As its name implies, Genesis is a book of origins. In it we are told of the origin of the universe, the beginnings of the human race and the birth of the Israelite nation. But it is more than an early record of origins. It is part of God’s Word to us, what the apostle Paul calls ‘God-breathed’ Scripture. Here we are given infallible instruction concerning where we all came from and why things are the way they are.
The book of Genesis is also crucially important for our understanding of the rest of Scripture. It introduces us to the true and living God, to the beginnings of sin, its consequences and how it has affected the whole created order. It also tells of God's grace and of his promises to bless a world of lost sinners under God's curse. We are introduced to God's covenant with Abraham and to the great plan of salvation for all nations. The book is a signpost to the fulfillment of these promises of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, the redemption he achieved and the new covenant he established through his atoning death.
