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Torah and Genesis 1 - 3

Torah and Genesis 1 - 3. What Does It Mean?. What-Who-When-Where-Why. The What Torah: 1st five books of OT “The Law of Moses” Hebrew Title of Book One b’resheth – “in beginning” English Title of Book One Genesis  Gk-LXX “Generations”

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Torah and Genesis 1 - 3

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  1. Torah andGenesis 1 - 3 What Does It Mean?

  2. What-Who-When-Where-Why The What Torah: 1st five books of OT “The Law of Moses” • Hebrew Title of Book One • b’resheth – “in beginning” • English Title of Book One • Genesis  Gk-LXX “Generations”  Heb. tol’edah of 2:4

  3. Who • Moses recognized as the authority since antiquity. (Deut. 1:1, 5) • Torah’s authority is accepted as a whole by Jesus, e.g., Lk 24:27, Mk 12:26, Mt 19:4-5 • and all the NT writers. e.g., Jn 1:17, Lk 2:22 • Mosaic authorship does not mean Moses wrote every word without any aid of others, later editing, or compilation of oral accounts. • J-E-P-D theory attempts to undercut Mosaic inspired authority. Refuted by Green ~1890.

  4. Egyptian Merenptah Stele, 1213 BC “… Canaan has been plundered … Israel is devastated, havingno seed...” When - Where • During Israelites’ exodus from Egypt to Canaan. • Centered on Mount Sinai Covenant. • Read the text from Mt. Sinai perspective, not as if in the garden of Eden with A&E. • Exodus date: • traditional ~1450 B.C • archeological ~1250 B.C. based on Egyptian history, Rameses II

  5. What - Why • Serves as the Introduction to the Sinai Covenant between God and His chosen people, Israel. • Format of ancient covenants was • first provide historical basis for the king’s authority to rule, • then the covenant • then the laws • then examples of king’s providence under covenant • followed by blessings and curses for those under rule • This is precisely the Torah’s overall organization. • A book of its time. • not from a thousand years later • Israelites familiar with the format

  6. How shall we “read” the text? • Figurative or Literal ? • Question demonstrates a wholly inadequate understanding of Hebrew in general, • … and of Genesis 1-3 in particular. • Usually an attempt to prejudice a study. • I will take the text more “literally” than any “literalist” is willing to do.

  7. The Tenfold Division of Genesis tol e’dah (2:4) “this is the account of …” “these are the generations of …” “this is the beginning of …” 10 Jacob 37:2 9 Esau 36:1 (w/36:9) 8 Isaac 25:19 7 Ishmael 25:12 6 Terah (Abram) 11:27 5 Shem 11:10 4 Sons of Noah 10:1 3 Noah 6:9 2 Adam 5:1 1 Heavens and Earth 2:4 Prologue “b’resheth” 1:1 - 2:3 “The more an author works at his form, the more plausible it is he is stepping away from the zero point (of the text).” H. Blocher “In The Beginning”

  8. Part 1: Chapters 1-11 Covenants with Adam and Noah Man’s initiatives begat failure upon failure Part 2: Chapters 12-50 Covenants with Abram God’s initiatives to redeem man from his failures Two Main Theological Parts

  9. Part I – Man’s Failure 1 – Six days of Creating 2 – Man in Paradise Covenant with God 3 – Distrust, Rebellion, Paradise Lost 4-11 – Consequences of Broken Covenant

  10. Six Days of Forming and Filling God beginning heavens and earth formless, uninhabitable, watery, darkness, hovering Spirit 1 light 2 water/skies 3 dry land w/plants 4 filled with lights 5 filled with fish & birds 6 filled with beasts, man “Thus, heavens and earth completed… … and all their hosts.” 2:1 Notice: all these created things were also Egyptian gods. First laws of covenant: God alone, no other gods, no idols. Compare Gen 1 order to Deut 4:15-19 (Gen 1 in reverse)

  11. Some Other Structural Elements 10 and God said 10 makings 3 creates (with 3rd one three times!) 3 let there be 7 and it was so 7 it was good 3 blessings 6 be dusk, be dawn – Day! • one, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth • seventh day lacks the finish formula – striking absence! “The more an author works at his form, the more plausible it is he is stepping away from the zero point of the text.” H. Blocher “In The Beginning”

