in what are our oceans today. It is

still more than a year before Noah can venture out of the ark and build an altar (8:20-22).

See below table for a summary of the time periods of the Flood:


Time Periods of the Flood

DATE NUMBER OF DAYS EVENT REFERENCE

Month 2 Day 10 Waited 7 Entered the ark. 7:4, 10

Water prevailed 150 days (7:24)

*Month 2 Day 17 Lasted 40 Rain began. 7:4-6, 11, 12

Month 3 Day 26 End of 40 Rain stopped. 7:4, 11

*Month 7 Day 17 End of 150 Ark rested on Ararat. 7:24; 8:4

Water receded 150 days (8:3)

*Month 10 Day 1 Waited 40 Tops of mountains visible. 8:5-6

Month 11 Day 10 Waited 1 Raven sent. 8:7

Month 11 Day 11 Waited 7 Dove sent; returns. 8:8-9

Month 11 Day 19 Waited 7 Dove sent; returns with olive leaf. 8:10-11

Month 11 Day 27 - Dove sent; does not return. 8:12

Month 12 Day 17 End of 150 Water fully receded. 8:3

Drying of earth*Month 1 Day 1 - Covering of ark removed. 8:13

*Month 2 Day 27 - Earth dry; left ark. 8:14-19

Statistics

One month equals 30 days.

Total time elapsed in the ark = 1 year and 17 days = 360 + 17 = 377 days

7 days waiting + 150 days (water prevaling) + 150 days (water receding) + 70 days (earth drying) = 377 days

(Note: *Date notation specifically mentioned in Scripture. All others are derived.)

2.3.3 Events after the F lood (9)

Noah receives some new instructions when he steps out of the ark. He is entrusted with the responsibility of human life, the highest prerogative of human government. God thus begins a new economy or dispensation and commands Noah to take a human life when a

murder has been committed. This is a principle which has never been abrogated and thus should be enforced today. Noah's life ends in drunkenness and disgrace in the latter part of this chapter. As a result of the impropriety of his sons, Canaan is cursed.

2.3.4 Debate over the F lood

The Flood account has become the subject of intense scrutiny by Bible scholars and scientists alike. Many issues have been discussed but only two problems will be mentioned here.

2.3.4.1 The identity of th e " sons of God"

It is stated in 6:2-5 that one of the major factors leading to the wickedness before the Flood was the marriage of the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men." The identity of these sons of God has been a matter of controversy. Two major interpretations are given here:

1. Many feel that they were angelic creatures who cohabited with humans to produce a hybrid race of "giants" (6:4). The support for this is that the phrase "sons of God" is used of angels in such passages as Job 2:1; 38:7; etc. New Testament passages such as 1 Peter


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3:18-22 and Jude 6-7 also seem to indicate that fallen angels had a part to play in the wickedness of Noah's day. The word "giants" (KJV) or literally "fallen ones" in 6:4 is also used to support this view of a superhuman race.

2. A factor against this view is the context. Chapter 4 traces the ungodly line and chapter 5 the godly line. In chapter 6, we see a union of the lines, and the phrase "sons of God" would most naturally refer to the godly line of Seth just mentioned in the previous

chapter. The term "giants" in no way connotes a superhuman race. The word as stated above means literally "fallen ones." The word could be easily translated "attackers," "robbers," "bandits."

Thus, it seems best to interpret the "sons of God" as the fallen angels. The New Testament references do imply demonic activity as being part of the cause of this sin. For further discussion on the identity of the "sons of God", please study Section 9, Chapter 23, of the

course: Systematic Theology.

Other interpretations are also proposed by Bible scholars, they are summarized in below table:


Identity of the "Sons of God" (Genesis 6:1-2)

MATERIAL DISTINCTION THEOLOGICAL DISTINCTION SOCIAL DISTINCTION NO DISTINCTION

SONS OF GOD Fallen angels Godly line of Seth Dynastic rulers Royal heroes of old

DAUGHTERS OF MEN Mortals Line of Cain Commoners Any woman

OFFENSEMarriage between

supernatural and mortalMarriage of holy to unholy Polygamy

Right of the first night: king, acting in place of deity,

could spend first night with any woman getting married

(fertility rite).

EVIDENCE

1. The term "sons of God" refers only to angels (Job 1;

38:7; Psalm 29:1; 89:7).

2. Jude 6-7 perhaps refers to this incident (See also 2

Peter 2:4).

3. It is the clear reading of the text.

4. The Septuagint in Job 1 reads "angels of God."

5. Christ says angels do not marry; doesn't say "cannot."

1. The concept of a holy line is seemingly established

(Genesis 4:26).

2. Hebrew indicates continuity from the previous chapter.

3. The sin here becomes a common theme throughout the

Pentateuch.

