Rethinking Genesis One

Genesis 1 often causes so many biological & theological debates, but God has such a greater purpose for this text than simply stating a written order of creation. What does any good author do at the beginning of a book? They must establish the characters and their motives of course! The Bible, being the inspired word of God, is no different. There is a basic framework to the creation story; repetitive phrases that revel a great deal about God and His character. Here is a quick look at what we learn about God's character in Genesis 1 from a few repetitive phrases.

• "God said" - God spoke everything into being. Before anything is created, God speaks it.
• "And it was so" - God has all authority. Everything He spoke came into existence.
• "God saw that it was good" - God didn't make mistakes. He delights in what he created. He worships and glorifies himself.
• "God separated" - God creates order. The Earth, sun, moon and stars all have their place.
• "according to their kinds" - God continues to make order. Things are made according to their kind, seeds to seeds, fruit to fruit, sea creatures to sea creatures, birds to birds, livestock to livestock, ground crawlers to ground crawlers. And now here is the beauty of this phrase "according to their kinds." When it comes to the creation of man, God says, "let us make man according to Our likeness." God has used the creation of creatures according to their kinds to reveal that we are set aside as something different. You and I were made in the very image of God. This is a beautiful truth.
• "God blessed them" - God commands and blesses the birds and sea creatures to multiply, and man to be fruitful, multiply, fill the Earth, subdue it and rule over it.
• "I have given you" - God is so giving. He gave all of the seed bearing and green plants for food to everything having the breath of life in it. Every seed bearing plant. Later in Genesis 2, we see that this is every seed bearing plant expect that of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This shows God's character and men's shame in such a stark light. God's commands are not burdensome. He gives in abundance, and we still want the one thing that He said no to. The Good News today, is that we have a Savior that knows our shame and sin, and has given His all so that we can know Him. Thank you Lord!