The scriptural account continually reinforces one point over and over again. “When humans seek autonomy from God and when they attempt to define good and evil for themselves it always results in injustice. We often think we know how to define good and evil but because of the bias towards ourselves, our definition often lends itself to the unhindered expression of our own desires at the expense of others. When left unchecked, this leads to division, strife, loneliness, resentment, jealously, injustice and pain.

God is simply trying to teach us how to properly get along with Himself and each other. So is there any hope for humanity? Let’s continue our journey together by watching the next section of the story of Genesis. If you grew up in a dysfunctional family, then you will better be able to appreciate the next part of this story.

In these stories God is teaching us about the basic fabric of human relationship, promise and commitment. Without promise and commitment, we cannot ever truly show love to each other. We all long for security, significance and love but when we don’t love each other enough to keep our promises, those around us often feel insecure, insignificant and unloved. When humans walk away from their relationship to God they become more independent and self-centered, God decides to teach humanity how to treat each other with dignity and respect.

He makes a commitment to a man named Abram (later called Abraham.) He and His family are to become a story about God’s faithfulness and commitment to relationship. He tells Abram who has not been able to have children that He is going to make a nation of people come from His family line that will have the purpose of bringing forth a child one day who will bless all nations of the world. The commitment that God makes to Abram was never intended to be a member’s only club. Religious people like to label people as “insiders” and “outsiders.”

God intends to extend his promises through this people to the rest of the world. The story will show how the people of Israel (the descendants of Abram) would break their promises and commitments over and over again. In spite of this God remained faithful to his promises because He was planning to be born Himself one day as a human descendant of this family. The story of Genesis is the story of how these promises and commitments began and the promise that God would defeat evil through a descendant of the human family line. Most of Israel never understood that this descendant would actually be the divine “Son” of God that was also going to be a fully human “son” of mankind.

Genesis follows the family line of Abraham until they wind up a large nation trapped in slavery to Egypt. God’s plan is too show Himself strong on their behalf and remain faithful to His promise to Abraham to use this family to teach the world about Himself.