Review: Christ in Genesis

This is a book by one of our own WordPress blogger.

 

Steven Teske. Christ in Genesis.  North Charleston, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, March 6, 2017. 120 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Does the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible point us towards Christ?  Here in this book the author Steven Teske shows us how in the very first book of the Bible the Savior of sinners can be found in its pages.

 

Steven Teske is a pastor, a college history teacher and a Certified Archivist.  As someone from a Lutheran background he writes this book filled with Gospel truth, focus and passion for Christ and attention to the Scriptures.  I found myself really enjoying this book a lot.

The book consists of twenty one chapters showing how the Savior can be found in the book of Genesis.  Before diving into the Scripture the introduction was helpful in defining terms clearly such as what is meant by terms such as Christ, Genesis, and the preposition “in” in the title “Christ in Genesis.”  After laying down the foundation and discussion of the approach people take in reading Genesis Teske begins with God’s creation in the first chapter of Genesis and surveys other key moments in the book of Genesis to show us how these passages points us towards Christ.

The book was a pleasurable read to see the Savior in the Old Testament.  There were things I learned from this book especially with the author’s observation.  For instance I thought it was neat to see the author point out of how Jesus wsa forced out of the garden the night He was arrested similar to Adam being forced out of the Garden of Eden.  Whereas Adam was forced out because of his sin Jesus was forced out to be taken away for the penalty of our sins.  It was at a garden that the Good News was first announced and it is also in garden where the Good News of Christ’s resurrection was first announced.  Adam fell into a deep sleep to get a bride and how Christ fell into a deep sleep of death to claim His Bride, the Church (25).  The author reasoned that Adam’s sleep was on a Friday, similar to Christ’ “sleep of death” happened on a Friday (26).  I enjoyed also the author’s observation of three ways Isaac was like Christ: there’s first the miracle birth, and both birth were promised in advance and in both individuals the father was willing to sacrifice the son.  The book’s discussion about the typology of Abraham offering his son as a sacrifice is good with how it points us towards Christ.  This part of Genesis is one of my favorite to preach about and while I didn’t learn anything particularly new about Abraham offering up his son still it is a joy to read what others have to say about it!  There’s a lot mentioned that many Christians don’t know about this story.  I also enjoyed the author pointing out the ways Joseph was like Jesus.  I wrote down in my note at least nine parallels that the book pointed out.

Overall a deeply spiritually satisfying read.  There were some instances I wasn’t too sure with some of the examples of how a person or situation pointed us towards Christ.  Still there’s a lot in the book in which objectively speaking it is clear that it points us towards Christ.  There’s discussion of Christophanies (appearance of Christ) in the book of Genesis which I think is biblically and contextually sound.  There’s also the various parallels of certain key individuals with Christ.  There’s also discussion in the book of direct Messianic prophecies in the book of Genesis pointing us towards Christ or at least were the incipient form of God’s promise of the Messiah that later in the Old Testament through progressive revelation God revealed in more direct terms that points us towards details about the Messiah and his earthly ministry.  I do recommend the book.

NOTE: This book was provided to me free by the author without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.