1. Magistrates or rulers often referred to as gods

(Exodus 21:6; 22:8-9, 28; Psalm 82:1, 6).

2. Kings sometimes called sons of deities (2 Samuel

7:14).

1. Ancient kings were regularly portrayed

as sons of God.

2. Practice attested in Gilgamesh Epic (Psalm 4:4)

as offensive.

3. Matches language of text: took wives,

whichever they chose.

PROBLEMS

1. Lends mythological tone.

2. Angels were not previously mentioned.

3. Why is man punished by the Flood for the wickedness

of angels?

4. New Testament support is questionable.

1. The term "sons of God" never means t his elsewhere.

2. No evidence that the lines are kept totally separate.

The theory does not account for Adam and Eve's other

children.

3. God has not yet begun working through one line (No

concept of election).

4. The term for men is general. It would need further

classification to be understood otherwise.

5. In Noah's time he alone was holy.

1. Kingship is not expressed in any way.

2. Scripture never speaks of kings in a group as sons

of deity.

3. Needs the connection of v. 4, but the "mighty

men" are the Nephilim, not the children of the

union.

1. Scripture never speaks of kings in a group as

sons of deity.

2. "Right of the first night" is not widely attested in

Ancient Near East.

2.3.4.2 The Extent of th e Flood

The arguments for and against the extent of the Flood are summarized in below tables:

(Source: Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament, Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, 1994 Revised and Expanded Edition, pp. 100-101, by John H. Walton)

Extent of the Flood: Part 1

UNIVERSAL FLOOD: EVIDENCE LOCAL FLOOD: REBUTTAL

The language of the account over and over expresses totality (Genesis 7:18-24).The account is from the viewpoint of the narrator, and from his perspective it is total. "All" doesn't always mean "all" (Genesis 41:57;

Deuteronomy 2:25; 1 Kings 18:10).

I f 150 days were needed for the water to recede, it must have been universal . A large-scale local f lood could take that long and, even with wind drying it , a universal f lood would take much longer.

The s ize of the a rk ind ica te s that th is was no loca l f lood . A la rge ar k was needed because of the number of an ima ls it had to house ; the si ze is no t re la ted to the ex ten t o f the flood.

If the flood was only local, why was the ark necessary at all? That is the way God chose to save. Building the ark gave Noah an opportunity to preach.

The purpose of the flood was the punishment of worldwide sin. A local flood would not do; some could have escaped. God could have made certain all flesh was destroyed without flooding the entire globe.

There are universal traditions of people with accounts of a flood.

Many don't have the tradition (e.g., Egypt); many accounts do not claim the flood was universal; there are many differences in the

various accounts.

There are world-wide traces of the flood. A universal flood is geologically supportable. Evidence is scattered, inconsistent, and unsubstantial. There is no conclusive geologic for such a catastrophe.

The promise of no future floods (Genesis 9:15) would be false if it had been only a local flood. Though local, it still could have been greater than any since. Also, the promise is for no flood "to destroy all flesh"; intent is stressed.


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A univer sa l flood i s the clear es t mean ing o f the text and has prior ity. Sc ient if ic ev idence agains t unive rs al flood i s o f such an ex ten t that secondar y read ing o f the text is necess ar y.

Ending ice ages, dissolving canopies, continental drifting, and/or changes in the angle of the earth were all used to create necessary

conditions.This argument is too theoretical and perhaps these phenomena would still be insufficient. Also, they do not explain everything.

The mountains of Ararat are high and since water seeks its own level and the ark came to rest there, they must have been covered.The ark did not land on a peak of the mountain, but somewhere in that chain. Noah and his family could not possibly have gotten

down from a peak.

Extent of the Flood: Part 2

LOCAL FLOOD: EVIDENCE UNIVERSAL FLOOD: REBUTTAL

A l ocal fl ood is indicated by the fact that the ark came to rest within 500 miles of its start ing point. God's guiding hand has accompl ished things more remarkable.

To flood the entire globe would need 8 times the amount of water now available in our system. No miracle is mentioned. Where did

it come from?

It came from an atmospheric source (canopy theory), but not that much was needed because the land was much lower, mountains

were raised after flood.

Mixing of fresh and salt water would be disastrous for fish.We don't know the adaptability of fish at that time, but even if most were destroyed, God could easily have preserved 2 of each

species.

If 8 times our present amount of water rained down, there would have been a detectable dilution of salt waters.The earth had much less water in its system before the flood, and salt water was much lower in saline content. Salt content would

quickly equalize.

T he amount o f wa te r r equi red fo r a unive rs al flood would have total ly des troyed most p lant l ife . Enough p lant l ife would have s urv ived by floa ting and by p re ser ved s eeds.

There would be g reat di ff icu lty not on ly in storing enough food , but in the actua l ca ring fo r the an ima ls. It is suggested that most , i f not al l, of the anima ls hibe rnated to some ex tent .

