The Book of Genesis
Course Description
This online course is an introduction to the Book of Beginnings which will help you to understand God’s plan of redemption and help you discover the relationship and importance of the Book of Genesis to our lives. We will look at how God’s nature and character is revealed through His words and deeds, and we will look at man, what God wants him to do, and what he does. In this course, you will become familiar with the theology and major themes of the Bible, including the themes of creation, the fall, God’s covenant and His redemption. This course is offered by Trinity Video Seminary
Course Objectives
- to explain the purpose and theological outlook of the Book of Genesis;
- to gain understanding of the content of the first book of the Bible and its key themes;
- to provide profound insights into the nature of man and the world;
- to examine the differences between the biblical view and the scientific view on the origin of the universe and man;
- gain insight into how Genesis points to Christ and can be read in light of the gospel.
Course Outline
Lecture 1.Genesis 1:1. Being of God
Genesis is a Greek word that means «beginnings,» and it is an appropriate title for the first book of the Bible. It recounts the beginning of everything, except God. The Bible makes no effort to defend His existence. It is no accident that the book opens with the phrase «In the beginning God…» In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens briefly talks about the outline of the Book of Genesis and its main themes. He helps us understand atheistic arguments and teaches biblical answers to the arguments of people who don’t believe in eternal existence of God.
1.1. Introduction to Genesis. Arguments of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens
It is impossible for us to conceptualize anyone who has no beginning. «God» is a noun that cannot be modified by the word «before». In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the views of the most famous atheists of our generation: two Englishmen, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, who deny the existence of God. It is necessary to understand why they deny God and how the Bible and Christian position can answer their objections.
1.2. Biblical Answers to the Arguments of Atheists
No atheist wants to talk about why anything is here, because they can’t explain it. They don’t know why anything is here and how it got here. They think that Christians also have the problem of explaining the eternal existence of God. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the whole idea of atheism, looks at atheistic arguments and biblical answers to these arguments. He shows that atheists and Christians face different problems, because the whole point of God is that He is not created and everything exists because of Him.
Lecture 2. Genesis 1:1-31. The Deeds of God
In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens begins to talk about the deeds of God. He created the heavens and earth which means in Hebrew that He created everything. Creation is always an activity of God. Whenever God spoke, His words became deeds. In this lecture the teacher also goes back to the atheists’ point of view concerning the age of the universe, explains atheistic and biblical theories about creation and discovers an interesting relationship between the first three days and the last three days of creation.
2.1. Atheistic and Biblical Theories about Creation and the Age of the Universe
There are four events which happen in the book of Genesis which mean that we can’t take accurate measurements: Creation, the Fall, the Flood and the Judgment at theTower of Babel. They changed things and could corrupt the measurements. Pastor Ronnie Stevens interprets Genesis literally and believes that the Earth is young. In this section of the lecture he talks about Christians who believe in Genesis «gap» theory because of the pressure from science. The teacher explains why this argument appealed to many Christians in the past, even though they had no scientific motivation to believe in that theory and shares some comments on Genesis 1:2.
2.2. God Created the Heavens and the Earth
In this lecture you move to Genesis 1:3-5 and will find answers to two big questions: «What is the day without the Sun?» and «In what sense can the day and night be divided?» Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the creation of the heavens and the earth and emphasizes that the universe is not the source of life and time. He thinks that time is not the inevitable product of the universe, but it is the product of God’s design.
2.3. God Created Water, Dry Land, Plants, Heavenly Lights and Living Creatures
In this lecture you are going to learn about the idea of canopy of water over the earth and will discover why the length of life became shorter after the flood. Pastor Ronnie Stevens arranges the six days of creation in two parallel columns and shows the balance and interesting relationship between them. You will also learn the first principle of theology and hear a very interesting illustration about singing humpback whales.
2.4. God Created Man in His Image
What does it mean to be created in God’s image? What distinguishes a man from animals? What is the main reality which shows that we are created in the image of God? How can you understand the creature if you deny the Creator? One of the great difficulties in non-Christian ideologies is the difficulty of defining what it means to be human. In this section of the lecture about the deeds of God Pastor Ronnie Stevens explores what the Bible teaches about a man and God’s image.
