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 Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:35 pm
-Is the first verse of Genesis meant to be a summary? Or is it the first creative act?
-When God says "let there be light", what is this light? He doesn't make the sun until day 3, and he doesn't make the stars until day 4. I'm really quite confused. However, if you take the first verse of Genesis as the first creative act, then He had already made the Heavens and the Earth. Is it possible that the stars mentioned in Day 3 refer to the stars just in our solar system?
But what about the sun? Day and Night were created before the sun. How does that work out?
Day 1: God says let there be light, and this light separates day from night on Earth.
Day 2: God created the sky (separating "water" from "water")
Day 3: God separates the waters to create dry ground, making land and sea. He also makes Earth's vegetation; and He makes the morning and evening.
Day 4: He makes the stars, the seasons, days, and years. He makes the sun and the moon.
Day 5: God creates sea creatures and birds
Day 6: God makes land animals
Day 7: God makes man
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Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:10 am
I'd hoped somebody else would take a crack at this one, just because I don't like sounding like a know-it-all. But, I guess most of them are busy with real-world stuff (and I can very much sympathize), so I'll try it after all.
The first two chapters of Genesis ... from what I've read, that was a "common literary technique" a few thousand years ago: tell a story in vague terms, then retell it with a lot more specifics, focusing on one particular point. The first chapter (not just the first verse) is indeed a summary, and the second chapter (excluding the first four verses) is a precise instance of His creation, focusing on humans.
Now, let me say that Genesis is the only instance of this I've personally read, but you can find something similar in 18th century novels. Crack open a copy of Tom Sawyer and look at the beginning of each chapter; you'll see a summary of what is to come. The Book of Mormon, also published in the 18th century, is the same way.
As for your breakdown of God's creation, well ... here's how I read Genesis 1.
Verse 1. God creates heaven and earth. There isn't much to the earth at this point.
Verse 5. God also creates light, calls it good, and separates light from darkness. He calls the light "day" and the dark "night". First day.
Verse 6. God separates water below from water above (clouds).
Verse 8. The separation zone He created is called "sky". Second day.
Verse 9. God separates the waters below, creating oceans and land.
Verse 11. God creates vegetation.
Verse 13. Third day.
Verse 14. God creates lots of lights, rather than just the vague light He had before. One large light (the sun) to light the day, a bunch of small lights (moon and stars) to light the night.
Verse 19. Fourth day.
Verse 20. God creates animals for air and water -- that is, birds and fish.
Verse 23. Fifth day.
Verse 24. God creates animals for the land.
Verse 27. God creates humans.
Verse 31. Sixth day.
So, we have 9 acts of creation over 6 days. And in the first part of the next chapter, God rests, giving us 7 days.
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Okay, the whole day-night thing before the sun was created ... well, I hate to use a cop-out, but ... it's God. He can do whatever He wants.
Heh ... putting that same thing more spiritually, God didn't need to create a light source before He created light. God is the ultimate source of light. The sun and stars and whatnot are ... lesser light sources, dependent upon Him for their existence.
But again, that's only my personal theory. I've read others (even if I can't find half my library right now) that are equally valid.
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Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:09 am
hmm...
*is now picturing God with a flashlight and a monkey wrench, because he hadn't created the sun yet*
=p
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