Two Stories of Creation

Genesis contains two different and contradictory creation stories. The first story runs from Genesis 1:1 thru Genesis 2:3; the second story picks up at Genesis 2:4 and runs to the end of the chapter. In the first story, creation takes six days and man and woman are created last after plants and animals. In the second story, man is created first, then plant and animal life, and finally a woman.   Textual critics contend that the two creation accounts were not written by the same hand. That’s because each chapter reflects a different writing style. Additive to that, the chapter 1 author uses the Hebrew term “Elohim” for the name of God while the chapter 2 author using the Hebrew word “Jehovah.” Thus, the theory that Moses wrote Genesis has been debunked by modern scholars, who contend that several Jewish writers composed Genesis five centuries after Moses. Scholars concede that Moses may have documented lists of the early patriarchs on stone tablets. 

The first verse of Genesis, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” implies that God created the universe from nothingness. Since there were no reporters at the dawning of creation, theologians contend that chapters 1 and 2 were adapted from Babylonian myths. Contrarily, some commentators maintain that God telepathically communicated the story of creation.  After the six days of creation, the scripture states that God rested. The fourth commandment demands: “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord thy God.” Regrettably, voters in Georgia towns and cities voted to serve alcoholic drinks at 11 A.M. on Sunday mornings. This is during church time. 

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Modern scientists reject the role of a Supreme Creator. They contend that 14 billion years ago all matter in the universe was compressed into the space the size of a golf ball.  The intense heat therefrom caused a gigantic explosion called the “Big Bang” which propelled matter throughout space. This matter cooled to form planets, solar systems, stars and galaxies.  Evolutionists propose that the spark of life was spontaneously generated in a primordial soup of chemicals that reacted to produce a one-cell protozoan—from which all animal and human life evolved. If there were a “Big Bang,” this writer believes God caused it.  In chapter 3, God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience. Their expulsion resulted in the death sentence and the loss of immortality. God scolded them, saying: “from dust you came and unto dust you shall return.” From the fall of man came the good news. Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.  All who believe in me, even though they die, yet shall they live again.” 

To summarize, the two stories of creation have caused some scholars to denounce the creation story in the Bible.  We can safely say that no one fully comprehends the creation stories in Genesis. For example, was each creation day based on a 24-hour day or did each day represent eons of time?  The different names of God are attributable to two different writers providing a creation story in Genesis.