The biblical record concerns itself only with those peoples interacting with Israel. Other lands were not involved. The biblical record implies that the earth was populated by the descendants of Noah (see also Luke 17:26-30 and 2 Peter 2:5).

Noah did not go to Africa, China, etc., to preach repentance. The tone of the passage is local. We are nowhere told that Noah spoke to everyone affected by the flood. Noah alone found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

The fossil sequence in geologic strata worldwide show little variation from what would be expected. A universal flood would have

caused hopeless shuffling.The sequence is often reversed. Also, fossil sequencing is based on the evolutionary model, which is here rejected.

(Note: The evidence and rebuttals presented are not purported by their mere presentation to be scientifically accurate. The chart only represents the arguments on each side, not a certification of their factuality.)

Several decisive factors would indicate that the Flood was universal and covered the whole earth:

1. The narrative emphasizes that all the high mountains under heaven were covered (cf. 7:19-20).

2. The duration of the Flood necessitates its universal character. Noah and his family were in the ark more than a year. If the Flood were local in character such a long period would be unnecessary.

3. The words of Peter in 2 Peter 3:3-7 compare the Flood with God's future judgment of the earth by fire. God's future judgment of the earth will certainly not be local in character.

For further discussion on the Flood, please study Chapter 11 of the course: Apologetics.

2.4 The Tower of Babel (10-11)

The story of the Tower of Babel is prefaced in chapter 10 with the Table of Nations. This is a record of the descendants of the three sons of Noah:

1. Shem;

2. Ham; and

3. Japheth.

These three branches become the three basic divisions from which the rest of humanity springs.

The Tower of Babel is an attempt to found a religion apart from God. It demonstrates man's basic insecurity in needing to establish such a tower for protection (11:4). It also reveals an attitude of rebellion and a desire for independence. God moves in judgment and

confuses their language. This forces the human race to scatter abroad, something they were unwilling to do themselves.

See below map for the distribution of the earliest nations:

(Source: Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament , Chicago: Moody Press, 1978 Edition, p. 72, by Irving L. Jensen)

Distribution of the Earliest Nations (Genesis 10)


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2.5 Conclusion (1-11)

This brings the first part of Genesis to a close. Man has demonstrated in every instance that he will assert his independence if he is given the opportunity. Man by himself will not meet God's requirements. God must now take the initiative and move in grace withAbraham.

3. GENESIS 12-50

The contents of Genesis could be summarized in three words:

1. generation;

2. degeneration; and

3. regeneration.

We have seen God's generation in the creation account of chapters 1 and 2.

The degenerating effects of sin are seen first in the individual (chapter 3), then in the family (chapter 4), and ultimately in nations (chapters 6 and 11).

God's word of regeneration begins in chapter 12. He starts with a chosen individual. From this individual emerges the chosen family and ultimately the chosen nation, Israel. Such is the course of events in chapters 12 through 50.

It would be helpful here to recall the major facts of the book.

1 - 11 12 - 50

Four Great EventsFour Great Individuals

Creation

Fall

Flood

Babel

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

Joseph

These four individuals in chapters 12 through 50 demonstrate how God now works in history to accomplish what man cannot do. We encounter four diverse personalities and yet each becomes a fitting instrument for the divine purpose.

3.1 Abraham (12-25)

Romans 4:20 forms a fitting epitaph for the life of Abraham. We read: "Yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God." Abraham is uniquely seen as the man of faith. The above statement in


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Romans does not imply that Abraham never made a mistake. However, it does indicate that the general status of his life was one of increasing dependence upon God. The life of Abraham can be summarized around three great mountain-peak experiences.

3.1.1 The call of Abram ( 12-14)

God's initial revelation to Abram is given in 12:1-3. He is told to leave his country kindred, and father's household. God also reveals certain unconditional promises to Abram. The formal ratification of these promises is reserved for chapter 15, and we will examine the

nature of God's covenant with him more closely at that point. Certain factors should, however, be noted here:

1. Some of the promises are individual and relate to Abraham personally. An example of this is verse 2: "I will bless thee, and make thy name great."

2. Other promises are national in their character such as: "I will make of thee a great nation."

3. Finally there are universal promises such as that which prophesies a Messiah: "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

Abram's response to God's command is immediate but his obedience is incomplete. He leaves home for an uncertain destination (cf. Hebrews 11:8) but takes some of his family with him. The presence of his father, Terah, necessitates a stop at Haran. After the death of

Terah, Abram proceeds on to the Promised Land (cf. Genesis 11:31-32; 12:4; Acts 7:2-4). It is evident that the presence of his father slowed him down on his pilgrimage as he does not feel free to enter Canaan until after Terah's death. Incomplete obedience is always a

deterrent in pursuing the will of God. Abram finally enters Canaan about 2091 B.C.

