Genesis 1 - In the beginning

Story 1: In the Beginning, Genesis 1.1 - 2.3

Theme: God is the Creator, and he creates through SPEECH-God speaks and life, definition, clarity, even separation occurs (Most of the other gods create through procreation with other gods). God’s speech creates life from Chaos, Void, TOHUWABOHU (a fantastic Hebrew word!). What will God speak into us? What Word will God declare so our chaos will turn into cosmos?

Theme: Questions attempting to answer the bedrock issues of identity and purpose are more central in the bible than matters of how things came to be or exactly when things happened. The bible is not a science book (the “how” of life), nor is it written strictly as a history book (the “when” of life), as we understand modern sciences and history. The entire bible is preoccupied with the identity of God and human beings (answering the “who” of life) and the purpose and reason for the creation and God’s interaction with it, and humanity’s response to God (the “why” of life). The bible offers core truths from the perspective of who and why; in contrast, Western Civilization offers core truths from the perspective of when and how.

Theme: There are consistent patterns in each of the days of creation-they read like poetry or a religious liturgy. There is naming. There is separation in each phase of creation, each new creation of God has its own integrity and identity. I am not a rock, the ocean is not a tree, a cat is not an owl-all things and creatures have their own identity and integrity. We are made separate and related. There is an I and there is a We.

Theme: Each of the days of creation ends with a judgment: God looks out and pronounces his creation good (the sixth day is the only time something is appraised as VERY good). The creation is good, life is good, even though the people of God are going through terrible oppression and grief.

Theme: This is the first time in human history where time is seen as linear (“the first day, the second day...there was morning and evening...) time is not cyclical; time moves forward. In other words, this day will never be lived again, so make it count! Linear time brings pressure to get things done. There are literally deadlines, when we and our work are no more.