Lecture 3. Genesis 2. Creation of a Man and a Woman
There is a difference in background, scope, emphasis and perspective in the accounts of creation in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, which caused many critics to assume that two chapters come from different sources. In this lecture about the creation of human beings Pastor Ronnie Stevens clarifies that Genesis 2 is not a different account of creation, it is a concentration on the most important aspect of it.
3.1. God Prepared the World for the First Humans
The magnificent account of creation reaches its climax in the separation of the seventh day as a day of festive rest, a day to be kept as holy unto the Lord. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens speaks about the special blessing given to the seventh day, shares his thoughts about Christians who argue about the Sabbath rest and explains that Sabbath is the picture of the way we approach salvation in spiritual reality. He also talks about the meaning and geographical position of Eden, the measurement of freedom and the Creator as the law-giver. You will also learn how the book of Genesis can help us understand the spiritual reality we live in.
3.2. God-Elohim and God-Yahweh
In Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 different words are used as references to deity. The critics say that we have a different author, but Pastor Ronnie Stevens thinks that we have a deeper revelation by the same author. In this section of the lecture the teacher compares two names of God and tries to explain why God had to give the restriction about eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge.
3.3. God Created Eve and Gave Birth to the First Family
In Genesis 2:18 we see that it is not good for the man to be alone, even though God was his constant companion, supplying his spiritual needs. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the first case of surgery and anesthetics in history, when Eve was created out of the rib of Adam as a suitable helper to him. You will also learn why Genesis 2:24 is so important.
Lecture 4. Genesis 3. Fall and Its Consequences
Genesis 3 is full of spiritual lessons about sin and temptation. In this lecture about the consequences of the Fall Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the events described in this chapter and tries to answer difficult questions about God who created the world with the possibility of sin entering it. You will also discover the first case of legalism.
4.1. Satan’s Strategy and Tricks
Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible. It is both simple and profound as it gives an explanation for the moral and spiritual dilemma in which we find ourselves. Why did God allow the serpent to get into the garden? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens doesn’t give the full answer to that question, but he shares his observations on Satan’s strategy and tricks.
4.2. Popular Accounts of Creation vs Biblical Account
In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens compares other popular creation accounts with the biblical account. You are going to discover some spiritual lessons and one of them is a lesson in legalism. The teacher talks about three important features of legalism.
4.3. The Fall of Adam and Eve
Sin is inevitable when God’s Word is no longer regarded as a command to be obeyed but as an obstacle to be circumvented. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the entry of sin into the human creation. He warns about the dangers of drawing conclusions about the material creation while leaving out what God has to say about creation.
4.4. First Adam vs Second Adam. Spiritual Lessons
In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens shares the arguments of Thomas Aquinas who was famous for providing four arguments with the evidence of God’s existence. The teacher compares the temptation of the first Adam and the last Adam (Jesus Christ) and helps us to learn spiritual applications.
4.5. Alienation and Shame. First False Religion
Before Adam and Eve’s sin of disobedience there had been peace and harmony in the garden of Eden. After their disobedience the garden became a place of disharmony and contention. Sin and death, shame and alienation entered the world through the action of Adam. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the inevitable consequence of sin and disobedience and shares his thoughts on false religions.
4.6. The Consequences of the Fall for the Serpent
There are some people who mistakenly believe that the man is cursed because of the fall. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the serpent suffering the consequences of the Fall and argues that the mind is more fallen than other aspects of human being.
4.7. The Consequences of the Fall for the Woman
In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens continues to talk about the consequences of sin. Even though the woman will be the instrument of salvation for the world, there will be abiding consequences of sin. It is also important to remember that we do not inherit sin nature from Eve, we inherit it from Adam.
4.8. Redemption in the Story of Creation
Because of Adam’s disobedience the earth was placed under a curse. But the Good News is that Christ came to heal the alienation caused by sin. In this section of the lecture Ronnie Stevens wants you to notice the thorns and the thistles that cаme out of the ground and the garments of skin that God had to make for our first parents. He also shows the connection of the story from Genesis 3 to the atonement of Christ described in John 19.
4.9. Divine Consultation about Adam and the Tree of Life
In Genesis 3 we read about divine consultation about Adam and the tree of life which brings immortality. The way to the tree of life was shut. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the banishment of Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden and examines the problem with the analogies used to understand Trinity.
Lecture 5. Genesis 4-5. Adam’s Genealogy
In Genesis 4 Adam and Eve begin to have children. This is the first generation of people who were born; they could hear the voice of God and commune with Him. But this privilege was abused by Cain. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about human anger described in the Bible for the first time and explains that God’s grace doesn’t mean that there won’t be consequences of sin.
