GENESIS
• PART FIVE
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BOOK OF BEGINNINGS
GOD AS CREATOR
MAN MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE
EDENTEMPTATIONSIN
THE FALL AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
GENESIS
PART FIVE
BOOK OF BEGINNINGS
GOD AS CREATOR
MAN MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE
EDENTEMPTATIONSIN
THE FALL AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
GOD’S RESPONSE
PROVIDES A COVERING (CLOTHING) FOR
MAN’S SIN
PROMISE OF A REDEEMER (ONE OF EVE’S
DESCENDANTS) – TRACED IN ALL ANCIENT
CULTURES
CAIN and ABEL
Biblical Principle: “First the natural, then the
spiritual” (1 Cor. 15:46)
CAIN KILLS ABEL, A TYPE OF CHRIST.
SETH, THE SUBSTITUTE FOR ABEL.
ADAM’S GENEALOGY
ENOCH
METHUSELAH
NOAH
“A man in God’s image, a substitute, mortal, an
acquisition, none other than God, will descend,
teaching, and will bring by his death, destruction,
and rest to the weary.”
NOAH
 ANTEDILUVIAN CLIMATE, LIFESPAN
 FALLEN ANGELS CORRUPTING MANKIND
 THE ARK
 THE FLOOD (ONE YEAR)
 ARGUMENTS FOR A WORLDWIDE FLOOD
 ARK SIGHTINGS
NOAH – A TYPE OF CHRIST
Noah is a shadow, a picture of the Messiah. What Noah did
is symbolic of the work that the Messiah would do one day.
JESUS
NOAH
•
Name means “rest”.
•
Jesus brings us into God’s rest
(Hebrews 4:1-9).
•
Was just, righteous and ‘perfect’.
•
Was just, righteous and perfect.
•
Walked with God (communed and
communicated with God).
•
Walked with God (Luke 6:12).
•
Prepared the way of salvation for
the world.
•
Prepared the way of salvation for
the world (John 14:6)
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Obeyed God.
•
Obeyed God (John 15:10, Phil 2:8).
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Offered a sacrifice to God.
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Offered a sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2).
•
God established a covenant with
Noah.
•
God established a covenant with
Christ (Heb 13:20).
THE ARK – A TYPE OF CHRIST
The Ark, similarly, is a picture of the redemptive work of Christ.
THE ARK
CHRIST
• Divine provision, not Noah’s idea.
• God chose to send His Son; man did
not find a way to save himself from
sin.
• Made of wood.
• The Cross was made of wood.
• A refuge from divine judgement.
• Christ saves us from God’s wrath.
• Only one door.
• Jesus is the only way of salvation
(John 10:9, 14:6; Acts 4:12).
GOD’S COVENANT WITH NOAH
Noah’s first action upon leaving the Ark was
to sacrifice to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
which was a sweet smell and pleasing to God
(Genesis 8:20-22).
This was most likely fairly high up on the
mountain where the Ark had rested.
GOD’S COVENANT WITH NOAH
God instituted a covenant “with all
living creatures” (Genesis 9:9-10),
which has 5 characteristics.
1. It was instituted solely by God
(Genesis 9:9).
2. The covenant was eternal
(Genesis 9:16).
GOD’S COVENANT WITH NOAH
3. God made certain promises to Noah (Genesis 9:9-17).
God will never again use a flood to destroy all life, and a flood will
never again cover the whole earth.
4. The sign of the covenant was a rainbow (Genesis 9:13-16). It is
possible that a rainbow had never been seen before if there had
been no rain, and a thick, cloudy atmosphere through which the
sun could not be seen. Alternatively, it is from this point on that
the rainbow takes on the significance of the symbol of God’s
covenant.
5. The unborn children were included in the covenant (Genesis 9:9).
POST-FLOOD CONDITIONS
Noah entered a very different world to the one he
had left 375 days earlier.
• Atmosphere had lost its watery covering.
• Land changed dramatically because of volcanic
activity (some probably still active for a while
after the flood).
• Higher sea level.
• No cities or people or animals.
• Vegetation re-growing – a fresh start.
