What makes the understanding of Genesis important to our understanding?

Some claim that the book of Genesis is merely a historical piece of evidence. The claim is partially true, but in retrospect, the history in Genesis accounts not only the historical events of humans but also God’s historical events. The history in Genesis is significant from other historical narratives. It stipulates not only people’s actions but also God’s actions in Genesis. It guides the reader in understanding their relationship as a human in the world and with God. The book of Genesis is critical in understanding who and what God is, who and what humans are, the origin of God’s relationship with His creation, the ruin of man’s and God’s relationship as a consequence of the first disobedience of God’s commandment in the Garden of Eden, the corrupted disposition of human nature following their disobedience and eviction from the Garden of Eden, how people are to worship and conduct themselves before God; God’s redemption plan through ceremonial practice and worship as a shadow of the promised seed of Jesus Christ.

From our study material, Bryan McAnally writes that “from the beginning of creation, God interacted with people and shared His plan with them . . . the first two humans disobeyed God. In doing so, they damaged their own good nature . . . they damaged their close friendship with God” (22). The first three chapters of Genesis are the most vital to man’s understanding. The first chapters specify God’s order of creation of all existence, including creating the first humans. It explains the reason for their creation, their standing in relationship with their creator, and their purpose in the world created for them. The first created humans present a genealogy of the human race before the flood. The flood becomes a pivoting moment in human history because Noah and his family are the only survivors of the flood and become the human race’s patriarchs. The genealogy then continues to the birth of Jesus Christ, fulfilling God’s decree announced in chapter three of the book of Genesis.

Works Cited

McAnally, Bryan. Indispensable Guide to Practically Everything: World Religions and What People Believe, Guideposts, 2009. ProQuest Ebook Central. Web. 07 April. 2021. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/apus/detail.action?docID=3118778.