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BibleJourney: Genesis |
Issue 7 |
ISSN 1535-5187 |
Questions and Answers. Genesis 1.1-2.4a by Winn
Griffin, D.Min.
In our last study two studies we looked at the first
story of
Genesis
(1.1-2;
1.3-4a).
Therein we looked at the text against its background of Israel, God's newly
redeemed people, at
Mt.
Sinai where it is likely that they began to hear all the stories (Genesis
1-11) from Moses.
- In this study we will overview some of the teaching
of this first story. We will ask the following questions:
- What does this story teach about God?
- What does this story teach about humankind?
- What might this story teach us about how God
relates to his people and how they are to relate to him?
- What does the story tell us about how we as the
people of God are to relate to each other?
Asking the Right Questions It is
important to ask questions of any
Bible
text that we read or study. When you think that you have a right answer but the
question is wrong, the answer will also be wrong. When we ask the right
questions, we learn best. All of you who are reading this text are products of
what you have learned in the past. The modern Christian has been led to believe
that he or she is to use Scripture to prove to the infidel that the Bible is
correct. So we read Scripture so that we can gain more ammunition to help us in
our ongoing fight with those "outside" the faith. We might pause to reflect
that Scripture really doesn't need our protection. Scripture doesn't need to be
proved. However, we do need to know how to live Scripture in our personal and
communal daily lives. We don't become believers in Jesus just to get a one-way
ticket to heaven and then live like the rest of the pagan world until we die.
When we stop to think about it, there is a huge disconnect between Sunday
church and Monday life. Becoming a believer means that our mission is to expose
the world to the image and character of God.
To prevail in this awesome task, we must rearrange our
way of thinking and reading Scripture. It is my opinion that you can, with the
proper background context, catch the same meaning that the stories had to their
first hearers.
To catch this meaning, we have presented the
background and thoughts about meaning in the previous two studies (Gen.
1.1-2;
1.3-2.4a).
Now let's look at some meaningful questions that may help us think about how to
live out this story from
Genesis
1.
First, let's ask what the story teaches us about God.
Next, let's ask what the story teaches about humankind. Then, we can ask what
it might teach us about how God relates to his people and how they are to
relate to him. Finally, we can ask what the story tells us about how we as the
people of God are to relate to each other.
What does this story teach us about God?
There are several impressions or pictures of God in
this story: There is one God to worship, not many. God is seen as creator,
communicator, as one who brings order out of chaos, and as a builder of
community.
There is Only One God Standing at
the foot of Mt. Sinai, Israel, this newly redeemed people of God, were hearing
the story of God's creation for the very first time against the backdrop of
polytheism.
They knew some of the ancient stories about the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and Joseph, but he was just one of the many god stories available to be
believed in the ancient world of polytheism. But now, their experience of
deliverance demanded that they learn about the Creator God, and that he was the
only real and trustworthy God whom Israel should worship.
Even the first stipulation of the covenant given to
these redeemed people was a forthright statement of this very issue: "You shall
have no other gods except me" (Exodus
20.2). So these first words of story in Scripture were told to let Israel
know that the God who had rescued them from bondage was the God of their
forefathers and the only God they should worship. Moses told the story of
creation to help Israel know that God is the good creator of the entire
universe and to help them stop their belief in the many gods who were believed
to have created the universe. Another important thought for them to comprehend
was that as the creator of the universe, he was free to give them any part of
it that he chose. He created it and it was his to give. This same God who had
delivered them had given Abraham their father the promise of land and they were
the people for whom God had promised to inherit this land.
God is Creator The uniqueness and
sovereignty of God emerges from the very opening words of Genesis. The
storyteller speaks of God as the only God who created the heavens and earth and
that there are no other deities that can challenge his right to create. There
are no other deities who helped him in speaking the world into existence. From
the origin of space-time, only God exists and acts. This first story in Genesis
announced to Israel that there is only one God and he is related to the
universe that he created.
This story's insistence on monotheism is a chief
difference between the story of creation and other creation stories of the
ancient world. Genesis stands alone in claiming that a single God created
everything that exists. In the ancient world folks were led to believe that
there were gods who were specific gods of regions. The story of one God
challenged this belief system suggesting that God was not limited to nature or
region. He has jurisdiction over all created things and people. He has no
rivals.
Again, I must remind you as a modern reader that this
opening section of Genesis is not a scientific account of how creation
occurred. It is rather a theological section and was first told to help these
newly redeemed people of God to change their beliefs about who created the
world. It is a majestic place to begin the story of God. God created. In our
story, the word create (bara) is used of the heavens and the earth (v.
