Forum 1 - Creation

Creation

Creation

by Dominic Noel -
Number of replies: 9

When I look at the seven day account of creation I am amazed at all that took place and the fact that the entire world and everything around us was created in just seven short days yet it is so intricate and detailed all at the same time. One question that I have is why was satan ever on the earth if God has created the creatures and said that it was good? In chapter one it says, "And God said, 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds-livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.' And it was so." (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Genesis 1:24). I see how the creature that Satan was in the form of would have been created, but I guess I just have never understood why he ended up on earth if it was good and perfect. 

I know that the Bible Project video leaned into the fact that man and woman just did not know good from evil and that God was to originally be the one to decipher that before they ate from the fruit. So is that maybe the answer? I also am asking this question after reading chapter 1 so there very well could be a much better answer in the later chapter that I just am not remembering before reading the rest of Genesis 1-11 this week. 

In reply to Dominic Noel

Re: Creation

by Heather Bunce -
Dominic,
I'm giving you partial credit for this post, because it is a great question to discuss. But the forum asked you to present a question you have from Genesis 1, and the serpent does not appear until Genesis 3. If you post again asking a question about Genesis 1, I will give you full credit for your initial response.
In reply to Dominic Noel

Re: Creation

by Dominic Noel -
A question that I have that relates more to the first chapter of Genesis would be why was there two days where God was creating light and separating day and night? Genesis 1:3-5 states, "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day." (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Genesis 1:3-5). Late on in the chapter in Genesis 1:14 it also says, "And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years..." (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Genesis 1:14). For all of the other things that God created in the world they mainly took up one day and were very different from the other days so it is interesting to me how the light and day and night was not all in one day at the same time.
In reply to Dominic Noel

Re: Creation

by Heather Bunce -
This is a fabulous question, Dominic!

Let me see if I can provide you with some facts that will lead you toward an answer without giving it to you explicitly:
  • Most scholars believe that Genesis was written between 600 BC and 400 BC.
  • Scholars set the dates of the Jewish exile anywhere between 608 and 516 BC.
  • The pagan nations Israel lived among during the exile believed that the sun, moon, and stars (among other things) were gods.
  • Israelite religious leaders wanted to reinforce monotheistic Judaism to assure the people Yahweh is sovereign.
Why do you think the author may have given extra textual space to the creation of light and "lights"?
In reply to Heather Bunce

Re: Creation

by Brenda Norton -
Heather, thank you for this perspective of additional facts to assist with Dominic's question about light and dark, day and night and the specific elements attributed to day and night may have direct connection to God describing of Himself as the creator of not only light, dark, day, night etc., but also the sun, moon and stars of which pagan nations worshipped as their gods. This gives an insight to another layer of the intricate design of creation and how God chooses to tell about and record it.
In reply to Brenda Norton

Re: Creation

by Heather Bunce -
You're welcome!
Historical context concerning when and where different books of the Bible were written, by whom they were written and to whom they were written, can give us amazing insights as to why authors may have chosen the approaches they did.
In reply to Heather Bunce

Re: Creation

by Brenda Norton -
Yes I agree Heather, I am really looking forward to learning more cultural history from Biblical time periods at GLCC to help gain greater understanding of cultural practices and their influence on Scriptural documentation and perspective. The belief in gods other than the almighty God is such a different way to think and live than faith in God. I get it that it is very important to know historical context, where, when, why and to whom they are written can have significance to what to do with the information itself.
In reply to Heather Bunce

Re: Creation

by Dominic Noel -
From what I can see right away I gather that there is a difference between just the simple fact of it being day and night and the recording of months and years. I also feel like when you make the clarification of how the sun, moon and stars were gods there is a difference between who we as Christians consider to be a light of the world and who they were considering to be God's. I love hearing this deeper meaning and being pointed towards it. Thank you for your answering regarding my question; it was super helpful and gave me even more to think about and continue looking into.