Thinking about GodThinking about God

An exploration of the divineAn exploration of the divine

The CreationThe Creation

• In (the) beginning In (the) beginning when God created when God created the heavens and the heavens and the earth, the earth the earth, the earth was a formless void was a formless void and darkness and darkness covered the face of covered the face of the deep, while a the deep, while a wind from God wind from God swept over the face swept over the face of the watersof the waters

NotesNotes

• God is the first subject God is the first subject of the textof the text

• The time of creation is The time of creation is not specified – it is at not specified – it is at a beginninga beginning

• Tohu Tohu and and bohu bohu -- not -- not creatio ex nihilo or creatio ex nihilo or creation from nothingcreation from nothing

• Tehom Tehom or the deep is or the deep is related to the related to the Akkadian word tiamat Akkadian word tiamat – the goddess of the – the goddess of the ocean in the ocean in the Mesopotamian Enuma Mesopotamian Enuma ElishElish

• Ruach Ruach is wind, breath, is wind, breath, or spiritor spirit

An Orderly CreationAn Orderly Creation

• Day 1 – LightDay 1 – Light

• Day 2 – Waters Day 2 – Waters separated by heaven separated by heaven as a barrieras a barrier

• Day 3 – Dry Land and Day 3 – Dry Land and VegetationVegetation

• Day 4 – Sun, Moon, and Day 4 – Sun, Moon, and StarsStars

• Day 5 – Birds and FishDay 5 – Birds and Fish

• Day 6 – Animals and Day 6 – Animals and HumanityHumanity

• Day 7 – restDay 7 – rest

• Days go by Jewish Days go by Jewish order: evening and order: evening and morningmorning

Hebrew CosmologyHebrew Cosmology

View of GodView of God

• First Subject – always exists; First Subject – always exists; no beginning and no endno beginning and no end

• Can order the forces of Can order the forces of chaos with words alonechaos with words alone

• Judges the outcome and Judges the outcome and declares much of the work declares much of the work “good” or “very good.” “good” or “very good.”

• Proverbs 8 says wisdom is Proverbs 8 says wisdom is the master worker God the master worker God creates firstcreates first

Compare the second view of Compare the second view of GodGod• Gen 2:4b-3:24Gen 2:4b-3:24

• God fashions a human from God fashions a human from the ground and breathes the ground and breathes life into it (2:7) and then life into it (2:7) and then planted a gardenplanted a garden

• Tries (and fails a lot) to Tries (and fails a lot) to create a partner fit for the create a partner fit for the human (2:18-20)human (2:18-20)

• Builds a woman out the Builds a woman out the man’s rib (2:21-25)man’s rib (2:21-25)

• Walks around in the Walks around in the garden (3:8)garden (3:8)

• Does not seem to Does not seem to automatically know what is automatically know what is going on (3:11)going on (3:11)

• Dispenses consequences Dispenses consequences (3:14-19), but fears the (3:14-19), but fears the power of the humans power of the humans (3:22)(3:22)

The Fickleness of GodThe Fickleness of God

• Gen 6:5-6 The Lord saw that Gen 6:5-6 The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to earth, and it grieved him to his heart.his heart.

• Compare Gen 6:11 Now the Compare Gen 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled sight, and the earth was filled with violence. ….etc.with violence. ….etc.

• Gen 8:21 And when the Gen 8:21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his odor, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again heart, “I will never again curse the ground because curse the ground because of humankind, for the of humankind, for the inclination of the human inclination of the human heart is evil from youth, heart is evil from youth, nor will I ever again nor will I ever again destroy every living destroy every living creature as I have done.”creature as I have done.”

Chagall – The FloodChagall – The Flood

A Penchant for A Penchant for Destruction???Destruction???• Gen 18:17 “Shall I hide Gen 18:17 “Shall I hide

from Abraham what I from Abraham what I am about to do?”am about to do?”

• The bargaining between The bargaining between Abraham and GodAbraham and God– Starts at 50Starts at 50– Goes to 45Goes to 45– Then to 40Then to 40– Down to 30Down to 30– On to 20On to 20– Finally to 10Finally to 10

• Destroying the Destroying the righteous with the righteous with the wicked is the issuewicked is the issue

• V 25 concludes: V 25 concludes: “Shall not the Judge of “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what all the earth do what is just?”is just?”

DemandingDemanding

• Tells Abram to leave Tells Abram to leave country and kin – and he country and kin – and he does without questiondoes without question

• Promises him a child, but Promises him a child, but makes him wait until almost makes him wait until almost impossibly lateimpossibly late

• Once Isaac is born, asks for Once Isaac is born, asks for the sacrifice of this child: the sacrifice of this child: “….God tested Abraham” “….God tested Abraham” …..”Take your son, your …..”Take your son, your only one whom you love, only one whom you love, Isaac….”Isaac….”

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