How to study Genesis…

When it comes to the first book of the Bible I used a more holistic studying approach. I would study the narrative as a whole and then break into chunks of the beginning middle and end. I have never studied the book of Genesis by putting it into two sections. This makes the book and the entire Bible make more sense to me. This book is a problem-solution text; which, helps us understand how the world is going to end up.
By identifying how the two sections of Genesis connect we can understand mankind’s underlying problem with our existence and then have hope in our redeemer to be restored back as God intended! Of course, Chapters 1 through 11 deals with the cosmic problem, but in the beginning God created the world and all things that exists. Then, Adam and Eve made the ultimate bad decision. In Chapter three God punishes them and all of mankind by removing them from their perfect life. Then, from chapters one to eleven we see the snow ball effect of consequences. This cosmic problem effects us in everything; such as, our domestics, sociological, and ecological.
I learned the second section of Genesis begins in chapter 12. The cosmic problems for mankind began with Adam and Eve, but chapter 12 leads us into the next order of solution. The genealogy points to Abram and how he ended up with Haren. The hurdles mentioned in this section give me hope for the solution and praise for our redeemer. I’m glad that the author included the good, bad, and ugly for us to learn from. I glad God did not do away with mankind, but God will fix it! Overall, the understanding of Genesis it sets me up for the full focus of the redemptive plan through Jesus.