TEACHING NOTES Introduction Tonight we’re going to look at the days of creation. Specifically, we’re going to see how each day relates to the others and why the author designed the creation account this way. While there is much debate about the length of the days, we’re going focus more on what the author is trying to communicate. Patterns: The Hebrew Bible is loaded with patterns and many of them are introduced in the first chapters of Genesis. Specifically, the poetic books and the prophets recall themes/patterns from Gen. 1-11 to give us more insight. Other passages that help us interpret Genesis 1: Job 38-39; Psalm 104; Prov. 8 gives us the most detail about Gen. 1. These passages help us to meditate on Gen. 1 by providing more facets on the patterns/themes. How can we take advantage of this? Start by reading these passages beside each other and note the similarities, patterns, repeated phrases, etc. Then spend time thinking and meditating on what the authors are trying to say. Note: The following notes contain over 4,300 words of Hebrew word studies and commentary. Therefore, we may have to split this into two sessions. Creation Days & Parallels (see image above) Genesis 1:1–2 ESV 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. The author’s main point is that God alone creates (Heb. bara). In the Hebrew Bible, the word bara is only used of God and no one else. God creates the heavens (up there) and the earth (down here). Two Problems: Without form (no order) and void (empty). The earth (land) is all underwater, which is chaotic and uninhabitable. Note: Because of the Hebrew grammar, it is possible that there was a period of time between verse 2 and verse 3. Therefore, the earth could have been without form and void for a long time or only a short time. The author left that issue open because he didn’t know either way. Although this is highly debated among Hebrew scholars. There is not a clearcut answer to this one. Genesis 1:3–5 ESV 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said = This phrase is repeated 10 times in the creation account. Keep in mind that God brought 10 plagues on Egypt and afterward gives Moses 10 commandments (words). Light = Heb. אוֹר (ʾôr) - In Hebrew or is also associated with moral goodness, guidance, health, life, revelation, and understanding. It’s interesting that on day one light is created but the Sun is not created until the 4th day. It could be that the author believed light exists outside of the Sun. Another option is that the light of day one is the Sun and day four is merely providing more detail. Some astrophysicists say that the light on day one is the Sun but would not be visible on earth until day four because the low oxygen levels on day one made the atmosphere too hazy. God saw = This phrase is repeated 7 times in the creation account. This theme of God seeing is threaded throughout the Bible. In the creation account, God sees “good” but later in the story God begins to see things that are “not good”. This sets up a pattern of contrast between what God saw as good in the beginning and what He sees as not good later in the story. Good = Heb. טוֹב (tov) - pleasant, in order, useful, efficient, beautiful Separated = Heb. בָּדַל (bā·ḏǎl) - Separation is part of bringing order/boundaries/limits to creation. On day one God brings order by separating light (Day) from darkness (Night). Darkness = Heb. חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥō·šěḵ) - In Hebrew hosek is also associated with evil, lostness, death, mystery, and lack of understanding. God called = Refers to God giving a name to something. God only names five things in the creation account (Day, Night, Heaven, Earth, Seas). Later God will ask Adam to name the birds and animals. Day = Heb. יוֹם (yôm) - This word is used in Hebrew several ways. In this verse it refers to the daytime - the amount of time when the sun is up. So yom can used to describe the daytime (light). It can also be used to describe a 24-hour period. And it can be used to describe a long, indefinite period of time (see Gen. 2:4). Night = Heb. לַיְלָה (lǎy·lāh) - Refers to what we call nighttime - when the sun is down. Evening and morning = This phrase is viewed by some as evidence that the creation days were literal 24-hour days. However, it is not as clear as we would hope. Some Hebrew scholars believe this phrase refers not to the time period it took God