I'm curious - has anyone actually looked at what the Bible says about creation recently? If you read it closely and with an analytical eye, which is always fun to do, all sorts of fascinating questions come to mind.
1:1 In the beginning God created heaven and earth.
Does this beginning come before the seven days of creation?
Quote: 1:2 The earth was without form and empty, with darkness on the face of the depths, but God's spirit moved on the water's surface.
Following up on what I said before - before the seven days of creation, it looks like something exists. Nowhere in the seven days does it say that God created the world itself out of nothing.
The question is, how much of the world already existed before the seven days of creation?
Quote: 1:3 God said, 'There shall be light,' and light came into existence.
1:4 God saw that the light was good, and God divided between the light and the darkness.
1:5 God named the light 'Day,' and the darkness He named 'Night.' It was evening and it was morning, one day.
FYI: Based on Hebrew translation, Light was created on one day, but it's not the "first" day. The Hebrew term used in the Bible is "yom echad." If the Bible was referring to the first day, it would have said "yom rishon."
Skipping ahead a few verses (after the separation of heaven and earth, the creation of plant life, the sun, moon, and stars...)
Quote:
1:20 God said, 'The water shall teem with swarms of living creatures. Flying creatures shall fly over the land, on the face of the heavenly sky.'
1:21 God [thus] created the great sea monsters, along with every particular species of living thing that crawls, with which the waters teem, and every particular species of winged flying creature. God saw that it was good.
1:22 God blessed them, saying, 'Be fruitful and become many, and fill the waters of the seas. Let the flying creatures multiply on the land.'
1:23 It was evening and it was morning, a fifth day.
1:24 God said, 'The earth shall bring forth particular species of living creatures, particular species of livestock, land animals, and beasts of the earth.' It happened.
1:25 God [thus] made particular species of beasts of the earth, particular species of livestock, and particular species of animals that walk the land. God saw that it was good.
Isn't it interesting how fish and birds were created before the rest of the animals?
What is my point in posting all this, you may ask?
First of all, for those who may not be familiar with the Bible (or who need their memories refreshed), it may be useful to see what it actually says.
Second, I like looking at texts and analyzing it for its own sake. I spent some time in France during the Middle Ages at a yeshiva, and it's fascinating the way scholars analyze and interpret their sacred texts.
Third, perhaps the questions I've raised might give you all something to ponder and will contribute to the discussion.
"Just because I don't like to fight doesn't mean that I can't."
