Each chapter of Genesis 1–11 leads naturally into the next chapter. In the same way, Genesis 11, which gives the genealogy of the Messianic line down to Abraham, is followed logically by Genesis 12, which presents the first recorded events in the life of Abraham. The latter events are within the period of recorded history, and are now almost universally accepted as factual. The life of Abraham, as the founder of the chosen nation Israel and the ancestor of Jesus Christ, is suspended without background or foundation if Genesis 1–11 is only an allegory.
Furthermore, the later writers of Scripture refer again and again to these early chapters of Genesis, always accepting them as both factual history and authoritative doctrine. Moses refers to the six-literal-day creation in Exodus 31:17 and to the division of the nations at Babel in Deuteronomy 32:8. Joshua 24:2 accepts the account in Genesis 11 of Abraham’s ancestors. Although the later historical books are naturally more occupied with the histories of their own times, they occasionally refer back to earlier times. Hezekiah speaks of the creation (2 Kings 19:15) and 1 Chronicles 1:1–28 repeats the genealogies of Genesis 5, 10, and 11. After the captivity, Nehemiah likewise refers to the creation (Neh. 9:6). Job several times refers to both creation and the Flood (Job 9:5–9; 12:15; 26:7–13; 31:33; 38:4–7; etc.).
The Book of Psalms abounds in references to the creation. Psalm 8:3–8 speaks of God giving dominion over the earth to man. Psalm 33:6–9 emphasizes the instantaneous creative acts of God in the beginning. Psalm 90:2–3 speaks of creation and the fall of man. Psalm 148:1–5 tells of the creative acts of God. There are many other such references. Psalms 29 and 104 describe graphically the events during and following the great Flood. Even Proverbs 8:22–31 refers to the creation.
The prophetical books likewise refer often to the early chapters of Genesis. Isaiah refers both to the creation (40:26; 45:18) and to the Flood (54:9). Jeremiah 10:11–13, 31:35, and 51:15–16 all refer to different aspects of the creation. Ezekiel refers to Noah in 14:14, 20, and Amos also mentions the Flood, in both 5:8 and 9:6. Micah 5:6 refers to the “land of Nimrod,” as does Zechariah 5:11, who speaks of the “land of Shinar,” both passages obviously referring to Genesis 10:10.
But it is the New Testament that contains the clearest and most numerous references to Genesis 1–11. The apostle Paul mentions Adam and Eve several times in a manner demonstrating that he regarded them as real people, the first man and first woman on earth. Note the important discussions in Romans 5:12–19; 1 Corinthians 11:7–12, 15:21–22, 35–41, 45–47; 2 Corinthians 11:3; and 1 Timothy 2:13–15. The effects of the great curse on the earth are discussed in a classic passage in Romans 8:18–25.
The Book of Hebrews contains an important passage dealing with the completeness of the creation and God’s seventh-day rest (Heb. 4:1–11). Abel, Enoch, and Noah are listed as the first three of the great heroes of faith in chapter 11. Abel is again mentioned in 12:24.
The apostle Peter places great emphasis on the Flood (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:4–5; and 2 Pet. 3:5–6). John refers to Cain and Abel (1 John 3:12). Jude also refers to Cain (verse 11), as well as to the sinning angels of Genesis 6:1–4 (verse 6), and to Enoch, as the seventh in the line of patriarchs from Adam listed in Genesis 5 (verse 14).
Most significantly of all, the Lord Jesus Christ himself frequently cited these early verses of Genesis in support of some of His most important teachings. His doctrine of marriage was based explicitly on a combined quotation from the first two (supposedly contradictory!) chapters of Genesis (Matt. 19:3–6; Mark 10:2–9; compare with Gen. 1:27 and 2:24). He compared the days of Noah, just before the universal flood, with the last days before His own return in worldwide judgment (Matt. 24:37–42; Luke 17:26–27). He even referred to Abel as the first martyr and first prophet (Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51). He mentioned “the beginning of the creation which God created” (Mark 13:19). He called Satan the father of liars, no doubt referring to the devil’s lie to Eve in the Garden of Eden (John 8:44).
Likewise, the preaching of the gospel by the Early Church in the Book of Acts included references to these first Scriptures. Stephen (Acts 7:2–4) mentions Abraham’s background as given in Genesis 11:26–32. Paul preached from the witness given by the creation in Acts 14:15 and 17:24, mentioning also the first establishment of the nations in 17:26.
The fullest references to the beginning of things are found in the Book of Revelation, which describes the restoration and consummation of all things. In the letter to the apostate church at Laodicea, Jesus Christ reminds them that He is “the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3:14). Frequent emphasis is placed on God as the Creator of all things (Rev. 4:11; 10:6; 14:7). In Revelation 14:6–7, the “everlasting gospel” is said to include recognition of Him “that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”
The great protevangelic promise of Genesis 3:15 is expanded and expounded in Revelation 12, which also includes reference to Satan as the serpent (verse 9) who had deceived all men. The prophecy of the development and fall of the final Babylon (chapters 17 and 18) undoubtedly is built upon the foundation furnished by the first Babylon of Genesis 10 and 11.
The last two chapters of the Bible, Revelation 21 and 22, describe the creation of the new heavens and new earth, just as Genesis 1 and 2 describe the creation of the first heavens and earth. In these last two chapters of the Bible — as in the first two — reference is made to the Bride; the personal presence of God; the curse, in its fourfold aspect; the end of death; the removal of the curse; the ending of darkness; and the restoration of the tree of life and the river flowing out of the midst of Paradise.
Advocates of the framework hypothesis justify their view by pointing to the literary or poetic nature of Genesis 1–11. They reason that if a passage is poetic or contains some literary form, it need not be understood as actual history. It is true that such literary forms are contained in these beautiful passages. But where is it written that use of such beauty in writing means that the passage contains fallacious historical or scientific content?
This same technique that could supposedly be used to invalidate the creation, fall, Flood, and tower of Babel records, could also be applied to the virgin birth, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. In fact, many liberal theologians and philosophers do that very thing. But surely true Christian evangelicals have not yet abandoned those vital Christian doctrines.
Modern theologians who would eliminate the first 11 chapters of Genesis from the realm of true history are guilty of removing the foundation of all future history. They, in effect, reject the teachings of Peter and Paul and all the other biblical writers as naive superstition, and the teachings of the infallible Christ as deceptive accommodationism. Furthermore, their technique of interpretation would, if applied consistently to all of Scripture, invalidate all of Christianity. The “framework hypothesis” of Genesis, in any of its diverse forms, is nothing but neo-orthodox sophistry and inevitably leads eventually to complete apostasy. It must be unequivocally rejected and opposed by all Bible-believing Christians.
1 In fact, as noted before, it may well be that the light source for the first three days was the stream of light waves formed directly by God as if already in transit from the light source which would be formed to generate them beginning on the fourth day.
Chapter 4
Explaining Away the Flood
Christians who feel that they must re-interpret the biblical record of creation in order to allow for the 5 billion years of geological ages demanded by evolutionary geologists (not to mention the 15 billion years of cosmic history postulated by secular astrophysicists) cannot stop there. They must also do something about the Genesis Flood.
Since a worldwide cataclysmic deluge such as is described in the Bible would have destroyed all the evidences of the geological ages, it must somehow be explained away, either as a localized flood