Monday October 31, 2011

Read Genesis 1

 

A young Bible college student listened intently to his lecturer as he expounded the meaning of ‘day’ in Genesis. It was stated with some competence and authority that the word ‘day’ need not mean a literal 24 hour day but could be referring to any length of time. The young student asked, ‘Could it refer to millions of years?’

‘Yes, of course,’ came the reply.

‘Could it refer to a thousand years’ came the follow up question.

‘Yes’.

‘Could it refer to smaller times frames, such as a year or a week?’ said  the student.

‘Well, yes I guess so,’ came the considered reply

‘The student plied the lecturer with one more question. ‘Could it refer to one literal, 24 hour day?’

‘Oh no! Definitely not!’ was the immediate reply from the lecturer.

 

Others who want to remove the historicity have argued that Genesis 1 and 2 are poetic and need not be taken literally. Even though they have done literal research or study of Hebrew poetry, these people speak confidently about such matters. Technically, there have been many studies showing that Genesis 1 and 2 are NOT poetry and have very little poetic structures or forms in them. They are structured as narrative, historic narrative to be precise.  Interestingly, those who take Genesis as poetry (and hence not bound to literal interpretation) accept as literal the most poetic bits (Genesis 1:26-28) in Genesis and reject the most non-poetic bits (Genesis 1:1-25) as non-literal.

 

Others argue that the form of the narrative in Genesis and it’s structure determine its meaning and that such structures make it clear that a literal interpretation cannot be maintained (literal theorists). As you research these arguments and their structure they are almost always based on the assumption that any structure mitigates against literal interpretation.  We must ask ourselves if structure automatically mitigates against literal  interpretation. There is no intrinsic reason to answer ‘Yes’ at this point!

 

In today’s academic world scientists speak of evolution as though it were factual. Such historical science has never been tested in the laboratory, nor can it be. The theories have been re-categorised as fact and anyone who questions evolution is automatically assumed to be a backwater idiot that knows nothing. This truth makes it hard for Bible colleges (striving to be accepted as academic) and professional Christians to accept the creation of Genesis 1ff as literal history.

 

Where do you stand? What do you think of Genesis 1 and following? Does it scare you to accept it as literal history? Do you believe that the history of the world occurred as the Bible described?

 

Prayer:-

à Student Life. Students at USQ head into exams next week. Please pray especially for the Christians in Student Life there – that they would honour God, even though they are so busy and stressed.

 

à Please pray for students Chris, Kaylee, & Derek (USQ), Tim & Amy (QUT), and Emily (CQU) who are the organisers of the two week Byron Bay short-term mission at the end of November – that they can balance their exams, plus organisational details for the trip.

 

If you do not believe the historicity of Genesis 1ff, spend time praying and asking God to show you why you don’t believe it?