Genesis 2
Genesis • Sermon • Submitted
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Four views of Genesis 1
Intelligent, honest, Bible-believing, scholarly Christians believe each of these. Don’t fall into the trap of dividing Christians along these lines . . . you may find people you respect on the other sides of these lines.
Literal 6-day view
Pros
Is a plain reading
Is not undone by the rest of scripture
High value of humanity and image of God
Cons
Not historical view of the Church (rising in the 1840s and again in the 1970s)
Materialistic view of creation (Focus on God making matter)
Nobody takes it ALL literally.
Figurative approach (Literary Framework)
Pros
“The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of Man.” Westminister Shorter Catechism 3
The Bible doesn’t teach astronomy.
Good evidence in the text of literary styles (3X3 days containing 8 creative acts)
Cons
(Usually) Low view of intended audience.
Risk of undermining image of God and consequences for sin.
Not a plain reading.
Analogous Workweek (modified Day-Age Theory)
Pros
God models an Israelite workweek. See 10 Commandments.
Cohesive with chapter 2 (God made man before the rainy season).
Length of days not important. No need to try to reconcile with science.
Keeps a plain reading. Fits the overall theme of Genesis.
Cons
Materialist view of creation.
Overlooks some details.
Evolutionary Creationism
Pros
Focuses on the genre of Genesis (theological history in a figurative manner).
Preserves inerrancy of Scripture in light of scientific advances.
Compatible with what we see around us.
Cons
Not the historical view of the church.
Influenced by culture.
Less of a framework and more of a way to harmonize Genesis and science.
Materialist view of creation.
Functional view (identify accounts view)
Pros
Focus on the image of God.
Faithful to the Biblical account.
Cosmic temple theme consistent with the rest of Scripture
Cons
Not the historic teaching of the church.
Requires assumptions of ancient thought.
How do you answer the question, “Where do babies come from?”
What is this place?
Are successful people well rested?
Are successful people surrounded by other people?
What do you see?
Too often, we modern folk ask Genesis to answer modern questions, like how old is this water-covered ball that spins at 1000 mph in space while orbiting a nuclear-powered fireball?
But Genesis wasn’t written to us. It was written for us, but not to us. It was written to people asking ancient questions. What are those ancient questions?
You probably didn’t realize that the birds and the bees were created on day 1 … but to tell this story, we need to talk about sex.
What do you see?
Ancient creation stories aren’t concerned about material stuff. It’s a mistake to try to figure out how “dust” fits into mankind’s chemical composition. “Dust” does, however, tell us about the function of mankind. “Dust” tells us quite a lot, actually, but nothing about chemistry or biology.
The phrase “These are the generations of...” as an introduction is used 11 times in Genesis.
Before the Patriarchs: The need for a family of God
2:4 Heaven and earth
5:1 Adam’s line
6:9 Noah
10:1 Shem, Ham, and Japheth
11:10 Shem
The Patriarchs in the Promised Land: Establishing the family of God
11:27 Terah
25:12 Ishmael
25:19 Isaac
36:1 Esau
36:9 Esau
The Patriarchs in Egypt: Incubation for the Covenant People
37:2 Jacob
As we look, let’s ask ourselves . . . is this how we would tell this story?
What do you know about this person? Is the picture lying to you?
How does perspective change a story?
These are the records of the heavens and the earth, concerning their creation. At the time that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, no shrub of the field had yet grown on the land, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not made it rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground. But mist would come up from the earth and water all the ground. Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A river went out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers. The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. Gold from that land is pure; bdellium and onyx are also there. The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris, which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man no helper was found corresponding to him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.
And the man said:
This one, at last, is bone of my bone
and flesh of my flesh;
this one will be called “woman,”
for she was taken from man.
This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.
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