The Rest Of The Origin Story
“Wait… That Can’t Be the End.”
Have you ever finished a movie or a season of a TV show and thought, “No, no, that can’t be the end… there has to be more to this story!”
Like the classic Netflix cliffhanger — you hear a gunshot, the screen cuts to black, credits roll, and suddenly you’re praying the show gets picked up for another season because you have no idea who just got shot.
That’s exactly how Genesis ends. A cliffhanger. A promise hanging in the air. A story that feels unfinished.
And it should—because Genesis is really Book One of a five-part series. It flows straight into Exodus. It sets the stage but doesn’t resolve the tension.
For us, though, we’ve reached the final week of our series, The Origin Story, where we’ve journeyed from creation to covenant, from chaos to calling. We’ve watched Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob stumble forward in faith as God forms a people through whom He will bless the nations.
From Patriarchs to a People
In Genesis 36–50, the camera pans out. We’re no longer watching one man of faith — we’re seeing a family becoming a people. It’s the bridge between patriarchs and the nation of Israel, between promise and fulfillment.
The promise that began with Abraham now begins to grow legs — walking right into Egypt with both hope and hardship in tow.
Before the story moves forward, God reaffirms His covenant with Jacob (now Israel) in Genesis 35. The blessing is repeated, the promise restated, and Jacob once again marks the moment with a stone pillar at Bethel — the “house of God.”
Why the repetition?
Because they’re still in humble beginnings. Because the road is still steep. Because faith needs reminders.
Esau Looks Strong… but the Promise Is in the Struggle
Genesis 36 may feel like a throwaway chapter — just Esau’s genealogy — but it’s a deliberate contrast. Esau becomes strong and established early. His descendants form a kingdom long before Israel does.
Meanwhile Jacob’s family is… a mess. Small. Struggling.
This becomes a recurring biblical pattern:
God’s chosen people rarely look impressive at the beginning.
Their strength isn’t in early success — it’s in God’s promise.
Joseph: The Dreamer Who Was Thrown Into a Pit
Genesis 37 thrusts us into the drama of Joseph — the dreamer with the fancy robe and the furious brothers. The pattern continues:
• Favouritism
• Sibling rivalry
• Deception
• Violence
Joseph is betrayed, sold for silver, and presumed dead.
Jacob, the deceiver, becomes Jacob the deceived — mourning a son he thinks he has lost forever.
And yet, woven through Joseph’s suffering is a truth whispered since Abraham:
“What humans intend for harm, God can use for good.”
(Gen. 50:20)
This is the theological hinge of Genesis.
From Prison to Palace: God Preserves a People
Joseph rises in Egypt — not for his own glory, but for the saving of many lives. Nations flock to Egypt for grain, and through Joseph, God preserves His people.
The famine drives Jacob’s family to Egypt, setting the stage for reconciliation, repentance, and eventually… a nation.
When God speaks to Jacob again in Genesis 46, He says:
“Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt… I will go down with you.”
Egypt isn’t the end — it’s preparation for what’s coming.
Blessings, Crossed Arms, and a Coming King
As Genesis closes, Jacob blesses his sons. His crossed arms over Ephraim and Manasseh remind us that God often writes straight with crooked lines. The younger is elevated over the older — again.
In Judah’s blessing we hear the first royal hint:
“The scepter will not depart from Judah…” (Gen. 49:10)
A whisper of the kings to come.
A whisper of the Messiah.
The Cliffhanger: “God Will Surely Come to Your Aid”
Genesis ends with Joseph’s profound final words:
“God will surely come to your aid…”
A coffin in Egypt.
A people in a foreign land.
A promise waiting to be fulfilled.
It’s not a conclusion — it’s a doorway.
The Story That’s Still Being Written
Genesis sets the stage for everything that follows:
Exodus — deliverance
Leviticus — holiness
Numbers — wandering
Deuteronomy — renewal
But it also sets the stage for us.
We are reading the origin story not only of Israel, but of all who worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
The same God who worked through barrenness, famine, deception, sibling rivalry, crooked paths, and crossed arms is still working today.
Your story may feel unfinished.
Your chapter may feel confusing.
You may find yourself in a kind of Egypt — not quite home, not quite sure what’s next.
But Genesis reminds us:
God is still writing.
The promise is still unfolding.
The Author is still faithful.
The God who said, “I will go with you,” still goes with you.
The God who said, “I will surely come to your aid,” still comes to your aid.
Your twists aren’t wasted.
Your delays aren’t detours.
Your story is part of the rest of the origin story — the one God is writing even now.
So as we close Genesis, we step into our own unfolding chapters with confidence:
The Author is good. And the story isn’t over.