The study of first things is of utmost importance in Scripture. Much like the opening pages of a novel or the first few minutes of a good film, fundamental information is contained in the inceptive section of any great work.
This is definitely true about the first book of the Bible, which explains our origins, the problem that needed a remedy, the promise of a future Savior, and other foundational truths that undergird the rest of the Bible.
The prophecies and prophetic types set forth in the Bible set the precedent for the rest of Scripture. In the ensuing trajectory of Scripture, prophetic details, themes, and types are progressively built up on this all-important foundational text that we call Genesis.
It is no wonder that well-crafted subversions from the enemy have come first and foremost to the books of Genesis and Revelation. No two books have been attacked or neglected more than these two bookends of Scripture.
Naturalists and liberal theologians have sought to undermine the authenticity and reliability of Genesis for the past 250 years. The enemy would like nothing more than to divert our attention away from foundational truths. Once this critical foundation is cracked in the hearts and minds of people, the rest of the structure is ignored or greatly misunderstood.
On the other end of the biblical spectrum, the book of Revelation is often seen as confusing at best—and utterly unknowable or irrelevant at worst. We shouldn’t be surprised that both Genesis and Revelation are under attack these days, just as we are nearing the end of the age.
There is a critical prophetic link between these two key books, and the enemy has done his best to keep people disinterested or preoccupied so they miss the all-important truths found within them.
In Genesis, we discover our roots, and in Revelation, we learn about our eternal future. Every key theme and theological truth finds its their origin in Genesis and its ultimate culmination in Revelation.
And remarkably, everything is connected together through the eternal glue of Bible prophecy. The Bible is a “book of books” that begins with eternity past, and ends with eternity future.
The core questions that people have about their origins and their future are answered in Genesis and Revelation—and everything is meticulously woven together by the other 64 books between them.
The foundational truths of God’s prophetic Word are established in the jam-packed book of Genesis. That’s why it’s so important for us to be familiar with it.
This article was first published on Todd Hampson’s website. Todd is an author, speaker, illustrator, animation producer, and podcast co-host of The Prophecy Pros Podcast.