Creation Narrative Part II

homeschoolingX4 wrote
Huh? I love mythology. Very interesting story but I find it hard to understand what you are implying. Are you implying that all religion was created to manipulate humans? Hmm. Also, you have some typos and missing words. This is coming from the homeschooling mom...LOL...Sorry.

Sorry about the typos and missing words... I do not have a proofreader and unfortunately as I read my own stuff, I think things are there even when its not... it's in my head... sorry, I will try a little harder to do better.

Well, this second part is about the implications and how the Enuma Elish and Genesis Creation Narratives bring into light some really cool things about Creator God.

When we begin to read the Genesis creation narrative (2 accounts are found in Genesis 1 and 2). We start to notice that the Hebrews are coming from a different perspective altogether. Yahweh or Elohim, which are Hebrew names for God, has something altogether different in mind for creation.

1. Creation is this beautiful poetic peaceful utterance of words. Creation is a calling (not forcing) of things into existence. More like a painter might bring a scene into focus with each careful stroke or a musician carefully and attentively breathes tones into existence to form a glorious melody. Here God, Elohim, is gently calling creation into being. With each new vocalization more beauty and tranquility can be beheld. Have you ever walked through a wooded area in the cool of the day, enjoying the freshness of Nature. Yes, there may be a rush of exhilaration in the beauty of the moment, but creation is not forced in the Hebrew scriptures. No, we have an artist diligently blending one movement into the next creating a masterpiece. A real world. With real water, real land, real trees, real animals and swimming creatures and birds of the air (even most insects have their own unique beauty although they make many of us squirm).

So here we see creation as part of an artist's dream coming to real life. Not the results of some bloody war between some unknown spiritual beings. Instead, God creates, gently calling things into being. I venture to say he caresses it into existence as two lovers may caress into existence a new life. Yes, full of passion and vigor and honesty and love. Yet full of peace as two hearts are made into one. (I believe this is the image that Rob Bell brings to life in his book Sex God, I haven't read but hope to read it soon.)

2. In Enuma Elish, the Mesopotamian Creation Narrative, Marduk creates humanity simply to make slaves. These slaves would carry out the wills of the gods. In other words, slaves of the state who would build pyramids or temples or cities or whatever the rulers thought would make their lives easier and the common folks more obedient. However, the Creator of the universe according the Hebrew Creation narratives creates people on purpose for relationship to participate in community so that God could lavish them with love and talk with them in the 'cool of the day'. God creates and calls these humans, male and female made in his image together, good.

3. But God doesn't stop there, Humanity are not simply slaves of God. No, humanity is something more than that. God entrusts to humanity all of creation. He gives humanity the ability name it (explore, seek to understand and to know it). Humanity partners with God in caring for all of creation. God doesn't leave it, no God continues to be present. God continues to call it into being all that it might be. This creation is a real working living breathing world. Full of life, not stagnant but good, growing, somehow expanding, and Humanity is given the great honor to be its caretakers, like the caretakers of a very special Garden (definitely not slaves).

See how different the God of the Hebrews is. The One God who is holy and creator of all that is.
God has created all that we see and it is good. Well, I know you want to jump ahead in the story but let us stay a little while longer in God's good creation.

Not only is creation good, but humanity is good. Humanity as God intends humanity to be is good. The first male and female are shown to be naked and unashamed. They can be 100% completely honest and vulnerable with one another. Each respects the other as they are and as equal. (Hebrew... Ezer Cenegdo... when God goes to create a helpmate for the Adam (lone human. Ezer Cenegdo speaks of one who faces the other as equal, a force to be reckoned with in a good way, not weaker, may be different but never the lesser, one who is equally worthy of respect and honor--- I may write about this again later, I must thank Chuck Coleson a professor at Nazarene Theological Seminary for sharing this thought with me). Each are honored and together (only together) are good.

What truth can one possibly glean from this:
a) God is good. All the Time. All the Time. God is Good. Or as Psalm 118 says, Give thanks to the Lord, He is good. His Love endures forever.
b) Creation and Humanity are Good originally. And Let us take out originally or change the wording a little. You, as God created you to be, are beautiful and good. God designed you to be an awesome, unique person in community with his good creation and himself. Today, is a day when you can begin listening to God's story about you, instead of the story so many others have told about you, or even the story you have created about you. You are beautiful and dearly loved by God. I know you want to say but... but hold off don't do it... Just live in the moment, imagine if you must the beautiful you whom God created. Let that good person live and be known with others. If you are looking for friendship, seek out a group of people who will affirm this about and help you be the good you that you want to be and believe God has created you to be. (Oasis Life Journey exists to be this kind of community.)

Stay there a moment longer... longer yet... a little longer yet let that thought penetrate your soul. God created you beautiful and good. Be continually becoming that beautiful good person. God is with you.

...

The next entry will be on Crisis... we all knew it was coming but hang in there for the exciting rest of our/God's story.

Please read Genesis.

May God bless you and the reading, studying and incarnating of his word.