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Willingness to accept something that suggests some support for an idea is going to succeed when the idea is already enshrined in your understanding.
Sadly, lining up a few emotionally persuasive rationalizations that sound like science always turn to lace when seen in the light of the Created world. Genesis 1:1-3 says two things.
First, God created time, space, matter, and light. Ask a physicist what that means.
Second, the middle verse says that the universe began exactly the way the pagans surrounding Abraham said it did. Here is the elephant in the room - pagan cosmogony has no spiritual weight while pagan theology could be likened to toe jam mixed with belly button lint and give structure by toe nail clippings. The pagan deities were promiscuous, thoughtless, had no foresight, were lazy, and were physically killable. Genesis, in one chapter, erases all of that, including the idea that humanity was created from the blood of a murdered god, plus dust.
Humanity 1.0 was seven breeding pairs. Their job was to assume heavy labor that had been the lot of several lesser gods. Digging irrigation canals, growing grain, and raising livestock was the Human Calling. It supplied grain and meat for sacrificial fires, which was the sustenance of the gods.
The Flood came about because the breeding part was so good that humanity filled the earth. [hear an echo from Genesis?] The gods needed some peace and quiet. There was a precursor to Noah, who had to be harangued until he gave in and built a large circular craft for his family, some seeds, and some livestock.
The gods realized they were about to drown, being shoved up against the underside of the firmament. When the boat landed and its owner disembarked to send up an offering fire, the gods realized they had narrowly escaped self-starvation. The hero's offspring would be held back by disease, plague, and famine.
The Noah account addresses all of those points. Each time, Genesis is like a pearl compared to a sow's ear.
Genesis is theology.
For Genesis to be material fact, consider that Day Two places a forever supply of rain above the firmament while Day Four places the sun, moon, and stars within the firmament. Creation, on the other hand, says that Planet Earth is a ball of iron and lava with a thin crispy crust of continents, and flimsy splashes of water between them. It also says that the moon orbits earth and earth orbits the sun.
Or in other words, Genesis is about the Creator. It ignores material fact in order to present deep spiritual truth to ordinary pre-technical minds, and to Sunday School children.
Genesis is theology. The great tradition of reading it at face value is well and good. Keep on keeping on - but awareness of verses 1 and 3, and the astounding beauty and perfection awaiting those who care to look has to be taken with joy.
Not only that but the unchurched, which the Christian must invite into the embrace of the Lord, know good and well that there is no way for Genesis to describe fact.
Other than verses 1 and 3 - can you see the Spirit's friendly wink at the Age fo Science looking for a way to find God in the r.e.a.l Creation?
I really enjoyed this series! It is very understandable and informative, you don’t have to be a science expert to understand. I really enjoyed it!!!
Bob gives verifiable proofs and a lot of them too!