Narrative structure The narrative style was used in the writing of the Book of Genesis. The book relates the account of the world's origin and early human history. It begins with the creation of the universe and humans, traces man's progress from innocence to sin, and concludes with the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. Context The Book of Genesis was written by several authors over a long period of time. Its earliest part may have been written as early as 1500 B.C., but the last part probably was not finished until about 400 A.D.. The book is set in the context of Abraham, who is described as "the father of many nations." This phrase appears more than 100 times in the Book of Genesis and may have been used to mark important events or periods in history. For example, it is found in connection with Abraham's marriage to Sarah (Genesis 17:16), the birth of Isaac (17:19), the conquest of Egypt (13:15), and the building of the pyramids (2:3). Theme The theme of the Book of Genesis is the story of how God created humanity.