Page 29 - Advanced OT Survey Revised

O. Origin of the chosen people
Israelites – a unique and peculiar nation that existed under persecution from every corner of the globe
for nearly 1900 years. They gave the world the Bible, birthed Christianity, rejected Christianity, and
contributed significantly to the world’s art, music, science, finance, etc., and yet have been despised and
rejected by many. They are a small nation that finds themselves at the crossroads and in the crosshairs
of so many of the world’s nations on so many issues. This can only be explained and understood in light
of the account of the rise of the Israelites in Genesis.

The book of Genesis is really the foundation of all true history, true science, and true philosophy. It is
the foundation of God’s revelation to mankind, as given in the Bible. No other book of the Bible is
quoted as copiously or referred to so frequently in other books of the Bible as Genesis.

In the Old Testament, Adam is mentioned by name in Deuteronomy, Job, 1 Chronicles, and Noah is
mentioned in 1Chronicles, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. Abraham is mentioned by name in 15 books of the Old
Testament and eleven of the New Testament. Jacob is named in twenty books (other than Genesis) of
the Old Testament and in at least 17 of the New Testament. In a special sense, every mention of the
nation of Israel is an acknowledgment of their foundation in Genesis. Apart from Genesis, there is no
explanation for the nation of Israel, nor consequently for all of the rest of the New Testament.

The New Testament is even more dependent on Genesis than the Old Testament. There are at least 165
passages in Genesis that are either directly quoted or clearly referred to in the New Testament. Many of
these allude to more than one so that there are at least 200 quotations or allusions to Genesis in the
New Testament.

It is significant, that the portion of Genesis which has been the object of the greatest attacks of
skepticism and unbelief, the first 11 chapters, is the portion that has the greatest influence on the New
Testament. Yet there exist over one hundred quotations or direct references to Genesis 1-11 in the New
Testament. Further, every one of these chapters is alluded to somewhere in the New Testament, and
every one of the New Testament authors refers somewhere in his writing to Genesis 1-11. On at least 6
different occasions, Jesus Christ, Himself quoted from or referred to something or someone in one of
these chapters, including specific references to each of the first seven chapters.

Further, there is not one instance where these New Testament writers referring to Genesis give even
the slightest evidence that they regard the events or persons as mere myths or allegories. Instead, they
viewed Genesis as absolutely historical, true, and authoritative.

Henry Morris said, “It is quite impossible to reject the historicity and divine authority of Genesis without
undermining and in effect repudiating the authority of the entire Bible. If the first Adam was only an
allegory, then by all logic so is the second Adam. If man did not really fall into sin from his created state
of innocence, there is no reason for him to need a Savior. If all things can be accounted for by natural
processes of evolution there is no need to look forward to a future supernatural consummation of all
things. If Genesis is not true, then neither are the testimonies of the prophets and apostles who believed
it was true. Jesus Christ, Himself becomes a false witness, either a deceiver or one who is deceived, and
His testimony concerning His own omniscience and omnipotence becomes blasphemy. Faith in the
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gospel of Christ for one’s eternal salvation is an empty mockery.”

99% of scholars attribute Moses as the author. As earlier mentioned, the book of Genesis is indeed a
book of Origins. However, the book of Genesis has two major divisions and has 50 chapters. The first 11

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