to create but the time in which it was revealed to the author. In this view, God is revealing what He created to the author over a six day period, but the time it took God to actually create was six long periods of time. Many scholars believe that “evening and morning” refers to each period of time as having a beginning and end with the 7th day having no end. Either way, the author is not focusing on that issue. The author’s focus is WHO created the world and in what order it was created. DAY 1: Light, Separation of Light (Day) & Darkness (Night) Genesis 1:6–8 ESV 6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. Expanse = Heb. רָקִיעַ (rā·qîaʿ) - a canopy, dome-shaped barrier. Separates waters above from waters below. We call this the “atmosphere” of the earth. Hebrew scholars say raqia refers to the space (airspace) between earth’s surface and the heavens. This is not a solid dome but rather a transparent barrier that water, fire, and spiritual beings could pass through. Heaven = Heb. שָׁמַיִם (šā·mǎ·yim) - literally “skies” which is plural, not singular. The ancient mind viewed the heavens as layers. The skies are the place for the birds and waters above (clouds and rain). Further out would be the heavens where the lights (Sun, Moon, stars) are located. Further out would be the heavens of God’s space. It was so = This Hebrew phrase can mean “it was true” or “it was right”. It does not necessarily mean completion or finished. There are other Hebrew words that mean complete or finished (like kalah in Gen. 2:1). Therefore, we should not read “it was so” as being complete or finished. It could be that each creation day is a kickstart of a particular process of creation. An important note about Hebrew verbs: Hebrew verbs do not have tenses like English verbs have. There is no past, present, or future tense in Hebrew. This makes translation even more difficult. DAY 2: Separation of Waters Above & Below Genesis 1:9–10 ESV 9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Waters under the heavens = Refers to the waters on the surface of the earth. Gathered = Heb. קָוָה (qā·wāh) - On the 2nd day, God separated the waters above from the waters below. On the 3rd day, God gathers the waters below and dry land appears. This creates order in that the waters and dry land are contained or given boundaries. Dry land = Heb. יַבָּשָׁה (yǎb·bā·šāh) - Refers to dry land in contrast with the waters. While the Hebrew word for “earth” (erets) also means “land”, yabbasah refers specifically to dry land. It could also be seen as mountains or elevated land. God names the dry land (yabbasah) “earth” (erets). Genesis 1:11–13 ESV 11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. Vegetation = Heb. דֶּשֶׁא (dě·šě(ʾ)) - Refers to green growth or grass. Plants, seed, fruit trees = This kind of seed-bearing vegetation provides food for the inhabitants that will be created. According to their own kind = Refers to species or type of class. God is creating order in vegetation that will allow life to be sustained. DAY 3: Waters Below, Dry Land, Vegetation Genesis 1:14–15 ESV 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. Lights = Heb. מָאוֹר (mā·ʾôr) - Literally, “lamps”. Light was created on the 1st day for the entire universe. On the 4th day, lamps are created to provide light for the earth. Let them be for = This is a statement of purpose. Signs = Heb. אוֹת (ʾôṯ) - A non-verbal symbol, example, or signal that has deeper meaning. Ancient people often viewed the heavenly lights (Sun, Moon, stars) as signs that revealed something to humans. When the stars aligned in certain ways they believed God was revealing something to them. For example, the magi from Babylon saw something in the stars that told them to travel to Jerusalem for the birth of Jesus. The stars told them a new king was being revealed to Israel. John saw a vision in Rev. 12:1-6 of “a great sign in the heavens” which was a peculiar alignment of the star constellations that occurred on Sept. 11, 3 B.C. Also, Job 38:31-33 describes several constellations by name and God asked Job, “Can you establish their rule on the earth?” The point is that ancient writers believed the heavens gave them signs and the Bible supports that belief. Seasons = Heb. מוֹעֵד (mô·ʿēḏ) - Literally, “appointed times”. This word is used later in the Hebrew Bible for religious festivals that the Israelites were commanded to