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Joseph Scrivner
It is easy to miss the wonder of a well-known biblical passage.
This is certainly the case with the opening creation narrative in Genesis 1:1-2:4a. Few passages
have endured as much scrutiny for a variety of purposes. Yet, one must not allow familiarity to
breed indifference. This account highlights God's care for the cosmos and its human inhabitants.
Condescension
It is important to note that this is a creation account from the ancient Near East. Its ancient
perspective includes the primordial presence of water, the separation of water to create a potential
living space, and the location of water above and below the dividing dome (Genesis 1:2, 6-8; see
Job 26:10; Psalm 104:3; 148:3).
This dome is solid and named "sky" (see "dome" in Ezekiel 1:22-26). God puts luminaries in it like
lights set in a ceiling (Genesis 1:14-19). But before the lights are inserted, God commands another
movement of water so that the land appears as a plane called "earth," enclosed by the sky as a
clear, concave lid (Genesis 1:9-10).
Obviously, this view of the sky and earth cannot be harmonized with present day knowledge. It is
not the view properly taught in a modern science textbook for middle school. Yet, this is not a fact to
be denied or belittled, despite the protest of many. Instead, it is a cause for praise as it illustrates
God's willingness to communicate with humans in terms appropriate for a particular place and time.
God inspired this description because it conveys important images about God's fellowship with
humanity, the goodness of creation, and human dignity. Yet, these images are expressed in
undeniably ancient terms, not in an unattainable universal form. Thus, this text is an example of
God's accommodation for the sake of covenantal communion. This is divine condescension.
Communion
Indeed, this covenant communion is the ultimate point of this creation account. God carefully
constructs a world for the sake of human flourishing. Each of the first three days prepares the space
for an aspect of creation later filled in the final three days. This meticulous attention indicates
creation's importance. Repeatedly, God views creation as "good" (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25,
31). Accordingly, God creates humanity as the apex of this process. Humans are the image of God
in the new habitation.1
For this schema of the days, see William P. Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation: The Bible,
Science, and the Wonder of Ecology (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 38-39. Brown
ends the first creation account at 2:3, instead of 2:4a.