Unveiling Genesis: The Historical Truth Believed by Bible Authors

Genesis: The Historical Account Believed by Bible Authors

The book of Genesis is often seen as a theological text rather than a historical account. Some argue that its purpose is to teach us about God as our Creator and that we should not focus too much on the details. However, if we cannot trust the details in Genesis, such as the creation of the world and the global flood, why should we trust its teachings about God? In other parts of the Bible, events, people, and timelines from Genesis are treated as historical facts rather than allegories or symbols.

What does the rest of the Bible say?

Adam and Eve's Unique Creation and Timing Were Important to Jesus

When teaching about marriage, Jesus referred to Adam and Eve as the first man and woman who became one flesh in marriage. He quoted from Genesis (1:27; 2:24) to emphasize the foundation of marriage being between one man and one woman. This stands in contrast to the idea of humans evolving from apelike ancestors. It is important to understand that Jesus believed Adam and Eve were created at the beginning of creation, not billions of years later.

The Length of Creation Week Was Important to God

In the Ten Commandments, which God Himself wrote with His own finger, the fourth commandment states that we should remember the Sabbath day. This commandment is given because God rested on the seventh day after creating everything in six days. The length of time is clearly significant; otherwise, this commandment would be nonsensical. If the creation days were long periods of time, then logically, the workweek days should have been equally long. But "six billion years of work and one billion years of rest" wouldn't have the same meaning.

The Entrance of Death Into the World through Adam's Sin Was Crucial to Paul's Gospel

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul explains his gospel and the centrality of Jesus' resurrection. He states that just as death came through Adam, so life comes through Christ. Adam's sin resulted in death for all people (Romans 5:12-19). Therefore, the Last Adam, Jesus, solved this problem by living a sinless life, dying for our sins, and rising from the dead. Jesus physically rose from the dead (He was flesh and bones: Luke 24:39). Thus, there must have been a physical aspect to the death that came through Adam. He had to return to the dust from which he was made (Genesis 3:19).

Jesus' Ancestors Were Important to Luke

In Luke's Gospel, chapter three, Luke traces Jesus' genealogy from Mary all the way back to Adam. There is no indication whatsoever that at any point historical figures end and mythological ones begin. All are treated as equally historical—none are myths. This includes Adam, who was created directly by God and not the product of many ape-like ancestors or a "primordial soup" (Luke 3:38).

This is essential for Paul's teachings, as we saw earlier. It is also crucial for redemption. The prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah as a "kinsman-redeemer," someone who was related by blood to those he redeemed (Isaiah 59:21 uses the same Hebrew word [gôēl] used to describe Boaz's relationship to Ruth). The book of Hebrews explains how Jesus became human to save humanity, not angels (Hebrews 2:12-18). Only descendants of Adam can be saved because only they can be blood relatives of the Last Adam.

Cain and Abel Were Real People to John

In 1 John 3:12, John references Cain as a real person who committed evil by killing his brother Abel. John uses this example to illustrate real evil when teaching about good and evil.

Creation Order Was Important to Paul

Paul teaches a lot about the roles of men and women in the church. He bases his teachings on the historical events recorded in Genesis. He writes, "For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man" (1 Corinthians 11:8-9). Here, Paul affirms the historicity of Genesis. God created Adam first, who named all the land-dwelling animals that God had made. Then God made Eve from Adam's rib—Eve was not a developed ape-like human! Later, Paul remarks, "Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as Woman was made from Man, so Man is now born of Woman" (1 Corinthians 11:11-12). Paul is once again teaching from the events of Genesis. Adam named his wife Eve because she would become the "mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20).

Jesus Compared His Coming Judgment to Noah's Days

Jesus spoke about His coming judgment by comparing it to the days of Noah: "Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26-27). Here, Jesus speaks of Noah as a real person, the ark as a real ship, and the flood as a real event that destroyed everyone outside the ark.

Peter Warned of Coming Judgment by Comparing It to Noah's Flood

Peter also warns about an impending judgment, comparing it to the flood. He even states that one characteristic of scoffers is their deliberate ignorance of two key events: the real creation of the world through water and the judgment that came through water (2 Peter 3:3-7).

Why This Matters

Understanding the historical accuracy of Genesis is crucial for several reasons:

1. It affirms Jesus' teachings on marriage, emphasizing its foundation as one man and one woman.
2. It supports Paul's teachings on the entrance of sin and death through Adam and the redemption brought by Jesus.
3. It provides the basis for understanding the roles of men and women in the church.
4. It confirms the coming judgment, just as Jesus and Peter warned, using Noah's flood as an example.

Think About It

If we deny the historical accuracy of Genesis, it has significant implications for our understanding of key Christian doctrines. How would we proclaim the gospel to indigenous people in Australia if they had been living there for 40,000 years? How could they be descendants of Adam and Eve? How could they be blood relatives of Christ and receive salvation? Denying a global flood also undermines the future judgment warned by Jesus and Peter. It is important to consider how our understanding of Genesis impacts our overall worldview and interpretation of Scripture.

In conclusion, the book of Genesis is not merely a theological text but a historical account believed by the authors of the Bible. The events, people, and timelines described in Genesis are treated as real history throughout the rest of Scripture. Understanding this historical reality is foundational to our faith and shapes our understanding of key Christian doctrines.