  12. beginning it was good it was so time space energy matter 1 5 4 2 6 7 3 God said “light be” physical cosmos created (includes earth) God said “sun, moon, stars be for seasons, days, years” God rests God said “produce land animals: domesti-cable animals, and small and large wild animals” God said “name animals” God said “waters separate” Adam is lonely God said “fish swarm, birds fly” earth uninhabitable, deep, dark, God’s Spirit on surface of waters God said “waters gather, dry land be” God makes Eve God said “multiply, fill” God said “sprout plants” God said “multiply, fill, subdue, become one” See 2:7-25 for elaboration on animals, and man and woman See 2:5-6 for elaboration on waters and plants When God Speaks, It Happens It was very good it was good it was good it was good it was so it was so light was it was so God Is God said “make man in our image, over animals” This is the account of the heavens and earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.Genesis 2:4 Hill Roberts, (C) 2000

  13. When God Speaks, It Happens It was very good beginning it was good it was good it was good it was good it was so it was so it was so light was time space energy matter it was so God Is 7 3 2 6 1 4 5 God said “light be” physical cosmos created (includes earth) God said “sun, moon, stars be for seasons, days, years” God rests God said “produce land animals: domesti-cable animals, and small and large wild animals” God said “make man in our image, over animals” God said “name animals” God said “waters separate” Adam is lonely God said “fish swarm, birds fly” earth uninhabitable, deep, dark, God’s Spirit on surface of waters God said “waters gather, dry land be” God makes Eve God said “multiply, fill” God said “sprout plants” God said “multiply, fill, subdue, become one” See 2:7-25 for elaboration on animals, and man and woman See 2:5-6 for elaboration on waters and plants This is the account of the heavens and earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.Genesis 2:4 Hill Roberts, (C) 2000 created created created

  14. Part I – Man’s Failure 1 – Six days of Creating 2 – Man in Paradise Covenant with God (thesis) God rests, Man goes to work Completed by Woman 3 – Distrust, Rebellion, Paradise Lost (antithesis) Innocence Guilt Life  Death Birth  Multiplied Pain Helpmeet  Ruled Land  Toil Two Trees  Garden Closed “Where Are You?” Theme for rest of the Bible “God seeking His people’s trust.” Job, Jesus, Us -- “God, where are you?” 4-11 – Consequences of Broken Covenant Man, apart from God, goes from bad to terrible! Cain, Flood, Babel Enter Abram [Part 2]

  15. Elohyim - Spirit - Word • v 1 – Elohyim (divine nature) • v 2 – Spirit hovering over the waters (divine power) • v 3 – God speaks (divine will revealed) • Hints of Trinity embedded in first three sentences • “Elohim” the divine “plural of majesty” • “Let us…” • John 1:1-3 The Word – Logos = The Creator

  16. Creation by Separationseparation: dividing, judgment, authority • Something separated from nothing • Filled form separated from formless void • Light separated from darkness as righteousness separated from sin by “The Light” • Waters above separated from waters below • expanse? SMS are in the expanse, but so are the birds, and God’s home. (Will “literalists” be this literal?) • raquia beaten out bowl, a spead out sheet, the heavens, Heaven • Dry land separated from seas • land produces plants • normal process, but comes by God’s decree • Will “literalists” be this literal with the text?

  17. Naming • Naming things is the essence of human self-awareness, intelligence, observation, abstract thought, communication, language, learning, ability to separate and classify, logic, science. • Essence of Person-ness (image of God) • To name is to exercise authority over • God names day and night, dry land and seas, man • Adam names the animals, Eve

  18. Fish, Birds “created” • Sentient life is “created.” • Next use of “bara” after 1:1. • Note: bara was not used for the plants. • “Multiply and fill the earth.” • Have you ever thought this happened instantly? Within 24 hours? Days 3-6 (2:1 - completed)? A longer time? God commanded it, just like everything else He commanded to happen. • Why Not? • Because of something the text says different about this command? • Because you believe in evolution, instead of creation? • Because of what you know about life cycles and migrations.

  19. Beasts from the Land • “Let the land bring forth living creatures after their kind.” • Will “literalists” be this literal? • Plants1:11-12 • Beasts 1:24 • Man 1:24, 2:7 • “The Land!” • In the manner a farmer speaks of “The Land” • The basic stuff of life (human – humus, Adam, adamah) • Where we live, who and what we are. We are of the Land. • God’s providence for man (e.g., the garden) • God’s Promise

  20. Man • dirt, shaped and inbreathed with life by God • God’s “image bearer” on earth • 2 Peter 1:4 partakers of the divine nature • Made, Created, Image • all emphasize man’s dependence on God • Male and Female • wholeness found in relationship (God-ness – “let us”) • together man & woman can pro-create (more God-ness) “In Jesus Christ, who is both the Son of God and the Image of God, we are restored to our humanity, as true images of our Creator, and more than images, we become God’s sons in His Son, by the bond of the new covenant.” Henri Blocher, “In the Beginning”, p 94.

  21. The End

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