5.1. True and False Worship
In Genesis 4 we learn about the true and false way of worshipping God. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the first children of Adam and Eve who brought offerings to God. The teacher thinks that God gave sufficient instruction to both brothers about the acceptable offering, but He disapproved Cain’s sacrifice.
5.2. The Murder of Abel and the Absence of Justice on Earth
In Genesis 4 we learn about the first murder. We read series of questions in which God asks Cain to teach him a lesson, but Cain tries to cover up his sin with words. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the difficulty of accepting God’s judgment and shares the principle which helps us to respond to our own pain.
5.3. Why didn’t Enoch Die?
In Genesis 5 we read that Enoch was taken by God and made a direct transition from earth to heaven. Why was he an exception? Why was this person distinguished from other descendants of Adam? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens shares his thoughts about Enoch and comes to the conclusion that his transition is a pattern of the experience of those who will be alive when Christ comes.
Lecture 6. Genesis 6-9. The Flood and the Redеmption of Noah
In Genesis 6 the malignancy of sin and evil in the world is graphically described. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about Noah and God’s response to humankind’s destructive course. Without getting into much detail about the ark, the teacher focuses on the reasons for destroying the world and God’s covenant with Noah after the flood.
6.1. The Sons of God and the Reasons for the Flood
In Genesis 6 we read about the marriages between «the sons of God» and «the daughters of men». The relationships described in this chapter have puzzled Bible teachers from earliest times. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the sons of God and shares his belief that they are not angels.
6.2. The Sermon of Noah. Noah’s Ark
In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens explains the phenomena of anthropomorphism in Genesis 6. He talks about Noah, who obeyed God and was called the preacher of righteousness. The teacher doesn’t spend much time on the construction of the ark, but there are some interesting observations about the ark being a picture of Jesus Christ. You will also learn if the flood was local or universal.
6.3. A New Worship in a New World. God Establishes a Covenant with Noah
In Genesis 8 Noah comes out of the ark and worships God. There is a new world and a new worship. Noah offered burnt offerings on the altar and the Lord smelled the soothing aroma and made a promise. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about God establishing a covenant with Noah and a rainbow becoming the sign of the covenant.
Lecture 7. Genesis 11. The Tower of Babel
In Genesis 11 we read about an act of pride and self-exaltation on the part of men building the tower of Babel. It was a cooperative task that had something to do with religion and approach to God. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the way God judges the people for united action taken independent of God and taken in a way of defiance of God. The teacher looks at the consequences of that judgment and compares the supernatural judgment of confusion in the Old Testament with the supernatural blessing of understanding in the New Testament.
Lecture 8. Genesis 12. Calling with a Promise
In Genesis 12 we learn about Abram and his family. They were religious but they worshipped false gods. God called Abram with an audible voice and told him to leave his country. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the difficulties of travelling, when God leads only one step at a time. You will also learn about the blessing of God, His promises and His will.
8.1. Abram’s Obedience and Faith
How can we be obedient to God’s will without knowing where He leads us? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens answers this question when he talks about Abram’s obedience and faith and about God’s forgiveness, patience and grace.
8.2. God Blesses Abram
Christians do not live on explanations, Christians live on promise. Is it better to get an explanation from God or receive His promise? Pastor Ronnie Stevens thinks that the way we answer this questions depends on our maturity. When God wants to do something great in someone’s life, He makes them go somewhere else. In this section of the lecture you will explore Genesis 12 and learn more about Abram’s obedience and worship.
8.3. God’s Grace and Abram’s Lie
God promises Abram a blessing and then leads him to a place where there is a famine. Abram had everything he wanted but God brings him to a place of dependence on Him. How can this be a blessing? Was it right for Abram to go to Egypt? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens answers these questions and talks about the reasons people should cry out to God.
Lecture 9. Genesis 13. Abram and Lot Separate; God Gives More Information about His Promise
Was Abram right when he took Lot with him in Genesis 13? In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the conflict between the uncle and the nephew and helps to see some life-applications for conflict management. The teacher compares Lot to a carnal believer in the New Testament. Why then is Lot mentioned as a righteous man in the New Testament? Watch this lecture to find it out.