celebrate. These festivals or feasts were commanded by God so that His people would retell the stories of scripture throughout the year as a reminder of God’s provision. Days and years = This refers to the calendar. The lights in the heavens would dictate time for the earth. Therefore, it could be said that time was created on the 4th day. This creates a problem for the six-literal-days view. How could the first three days be literal 24-hour days if there was no Sun? If time was created on the 4th day, was there no time in the first three days? Genesis 1:16–19 ESV 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. Two great lights = Literally, “two great lamps”. Greater light, lesser light = Big lamp and small lamp. Notice that the terms “Sun” and “Moon” are not used. Why not? It’s important to know that all the cultures surrounding Israel had their own creation accounts. In pagan creation stories the Sun and Moon are created objects but are gods to be worshiped. The writer of Genesis is being very clear that Yahweh is God and the lights in the heavens are created objects. Rule - Heb. מֶמְשָׁלָה (měm·šā·lāh) - To have dominion or authority to govern. Several Hebrew words are used to communicate this idea: memsalah, masal, radah are all used in the creation account. Stars = Heb. כּוֹכָב (kô·ḵāḇ) - Luminary objects of the heavens. Also used throughout the Bible to represent heavenly beings. While the Israelites did not believe the stars were actual angels, they did believe that the stars were a reminder that spiritual beings exist, watch over the earth, and even come to earth. To separate the light from the darkness = This raises a question: Was light and darkness separated on the 1st day or the 4th day? The literary design of Genesis 1 shows parallels between days (see Creation Days slide). Day 1 relates to Day 4 - Day 2 relates to Day 5 - Day 3 relates to Day 6. The author may not intend for us to think of the days of creation is such a hyper-literal or consecutive way. Western thinking demands either/or answers, but eastern thinking is comfortable with both/and answers. DAY 4: Inhabitants of the Heavens Genesis 1:20–23 ESV 20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. Swarms = Heb. שֶׁרֶץ (šě·rěṣ) - Literally, “swarmers” referring to small sea creatures. Great sea creatures = Heb. תַּנִּין (tǎn·nîn) - Literally, “sea monsters”. Very large and seemingly dangerous sea creatures. In the ancient world, these were associated with chaos and death. Some of them are named in the Hebrew Bible like Leviathan and Rahab in Job 41:1 and Job 26:12. In the Babylonian creation account (called Enuma Elis), Tiamat is a sea goddess that is the enemy of the god Marduk. Tiamat symbolized the chaotic waters of creation. The Hebrew word tannin is referring to Tiamat as a created being, which communicates that it is not a god. God blessed = Heb. בָּרַךְ (bā·rǎḵ) - This begins a pattern for the meaning of “blessed” in the Bible. Modern readers often think that blessing refers to wealth, but in Genesis we find that “God blessed” is followed by a purpose or job description. Therefore, Genesis teaches us that we should define “blessed” as a stated purpose. Be fruitful, multiply, fill = This is the blessing for the sea and sky creatures - to reproduce and spread over the earth. DAY 5: Inhabitants of Waters & Skies Genesis 1:24–25 ESV 24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Let the earth bring forth = It is important to note that the land creatures are produced (brought forth - Heb. yoset “out of”) from the earth. They are not created (Heb. bara) but rather made/formed (Heb. asah) out of the ground. In Gen. 2:7, Adam is also formed (Heb. yoser) from the earth. Living creatures = Heb. נֶפֶשׁ חַי (ně·p̄ěš ḥǎyah) - The Hebrew word nephesh refers to life or living thing. Humans are also nephesh creatures. The Hebrew word hayah also means life or favorable circumstance. It seems that all creatures in the creation account are nephesh hayah but vegetation, Sun, Moon, and stars are not nephesh hayah. Livestock = Heb. בְּהֵמָה (behē·māh) - Beasts of the land. Refers to larger land animals as a contrast to creeping and swarming creatures which are much smaller. Creeping things = Heb. רֶמֶשׂ (rě·měś) - This word can refer to simply moving creatures, but also to creatures that are so close to the ground that they could be easily trampled. One example would be snakes.