Study of Genesis - Week 2

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."


The HCSB lists seven truths in this verse that the rest of the Bible is based:

1. God exists. The first step in our faith is to recognize that God exists.
2. God existed before there was a universe and will exist after the universe is gone.
3. God is the main character in the Bible.
4. God has done what no human could ever do - create. He is Creator God.
5. God is mysterious. The Hebrew word for God is plural, but all the verb tenses are singular, which alludes to His triune nature.
6. God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Not just manipulator of existing material - He calls it into being through His Word.
7. God is not dependent on the Universe, but it is totally dependent on God.

I think that it is interesting to note that there is no attempt to prove God exists in Genesis. This was written during or close to the time when no one doubted God. Adam and his family has no reason at all to doubt God existed.


Genesis Creation Story is Unique

The Genesis creation account is unique in ancient creation in five main areas:
1. The identity of God - God has no origin and no female counterpart. Many of the other stories were based in a sexual union of the male and female counterparts to create the world. The world in these stories is also divine, but Genesis places the world where it belongs, as a non-supernatural reality brought into existence by a supernatural God.

2. No rival Gods - The other versions are generally polytheistic and have some sort of struggle between rival gods.

3. Creation out of nothing - No preexisting eternal pre-created matter that was formed into our present reality. Other versions make use of some preexisting matter in one way or another.

4. The Value of Humanity - Humans have a special place in the Genesis account and are actually created in the image of God. Other versions place no real importance on humans in the created reality.

5. The Sabbath - This sabbath is not tied to the movement of the stars or some other naturalistic pattern and is unique to the Genesis account.

The theology presented in Genesis is so unique from that of the stories from surrounding areas that it is best explained as historical or divinely inspired and not the imagination of the author.

Read Genesis 1:1-25

Gap Theory - Some biblical scholars try to reconcile the Bible with Evolution by proposing a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.  They change the word was to became and propose that this period was when Lucifer was cast down to earth.  This doesn't follow the actual translation, etc...

Read Handout on old earth theory.

Question:  Is there a particular issue that is giving you reason to doubt the Biblical account as literal (a day = a day, etc...)?