29. Creation: Putting It All Together
Episode Summary
After all these weeks of looking at the science, the culture, and surrounding literature, we finally look at several options for how to understand the opening chapters of Genesis. I give a pitch for what I think makes the most sense given the relevant evidence.
The “Literary Framework” Theory
In this episode, I discuss a certain way of understanding Genesis 1:1-2:3, called the “Literary Framework” theory. In this theory, the six days of creation are broken up into two halves. During days one through three, God is creating environments or habitations in which things can live, and during days four through six, God is populating those habitations with inhabitants. The inhabitants created in the second half of the creation week live in the domain or environment that was created on the corresponding day from the first half. For example, the sun, moon, and stars created on day four are instructed to govern over the day and night God created during the first day. The sea animals and birds God created on day five are placed in the waters and sky that he created on day two. And the land creatures, including man, created on day six are placed on the dry ground God created on day three.
I have outlined the proposed correspondence between the first and second half of the creation week in the table, below.
| Habitationsתֹהוּ (t̲ōhû, “formless”) | Inhabitantsבֹהוּ (b̲ōhû, “void”) |
|---|---|
| Day 1: Light and darkness separated | Day 4: Sun, moon, and stars (lights in heaven) |
| Day 2: Sky and waters separated | Day 5: Fish and birds |
| Day 3: Dry land and seas separated, plants and trees | Day 6: Animals and man |
If this is the correct way of understanding the creation account, then Genesis 1 actually says relatively little about the specific chronology of the universe, either in terms of how long God took to create or the order in which he created. If this is the case, then it is very helpful in resolving the apparent conflict between much of the scientific data and a 6-24 hour day interpretation of Genesis 1.
