When it comes to the Bible, some wonder which book carries more weight, Genesis, the first book of beginnings, or Revelation, the last book of prophecy and Christ’s return. Both are filled with vital truths, yet too often believers find themselves drawn to one while overlooking the other. Questions about creation, time, prophecy and eternity swirl in people’s minds, but the deeper issue may be how we approach Scripture as a whole.
Christian apologist Ken Ham recently addressed this question and offered an important reminder about the foundation of our faith. “Actually, every book of the Bible is important because it’s all God’s Word,” he said.
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Still, he noted that while “a lot of people…concentrate on the book of Revelation” and various end-time views, the opening chapters of Genesis are often neglected, even though they are essential for a right understanding of the rest of Scripture.
Ham pointed to the parable Jesus told about a nobleman who entrusted resources to his servants, saying, “I’m going to go away and then I’m going to come back. While I’m away, you do business.” According to Ham, this illustrates how Christians should live as they wait for Christ’s return: “It’s a reminder for each of us that God has entrusted talents to us, gifts to us, and we’re to use the gifts he’s entrusted to us until the King returns.”
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Part of that faithfulness, he explained, comes through rightly understanding the foundation of the Bible. “Genesis 1–11 is the foundation for everything. For the rest of the Bible, for all of our doctrine, for our worldview, it’s the foundation for everything,” Ham said. By contrast, “Revelation is not the foundation for the rest of the Bible. Genesis is. Revelation is not the foundation for all doctrine. Genesis 1–11 is. Revelation is not the foundation for the gospel. Genesis 1–11 is.”
Ham warned that dismissing or compromising on Genesis has led to devastating consequences in the church and culture. “There’s been a catastrophic generational loss because they’ve been told Genesis 1–11, you don’t have to take it literally. It doesn’t matter. You can believe in evolution, millions of years. Well, why should we believe the rest of the Bible?” he said. Once the foundation is removed, “many of these people today don’t understand what they should believe in regard to marriage or gender or anything else.”
At the same time, Ham is careful to affirm that Revelation is also a vital part of God’s Word. “Genesis or Revelation, well, both are the Word of God. Both are vitally important, but they have different functions. And Genesis is actually the foundational book of the Bible.”
The discussion ultimately points to a balanced approach. It is good to study specific books of the Bible, whether Genesis, Revelation or any other, but not at the expense of the rest. Each book is divinely placed, interconnected and serves a distinct purpose.
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As Ham explains, beginning with Genesis lays the foundation for understanding the entire Word of God. But Revelation, along with every other book, gives us truths God intended for us to know. Every word serves a purpose, and together they provide the complete picture of God’s plan for humanity.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
