4 This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth. For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil. 6 Instead, springs came up from the ground and watered all the land. 7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
8 Then the Lord God planted
a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.
The “Second” Creation Story
It is great to be back with you after a wonderful trip with my wife to
celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary! We explored some of the most beautiful parts
of God’s creation, traveling from the Great Salt Lake in Utah to Yellowstone
National Park, down through the Grand Tetons, and over the Rocky Mountains in
Colorado. Not only was it a wonderful
way to celebrate our love and commitment to each other, it was also inspiring as
I contemplated a new sermon series I want to share with you on the Garden of
Eden story in Genesis.
This
message series began as a Bible on Thursday mornings. We first studied the seven days of creation
from Genesis 1. Then we followed up with
the “2nd” creation story found in Genesis 2. (We have some wonderful/insightful discussions
on Thursday morning. If you are looking
for a great Bible study, come join us on Thursdays at 10:30 AM in the
fellowship hall. We’re starting a new
study this Thursday on Spiritual Beings.)
But today,
we begin a new sermon series on Sunday mornings that takes a deep dive into the
second creation story in Genesis. We’ll
explore the foundational truths about who God is and what is His purpose for
humanity. Before we look at the intimate
details of the second story, we need to address an important question: Are
there really two different creation stories in the Bible?
There are, indeed, two creation stories in the Bible. Genesis 1:1-2:3 is considered the first creation story because it presents a structured, day-by-day account of God's creation of the universe in six days, followed by His rest on the seventh.
Genesis 2:4-25 is considered a second story because it shifts
focus from the cosmic scale to the intimate creation of humanity. It presents a more personal account, where God
forms Adam from the dust of the ground, plants the Garden of Eden, and creates
Eve from Adam’s rib.
The two accounts also have slightly different orders. In Genesis 1,
humans are created last, with man and woman made simultaneously in God's image
after plants and animals.
In Genesis
2, man is created first, followed by plants, animals, and then woman,
formed from Adam’s rib. In the first story, God makes humans by speaking, whereas
in the second story God makes Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from
Adams rib. So, there are differences and
we should acknowledge this.
The modern
argument about whether a scientific or biblical explanation of our origins is
true misses the whole point. Genesis is
not science; it’s the Word of God. And the
Bible and science aren’t in conflict because they address different issues. Genesis provides a spiritual explanation of
the meaning and purpose behind creation, focusing on God’s relationship with
the world and humanity. Science, on the
other hand, seeks to understand the mechanisms of how the physical universe
works, without addressing the deeper spiritual truths conveyed in Genesis. It is more fruitful for us to stop fighting
about whether science or religion is more important. They each address important, but different,
issues.
Genesis 1
and Genesis 2 present two different accounts of creation, but today, we’re
going to see how they are actually two complementary perspectives on our
origins. Think about it this way: Have
you ever heard two people tell the same story but from completely different
points of view? If you ask both me and
my wife about our recent trip to Yellowstone, you will likely get two similar
but different accounts. We both went on
the same trip and spent all our time together.
However, Kelly will highlight different aspects of the journey than me. We may focus on different details, but both our
perspectives give a fuller understanding of what really happened. Furthermore, when we tell about our
experience, we’re not just giving you facts about where we went and what we did. We’re sharing what the experience meant to
us.
That’s
exactly what we see in Genesis. The two
stories convey what it means to be human and what the God who create everything
is like and what it means to for mortals to be in relationship with an omnipotent,
omniscient, and omnipresent Creator God.
Genesis 1 shows us the grand, cosmic view of creation, while Genesis 2
zooms in on God’s personal relationship with humanity. Both share God’s Truth, and both reveal
something important about God and His creation.
Let’s begin with Genesis 1. This passage starts with, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Right away, we are introduced to God as the all-powerful Creator who speaks everything into existence. With just His words, He creates light, separates the waters, forms dry land, and fills the earth with plants, animals, and humans. It’s an orderly, structured account where each day brings something new. God creates in six days, and on the seventh, He rests.
What does
this tell us about God? First, it shows us His sovereignty and control. He is directly involved in every step of
creation. He speaks, and it happens. His word alone is enough to bring life
into existence. This is a picture of a God who is majestic, powerful, and
authoritative.
God's
order in creation is significant too. Genesis 1 shows us that there is purpose
in everything He does. Light and darkness, day and night, land and sea—it’s all
part of His divine plan. And at the end of each day, God looks at what He’s
made and declares” “It is good!” By the end of the sixth day, He declares it
"very good" because human beings have been made in His image.
So, what
does this mean for us today? It means that we serve a God who is not only in
control of creation but also in control of our lives. Just as God brought order
out of chaos in Genesis, He can bring order into the chaos of our lives. When
we face challenges, uncertainties, or difficulties, we can trust that God is
powerful enough to take care of us. His word still has the power to create and
restore today.
Now, let’s turn to Genesis 2. This second creation story gives us a different perspective. While Genesis 1 showed us the big picture of creation, Genesis 2 zooms in on God’s relationship with humanity. Instead of speaking everything into existence, we see God forming Adam from the dust of the ground with His own hands. Then, God breathes life into Adam’s nostrils, and Adam becomes a living being.
This
imagery is deeply intimate. It’s personal. It shows us that God is not just a
distant Creator; He is also a loving Father who is intimately involved in His
creation. God didn’t just create us and leave us to fend for ourselves. He
cares for us. He is with us.
After
creating Adam, God places him in the Garden of Eden and gives him
responsibility over the garden. He tells Adam to work it and take care of it.
Then, in an even more personal act, God creates Eve from Adam’s rib,
establishing the first human relationship. This act of creation shows us that
humanity is not just another part of creation. We are made in God’s image, and
we are made to be in relationship with Him and with each other.
God’s
closeness in this account reveals His desire for a deep, personal relationship
with us. He didn’t just create us for tasks or for work; He created us to know
Him, walk with Him, and experience His love.
The two
creation stories of Genesis are two perspectives about the origins of human
nature, our purpose, and our relationship with God. Each highlights different aspects of God’s
character and creation. Genesis 1 focuses on the grandeur of God’s power and
authority.
Genesis 2 focuses on God’s personal relationship with humanity.
The two stories together show us a more complete picture God.
He is both transcendent and imminent.
He is both far above us and also very close to us.
He is both powerful and personal.
He is a God who can create the entire universe with His words, and He is also a God who forms each of us individually, breathes life into us, and desires a relationship with us.
As we
reflect on these two creation stories, let’s remember they reveal the fullness
of God—
His majesty and His intimacy, His power and His love.
So, what does this mean for us? It means we can trust God with both the big and small things in our lives. We can trust Him to bring order out of chaos because He has the power to do so. But we can also trust Him with the details of our hearts because He cares about us personally. So, I want to encourage you to open your hearts to the God who not only created the universe but also created you and me with love and purpose.
Closing
Prayer:
Lord, thank You
for revealing Yourself to us through creation. Thank You for showing us Your
power and Your love. Help us to trust You more, knowing that You are in control
of all things and that You care deeply about each of us. May we draw closer to
You each day, experiencing Your majesty and Your intimacy. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