2) , the great sea monsters and living creatures
v.
21), and of humankind (v.
27). This word (bara) is used through the Old Testament exclusively
for divine activity (a fact that would not have been known by the first
hearers). The choice of this verb in the story is to emphasize a uniquely
divine act. In Hebrew the subject of bara is invariably and solely God.
The emphasis of bara is on initiation. The storyteller's choice of words would
shape Israel's understanding of God as they were being instructed in the
wilderness.
Because God created the world, it belongs to him and
he gets to decide what happens in it. The redeemed Israel at Sinai needed to
comprehend this truth because they were created to inherit part of the world
that was promised to their forefathers.
It may be stated that God has created all the
resources in his creation for humankind to continue to create. We are by nature
creative people.
God is Communicator (a speaking
God) God is a speaking God. This is not assumed in the stories of
the Old Testament. He spoke the world into existence. In the next story of the
garden he comes to humankind and talks on a regular basis. He spoke and he
speaks. A recent advertising campaign had slogans like:
- We need to talk-God
- What part of "Thou Shalt Not..." didn't you
understand? God
- Will the road you're on get you to my place?
God
- Big bang theory, you've got to be kidding.
God
- Do you have any idea where you're going?
God
These and other advertising slogans like them
demonstrate a continued belief that God still speaks in our culture and that we
might want to give a try at listening.
In the early chapters of
Exodus
(the foreground of the story of Sinai) God is seen as one who speaks. An
illustration from
Exodus
1.1-19.2 where the translated phrases the Lord said, appears thirty-seven
times, God said, appears four times, and the Lord spoke, appears two times. The
hearers of this first story in Genesis had experienced a "talking" God. So it
was no surprise that Moses told the story of a God who spoke with phrases like
and God said, let there be, and God called. These are explicit words to teach
that God is a speaking God.
It may be worthy to note that in the continuing story
of God in the Old Testament (and the New Testament as well) that he continues
to speak.
In order to hear him speak in this modern world, it
might be well to turn down the world's volume. To do so meditate on this
poem:
God Speaks to Man which has a direct relationship to
Psalms
46.10.
God is a Builder of Community The
creation of humankind (Adam
and
Eve)
is the beginning of another story about the building of community. The idea of
community is filled out in the next story (Genesis
2-3). It cannot be overstated that from the beginning that God's creation
has its apex in the creation of community, a community that reflected his own
image who would be his agent in his created world by bearing his image. This
idea about God was in contrast with the gods of the ancient mindset who created
humankind as workers to bring them pleasure.
What the story teaches about humankind?
As we begin to look at our second question, we will
take some of the same concepts from question one and converse with them.
There is Only One God God wants
his creation to understand that he and he alone is God. Our lives have grown
away from his intentions of being our God and we have the fallen tendency to
create for ourselves other gods to which we are willing to give our allegiance.
We are pagan to the core with all kinds of polytheistic tendencies such as
racial purity, nationalism, our standard of living, social issues, ambition,
wealth, pleasure, and health, among others. Against these pagan tendencies the
message of
Genesis
1.1-2.4a is simple and clear. There is only one God and we need to put all
our gods away and turn our attention and allegiance to him as the God who
created the universe in which we live. Only this Creator God can bring ultimate
satisfaction and security of life.
God is Creator On one level we
have replaced creativity with the Enlightenment's rational thought. Those of
you with artistic imagination, who have been ridiculed for being artistic in
this rational world, whose artistic gift is not acceptable, need to hear the
freeing message of
Genesis
1.1-2.4a. God is creator. Quit thinking of creativity as a "waste of time"
and let the creativity of God flow through you. It is not rational to believe
that the one who created the world would not instill some of his creative
ability in his creation. Go ahead, express his creativity and let the world see
the image of God in you.
God is Communicator (a speaking
God)It is unfortunate that some Christians believe that God only
speaks through the pages of Scripture. So now that he has a best selling book,
he no longer talks. Somewhat ridiculous if you ask me. Yes, he does communicate
with his children through the stories that are found in Scripture. But, this is
not the only way in which he will communicate. Our Enlightened rational side is
very mistrusting of people who believe that they hear directly from God. Why is
it that hearing from God directly is so surprising to us? Surely God didn't go
to bed at the end of the fourth century and wake up mute in the fifth century.
Scripture pictures God speaking from its opening pages to its closing pages.
Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to get our antennas fixed so we can
tune into what he is saying.
God is One Who Brings Order Until
chaos can be heard in a conversation as good, order cannot happen. It is, after
all, out of chaos that God brought order. Some things never change. He still
brings order from chaos today. We need to rethink our understanding of order as
some rational idea of everything fitted into a row or a column or in a circle.
