Genesis as True History?

God’s Word has been under attack by Satan since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). As, Christians we know that God’s word is powerful (1 Thess 1:5), perfect (2 Tim 3:16-17) and unchanging (Psalm 119:89). But do we really believe and trust it? Psalm 11:3 reads “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The Gospel is the most powerful message one can hear and receive. However, the message of the Gospel did not begin in the New Testament but the book of Genesis. Genesis is the foundation to the Gospel, as well as the rest of the Bible. In fact, the greatest Bible teacher, Jesus himself began in Genesis when He spoke with His disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27). “Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in the Scriptures.” Luke 24:27 NASB This is very significant.

Many Christians today have rejected Genesis 1-11 as recorded history. Some view it as mythology, allegorical, anything but literal history. The reason for viewing Genesis like this is due to the Evolutionary hypothesis. The Evolution story began as a way to explain life without God. And yet there are some Christians who have combined the Evolution hypothesis with the Bible, thus rejecting Genesis 1-11 as true history. Have these Christians considered how Biblical authors like Paul and Peter viewed Genesis? How did Jesus view Genesis 1-11?

By accepting Evolution (in the molecules to man sense) the Christian would have to deny the global catastrophe of Noah’s Flood (which is actually God’s Flood). For a global flood would destroy the multi-million year old fossil record. The flood in Noah’s day would then have to be spiritualized or regarded as a local one. Matthew 24:36-37 reads, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” In this passage Jesus confirms the historicity of the global flood, as well as the record of Noah and the ark. Christ compared the coming judgment of all men to the judgment in Noah’s day. For those who believe that Noah’s Flood was a regional or local one, to be consistent, the future judgment would also have to be a partial judgment. In addition, if one was to spiritualize the event of Noah’s Flood, then they would be calling Jesus a liar, since Jesus regarded it as true history. If Jesus lied, then he was not sinless when he went to the cross. Thus, our faith is in vain.

Peter considered Genesis as true history. In 2 Peter 3, Peter compares the future judgment by fire to the past judgment by water; “through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water...” A partial judgment in Noah’s day would mean a partial judgment to come. Peter considered Noah’s flood as literal history.

Hebrews 11:4-7 reads, “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” NASB Clearly, the writer of Hebrews regarded Abel, Enoch, and Noah as historical people not mythological characters and considered the events surrounding them as true history, not legendary events.

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (NASB) Here, Paul confirms that the fall of humanity recorded in Genesis 3, is true history and not allegorical. The serpent in Genesis is identified as Satan the deceiver (V.14).

Romans 5:14-19 speaks of death coming into the world because of Adam’s sin. If a Christian was to accept Evolution, which has fossil record that is millions of years old, then they are placing death before Adam’s sin. In Romans 5, Paul claims that Adam is a historical person and death did not exist before him.

In Hebrews 4:4, the writer quotes Genesis 2:2, and states the truth that God rested on the seventh day from his created works. Clearly, God took only 6 literal days to create the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day (Ex 20:11).

As Christians, we need to stand on the authority of God’s Word. And trust the Bible from Genesis which is true history. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (NASB) The New Testament authors considered Genesis to be true literal history. Why shouldn’t we? If we reject Genesis 1-11, as recorded history, then we are calling our Creator a liar. Let our faith be centered on our Lord Jesus Christ and believe him when he said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”