Under the pressure of a famine, Abram forsakes the land of promise and travels to Egypt. He lies about his wife, Sarah, and states that she is his sister. Sarah finds herself in the household of Pharaoh, and it requires the direct intervention of God to free Abram and his

wife from this situation. We see here that God intervenes to protect the promise He has made in the first part of the chapter. Sarah is the one through whom the promised seed will come.

Abram faces a domestic crisis when he returns to Canaan again. There is not enough room for the flocks of Lot and Abram to dwell together, and Abram gives Lot his choice of the land. Lot chooses the area of Sodom and settles there.

Lot is a spiritual contrast to Abram since they live on the basis of two opposing principles. Lot is a man of sight, while Abram is a man of faith. Several observations can be made concerning Lot:

1. Material advancement was the prime consideration in every choice he made. In this chapter he chooses Sodom simply because it is financially and materially attractive.

2. Lot had not learned to be spiritually independent. In the company of Abram, Lot conducts himself properly. Once on his own, he yields to the pressure of his environment and accepts the morals of Sodom.

3. Lot did not learn through trouble. In chapter 14, he is captured and deported from Sodom. Only the intervention of Abram saves him, but Lot still will not see the dangers. He goes back and settles down in Sodom once again.

In contrast to Lot, Abram continues to live in dependence on God and is reminded again of God's promise of the land (13:14-16).

3.1.2 The covenant of Abraham (15-21)

God now officially ratifies the promises He made to Abram in chapter 12. The customary ceremony was to divide the pieces of a sacrifice into two parts and then for the two parties to walk through them. This act formally sealed the transaction. In this case God puts

Abram into a deep sleep and moves through the pieces alone. This demonstrates that the covenant was entirely dependent upon God for its fulfillment and not upon Abram.

The Abrahamic covenant is usually called an unconditional covenant because its fulfillment is not conditioned on man's faithfulness but on God's. Several factors support the unconditional nature of the covenant:

1. There are no conditions stated here in Genesis 15 where the covenant is formally instituted.

2. In times of greatest disobedience, the covenant is reaffirmed (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-37). If the covenant were conditioned on man's obedience, it would undoubtedly have been annulled by the time of Jeremiah.

3. The covenant is called an eternal covenant (Genesis 17:7, 19). There may be delays, postponements and chastisements, but an eternal covenant cannot, if God cannot deny Himself, be abrogated.

All this indicates then that God must fulfill the terms of this covenant. Nothing man does can cancel it.

The two aspects of the covenant stressed in this passage are the seed and the land. God emphasizes again to Abram that from his seed will come a great nation (12:4-5). The land as well is given special prominence. God reaffirms the promise of the land and specifies the

actual boundaries in verse 18. The territory is to stretch from Egypt to the Euphrates. Israel has never occupied all this land and so the future fulfillment of this promise awaits the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

These chapters now center about the promise of the seed which is soon to be fulfilled. Abram has a lapse of faith in chapter 16 and produces a child through his servant Hagar. Ishmael is the result of this union and marks the beginning of a series of problems due to

Abram's disobedience.

God gives a fresh revelation of Himself in chapters 17 and 18 as an antidote to Abraham's impatience. You will notice that Abraham's name is changed in chapter 17 from Abram (high father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). The change in name is another note of

assurance to Abraham that God will keep His promise and multiply his seed. God also gives Abraham the rite of circumsion as a sign of the covenant. The promise of God is finally vindicated by the birth of Isaac in chapter 21.

3.1.3 The Crises of A braham (22-25)

The great crisis of Abraham's life takes place when God commands him to offer up his only son. It is important to notice that God has been preparing him for this great challenge to faith by smaller tests of faith that have preceded it. Abraham's faith matures as God deals

with him progressively.

The challenge to offer up his son is all the more impressive when we realize that all of God's promises were wrapped up in Isaac. God had already made it clear that the seed would come through Isaac.

Hebrews 11:17-19 states that Abraham believed God would raise his son from the dead if necessary so that the promises would not be endangered. This constitutes the culminating challenge to Abraham's faith. It is a demonstration of the fact that Abraham's faith had


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reached maturity. He was willing to give up the thing he treasured most. However, God intervenes and provides an animal sacrifice.

Chapters 23 through 25 close out Abraham's life and overlap to some degree the life of Isaac. The death of Sarah necessitates the purchase of a burial plot. The fact that Abraham must bargain with a Hittite for such a piece of property is a reminder that the land God has

promised him has not yet become his.

Chapter 24 shows Abraham commissioning his servant to go to Nahor and find a bride for Isaac. The narrative is instructive in two ways. It reveals Abraham's concern for the preservation of the promised seed. He does not want Isaac to marry with the heathen of the land

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