POST-FLOOD CONDITIONS
God issued Noah with a set of instructions (similar to Adam).
• Repopulate the earth (Genesis 9:1).
• Animals would fear mankind from now on (Genesis 9:2).
• Man given permission to eat meat for the first time
(Genesis 9:3).
• Blood must not be eaten/drunk (Genesis 9:4). Blood
represented life and God used blood sacrifices as
symbolic of the cost of sin (Leviticus 17:11).
POST-FLOOD CONDITIONS
• Capital punishment was instituted for the
ultimate crime – killing a person:
destroying God’s image (Genesis 9:6).
To God, righteousness is more important
than life – which is why Christ had to die.
HAM’S SIN
First mention of wine in scripture is associated with:
Drunkenness
Shame
Curse
HAM’S SIN
Noah plants a vineyard, drinks of the wine it
produces, gets drunk and “uncovers” himself –
a Hebrew phrase which implies a deliberate
act.
Ham behaves in a manner which is either
disrespectful, mocking or malicious –
displeasing to God.
HAM’S SIN
After the effects of the wine had worn off,
Noah (sober) pronounces a prophecy from
God upon his 3 sons (Genesis 9:24-27).
NB: This was not an angry father cursing one
son and blessing the other two, but the first of
many prophesies by a father over his sons.
NOAH’S PROPHECY
Ham was cursed in a manner which suited his sin –
namely, he sinned as a disrespectful son, and so
his son Canaan was cursed.
Shem was blessed by a relationship with God
(Genesis 9:26).
Japheth was blessed by being promised an
enlargement – a physical increase in lands and
descendants.
NOAH’S PROPHECY
All 3 prophecies came true – indicative that Noah was
speaking a word from God.
All of Canaan’s descendants suffered as servants to the
descendants of his uncle’s descendants in the years to
come.
Japheth was the father of by far the greatest number of
“races” or “peoples” covering a large portion of the earth’s
surface.
Shem was an ancestor of the messiah, so he did indeed
have a special covenant relationship with God.
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
Japheth means “extender” or “enlarger”.
He is probably the Japetus whom the Greeks thought
was the father of the human race. Also possible that
the Roman “Jupitor” derives from Japheth.
Japheth had 7 sons (Genesis 10:2-5).
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
1. GOMER (“completion”): Gauls, Celts, Cimmerians.
Gomer had 3 sons (Ashkenaz, Riphath, Togarmah):
it is generally believed that these 3 sons produced the
Germans
French
Welsh
Irish
Britons
Anglo Saxons
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
2. MAGOG (“increase”): Scythians, Tartars.
Magog is the general name of the country north
of the Caucasus mountains, which are between
the Black and Caspian Seas.
3. MADAI (“middle”): Medes and Persians.
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
4. JAVAN (“supple”): Greeks, Syrians (Asia Minor).
Javan had 4 sons:
• Elishah
• Tarshish (“hard”)
• Dodanim – from whom came the Portuguese,
Spanish and Italians.
• Kittim – representing Cyprus and the Mediterranean
coasts.
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
5. TUBAL (“production”):
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Iberians
Georgians
Cappadocians
Other Asiatic and European races
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
6. MESCHECH (“drawing out”):
 Muscovites (Russia)
7. TIRAS (“desire of parents”):
 Thracians
 Etruscans (coast of Aegean Sea)
JAPHETH’S DESCENDANTS
6. MESCHECH (“drawing out”):
 Muscovites (Russia)
7. TIRAS (“desire of parents”):
 Thracians
 Etruscans (coast of Aegean Sea)
HAM’S DESCENDANTS
Ham means “swarthy” or “dark”.
He had 4 sons (Genesis 10:6-20).