There are hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of shapes that are orderly.
Think about this: there is a game called "Shape to Shape: Creative Pattern
Puzzle. There are only fourteen puzzle pieces and sixty different images with
over 25,000 ways to arrange the pieces inside the puzzle frame. Yes, humankind
needs to have order, but the playing box that God has designed for us is much
larger than we want to admit or even play in. Let God bring order to your life.
Just don't be surprised if his order in no way fits your conception of
order.
God is a Builder of Community "No
man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the
continent
" so wrote John Donne in 1624. He surely caught a glimpse that
deep in the breast of humankind there lies a spirit to be part of a community.
Why? God created it to be so. Our cultural selective value of individualism
runs counter to what God created in us. Could this be why there is so much
tension and frustration in today's society? We seek for what we were not
created to be! This first story told its first hearers and us that humankind
will only achieve its highest potential when it gives in to God's creative
forces and separates itself from the culture's selective position.
What might this story teach us about how God relates
to his people and how they are to relate to him?
Again we take the thoughts of our other conversation
and continue.
There is Only One God Relationship
is vertical before it is horizontal. This is the main part of this story. A
person cannot have several so-called vertical relationships. You can't serve
any other God but the one you chose to serve. From your vertical relationship
all other relationships flow. When your vertical relationship with God is not
working, all your horizontal relationships begin to fall apart. This one
Creator God relates directly to his creation. Our response is to put aside all
our gods and our relationship to them and focus on relating to the Creator
God.
God is Creator A simple thought:
since God is creator and he created us, we should respond by being creative.
Everyone can create. If for some reason you have been taught that you are not
creative, ask God to restore what has been broken in your life.
God is Communicator (a speaking
God) God loves to talk. Humankind loves to talk. It would be great
if we learned to talk to the Creator of the world with the ease that we speak
to each other. And greater yet, that we actually expected him to speak back to
us in a voice that we understand. Not just in commands. Not just answers to our
repeated requests, but in friendly conversation with him just like you would
talk to your best friend. Go ahead! Give him a try.
God is One Who Brings Order As we
stated above: let God bring his order to your life. But don't be surprised if
it is not some rigid "mandate."
God is a Builder of
Community What's the use of continuing to try individualism (a
curse of the Modern Enlightened world)? You will just continue to be
frustrated. You can't be an island unto yourself. It just doesn't work that
way. You were not made to live that way. God created us to live in community.
As he is community, we are to be community. You can only be the greatest
individual that you can be as you live in close relationship in a
community.
What does the story tell us about how we as the
people of God are to relate to each other?
Finally, our last question.
There is Only One God Wouldn't it
be great if we helped each other identify the "other gods" in our lives? What
would that be like? How would that work? We have heard too many horror stories
and have become gun shy. All the time God is waiting in line to help us help
each other find and expel our other gods.
God is Creator When was the last
time you were creative? Who have you encouraged to become creative? Try to get
your thoughts around the idea that we are created to be creative agents of God
to demonstrate his image to the world. Would it be great if we loosed the
creative powers to all the members of God's community and not only those who
sit in senior places?
God is Communicator (a speaking
God) This story teaches us that we have a responsibility to speak
and to teach others. Not in harsh, unapproving tones and words. Not in abusive
and regulatory language, but in speech which brings freedom and life.
God is One Who Brings Order We
must allow the order that God provides for a person's life to blossom and bloom
and not superimpose our order or structure into their lives.
God is a Builder of Community True
relationships happen in community. Deep fears are alleviated in community.
Healing occurs in community. Life develops in community. Our highest potential
to be the people that God created us to be takes place in community.
There is Only One God The worship
of other gods did not cease in the Old Testament. It is a problem of the ages
that still infects us today. Their idols were different than ours, but we have
ours just the same. They worshiped their cultural gods and sexuality. They
called them different things, but the course of worship is the same. In the
church today we are more pagan than some of those who are in the world. We have
idols of position, property, and power. The message of
Genesis
1.1-2.4a is clear as a bell: stop worshiping other gods. There is only one
God who is truly worthy of worship. This God identified himself with Jesus in
the New Testament story. It is allegiance to him that brings his image to the
lost world. Christianity is not about getting saved and receiving some kind of
barcode that successfully scanned will allow us into heaven. Heaven is not the
goal. Imagebearing to the world of the one and only God as seen in Jesus is the
goal.
God as Builder of Community The
heartthrob of God from his opening words was to have community with his
creation. From Adam and Eve to Abraham to Israel to the Church, God has
determined to have a people who would bear his image to his world. A missional
church is simply an outflow of the movement of God from the beginning. The goal
was to have a people who would bless the nations, i.e., the world.
