What is the biblical Creation story?

Response

The foundational creation account is detailed in Genesis 1 and 2, along with the narrative of events in the Garden of Eden in chapter 3. Genesis 1 commences prior to the existence of anything except God Himself. The revelation of God and His intentions for humanity marks the commencement of the creation narrative. Initially, God brought into being everything in the cosmos “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”, (Genesis 1:1). This encompasses all celestial bodies (including every star and planet) as well as all terrestrial entities. Although the triune nature of God is not explicitly stated in the Genesis account, God does indicate a collective “us” within the Godhead “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”, (Genesis 1:26). The Spirit is actively involved in the act of creation “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”, (Genesis 1:2) as is Christ (John 1:1-3;Colossians 1:15-17).

Over the course of six days of creation, God brought forth light, the universe, and the earth (day 1); the sky and the atmosphere (day 2); dry land and all vegetation (day 3); the celestial bodies, including the stars, sun, and moon (day 4); birds and aquatic creatures (day 5); and all land animals and humanity (day 6). Humanity holds a unique position among all creatures as they are created in the image of God “So God created man in his own image.”Age, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” (Genesis 1:27) and has the responsibility to steward and subdue the earth (verse 28). All of creation was completed in six days in all its vast array and wondrous beauty. God announced that His creation was “very good” (verse 31). Genesis 2 sees the ending of God’s creative work and gives a more detailed account of the creation of man.

The seventh day is marked by God’s resting. The rest does not suggest that God was tired; rather, His “rest” was simply a cessation of work. God was done, and the universe was just as He wanted it to be. God’s six days of work, followed by a day of no work, establishes a pattern of taking one day in seven for rest and sets the number of days in the week still in use today. The keeping of the Sabbath later became a distinguishing mark of God’s chosen people (Exodus 20:8-11:)

Genesis 2 takes a closer look at the creation of man. This passage is not a second creation account, nor is it contradictory to Genesis 1. Genesis 2 simply takes a step away from a linear report to refocus the reader on God’s unique work concerning man. God formed man from the dust of the earth He had previously created. After forming man’s body, God breathed life—a soul—into him. The fact that God chose to form man this way shows His great care in this process. God next placed the first man, Adam, in a special place, the Garden of Eden. Eden was beautiful and bountiful. Adam had almost everything he needed, including food and productive work. However, God was not done with man.

God helped Adam to see his need for a mate by having him review all the other creatures and naming them (Genesis 2:19-20). At the end of the naming process, Adam understood what he lacked.God caused Adam to sleep and then formed Eve with as much care as He had formed Adam (verses 21–22). Eve was made from Adam’s rib. When God brought Eve to Adam, the man immediately understood that she was special. She was his counterpart, his complement, and flesh of his flesh (verse 23).

God made both Adam and Eve in God’s image, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27). The Bible’s creation account establishes the family as the basic building block of society (Genesis 1:24; cf: Matthew 19:5-6). As a God-ordained institution, marriage is to be only between one man and one woman.

Adam and Eve were created in a state of innocence, “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:25) and had not committed any sin. They enjoyed communion with God in Eden and the freedom to eat of whatever trees of the garden they wished, except for one (Genesis 2:16-17). Part of their relationship with God was the inclusion of one simple rule: Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17).

At some point, Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat from the forbidden tree, which she did. Adam also ate and joined his wife in disobedience.(Genesis 3:1-6). When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they lost their innocence, and their nature was corrupted (Genesis 3:7-12). Sin brought consequences. The process of death began immediately. God cursed the serpent to crawl forever on the ground and be hated by men (verses 14–15). God punished Eve with pain in childbirth and conflict with her husband (verse 16), and He punished Adam with toil and hardship in his labors (verses 17–19). Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and denied access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24).

In His great mercy, God also covered Adam and Eve’s shame «Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. », (Genesis 3:21) and gave them a message of hope in the promise of a Redeemer. The Bible’s first mention of the coming Messiah is found in Genesis 3:15, often called the protoevangelium. The Seed of the woman would come to crush the head of the Serpent, at the cost of being bruised Himself. So, an integral part of the creation story is a prediction of Jesus’ death on the cross and His triumph over Satan and the curse.