The Beginning (Genesis 1 - 3)

I read the first three chapters in the very first book in the Bible, Genesis. I learned that God must have spoken some really powerful words and through His words, the elements came together and created what he had in mind. Here is my summary: 

Summary

I learned is that God is creative and powerful. The creation story is old and it describes the beginning of time. Days and nights were marked by what He created through His spoken word. 

Pacific Ocean        pavonne.com

Apparently, God comes to this place we now call earth and it had no shape or form. It must have been filled with cold blackness; the kind where you can't see your hand in front of your face. God's Spirit hovers over this formless mass. I wonder if the shapeless form was cold and silent. Genesis does not say. Then God speaks. Powerful and unimaginable words go forth over six days and and this vast, cold and shapeless place turns into a habitat brimming with life. Here's what the Bible says happened.

Day one, God speaks and light appears. It must've been a different kind of light that is different from what we see today. Today, outside of man's inventions, light comes from the sun, moon and stars. So, I am not too sure what this light must have looked like or where it came from. 


Day two, God speaks and water separates. Water moves above the ground and water settles below the ground. He places a "vault" or space or sky between the waters.

Day three, God speaks and the waters gather into places called seas. Dry land appears. God speaks again and the land produces seed-bearing plants and trees. The fruit from the trees also has seeds. Each plant and tree have seeds that produce after its own kind. 

Sunset Beach, CA                  pavonne.com

Day four, God speaks and he places the sun in the sky to shine in the daytime, and he places the moon and stars to shine at night. These sky lights mark, "sacred times, and days and years."

Day five, God speaks and birds appear and they fly in the sky; and all sorts of sea creatures appear. God blesses them and says that he wants them to reproduce. 

Day six, God speaks and creatures appear on the land. Animals are made according to their kind. God declares that man should be made in the image and likeness of them  and man would rule over all the creatures. He formed and shaped man from the earth's soil. God breathed into man his own breath and man took his first breath. He also made woman from man's rib. The man's name was Adam and he named his new wife, Eve. God gave them seed bearing plants for food and gave all the creatures green plants for food. Adam named all the livestock, birds and animals. 

Day seven, God rests, blesses this day and makes it holy because he rested from creating all he had made. 

White Pelican   Bolsa Chica, CA              pavonne.com

During this time there was no rain but water came up from the earth and watered the ground. God also planted a garden in the east, in a place called Eden. In this garden were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve were not to touch it but they could eat everything else in the garden. There was also a river that flowed from Eden through the garden that separated and went through four places.  

In this garden, I find the first sin or the first time man disobeyed God. God told Adam; Don't eat from the tree of good and evil and don't touch it. Apparently, Eve learned of this instruction because she repeats what God said. However a talking crafty serpent deceives Eve and convinces her to eat the fruit and then she shares it with Adam. He knows that is wrong but he eats anyway. 

When they eat, they lose their shroud or covering of light and see each other naked. They made garments out of fig leaves to cover themselves but when God came walking in the garden, they hid from him among the trees. 

When God asked them what was going on, they played the blame game and passed the guilt from one to another, but because of their disobedience, woman was cursed with painful childbirth and her desire would be for her husband. He would rule over her. Man had to work with the ground to produce food. Thorns and thistles were introduced. God added plants to their diet. 

These chapters end by God making garments out of animal skins, driving them out of the garden so that they would not eat of the tree again and placing a cherubim with a flaming sword so that they would not enter the garden. 

A Few General Comments

First, I want to say that I am taking the words in the New International Version Bible for face value. I am not trying to challenge what it says but rather receive what is here. 

Second, I know that there has been a lot of debate through the ages on these three chapters but I think that it would be too much for me to enter the debate in this blog but I do want to recognize that folks have been debating and interpreting these chapters differently and volumes have been written. One day, it will be worth gathering and evaluating what humans have been thinking over the years.

Lastly, I find it hard to accurately condense and simplify what was written in these first three chapters. There is a lot of information here to review.  

My Thoughts

In a nutshell, it is amazing to me to imagine God speaking and in one week, bringing a huge world of life into existence. And when I think about the seemingly endless number of stars he put into motion, I am speechless. I understand that our universe is still expanding since he spoke these words.

Iceland Poppies   pavonne.com

These chapters showcase his creativity I am in awe of his work. What is also amazing to me are the details he has put into our world. I don't know if you have ever looked at the many shapes, colors and textures of leaves, the various scents of flowers and plants, or even the details that go into an eye of animals, birds, fish and humans. 

Here is something else that is amazing to me. Chapter one says that we are made in his image and so I see here that humans embrace his creative attributes. When I look around our world and I see man-made cities, artwork, and other stuff, it is a small reflection of the creativity of God.  

One last thought. I have heard that if I ever want to learn about an artist, I should study his or her art. God placed creative art all around us. If we want to learn about Him, we can study his art. 

That's it for today.