Lecture 10. Genesis 14. Spiritual Implications of Abram’s Victory; Melchizedek is the Perfect Picture of Christ
In Genesis 14 war is mentioned for the first time in the Bible. Lot made his choice and took the best of the land. But when he gets in trouble and the righteous Abram has to go to war and risk his life to rescue him and bring back everything and everybody. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens points out that the second Adam retrieves more than the first Adam has lost. The teacher also talks about knowing God and worshipping God. He goes to the book of Hebrews to shed more light on the importance of meeting Melchizedek.
Lecture 11. Genesis 15. Old Testament Lesson about Salvation
Genesis 15 is important for many reasons. We are introduced to the formal covenant that God made with Abram, we find a vivid portrayal of God’s grace and read an ominous foretelling of the future of Abram’s descendants. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens helps us to discover the Old Testament lesson about salvation.
11.1. The Lord’s Covenant with Abram
In Genesis 15 the covenant-making ceremony that is rich in meaningful symbolism is described. God conducts the ritual of making a covenant with Abram but doesn’t take care of birds of prey. In this section of the lecture Ronnie Stevens talks about the way God prepared Abram to receive a disturbing prophesy of captivity in Egypt.
11.2. Justification by Faith
How were the Jews in the Old Testament saved? How was Abraham saved? What did he discover about salvation? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens opens the book of Romans to demonstrate how righteous God can forgive us and how we can participate in His righteousness.
Lecture 12. Genesis 16. Abram Attempts to Help God but Fails
In Genesis 16 we find Sarai fretting over the delay in the birth of a son. She decides to take matters into her own hands and comes up with a plan. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens shares his comments on this chapter, teaches important principles about choices we make and talks about the Angel of the Lord.
Lecture 13. Genesis 17-18:15. New Names and the Covenant of Circumcision
The second account of God’s covenant with Abram is found in Genesis 17. Three important events take place when the Lord appeared to Abram. In this lecture Ronnie Stevens talks about the life of faith, the significance of giving a new name and the ancient rite of circumcision.
Lecture 14. Genesis 18:16 -19:28. Abraham Rescues Lot by Prayer
In Genesis 14 Abram rescues Lot by war. In Genesis 18 Abraham rescues Lot and his family by prayer. Here we have the example of the first extended prayer in the Bible. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about one of the ways Abraham became a blessing through his ministry of prayer.
Lecture 15. Genesis 20 -21. The Fulfillment of God’s Promise
In Genesis 20 Abraham commits the same sin which is described in Genesis 12. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about walking in flesh and how it can happen. The flesh is the realm of independence of God. When we walk in the flesh we use only the resources we received from the first Adam. But nothing can stop God from fulfilling His plan in Genesis 21 for God always keeps His promises.
Lecture 16. Genesis 22. The Mount Everest of the Old Testament
Pastor Ronnie Stevens thinks that Genesis 22 is the Mount Everest of the Old Testament. It is the highest place of the Old Testament because we see the picture of God and the picture of Christ. In this lecture the teacher talks about the love of the father to his son and discusses the ethical struggle with God’s testing of Abraham.
16.1. The Love of the Father to His Son is The Key to Everything
In Genesis 22 another important word shows up for the first time. It is the word «love». Why does the first use of love in the Bible describes the love of the father for his son? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens focuses on the father’s love and comes to the conclusion that it is the key to everything.
16.2. The Sacrifice of Isaac is a Rich Vein to Mine
Pastor Ronnie Stevens thinks that the great oversight in preaching in the West is the cross, because it means giving things up for God’s glory. In this section of the lecture you will learn about the way God tests Abraham’s faith. It is important to understand that God doesn’t want Abraham to kill his son; He wants him to know what it is like to be God.
16.3. The Ethical Struggle with the Testing of Abraham and Isaac
How is worship defined in Genesis 22? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens opens the book of Hebrews to learn more about Abraham’s testing and his faith being strengthened by his belief in resurrection. The teacher will also explain the difference between a testing of the Lord and a temptation from the devil.
16.4. Abraham Answers the Question about the Lamb. Isaac is the Picture of Jesus
In Genesis 22:7 Isaac asks about the lamb for the burnt offering. Abraham gives a wonderful answer which gives a new name to God. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens points out that Abraham’s answer is not complete and shows the connection of the question to the New Testament, where the answer comes through the mouth of the preaching prophet.
