As a progressive, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to a loving God; this article reflects one of those ways. Take from here what works for you. Celebrate life with joy and peace!
In my study for this week’s sermon, I’ve been introduced to a new way (for me) to look at the first Creation Story in the book of Genesis. As we unpack these verses together, it is my prayer that you will be profoundly touched by Creator God who loves and cares for you so much!
Many progressive Christian theologians often say, “I take the Bible seriously, not literally.” And in looking at these verses in Genesis, I think that saying definitely applies here.
Some people look at these verses as if they are a “literal scientific description” of the beginning of our universe. When they do this, they set up, what I think, is an unnecessary conflict between two perspectives: modern science and the ancient world view of 2,500 years ago when this story was believed to have been written. 250 years of historical-critical scholarship have established that the book of Genesis was written over many centuries, using both oral and written traditions.
Taking the literal view of this story unfortunately forces one into a choice between the two perspectives – implying that accepting one means the total rejection of the other. You’ve heard the debates!
I don’t think that’s necessary. We have to remember that the Bible was written by human beings who were living in a specific cultural and historical situation and the biblical text reflects the world view of its time; that is – it’s embedded in real history; in real lives; and in real situations.
Many theologians believe it’s not the story’s purpose to provide a “scientific explanation” of creation. In other words, the story is not science, but rather, theology.
What I have learned in these last couple of weeks of study is that this story can be interpreted as a testimony of the creative Spirit of God; a testimony to the ancient Hebrew community’s experience of God’s creative energy working in their lives, in their community and in their real-life situations.
Theologian J. Holub says: “The core message of the story is that the creative energy of God brings order and goodness out of disorder and chaos.”
Let’s take a look: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep…”
In order to understand this better, it’s important to see the ancient worldview’s perspective on “great waters.” They viewed “great waters” as the “abode of chaos” – not evil – but chaos (disorder, absence of purpose). They believed that “in the beginning” there was nothing but water – water everywhere – water above, water below, water all around – a universe of nothing but water – in other words, a universe of total chaos.
Let’s look at the story as it continues to unfold, “…while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light.” Now, here’s something else to understand – the word for “wind” in Hebrew also means “spirit” and “breath.” So here we see God’s Spirit – or, the very breath of God blowing across the chaos — and then this formless watery chaos begins to take on order, shape and purpose.
What an amazing story! I like how Theologian Holub puts it, “Little by little, step by step, day by day more beauty and goodness emerge and explode out of the chaos – all by the creative energy of God.” Beauty from chaos! … and God said, “It was good!”
Going on in our reading, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light.” And what was the light? Remember, it wasn’t the sun, moon or the stars, for according to this Genesis story they weren’t created until the fourth day.
The ancient worldview, and still today for many, the light is a metaphor for the very presence of God. So, for the ancient Hebrews to worship Creator God meant to affirm that God’s presence surrounded them like light, and that God’s creative energy brought beauty, form, and purpose – even out of chaos!
Biblical Scholars tell us that this story originated in the Hebrew community around 540-520 BCE – and what was happening at this time? In 586 BCE, the Babylonians invaded Palestine, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, which was the very heart and core of Judaism. The people were then exiled from their homeland. It was a time of great cultural, religious, economic and social upheaval for the Hebrew people. Chaos!
Then, 40 years later in the 540’s BCE, the Persian Empire, under Cyrus, finally brought an end to the domination of the Babylonians. And in 538 BCE, the exiles were allowed to return to Palestine, and before long construction began on the rebuilding of the temple – order and goodness were returning from the chaos. It was in this context that this story of their Creator God originated and emerged.
Holub goes on to say, “The core message of the story for the Jewish people was that to worship their Creator God was to trust it was God’s intention to bring order and goodness out of upheaval and chaos. This story in Genesis is a testimony to that experience.”
What’s your testimony? We can all think of specific times when our lives spiraled into total chaos. We felt like we were drowning in a sea of sorrow and upheaval – it was all over – chaos above us, below us, surrounding us.
Different things can cause this, stress, depression, death, a diagnosis, a break up, and then the temptation is to move into exile, a state of chaos, fragmented, lost, hopeless and confused. And then … the wind of God’s Spirit begins to blow over the chaos. God’s creative energy through Scripture, meditation, wise counsel and even worship begins to bring healing and empowerment. And little by little, day by day, week by week, month by month the creative energy of God restores order, goodness and hopefulness in life.
I believe we all live in the tension between chaos and order. As much as we try to live a healthy life and exercise; bam, out of nowhere comes a diagnosis, the chaos of an unwelcome intruder.
Many of you have stories to share of your life being suddenly plunged into chaos and you didn’t give up. You survived. You’re here this morning in this special place maybe because you don’t want to ever give up – but be renewed by God’s healing spirit.
God’s creative energy has followed you, embraced you, and welled up from within you all along the way especially in the midst of deep chaos.
That’s what the ancient Hebrews would say, and so they told a story about how God’s creative energy kept their hearts alive, so that others would know who to thank and give praise.
That’s what the early followers of Jesus would say as they experienced in his life this same creative energy at work filling him and spilling out of his life, and it was so life-giving that they absorbed some of his life into theirs by faith, and they experienced the goodness of a new purpose and hope emerging from their chaos and they knew who to thank and to follow.
Through it all, this ancient Hebrew story is a testimony to the grace of God’s creative energy. Through it all, the life of Jesus and the gospel testimony of his followers point me to the grace of God’s creative energy. Through it all, I pray our lives will also be a living testimony to it, too, as we tell our stories. Amen
SONG (Andrae Crouch)
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God;
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon God’s Word.
