Re: 7 Days - Documentary Hypothesis flawed - Genesis 2

Robert Marshall wrote:

And your evidence for this is? (apart from silence on the matter) Gen
2:5 does rather tie together rain and tilling the soil - and the
tilling is rather evident pre Gen 6 (not withstanding 9:20) - there's
2:15 and a small matter of Cain's offering - and God's curse of him)


The point was that the ground had not yet been watered, although Moses
points out that this was actually achieved by a mist. Rain did not
begin until after the flood.

I've had a close look at Genesis 2 and prayed about it, this is how I
understand that chapter:

Although Genesis 2 appears on the surface to be different from chapter
1 it is because it is written not in a chronological sequence but in a
chiasm in order to focus on the creation of humans and their
environment. Chapter 2 starts from day six of Creation before humans
were created; it adds details that would not have fitted into the
structure of chapter 1.

A1 (4-6) earth not ready for full cultivation, no man to till it
A2 (7) creation of man from the dust of the ground
B (8-9) the garden is made - man, trees, food
C (10-14) the rivers from Eden
B' (15-17) the garden - man, trees, don't eat
A1' (18-20) no helper suitable for man
A2' (21-22) creation of woman from Adam's rib
X (23) song of creation of woman
Y (24-25) epilogue

Essentially the chapter starts off with a description of the earth
before God filled it with plant life. Perhaps this suggests that God
made Eden fully grown, but not the rest of the earth. This was to give
time for man to multiply so there would be someone to look after it.
Had God created the whole earth fully grown there would have been no
one to manage it.
Moses notes that it had not yet rained, although in fact it did not
rain but rather before the flood there was a mist that watered the
earth.
This was why Noah's story of a coming flood and rain seemed so
incredible to those who lived before the flood and also why there were
no rainbows.

Next God creates man from the ground, he is part of creation, He also
makes man a home with trees and food. God gives everything to man that
he needs for a happy existence.
The description of the rivers is the turning point in the narrative,
perhaps signifying that God is the sources of all life, just as the
waters flow out of Eden.
We now return to the garden, where man is told to look after it, and to
eat the fruit of the trees but not the tree of knowledge of good and
evil.
Just as the earth was missing someone to look after it, so there is no
being suitable to be a helper for Adam.
As man was created from dust, woman is created from Adam's rib, they
belong together and are to cherish one another.
Marriage and the Sabbath were two institutions given in Eden which the
devil has sought to destroy.
Then there is a song of creation of the woman and the epilogue.
Certainly Adam cared deeply for Eve, perhaps too much in that he
disobeyed God for her sake and brought sin and death upon us all. Still
he repented, as shown by the animal sacrifices made by Cain and Abel
and will find a place in the New Earth.

There are many mysterious things in the Bible which we will never fully
solve in this life. There are mysteries in nature but that does not
lead us to doubt that nature is real, so also there is no need to doubt
the authenticity of the Genesis account because we cannot explain every
detail. The origin of this world is a mystery, In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth. It might be wise just to leave it at
that, and walk in faith. Had those living before the flood done so they
could have been saved in Noah's Ark. It takes faith to believe
God's word even when all the evidence seems to indicate you are
wrong. But things are not always what they appear to be and seeing is
not always believing. I know enough about the Bible and the Lord to
know that He is, and that He is truthful and merciful, and I can have
confidence in His word. The cross of Christ defies the wisdom of the
world.
It has been said that what we don't know about God is much more than
what we do, we walk in faith trusting in what He has revealed (Deut
29:29).

God Bless

Marc
.

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