Analysis Of Genesis 1 And 1

Throughout the Christian faith, there are people who choose to read Genesis 1-2 literally, while there are others who will look at the story figuratively. Either way, though, the belief that God created everything is still held. And while there are things that change due to whether or not the story happened figuratively or literally, there are other things about the story that will always stay the same.

The Bible not only tells us that God created the world, but more importantly, it tells us who God is. It reveals God’s personality, character, His plan for creation, and His deepest desire to have a relationship with his creation. Whether Genesis 1 and 2 is read literally or figuratively, we not only learn more about God but also about ourselves.

1) Since God choose to create us, we are valuable in His eyes. God did not just create us, “God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27).” Humans are God’s only creation that He made in His own image, which I think makes us pretty special. In Genesis 1:28, God told humans to “rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing creature the moves on the ground.” From this passage we learn that God’s most valuable creation was humans, because He put us in charge of everything else He created.

2) Whether Genesis 1 is read figuratively or literally, there can be no disagreement that the process of creation occurred over time- the Earth as it is today did not just pop up in one fell swoop. This is seen by the fact that the creation of earth took six “days” according to Genesis 1. If this is interpreted as six literal “days” (i.e. 24 hours), then each successive element of the natural world was added one after the other for a week. Thus, light was made (verse...

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...ortant. As he created us humans were said to be the ones that ruled the earth. God also said he strived to have a relationship with his creation. It is also clearly noted that men and women were created for each other.

Another thing that the creation story tells us, whether we read it literally or figuratively, is that God appointed human beings as His representatives on earth. He gave them instructions to “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the earth and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (1:28), and chapter 2 tells us that “God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (2:15). These verses show that human beings, not the animals of land or sea, are God’s chosen rulers of the earth. This along with the fact that God made us in His image, make humans one of the most special parts of His creation.