Two Creation Stories

It is a commonly held misconception that Genesis 1-2 is a single narrative describing God's initial act of creation in scientific and historical terms.  Not only are these two chapters neither science nor history, they don't contain a single creation narrative, but rather two distinct creation narratives that were brought together in the process of the editing of the Pentateuch (the first 5 books of the Bible, comprising Genesis through Deuteronomy).  Why would the editors of Genesis place two distinct stories back-to-back in this fashion?  We will probably never know the complete process of aural dissemination and then later writing and editing, but there is at least one good reason these Biblical compilers might have placed these two very different narratives side by side.  These two stories present two related, though different sides of the God of creation.    

The First Creation Story: God's Transcendence  

The first creation story in Genesis begins the entire Biblical corpus at 1:1 and goes through chapter 2 verse 4a.  I will have more to say about certain aspects of this passage in later blogs, but the first thing I want to highlight in this story (or poem, as many Old Testament scholars consider it) is that these verses emphasize the transcendence of God.  YHWH is presented as the God who speaks and - "bang" - it is!  As one reads through this text, one is struck by God's awesomeness - his majesty.  Not only do we see the creator's might and power, but we are also floored by his genius.  Who could speak such a complex universe into existence?  How does this vast and complex system work together so well?  For modern sojourners who have been exposed to recent science, we can't help but stand in awe at the sheer size and wonder of the cosmos.  And to think...our God did that!  Genesis 1:1-2:4a gives us a glimpse into God's power, but Genesis 2:4b and following give us another perspective on the God of creation.  In these verses we get a glimpse of God's personality.  

The Second Creation Story: God's Immanence 

In the 1700s many leading thinkers in both Europe and North America adopted a deist theological stance.  The deists believed that the universe was created by a super-intelligence, but that this god was quite distant from its creation.  According to the deists, God set the laws of nature in motion and then quickly stepped away and watched what might happen, or possibly no longer even concerned him or herself with the outcomes of the created order.  The deists believed in a god, but not a personal god.  

If Genesis 1:1-2:4a was the only Biblical story of creation, we might adopt a similar view.  But thankfully the Biblical writers provided us another angle on creation.  Genesis 2:4b-25 describes for us a God who desires a genuine relationship with his creation.  Whereas in Genesis 1, God speaks, and it is, Genesis 2 portrays YHWH as the God who is willing to get his hands dirty.  He doesn't just speak the human into being, he forms adam (human) from the soil.  He shapes and molds humanity with his hands.  He gets up close and personal - breathing life into humankind (verse 7).  The God of Genesis 2 is not distant from his creation, but he enters into it.  He is not far from Adam (human) and Ish.shah (woman) and he is intimately involved with their wellbeing.  As the story progresses, this God indeed dwells within his creation and with his creatures.   

The Foundation of the Story of Creation to New Creation 

Though Genesis has provoked its fair share of controversy and debate over the past several hundred years, at their core, these first two chapters are really not that controversial.  The two creation stories do not describe God's making of the cosmos in scientific terms (the how), nor do they recount history (when), rather they describe God's intent in shaping the universe (they describe the why).  And as much as these foundational narratives are about creation, they are far more about the God of creation.  They describe an all-powerful transcendent God, who is simultaneously a relational God - One who is immanently available to and involved in his creation, especially with those creatures we call human beings.  There is far more to say about these verses than I can say in one blog post, or even one hundred blog posts, but for now, hopefully I've provided a few nuggets to chew on.  And as you consider these possibilities, please remember that there is an all-powerful God behind our world who is at this very moment, not far from anyone of us (Acts 17:27). - Shay