Genesis 1-2 (1:1-2:4): God, Creation, and Their Relationship Part One

Introduction

I know that I did a post on Genesis 1-2, however, I feel I did not do it justice. I want to deal more closely with the text like I did with John. That is why I have started Genesis over again. These verses are two of the hardest verses in almost all of the whole Bible. There are several opinions on the meaning of these two verses: God created the earth from nothing (creatio ex nihilo) and the second is that God created the earth out of a pre-existent matter. For our interpretation, I do not plan to take a side. We will see just what the text tells us. However, I do want us to remember a few things, Moses is not telling us of a scientific account of creation, but one of who God is and how He relates to His creation. Moses did have a hand in the authorship of the Torah, whether that be he told his people and they recorded it or that Joshua wrote it down, either way, it does not matter--Moses is the single authority of the Torah. Creation can tell us more about God than we could imagine; sociologically, the story of creation tells us how God wants His people to live. For God, creation shows us how we are to live, work, and rest. 

The First Day

Each portion of the creation story on the days begins with "[a]nd God said," and ends with "there was evening and there was morning," which is the pattern for each day (Ross, Genesis, 36). This is important because it separates out the days from each other, yet there is also a connection between the days. This connection looks a little like this: Day one light and dark are separated-Day four the sun and the moon are created; Day two the firmament separates the sky from the land-Day five creatures for the air and the water are created; Day three vegetation is created-Day six land animals and man are created. 

In the Ancient Near East, to name something was a sign of authority. Here, it is a sovereign act as Allen Ross describes, "[t]he sovereign gives something true existence and identification by ascribing a name to it" (Ross, Genesis, 38). Light and darkness are the first things worked out in day one. God creates light, not darkness. Verse two states "[t]he earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." The imagery shows that there is conflict. Light, as Ross states, is a symbol for God and good, while darkness is a symbol for evil (Ross, Genesis, 37-38). In essence, God creates light, goodness, and then separates it from evil, darkness. Moses wants us to see that God is separate from evil, yet also above or has power over it. 

Derek Kidner says that the ancients saw day and night as warring factions, yet Genesis is not stating that, but that God is simply ordering everything (Kidner, Genesis, 47). He may be right, though, if you read Genesis with the other accounts of creation from the time you will see that something is missing: battles, blood, and war. Again, in the Enuma Elish, Marduk makes the earth from the two torn halves of Tiamat's body and humanity came from the blood of her co-conspirator. In Genesis, as I said earlier, there is conflict in verse two, but it is resolved with the creation of light and the separating of day and night. 

The Ancient Hebrew Understanding of the Earth

Ancient Hebrew Concept of the Universe

Day Two 

Kidner explains "[t]he verb underlying firmament (raqia') means to beat or stamp..often in connection with beaten metal" (Kidner, Genesis, 47). God stretches out the firmament to divide the waters of the earth from those in the skies. God is making earth habitable for living things (Ross, Genesis, 38). 

In verse eight "God called the expanse Heaven." What does that mean? The notion of heaven to the ancient Israelites was not what we think of today: a clouded kingdom where God resides. No, to the ancient Israelites heaven was simply this firmament--or better, it was the sky which housed the moon, stars, and sun (Ryle, Genesis, 9). 

Conclusion

For now, we must end here. There is too much information to pass on in one post. We have seen that God is a creator who separates good from evil, has power over both, and orders chaos into systematic control. This God, who creates things either out of nothing or out of chaos, is one who is different than any other deity known to man, either in the past or the present. Next time, we will see how God made the rest of the world and humanity. We will see how man is to be and how he is to live. This is where sociology will come into play. We will examine the role of man and woman under the lens of socio-theology. Until next time; be blessed. Leave any comments, questions, or remarks in the comment section. Thanks everyone and enjoy. Remember, this is a community that we want to see established, please do not be afraid to leave any remarks below. 

Bibliography

Kidner, Derek. Genesis. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1967.

Ross, Allen. "Genesis" in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary. Ed., Philip W. Comfort. Carol Stream:  Tyndal House Publishing, 2008.