God Saw That It Was Good

Genesis 1-3

How did ancient Israel understand where they came from? What were the stories they told about where the world came from? How did they explain the origins of humanity? Why was the world the way it was? How to account for good and evil in the world? And where does their God fit in to life as they know it?

The book of Genesis is about beginnings (that's what the name means). "In the beginning, God...." Genesis begins with a poem - a very startling poem when compared to the myths of other ancient cultures.  Typically creation stories are full of chaos, fantastic heros and gigantic monsters, there are swords and battles, destruction and mayhem, conquering and upheaval. Israel's story is much more... orderly, designed, lovingly crafted. Consider that the story of where you come from shapes your sense of who you are and your destiny in the world. What does the Creation Poem reveal to you about how ancient Israel understood their God, their world, their place in it?

The poem is followed by two stories - the first is the classic, "Dad, where did I come from?" The second story is the necessary accounting for why terrible things happen. It's how ancient Israel explained the core realities of their life. They carefully crafted these stories to communicate powerful ideas that would shape their identity, their work in the world, and their relationship with surrounding tribes. Again, it helps to compare these two stories with that of other ancient civilizations. The contrast would be apparent - there is purpose and direction in Israel's stories. It reveals the involvement of the One God, not the petty squabbling and bloodthirsty ravages of many gods and goddesses.

As you reflect on these first three chapters, it's vital to ask: what does this poem and two stories reveal about God and humanity? What is God like? How are we still like the humans in this story? The debates often rage about whether these stories are true. It's more helpful to consider how these stories are still true for us: it's a good world, cursed; men and women still strive and struggle, still procreate and provide for each other; God gives and takes away, judges and disciplines, loves and blesses.