1. CUSH (“black”): Ethiopia
Cush had 6 sons:
• Seba (“old man”) – produced the Sabeans in
Yemen/Ethiopia
• Havilah
• Sabtah
• Sabtecher
• Raamah
• Nimrod (“rebel”)
HAM’S DESCENDANTS
2. MIZRAIM (“double”): Egypt
Mizraim had 7 sons:
• Ludim
• Anamim
• Lehabim
• Naphtuhim
• Pathrusim
• Caphtorim
• Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines)
HAM’S DESCENDANTS
3. PHUT (“bow”): Lybia, North Arica
4. CANAAN (“low, flat”): Palestine, Phoenicia, Arabia
Canaan had 11 sons:
• Sidon (Ancient Phoenicia)
• Heth (Hittites)
• Jebus (Jerusalem)
• Amorite
• Girgashite
• Hivite
• Arkite
• Sinite
• Arvadite
• Zemarite
• Hamathite
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
Shem means “name” or “renown”.
From him all the Semitic (“shem etic”) people
trace their line.
Shem had 5 sons (Genesis 10:21-31).
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
1. ELAM (“youth”): East of Babylon and the
Persian Gulf
2. ASSHUR (“level plain”): Assyrians
3. LUD (“bending”): Asia Minor
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
4. ARAM (“high” or “exalted”): Armenians (called Syrians)
Aram had 4 children:
• Uz (“firmness”) – Northern Arabia, where Job lived
• Hul (“circle”)
• Gether (“valley”)
• Mach (“drawn”)
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
5. ARPHAXAD (“one that releases”):
Arphaxad had 8 children:
• Israelites
• Arabians
• Edomites
• Moabites
• Ammonites
• Ishmaelites
• Midianites
• Other tribes of Asia
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
ARPHAXAD’s line is the one that is followed through the
rest of scripture:
ARPHAXAD
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SELAH (“rock” or “cliff”)

EBER (“shoot”)
The word “Hebrew” probably comes from “Heber” (Eber).
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
EBER had 2 sons:
•Peleg (“division”)
•Joktan (“little”)
During Peleg’s time, the Earth was divided. The Hebrew
meaning implies a physical division, as occurs during an
earthquake. This is possibly some late shifting or resting of
the Earth’s crust as a result of settling down after Noah’s
flood, during which time the continents as we know them
today were shaped.
SHEM’S DESCENDANTS
JOKTAN had 13 sons, of whom the most well-known are
Sheba and Ophir. (Ophir famous for its gold – 1 Kings 9:28,
10:11).
From Peleg we have a family tree (Genesis 11:10-26)
leading up to Abram, upon which the rest of the book of
Genesis hinges.
Peleg  Reu  Serug  Nahor  Terah  Abram
THE TOWER OF BABEL
BABYLON
Records from this ancient city support the following
biblical statements:
• Story of 2 creations
• Flood
• Tower of Babel
• Three men in a furnace
• Cyrus’ decree to rebuild Jerusalem
BABYLON
Babylon was the product of civilized people.
They had a complex society
Highly developed school system
Mathematics
Astronomy
Water systems
Building programmes, etc.
BABYLON
The main centres of this empire were:
UR: centre of Moon worship.
BABYLON: centre of Baal worship.
HARRAN (“road”): junction of all roads from
Babylon, Egypt, Arabia and Palestine: also a centre
of Moon worship.
MESOPOTAMIA: Greek “between the rivers”
Sumerians came from the east (or north-east) to
settle here (Genesis 11:1-3).
THE TOWER
ZIGGURATS (“mountain of god”) were built as shrines
to the Moon god and goddess.
They were made of 7 stages of square bases.
Around a central tower were a number of chapels or
temples dedicated to principal gods, facing the cardinal
points.
ZIGGURATS
Reasons for building them:
• To get nearer to their god (the god of the heavens,
and the god of the mountain).
• Easier to get god’s attention from high up.
• Halfway House for the god to whom it was dedicated.
• Continuing the tradition of Noah who sacrificed on a
mountain peak (“in a zikkurat sade”) when coming out
of the Ark.
ZIGGURATS
Genesis 11:4
“Let us build a tower whose top … unto heaven” could
mean:
• “on whose top is the heavens” – various astrological
signs have been found decorating the top walls of
ziggurats
• “whose top is dedicated to the heavens”
BABEL
“Gate of God”
• It is uncertain as to which of the recently discovered
ruins was the biblical tower.
• This tower symbolises man’s religion – man’s efforts
to reach God.
• Men united to make a name for themselves, so God
created confusion by changing their language.
