• Title Page
• Pentateuch
  • Lesson 1: Genesis 1–11
    • The Word Outline
    • The First Great Fact
    • The Law of Recurrence
    • The Second Great Fact
    • The Third Great Fact
    • The Fourth Great Fact
  • Lesson 2: Genesis 12:1–28:15
  • Lesson 3: Genesis 28–50
  • Lesson 4: Exodus 1–19
  • Lesson 5: Exodus 20–40
  • Lesson 6: Leviticus
  • Lesson 7: Numbers 1–19
  • Lesson 8: Numbers 20–36
  • Lesson 9: Deuteronomy
• History
• Poetry
• Prophets
• Post Captivity Prophets
• Gospels, Acts
• Pauline Epistles
• General Epistles

Genesis 1-11

The object now before us is to get hold of the facts of these chapters of Genesis. We shall not do much in the way of their interpretation, indeed that is not our thought in any of these lessons. The facts must come first and interpretation afterwards. To a great extent if we get the facts the interpretation will take care of itself, for the Bible is wonderfully self-interpretative. Moreover, until the facts are clearly seen, we are not ready for interpretation. This latter also can be gathered from books which will be suggested as we go along perhaps, but the facts, the basis of all Bible study, can only be obtained by the synthetic reading of the Bible itself.

And it is only the great outline facts we are seeking. To have too many of them in our minds would defeat one of the purposes in view, which is not only to obtain, but to retain what we get. And then, too, it will be found that if the reading be done as requested in the introduction, the great facts will easily suggest and bring to mind the lesser ones related to them. Of this we shall be persuaded as we advance.

The Word Outline

What then is the first great fact in the book of Genesis? At once, you respond, “The creation of the world.” What are its chapters? Genesis 1 and 2. Now give the next great fact. “The fall,” Genesis 3. The next “The deluge,” Genesis 5-9. And the last, so far as this lesson is concerned “The dispersion of the nations,” Genesis 10-11.

The following then is our word outline of the lesson:

Creation, Genesis 1-2. Fall, Genesis 3. Deluge, Genesis 5-9. Nations, Genesis 10-11.

Only four words, but if we have done the reading asked they will suggest to us the general details that group themselves under each one. Let us see if this is not true.

The First Great Fact

What does the word “creation” suggest? Can you state the events of the six days in their order? Here they are:

Light. Firmament. The Dry Land. Light-holders. Fish and Fowl. Cattle and Man.