Okay, where were we? Oh, yeah, our last view of this unfolding story is of the Breath or Wind of Elohim hovering, fluttering over the surface of the deep. Everything then was “tohu v’bohu” — empty, formless, and confusing. (Like, who the heck’s in charge here?! Err’thing’s a hot mess!)
And then over the next verses we begin to see all that chaos being ordered and sorted. But not by the wave of a mighty arm. There is no Marvel Universe style emanation of power. Rather, God simply speaks, saying, “Let there be light,” and hey, presto, there is1 light. Then, ordering matter with God’s words, there is day and night and a firmament (more on this later), then the oceans and dry land are called forth. Grasses and plants and fruit trees next. Then sun, moon, and stars, followed by fish and birds and land creatures. And God pronounces it all tov. Good, pleasing, beautiful.
Let me just say, I don’t believe the point of this ancient creation myth is to tell us the universe was made in six days. Rather, I see the point as saying, “God did it,” and furthermore, “God did it just by speaking,” and furthermore, “This is our God doing it.”
Remember, we are looking at material (probably from around the 8th century B.C.E.) about faith by people of faith for people of faith who are in a polytheistic world. Yet, the storytellers seem to be saying, “We only need one God, and this one God is so powerful that They/It created all that is just by saying some words.” This story comes from an oral tradition handed down from generation to generation as they made their strong case for why they follow this God, and why succeeding generations should, too.
This treehouse’s basic foundation so far?
There is a God. (Okay, but what kind of God? we ask.)
This is a creating God. (The very first story we are told about who God is? The story of God creating everything.)
In God creating, there is a hovering, brooding, softened and relaxed energy at work in the midst of darkness or obscurity. (I have to be honest, there is something here that speaks to me of the unexpected.)
Creation is spoken into existence. (There appears to be ultimate power in God’s word.)
God brings order out of chaos. (Is this in God’s nature?)
What God creates, God deems as good, agreeable, even beautiful. (God seems very pleased with the whole enterprise…so far.)
Hebrew verb hayah “to be” (pronounced “haw-yaw”) and maybe remember that word, might come in handy (wink).
It’s taken me a bit to get into the learning mode but I’m here to participate. The “everything made in six days” preaching always bothered me so thanks for giving me the freedom to question details within the big picture of creation.
I appreciate where this is taking me including the realization of why should I quibble over how long the creation took. It seems to me now that is the least important part of God’s work. “Let there be light” and creating order out of chaos extends to the light I am seeking but often stymied by my own chaotic mind. This is helping.