• Babylon, from Hebrew “balal”, means “confusion”.
BABEL
God commands mankind to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1).
Man defies this command and builds a base from which
to unify themselves (Genesis 11:4).
God gives them all a different language (Genesis 11:7).
The people scattered because they were confused
(Genesis 11:8).
THE CHURCH
Note the New Testament parallel:
• Jesus commands His disciples to preach the good
news in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and all parts of
the world (Acts 1:8).
• The Holy Spirit is poured out on the church in
Jerusalem, giving everyone a new language (Acts
2:4).
• The church was scattered by God because of
persecution (Acts 8:1).
BABYLON
Babylon symbolises an anti-Christ system
and is often contrasted with Jerusalem.
JERUSALEM
BABYLON
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Built by man (Nimrod).
•
Built by God (City of God).
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Built on a plain.
•
Heavenly city, built above.
•
Bricks are mud/slime.
•
Bricks are “living stones” – Christians.
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Prostitute/whore.
•
Bride of Christ.
GODS OF BABYLON
The early kings of Babylon and Assyria were deified
because they were regarded as God’s representatives
on earth.
Two chief gods were:
SIN (or NANNUR) – Moon god
MARDUK (or MERODACH) – Sun god
MOON GOD
SIN (or NANNUR) and his wife, NINGAL.
Moon goddess also known as ISHTAR or INNANNA.
Main centres of Moon worship were Ur and Harran.
Mountains of Sinai, and Desert of Sin were named after
the Moon god.
It was the most popular cult in Babylon.
SUN GOD
MARDUK (MERODACH), known as Lord of Babylon,
“Lord par excellence”, or Bel (Lord).
He was the chief god.
Babylon was founded by Merodach.
Merodach, from Hebrew “marad” (to rebel), became
Nimarad or Nimrod.
NIMROD
• “Mighty hunter before the Lord” implies that he
hunted men.
• He was the first world/kingdom leader.
• Ancient literature describes him as building a tower to
ascend to heaven and make war with God.
• Also claims the confusion of languages at Babel
occurred during Merodach’s time.
NIMROD
Nimrod cast victims into his annual
bonfires at the beginning of May (mid/late
spring) – similar to Medieval English “May
Day” burning of straw figures while dancing
around the central pillar. This is the origin
of Maypole dancing.
NIMROD
Two symbols used extensively:
• “ankh”
• Sun wheel
Both were used as symbols of life, particularly
in Egypt.
NIMROD
Marduk/Merodach/Nimrod had many other names in
other cultures:
• Osiris (Egypt)
• Baal (Canaan)
• Tammuz (Phoenicia)
There are many legends and myths in ancient literature
about Nimrod and his mother (Shammu-rammat, known
as Semirami in the Greek version), the only woman to
survive in the “king’s list” of ancient Babylon.
NIMROD
Nimrod’s mother is known as Ishtar or Ashteroth in the
legends, and is purported to have had unnatural
intercourse with her father. Years later she marries her
son, Tammuz (a spring god of vegetation) who is slain
one day while hunting wild boar.
Ishtar collects pieces of his dead body and travels to the
underworld to plead for her dead son to be restored to life
and returned to her. She is successful and receives him
back from the gods of the underworld – her dead son is
restored to life!
NIMROD
In Egypt the story is the same with the names changed to
Isis (mother) and Horus (son).
A central feature of the religion that sprang up around
these figures, was the annual lamentation for the death of
Tammuz.
Ezekial 8 describes the practices of these cults, with
verse 14 dealing with the weeping for Tammuz.
NIMROD
The Ishtar/Tammuz fertility cult spread worldwide and
became recognised under different names.
Ishtar was served/worshipped and became more popular
than her husband/son.
In all the religions the Mother figure goddesses were all
powerful, and had shadowy male consorts (lacking real
power), who were “husbands of their mothers”.
NIMROD
Ishtar and Isis are often depicted suckling a babe.
She was known as the “Queen of Heaven”
(see Jeremiah 7:17,18 and 44:15-19).
