December 27, 2017: Day 2 – Genesis 2
December 27, 2017Did you know that there is another creation account from the pagan Babylonians? Here is the text of it:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/enuma.htm
It contains very similar wording to what we find in Genesis, and some scholars see it as a predecessor to the Hebrew text of Genesis. There is no conflict here for me in regards to a nation writing about creation to uplift their god over other gods. The Babylonians wanted to lift up their god, Marduk, as the most powerful and so ascribe to him the creative ability.
Some Christian scholars will also say that there are two creation stories which do not correspond to each other: the one found in Genesis 1 and the one found in Genesis 2. I have a different take. I believe that there is one creation story with Genesis 1 giving us the general flow of creation with the 6 days. Genesis 2 gives us the seventh and final day as well as describe more in detail the creation of humanity.
If you have the time read through those two chapters again and you can see how at vs. 3 it seems like the author is taking a break and then diving into the details of the creation of the human which begins a more detailed description starting in vs. 4. It fits for me and seems to go together better than two separate accounts that might conflict with each other.
When you look at the account of the creation of Adam you see God breathing His Spirit into him. What a powerful image. For some reason this scene in this movie comes to my mind whenever I read this passage. I envision God getting down and getting muddy to create us. So, I tried really hard to find a clip of Robert Redford whispering to the horses to train them as an image of God getting down and creating us but I couldn’t find that scene.
I know I have included a few times this article on what it means exactly that woman was created to be a “helper”. I hope you find it useful.