Lecture 17. Genesis 23-27. The Family of Isaac and Rebekah
Pastor Ronnie Stevens believes that the historical narratives contain spiritual lessons for us. In this lecture you will explore the important events that happen in Genesis 23-27 and learn how Isaac finds Rebekah, Esau sells his birthright, Isaac deceives Abimelech and Jacob deceives his father.
17.1. Isaac Marries Rebekah. Esau and Jacob are Born Supernaturally
In Genesis 24 we read about Abraham’s problem. He didn’t want Isaac to return to Mesopotamia and he also didn’t want him to marry a Canaanite woman. So he sends his trusted servant to find a suitable wife for his son. Pastor Ronnie Stevens thinks that it is what an evangelist or a missionary does. In this section of the lecture the teacher talks about Isaac’s marriage and the supernatural birth of his two sons.
17.2. Esau Sells his Birthright
Genesis 25 narrates about the birth of twins and the question of birthright. During Rebekah’s pregnancy, the Lord revealed to her the nature of her sons’ relationship. Esau, as the firstborn of Isaac, had particular responsibilities and privileges, but Jacob seized the opportunity and stole his birthright. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens compares David who was ready to wait for the blessing of God and Jacob who took the advantage of Esau to get the blessing.
17.3. Isaac Deceives Abimelek
In Genesis 26 Isaac deceives Abimelech and claims that Rebekah is his sister in a pathetic effort to save his own skin. The point of this account is very clear: Isaac follows his father’s steps. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens explains how difficult it is to pass on the faith of the first generation to the second generation with the same power.
17.4. The Consequences of Deceit
In Genesis 27 Jacob steals the deathbed blessing. All the members of the family have their own guilt to bear and the consequences of their actions are telling. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the tragedy of deceit with terrible consequences in the family of Isaac. The point of this lecture is clear: when we take things prematurely, we get less than we expected. We need to wait on the Lord’s timing.
Lecture 18. Genesis 28-29. Jacob’s Life after His Escape
In Genesis 28 Jacob is forced to leave home, he sets out presumably to find a suitable wife for himself, but really to escape Esau’s anger. But the central core of this passage is God’s appearance in the dream and Jacob’s worshipful responses. Jacob’s thoughts about God’s blessing and reward dominated in his life, now is the time to start thinking about God and His presence.
18.1. The Ladder of Jacob
In Genesis 28 Jacob saw a ladder more likely a stairway between earth and heaven with God’s guarding and protecting forces. When do we see angels ascending and descending in the New Testament? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens answers this question when he talks about Jacob’s first encounter with God and a narrative about Jesus and Nathanael.
18.2. Jacob Worships God
When Jacob woke up after having a dream in Genesis 28, he acknowledged the Lord’s presence in the place and erected a monument, anointed it with oil and named it the place of Bethel. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens shares his comments on that passage and talks about the presence of the Lord.
18.3. The First Report about Romantic Love in the Bible
How do we know the difference between love and lust? How could Jacob marry a wrong girl? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the first report of the romantic love in the Bible and points out that grace and forgiveness do not remove all the consequences of sins in the short run.
Lecture 19. Genesis 29. Jacob Learns the Principle of Sowing and Reaping
Genesis 29 presents us with three big subjects that are hard to understand when we want to perceive God’s perspective. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the things we should accomplish while studying the book of Genesis. Not only we should study the narratives, but we also should learn what God is doing in history and how we should respond. The teacher also shares his comments on the problems of polygamy.
Lecture 20. Genesis 30. Rachel is Jealous of Her sister. Two Superstitions
Genesis 30 shows that God was faithful to accomplish His purposes in spite of the deceitful actions of Laban and Jacob and the jealous hatred of Leah and Rachel. Jacob’s marriage was stormy from the start. Both wives wanted what the other had. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens continues to talk about the problems of polygamy and two popular superstitions of those days.
20.1. Leah Has Children and Rachel Has to Wait
In Genesis 30 we read about Rachel’s desperate deal for the mandrakes which were thought to produce fertility. Do Leah and Rachel believe that this plant will help a woman to get pregnant? Does the Bible teach it? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the superstition of using mandrakes to help a woman to have a baby and explains why God blesses Leah with children but Rachel has to wait.
