God Of Genesis Part 4 –god Creates For A Purpose. Genesis 1-2 Series

God of Genesis Part 4 –God creates for a purpose. Genesis 1-2

There are many creation myths around the world.

The Babylonian

Sons of gods (who themselves did not get along well) Marduk and Tiamat, fought for dominance of the universe. Marduk won and used Tiamat’s body to make the universe.

The Norse

Ymir was a frost-giant, but not a god, and eventually he turned to evil. After a struggle between the giant and the young gods, Bor's three sons killed Ymir. . . Bor's sons dragged Ymir's body to the center of Ginnungagap, and from him they made the earth. Ymir's blood became the sea, his bones became the rocks and crags, and his hair became the trees. Bor's sons took Ymir's skull and with it made the sky. (from http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSIndex.html)

The Daoist

"The Way gave birth to unity; unity gave birth to duality; duality gave birth to trinity; trinity gave birth to the myriad creatures."

. . .

The most common theme in pagan creation myths is that gods had arguments or accidents -usually one of the vanquished gods provides the material for the universe. The result was what we see around us. The Hindu teaching that god divided himself into the world seems as haphazard and purposeless.

The biblical account is very different.

What is striking to me is not that there are many different explanations of the origin of the universe which include a god or gods-that humans all over the world have understood that this universe had a beginning and that it was somehow supernatural.

What is most notably unique about the Genesis account is the structure and clear teaching of purposefulness:

The days of Creation

Day 1

God spoke light into existence.

He then divided the light from the darkness.

He called the light Day and the darkness Night.

Day 2

God created the firmament, or sky, and separated the water below from the water above.

God named the firmament Heaven.

Day 3

God commanded that the dry land appear from the waters.

God named the dry land Earth and the rest of the waters Seas.

God created the grass and all the plants, including trees.

Day 4

God created lights in the sky for seasons & days & years

God created the greater light to rule the day—the Sun.

He then created the lesser light to rule the night—the moon. He made stars.

Day 5

God created all the water creatures, birds, and whales

God Commanded: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters and the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.”

Day 6

God created all land animals: cattle, creeping things, and beasts of the earth

God then created humanity in His own image

God commanded: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and of every moving thing on the earth.”

Humans and animals are told to eat all plants: all vegetarians

Day 7

God rested from all the work that He had created.

He blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

Day 1 Light & Darkness Day 4 – Light Bearers

Day 2 Waters of Sky & Sea Separated Day 5 – Birds in the Sky, Fish etc. & Whales in the Sea

Day 3 Land & Sea separated, grass, plants, trees Day 6 – Land Creatures & humanity, All commanded to eat plants & fruit

There is a pattern here.

Day 1 is related to day 4

Day 2 is related to day 5

Day 3 is related to day 6

In each case the day on the left finds its fulfillment in the day on the right.

Light is made for light bearers

The sky is made as a dwelling place for birds, the seas for the creatures of the sea, the land for land animals. Plants are for animals to eat. The animals are made and given commandments:

Day 5

To all creatures, birds, and whales

God Commanded: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters and the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.”

Animals are created to be fruitful and to multiply.

Humans were created to be fruitful, to multiply, and to care for the earth

Day 6

To Humanity God commanded: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and of every moving thing on the earth.”

In Genesis Chapter 2, the text focuses more on the purpose of humanity:

Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

BUT ONE THING WAS NOT GOOD:

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”