The history of salvation begins with a call. After recounting the origins of the world and humanity, the Bible introduces a man whom God invites to leave his homeland and set out on a new journey. That man is Abraham, and with him begins the first great stage of the Old Covenant.
In the previous article, we explored the overall chronology of the Old Covenant. In this article, we focus on its first of eight major stages: the age of the Patriarchs. Between approximately 1850 and 1750 BC, God began to form a people with whom He would establish a covenant that would ultimately find its fulfillment centuries later in Jesus Christ.
This overview follows the structure proposed in The Bible Portico, a work published by Saxum that combines timelines, maps, and infographics to help readers better understand Sacred Scripture. Building on that resource, this article takes a closer look at the opening chapter of salvation history.
The events of this period are narrated primarily in the Book of Genesis, which not only explains the origins of the people of Israel but also provides the key to understanding the entire history of salvation.
The Age of the Patriarchs: The Origins of the People of Israel
The age of the Patriarchs spans approximately 1850–1750 BC. While the great civilizations of the ancient Near East were flourishing, the Bible turns its attention to a nomadic family destined to play a decisive role in history.
The first major event of this period is Abraham’s arrival in the land of Canaan, described in Genesis 12. From that moment, the history of God’s chosen people begins. The second milestone marking the end of this stage is the arrival of Joseph and his family in Egypt, where Jacob’s descendants would settle before the birth of Moses and the Exodus to the Promised Land.
Rather than telling the story of a powerful nation, the Bible presents the beginning of a promise. God freely chooses Abraham to establish a covenant that will be passed on to his descendants. This election becomes the starting point of the entire biblical narrative.
Abraham: The Beginning of the Covenant
The central figure of this first stage is Abraham. According to Genesis, God asks him to leave his homeland and his family to journey toward a land that He Himself will reveal. Abraham’s response is an extraordinary act of faith: he leaves behind everything familiar, trusting solely in God’s word.
With this call comes a promise. God promises Abraham a land, countless descendants, and a blessing that will extend to all nations. The land is Canaan; the descendants become the people of Israel; and the blessing reaches its fulfillment centuries later in Jesus Christ.
Bible Portico
Isaac and Jacob: The Promise Continues
God’s promise to Abraham does not end with him. His son Isaac receives the same blessing and continues the covenant established by God.
Jacob, Isaac’s son, plays a decisive role in Israel’s history. After wrestling with God, he receives a new name: Israel. This new name symbolizes a new identity and becomes the name of the entire chosen people.
Jacob’s twelve sons become the ancestors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, laying the foundation for the nation that will shape the rest of the Old Testament.
Genesis: Where Salvation History Begins
The story of the Patriarchs is found in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Its name means “origin,” reflecting its content: it recounts both the beginnings of humanity and the birth of the people of Israel.
Chapters 1–11 describe the origins of the world: creation, the fall of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel. Beginning with chapter 12, the narrative shifts its focus to Abraham and his descendants: Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
Genesis combines different literary genres. It includes symbolic accounts of humanity’s origins, genealogies linking successive generations, historical narratives about the Patriarchs, and poetic passages such as Isaac’s blessing (Genesis 27) and Jacob’s blessings to his sons (Genesis 49).
The final form of Genesis was likely completed around 400 BC, after the Babylonian Exile. Its authors drew upon ancient traditions that had been transmitted orally and in writing over many generations. Although scholars once identified four major literary traditions behind the text—Yahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomist, and Priestly—they now generally recognize that these sources cannot be clearly separated.
In the past, scholars identified four main literary traditions behind the Book of Genesis:
- Elohist (E): Associated with the northern kingdom of Israel before its fall in the 8th century BC.
- Deuteronomist (D): Linked to the religious reforms carried out in Judah during the 7th century BC.
- Yahwist (J): Present in the narratives that serve as a prologue to Deuteronomy and characterized by the use of the divine name Yahweh.
- Priestly (P): Reflects the literary activity of the priestly circles during the Babylonian Exile.
The Great Teachings of Genesis
In its opening chapters, Genesis addresses one of humanity’s greatest questions: the origin of evil. Evil does not come from God, who created the world good and made human beings in His image and likeness to care for creation. Instead, it enters history through human disobedience.
Genesis also teaches other fundamental truths through symbolic and wisdom-filled narratives: the existence of one transcendent God, His desire to enter into a relationship with humanity, and the unity of the entire human family.
The book also introduces God’s promise of salvation through Abraham. By responding with unwavering obedience—even accepting God’s request to sacrifice Isaac—Abraham becomes the father of faith.
Genesis is therefore much more than an account of ancient events. It seeks to answer the deepest questions about God, the world, and the meaning of human existence.
Among its central themes are Creation, Blessing, Sacrifice, and Covenant, all of which run throughout the Bible and reach their fulfillment in Christ.
The Patriarchs
The End of the Age of the Patriarchs
The first stage of Israel’s history concludes with Joseph, one of Jacob’s sons.
After being sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph rises to become one of Pharaoh’s highest officials. Through his wisdom during a severe famine, he saves both Egypt and his own family, enabling Jacob and his sons to settle in Egypt.
With this event, the age of the Patriarchs comes to an end and a new chapter begins. Jacob’s descendants will grow into a great people whose liberation through Moses will become the defining event of the Exodus.
Discovering the Land of the Patriarchs at Saxum Visitor Center
Many of the places associated with the Patriarchs can still be identified in the Holy Land today. Hebron, Mamre, Bethel, Shechem, and Beersheba preserve the memory of the events recorded in Genesis and help place salvation history within its real geographical setting.
Understanding the distances Abraham traveled, the landscapes where Isaac and Jacob lived, and the historical context of Canaan reveals that God’s revelation unfolded in real places and through real people.
At Saxum Visitor Center, visitors can explore this first stage of biblical history through immersive audiovisual and educational resources, discovering how God’s call to Abraham marked the beginning of a journey that would ultimately lead to Jesus Christ.