20.2. What is a superstition?
God blesses Jacob with children while he is in Mesopotamia, but he also blesses him by miraculously multiplying his share of Laban’s flock. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the superstitious belief of Jacob described in Genesis 30:7. Is it possible for a physical thing to have a spiritual deposit? Is it possible for a natural thing to have a supernatural significance? Watch this lecture to find it out.
Lecture 21. Genesis 31. Jacob Returns Home after 20 Years of Exile
Not only was Jacob surrounded by the bitter conflict between his wives, but he became embroiled in controversy with Laban. When Jacob runs away in Genesis 31 Rachel carries the household idols of her father with her. Was she the idol worshipper? In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens answers this question and also talks about God’s sovereignty.
21.1. Jacob Runs Away. Rachel Steals Laban’s Idols
In Genesis 31 Jacob’s twenty-year sojourn comes to an end. God tells Jacob to go home and he leaves Mesopotamia without telling Laban. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens says that Jacob should have done the right thing based on the character of God instead of doing the wrong thing based on the character of Laban. He also explains the difference between superstition and false worship.
21.2. Why Leah is More Blessed Than Rachel?
Superstition is stupid but idol worship is wicked. On the occasion of her quick departure from Mesopotamia Rachel stole her father’s «household gods». In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens explains why unloved Leah was more blessed than beautiful and loved Rachel.
Lecture 22. Genesis 32-33. Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau
After Laban’s departure, Jacob was met by the angels of God and was reassured of God’s protective presence. In Genesis 32-33 Jacob meets God and reconciles with his brother Esau. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the reasons for Jacob’s fear and confusion, his prayer and actions.
22.1. Jacob Learns How to Pray
Now that Jacob was returning to the Promised Land, the inevitable meeting with Esau loomed ahead. Where does fear come from? Why was Jacob afraid? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens answers these questions and talks about Jacob’s strategy, his prayer and his actions when he prepares to meet his brother and has to face the greatest crisis of his life.
22.2. Jacob Wrestles with a Man. Esau Forgives Jacob
In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the man wrestling with Jacob and injuring him. It is not an easy passage to explain. Jacob asks for blessings and receives a new name. Who is big enough to bless Jacob? Who has the authority to change his name? Will Esau be in heaven? Watch this lecture to find it out.
Lecture 23. Genesis 34. Dinah and Shechem. Jacob’s Sons Revenge for Their Sister
Something terrible happens in Genesis 34. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens retells the story about the violation of Dinah and her brothers’ plan for revenge which included circumcision. The teacher shares his comments on circumcision as God’s way to mark His people and talks about carnal reasoning of Jacob’s son who kills a lot of men and brings trouble on their father.
Lecture 24. Genesis 35 -36. Covenant with Jacob is Renewed at Bethel
In Genesis 35 Jacob begins to grow in his conviction that he needs to do a better job as a priest to his family. Jacob begins to pay more attention to the spiritual things in his life. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about renewal of the covenant with Jacob and warns about idols in our lives.
Lecture 25. Genesis 37. Joseph is Jacob’s Favorite Son
Jacob didn’t love his children equally; he showed favoritism to Joseph, that is why his brothers hated him. They hated him even more when Joseph told them his dream in Genesis 37. Many preachers of the Bible talk about the mistakes Joseph made, but Pastor Ronnie Stevens is confident that Joseph didn’t do anything wrong and explains why Joseph boasted about his dreams.
25.1. Joseph’s Brothers Hate Him and Sell Him as a Slave
In Genesis 37 we learn about the relationship of Jacob’s favorite son Joseph and his half-brothers. Jacob is raising the best man in the world but he is also raising sons who are ready to kill the best man in the world. Is he successful as a father or is he a failure? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the dangers of favoritism.
25.2. Joseph is a Picture of Jesus
The most important thing to understand about the Old Testament is that it points out to Jesus. The Joseph narrative makes a significant contribution to the salvation history of the biblical storyline. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about Joseph as a picture of the Savior.
Lecture 26. Genesis 38. Two Sons of Judah Commit Sins and Die
Chapter 38 in the book of Genesis is the one that people are least likely to teach. The subject matter is embarrassing and often misunderstood. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about spiritual lessons we can learn from the life of Judah and warns about what can happen in the family when you get rid of godly influence.
26.1. God Kills Two Sons of Judah. Judah Makes a Promise
In Genesis 38 two sons of Judah die. There are some people who misunderstand the story about Onan, and think that birthcontrol is wrong. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens comments on this narration, explains the cultural and legal obligations in levirate marriage but doesn’t find anything against birthcontrol in this chapter.