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
The fertility cult of Nimrod and his mother spread in
popularity and became widespread over the world. The
names of the Mother/son changed in different regions
but all the Mystery Religions had 7 things in common:
• Mother and child symbol
• Celibate priesthood
• Temple virgins, married to their god
• Intermediaries
• Two major, annual festivals
• Initiation ceremonies
• Mysteries
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
1. MOTHER AND CHILD SYMBOL
Depicted in the case of:
• Isis
• Ishtar
• Guadalupe
• Juno
• Venus
• Cybele
• Phyria
In all cases, salvation was obtained from these
goddesses through the sacrifice of a bull.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
2. CELIBATE PRIESTHOOD
The priests of the Great Mother cults all espoused
celibacy. Some, in the case of the Syrian goddess,
were eunuchs who danced and cut their bodies with
knives before her image. Others were well-organised
and serene in their devotion.
Sexual abstinence was an absolute requirement of
those who celebrated the Great Mother’s holy
mysteries.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
3. TEMPLE VIRGINS
These sometimes lived chastely, and sometimes
ended up as prostitutes in the temple – particularly
those of Innanna/Ishtar – with no stigma attached.
These “vestal virgins”/prostitutes were known as
“Entu of the Lady” (Ishtar).
The famous Vestal Virgins of ancient Rome were
required to be celibate for at least 30 years of
service.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
4. INTERMEDIARIES
The father of each house became the High priest for his family.
Each house had many gods (Hebrew – “teraphim”).
The Great Gods were too remote and too great to be
approached by ordinary mortals; thus the family needed the
teraphim (little gods) as intercessors to carry the family’s
prayers to the Great Gods.
Sometimes the people applied to the gods for help through a
priest other than the father of the household.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
5. MAJOR FESTIVALS
There were 2 major annual festivals:
Winter Solstice (21-25 December)
This festival culminated on 25 December with complete
sexual abandon. This day was celebrated because it
was perceived that the Sun god was getting stronger
again as the days began to lengthen from this time on.
The Romans celebrated this time under the name of
Saturnalia.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
Easter (Spring) Festival
Celebration of life, commemorating the fertility
goddesses (Isis, Ishtar, Ashteroth).
In the religion of Baal, Easter was preceded by 40
days of self denial.
In Roman times important Isis festivals were
celebrated on 25 December, 6 January and
5 March.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
6. INITIATION CEREMONIES
In all mystery religions the candidates swore an oath of secrecy
(oath of the Isis Mysteries is preserved on papyrus).
Before initiation into the new religion the candidate had to tell, at
length, the story of the faults of his life. Baptism was often part
of the initiation ceremony, symbolising a clean start in the
service of the god.
Sometimes initiation ceremonies involved a “marriage” to the
cult, with the priest often showing a nimbus (or halo) effect
during initiation.
MYSTERY RELIGIONS
7. MYSTERIES
•
These usually involved:
Saying prayers for the dead in the underworld
•
Burning candles and incense
•
Praying with the assistance of a string with knots,
beads or jewels
•
Recognising each other by making the sign of T (for
Tammuz).
BABYLON TO ROME
Babylon was eventually destroyed and all the
ornaments, objects and hierarchy necessary to
perpetuate the mysteries of Baal were carried off to
Pergamos (modern Pegamum).
From Pergamos they were eventually moved to a small
town on 7 hills overlooking the Tiber river – Rome.
The followers of Isis and Mithra considered Rome to
be the sacred city and the centre of their worship.
BABYLON TO ROME
It was in Rome that Christians suffered the most.
From 100 to 303 AD about 5 million Christians were
martyred by the Caesars – the entire earth was
covered in Baal worship centred in Rome.
From 303 to 313 Emperor Diocletian murdered
another 5 million Christians.
BAAL WORSHIP
References
HWF Saggs: Everyday Life in Babylonia and Assyria.
HWF Saggs: The Greatness that was Babylon.
Sir Leonard Woolley: Excavations at Ur.
Near Eastern Mythology.
ZA Ragozin: The Story of the Nations – Chaldea.
TC Pinches: The Religion of Babylon and Assyria.
DA Mackenzie: Myths of Babylonia and Assyria.
Alexander Hislop: The Two Babylons.