The Relationship between Genesis and
John New Testament writers usually agree that the opening of the
Gospel of John is drawn from the opening verses of Genesis. (However, there is
no direct quotation.) It is oblivious that the opening phrase of
John
1.1
is based on the opening phrase of
Genesis
1. When
Genesis
1 talks about light as something natural, John speaks of light as something
eternal. He told his readers that the Word was the agent in creation and an
indispensable element in creation. That without the Word (Jesus) nothing that
is would have been.
The Relationship of Genesis 1 and
Paul Paul describes the ministry of Jesus in creation in
Colossians
1.15-20. There he says that Jesus is "the image of the invisible God."
Humanity was the climax of creation and was created in God's image (Col.
1.27-28). Jesus, then, is the perfect image of God in human form. He was
truly human. He was what humanity was created to be like. If we want to
understand what God is like, then we need to understand what Jesus is like, and
by that I don't mean the mild-mannered Jesus of popular Christianity. Jesus
came to reveal to humankind the image of God that had been lost in the fall.
Next, Paul shares that Jesus is unique over creation in that "by him all things
were created." The words "were created" (a passive verb) indicate that God is
Creator, while "by him" (Jesus) indicates that Jesus was the instrument.
The Relationship of
Genesis
1.26 and New Testament Language Many passages found in the New
Testament allude to
Genesis
1.26 even though they do not quote it exactly. The following are some of
them:
It is important for the New Testament believer to come
face to face with the idea that he or she was to become for the world "true
humanity," what Jesus had become for Israel.
The Relationship of
Genesis
1.27 and Matthew and Mark In Mark, the first Gospel written,
and in Matthew, there is the story in which the Pharisees came to Jesus and
quizzed him about divorce. Mark's account suggests that the issue may have been
the permissibility of divorce, while Matthew's account suggests that the issue
was the grounds for divorce. This is most likely because Mark's audience needed
to have a different problem solved than Matthew's audience. Since the Old
Testament passage found in
Deuteronomy
24.1-4 permitted divorce that was instituted by the husband, the question
may not have been about the legality of divorce, but rather on what grounds
divorce was permissible.
Jesus' response does not address the proposed issue at
all. Rather, he referenced
Genesis
1.27 and challenged the Pharisees to consider God's original purpose in the
creation of humankind as male and female. While the Pharisees wanted to know
how they could terminate a marriage, Jesus emphasized why a marriage should be
initiated and perpetuated.
The Relationship of
Genesis
2.2 with
Hebrews
4.4
The text of
Hebrews
4.4 is close to the Septuagint (LXX) rendering. The point that the author
of Hebrews was making was that just as God had rested, his creation (children)
should have an opportunity to share in rest. The rest promised in the Psalms
(Hebrews
4.3 is quoting
95.11)
is a share in the sabbath of God's own rest that followed the creation
narrative in
Genesis
1. It is clear that today's reader should not think of the sabbath-rest of
God as a rest from activity that resulted in inactivity. Scripture makes it
crystal clear that God continued to direct and maintain his creation (Psalm
104;
John
5.17).
The image of rest is one of freedom from toil and struggle so that humankind
can enjoy with God the satisfaction and perfection of his work in creation.
It is always important to apply what you have learned.
Pause at this point and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to meditate on and
put into practice some or all of the following.
- Tell or retell a story to your children that caused
the emotion you may have had to the stuff that God created.
- Create something that helps you explain visually
one of the creative acts of God.
- Now let your child(ren) create something that
visually explains one of the creative acts of God. Let the child(ren) summarize
what she or he has learned about God by this creative experience.
- Read
Psalm
104.1-5,
33-34
and note the emotion of the psalmist as he reflects on creation.
- Respond to God as creator by thanking him for his
creation of you.
Read the following Dictionary Articles from
Easton's Bible Dictionary, or the International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. Easton's is about a century old, therefore, some of
the information is not current with newer Bible Dictionaries. ISBE is
about seventy-five years old. You might read the articles off-line in a number
of different Bible Dictionaries. If you do not own a Bible Dictionary, I would
recommend
New
Bible Dictionary 3rd Edition. If you like lots of color pictures, try
The Revell Bible Dictionary now out of print but still
can be ordered from amazon.com. One of these should suit your personal
needs.
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Copyright © 2002-2019, Winn Griffin.
All rights reserved. BibleJourney: An Almost Weekly Bible Study is a service of
SBL Ministries. Unless otherwise stated, scripture quotations are from the
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