Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
We have been in our study of the book of Genesis now for three weeks, and I pray you are being stretched as I teach what is commonly called the historical creation view of Genesis 1. While this is a view of the creation story that many have probably not heard, I hope that I have been able to demonstrate that it is a view that arises from the text, and is seeking to properly interpret the text in its context. As I have been saying, the historical creation view posits the following: that the six days of creation are not speaking of the creation of the entire universe, but are instead speaking of the preparation of the Promised Land. In this view God is turning the Promised Land into an environment that will be suitable for humans to live and worship him. This view says that Genesis 1:1 describes the creation of everything over an indefinite period of time, and that Genesis 1:2-2:4 describes God’s turning the land from a wilderness into a place where mankind can live and thrive in six literal days.
This view of the creation story has most recently been explained in an excellent book by Dr. John Sailhamer, entitled, Genesis Unbound. I would encourage anyone to read this book, and wrestle through the text, and the arguments made yourself. John Piper gives a quick summation of the outline of the book (and hence the historical creation view) on his web page, and that’s another good place to get a summary of the larger argument I have been making. Finally, a gentleman by the name of Matt Perman writes a great analysis of Sailhamer’s book that can be read online here. I post all these links and resources because my greatest desire is that you would study these things yourself.
Finally, let me reaffirm something I shared on the first Sunday we dived into Genesis – much of the various views of the creation story are views that in my opinion must be held with an open hand. In our faith, there are things we hold to with a closed hand – that is they are non-negotiable and worth contending for. And then there are things that we hold to with an open hand – that is we recognize that Christians have a variety of views and interpretations on what are ultimately secondary doctrines. What I’m suggesting is that when it comes to the creation story there are definitely things we hold to with a closed hand. That God alone created all things out of nothing for his glory, that the creation was perfect prior to sin, that mankind is created in his image to worship our Creator, and that we have rejected God and sinned choosing to be the sole arbiters of right and wrong are all doctrines that come out of Genesis 1-3 that are closed handed issues. We must contend for these. These things are in part why we don’t affirm evolution, or humanism, or any other religion. These things are worth fighting for.
But we also must acknowledge there are issues regarding Genesis 1-2 that are open handed issues. Things like the length of the days, whether one sees Genesis 1:1 as a title or a statement unto itself, what one does with the term formless and void in 1:2, or even how one explains the disparity between the creation of light in 1:3 and the creation of the sources of light in 1:14. All of these are areas where sincere, godly believers can and have disagreed. Many of these things are open at some level to interpretation, and the defenders of these various interpretations have all sought to show the strength of their position from Scripture (which is ultimately what we must ask them to do). Frankly, humility requires us to say that some of these things may not be known this side of heaven, and until then I will seek to hear my brother or sister out, and lovingly explore Scripture together. To that end, I printed out a list of resources on creation and Genesis that I made available on the first day we tackled this wondrous book of the Bible. I copied that list from a sermon done on the doctrine of creation by Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church. A summary of his main points, and a fantastic list of resources can be found here. Go and study these things yourself. Wrestle with God’s word on your own. I know when we do that we are all richly blessed.
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