26.2. Tamar Deceives Judah and Gets Pregnant
The placement of the Judah and Tamar episode in Genesis 38 appears inexplicable at first sight. But we can see two great things in this terrible narrative. Pastor Ronnie Stevens thinks that we can be very severe in believing that the sins of other people should be punished. In this section of the lecture he says that we should be hard on ourselves but gracious and patient with the sins of others.
Lecture 27. Genesis 39. Joseph is in the House of Potiphar
In Genesis 39 we read about Joseph’s remarkable advancement in Egypt. He rises in Potiphar’s house and the Lord is with him, but his refusal to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife lands him in prison. God allowed Joseph to go down to Egypt, but He didn’t allow Egypt to get into Joseph. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens focuses on our relationship with God and points out that He is the author of our story.
Lecture 28. Genesis 40. Joseph’s Ministry in Prison
What qualifies us for ministry? Where do we find good servants? The answer to this question is worth studying. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens explores Genesis 40 and talks about Joseph who knows how to reach out to people in prison in spite of his own problems. It is also interesting to learn about the role of dreams.
Lecture 29. Genesis 41. Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
Two years after Joseph interpreted the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker the Pharaoh had a dream. In Genesis 41 Joseph tells the meaning of the dream and rises over Egypt. Joseph’s life was full of suffering for 13 years, but he remained faithful to the Lord. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Steven talks about God’s sovereign work and compares Joseph with Jesus.
Lecture 30. Genesis 42. Joseph’s Brothers Bow Down to Him in Egypt
In Genesis 42 Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt due to severe famine and bow down to Joseph, the ruler over the land. But Joseph doesn’t reveal his true identity. There are people who think that Joseph was wrong to play tricks on his brothers. Pastor Ronnie Stevens is confident that Joseph did the appropriate thing. In this lecture he explains how Joseph is trying to redeem his brothers not only physically but also spiritually.
Lecture 31. Genesis 43. Jacob’s Sons Go Back to Egypt
In Genesis 43 Jacob’s sons are forced to return to Egypt with Benjamin. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens encourages us to imagine how Jacob’s children felt when they were seated for the meal according to their birth order, from the firstborn to the youngest, and Benjamin’s portion was five times bigger than the others’.
Lecture 32. Genesis 44-45. Joseph Tests His Brothers
When confronted with the prospect of losing Benjamin, Judah takes a stand and is willing to offer himself as a slave in order to free his brother. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens continues to explore the narrative about Joseph and his brothers written in such a way as to heighten the suspense and build to the moment when Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers.
32.1. Judah Becomes a Redeemer
In Genesis 44 Joseph tests his brothers again. The incident of the silver cup was a test of their character. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens focuses on Judah who sold Joseph into slavery but now was a changed man, willing to redeem Benjamin in order to spare his father from sorrow.
32.2. Judah and Joseph. God’s Choice
Joseph is the redeemer in the book of Genesis. He saves Gentiles and Jews through his suffering, wisdom, mercy and grace. But why did Jesus descend from the tribe of Judah? In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens explains how Judah can be greater than Joseph.
32.3. Joseph Forgives His Brothers and Explains God’s Plan
Genesis 45 is the climax of the book of Genesis and the high point of the story about Joseph and his brothers. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about forgiveness and restoration and shares spiritual insight into the way God works.
Lecture 33. Genesis 46-50. Moving to Egypt
Genesis 46 and 47 relate the third and final journey to Egypt. This time the entire patriarchal family moved there and settled in the best of the land. In this lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the conclusion of Jacob’s story, his deathbed blessings and a very pessimistic perspective of his life. You will also learn the true meaning of redemption.
33.1. The Last Days of Jacob
In Genesis 47 Jacob blesses the Pharaoh. In Genesis 48 he blesses the sons of Joseph. In this section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about the last days of Jacob and explains the reversal of the order of priority when the younger son of Joseph received the greater blessing.
33.2. True Meaning of Redemption
After Jacob’s death his sons go to Canaan to bury him and then return to Egypt. They expect punishment from Joseph and offer to become his slaves. There is one more spiritual lesson in this book. In this final section of the lecture Pastor Ronnie Stevens talks about forgiveness, redemption and God’s sovereignty.
