What do you learn in genesis?

Answer 1

Leon R. Kass (The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis) says that the truth we can learn from Genesis is that the second creation story (Genesis 2:4b-25) is independent of the first creation story (Genesis 1:1-2:4b). He says the second creation story departs from the first not only in content but also in tone, mood and orientation. Pious readers find this an uncomfortable truth, as for them the text cannot contain contradictions, so they ignore the major disjunctions between the two creation stories and tend to treat the second story as the fuller, more detailed account of the creation of man (and woman) that the first story simply reported.

For more information, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation

Answer 2

In Genesis:

The Torah describes God's creation of the world and living things (Genesis ch.1), mankind (ch.1-2), the first sin (ch.3), the great Flood (ch.6-8), the family trees (ch.4, 5,10-11, 25), the lives of Abraham (ch.11-25), Isaac (ch.26-7), Jacob (ch.25-50), and Joseph (ch.37-50).

What do you learn?

God exists (ch.1)

God created everything (ch.1)

God interacts with human beings (ch.2 and 3)

God punishes disobedience and wickedness (ch.3 and 6)

God protects the righteous (ch.6 and 20)

God rewards the righteous (12:2)

God confers prophecy and has spoken to exceptionally righteous individuals (12:1-2)

God may establish a covenant with a righteous individual (ch.15 and 17)

God's promises often require patience (since the Promised Land [ch.15] was actually given several centuries later)

God knows what will happen (6:17, 16:11, 17:19-20)

God hears our prayers (ch.18 and 20)

God tests us (ch.22)

The above are just a few examples.

See also:

More about the Hebrew Bible