NL Sept 7, 2025 -Creation

This week we are starting the Narrative Lectionary, a different way of reading scripture in church.  A deep dive into the stories and characters of Holy Writ.   So, as Julie Andrews sings, “Let’s start at the very beginning…a very good place to start.”

Genesis, The Creation of the heavens and the Earth; not the only creation story in the bible, but it is the first one.  In fact, this creation story is immediately followed by another creation…the Adam’s Rib version; in the Gospel of John we have another creation story…In the beginning was the word; and there are reference to a few more as well.

When we a good long look at scripture one of the first things we are going to notice is that there are sections that sound different than we remember.  That’s because people have the tendency of muddling up different sections of scripture together, adding memories from Sunday school or parent’s teachings, art, movies and hymns also play there part.  It’s like trying to remember if a certain scene was in the book, the movie or both.

So, it will be a good thing as we progress through scripture to note to yourself what is familiar and what is different from your memory of scripture.  It would also be worth while to look up what is referenced so that you can see more deeply into the bible.  For example this week perhaps look for some of the other creations stories and see how they compare. 

Because I’m not going to be preaching on ‘which creation really happened’ or ‘how did the seven days of creation happen according to science.’   What I want to explore is ‘what does this story of the origin of all creation tell us about who God is.’  More specifically about who the authors of Genesis thought God is.

 

The very first thing we learn is that God is a creator.  God is expressed through art and science, through creativity.  The second, is that before God’s involvement there was chaos and darkness.  In the ancient world chaos and darkness were symbolic of everything bad.  In a world without electricity, the darkness was feared for all it could hide and was the domain of wild animals and evil deeds.  It was chaos; uncontrolled, unpredictable and petrifying.  This is the world God transformed…how did it happen? Not a clue, but I think that matters less than why, and what God did next.

God exhaled.  A wind from God swept over the face of the chaos and darkness.

This wind is known throughout the bible and variously called wind, breath, spirit; it animates, it inspires, it brings life in it’s wake.  God exhaled, then God spoke.

God’s voice has such presence in this creation.  God said…and it was so…and it was good.   God speaks into the chaos, on the back of the breath and order is established over chaos and darkness.

God created day and night, separated light from darkness.  Order, time, seasons…we learn God desires order and structure in our lives.  Also that even in the darkness of pre creation, God can find light and goodness.  Then the chaos of the waters are structured into the ancient understanding of the cosmos.  A dome in the sky and the disk of the earth below, and it was so. 

Genesis teaches us that God is God over earth and sky, over the entire cosmos.  The ultimate power and ultimate authority, and uses that power to create order out of chaos and goodness out of darkness.  Furthermore, we are told that God ensured that there would land to live on and stars that would help mark out the passage of time. 

For a people who lived an agricultural and herding lifestyle the ability to mark the seasons was of vital importance, and it was God…the Good God who created a way forward for the people yet to be to thrive.  Genesis is very clear that all things come from God and all things are created by and controlled by a good God. 

God spoke. It was so. It was good. 

Then having created an order and structure to creation.  Having laid out the palette as it were, God begins to paint.  Seed and fruit, swarms of living creatures from sea monsters to creepy crawlies the creator God shows forth how very creative God can be!  And they were good and God blessed them so that they might thrive.  Then having shown that God has created and provided all good things in heaven and on earth, Genesis tells us God created humans.

This is where people tend to get more interested in the detail of creation because now it’s about us!  God we are told, created humanity in the image of God.  4

The image? of God.  So far Genesis has not described what God looks like…at all.  God is known through actions.  God is known by the translation of chaos into order.  God is known by the speaking of goodness into the world.  God is known by the creation of many and various living things.  God is not known by sight.

Male and female we are told are created in the image of God…a fruitful couple in relationship…and they were good, and they were blessed.   So, what do these humans look like…these images of God?  Well, if we go with what we know…they are creators.  They use that God given creativity to make order out of chaos, to bring forth life, and to make all things good.

Then the author of Genesis tells us something truly amazing, but often glossed over.  The God of all the cosmos, with power over earth and sky and sea.  The ultimate authority delegates out some of that authority saying  “let the humans have dominion over the living things, and let them have authority over the earth and subdue it.”  “I have given you every plant yielding seed and every fruit for food.”

And it was so, and it was very good.

God we are told trusts humanity, empowers humanity, and gives care of God’s brand new creation to humanity.  A truly amazing thing!  That a God would give over his power to his creation.  This is something to hear and to learn, and an interesting blessing to interpret as well.  The aspect of this that seems to be the most discussed have been the words dominion and subdue and how they should be applied to humanities purposes. 

Oddly, I don’t hear too much discussion about how humanity was given plants and fruit to eat…not animals.  And that animals were given plants and greens to eat…not other animals.  All of creation began vegetarian, interesting point.  If creation was blessed and good perhaps it is not meant to include killing at all?  Perhaps sheep were for wood and milk, not meat.   Woods to be coppiced, not felled.  However we have traditionally interpreted the dominion and subduing command from God to include the killing of bird and beast.  Something worth pondering perhaps.

 

 

 

All of creation is good, ordered, in it’s right and proper place and humanity has been given authority to be in charge of what has been created…to rule over it and subdue it.  Hebrew words only used in this creation story, so there is little to compare to and thus the meaning of which is kinda up to us.  However, previously we have been told that God breathed this world alive, spoke everything into existence, declared it to be good and blessed it.  Then gave the earth into humanities care, it is fair to say that we have been very loose with how we have interpreted that responsibility.

Then we come to the last day of creation.  The seventh day.  If one is surprised at the Supreme Being delegating authority to a created being, then what God does next is astonishing and essentially unprecedented.

God finished all the work that He had done, and then we read He rested on the seventh day, blessed it and made it holy.  A day of rest for all things in creation.  

No other origin story has a sabbath day.  In no other culture has a god given day of rest…blessed and holy.   This is a unique gift and a gift it truly is. 

For agricultural/ shepherding people there have been many blessings explained in this creation story.  Why the cosmos is ordered how it is.  Why the calendar of seasons has come to be.  Why we work in the day and rest in the night.  Why we tend to livestock and fields…but unique to the Jewish people at that time, why on Saturday?  Why must all people and animals, slaves and guests rest from their work and reflect on the one who created all things one day each week? 

God has built in care for his creation in the very order of creation.

So, what does this creation story tell us about God?

We can focus on so many part of the creation story…it’s validity, it’s truth, it’s cultural value.  However, what is primary in my understanding is that creation starts with a God who values the good.  Who invests his energy, creativity, his very breath into creating the world.

A God who anticipates the need for order, structure and care for all creatures.  A God that is abundant and generous, self giving and empowering of his creation. 

            There is a lot more to come in the bible…this is chapter one, verse one.  There are some intense times ahead and the relationship between God and the people of God will get rocky.  What is important to remember throughout all the scripture and in our own life.  Was that God breathed life into creation.  He spoke the word.  It was so.  And it was good. amen