Recognizing Truthful Old Testament Themes

The first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis cover creation through the Tower of Babel.  What God accomplishes during these chapters is to create everything out of nothing, set this creation into order & time, affirm it, and delegate authority of stewarding creation to the part of his beloved made in God’s image, namely man (Genesis 1:1-27, English Standard Version).

Various theological themes about God are presented in this portion of Genesis.  First, as Hamilton notes in Handbook on the Pentateuch, God is represented in oneness.[1]  As we read the outset of Scripture, we are introduced to one God, as opposed to an ensemble of deities commonly known from polytheistic traditions.  Often in polytheistic traditions, the many gods are assigned a specialty or representation, but the God of the Bible is the creator God and creation flows from His will and speech.  According to Hamilton, “It is God’s oneness that alone makes sense of words such as “universe” or “universality.”[2]

A contemporary theme in popular entertainment cites the prospect of a multiverse, as if there are parallel universes running in time and in stride beyond our immediate perception.  Being an experienced filmmaker myself for several decades, it has become a bit laughable to see the narrative calisthenics that screenwriters and directors will resort to in hopes of reconciling this dimensional hypothesis into a cogent story.  I liken this trend to deistic-naval-gazing. 

After all, who sets a multiverse in order?  It can’t be simply down to when a movie starts it by default assigns the first scene must the primary dimension.  Rather, God is one, and He has set about His truth as revealed in the outset of Scripture.  Without His oneness to exist outside of time, how might we even establish which of the innumerable multiverses is actually the primary one?  Instead of imagining what other versions of ourselves or our heroes would do in fictional alternate realities, we ought to remember His creation of the universe has sufficient endemic complexities worthy of a lifetime’s study and glorification.   

One other interesting point I find with the creation story is its brevity in description.  “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1)  The vastness of the heavens and earth certainly exceeds the sum of ten words, but it’s the matter-of-fact succinctness which compels us to accept reality as created by our God according to a means and power far beyond our ability to understand or approximate.  The apostle Paul writes in the letter to the Ephesians a reminder that they, “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.” (Eph. 3:18-21)  Paul’s attribution of creation power and its majesty takes more words than the Scripture devotes to the mechanics of creating the heavens and the earth.  I think that is because God understands His work far better than we can.

A theological theme about mankind is the distinction God maintains between himself and creation.  Our ancestor Adam arrives as a capstone of creation after a prolific output of life from vegetation put upon the earth on the third day, to fish and birds on the fifth day, to animals and humans on the sixth day. (Gen. 1:11-27).  The creation of Man and Woman is first announced in chapter 1 where God confirms His will to “make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Gen 1:26)  Special attention is given again to man’s creation Genesis chapter 2, showing the care of a potter to craft us from dust.  As a piece of clay can be given a form to resemble its author, it cannot itself give unto itself its own form.  This underscores the bright line between creator and creation.

Another theme about mankind is how we are beloved.  In spite of the will we have which contributed to the fall and disobeying God, introducing sin into the world, Adam and Eve are rebuked without being destroyed.  In fact, the crafty serpent that interjected temptation is cursed by God’s forecast of Eve’s descendant crushing the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15).  God enacts a plan to intercede on our behalf in His time.  God then clothes his children before driving them out of the garden.  A fate far worse could have come from a God who did not have a love for his creation.

My life is that of a Christian, living out an identity in Jesus Christ by grace through faith.  The theme of oneness relates to God’s sovereignty.  I have owned a small business for about 14 years, working primarily in video production services for commercial clientele.  This is in addition to another 11 years’ industry experience before this present venture.  It’s our God of provision who created the heavens and the earth that afforded me the aptitude and opportunity in this trade.  However, as our Lord Jesus was a carpenter, or the apostle Paul was a tent maker, so too does my identity in Christ Jesus supersede my vocation.  The pursuit of this education is a realization of the call Christ made to follow him.

I also relate to how Genesis provides me clarity and certainty in my marriage.  My wife and I celebrated 20 years married in August 2023, and as our marriage endures, I know more and more the significance of Genesis 1:18 that states, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

That my wife was set aside for me, and I for her, so that we may through marital unity worship God together, is such a gift.  Such a gift only the creator God could conceive, ordain, and make real out of his care for us.

[1] Victor P. Hamilton. Handbook on the Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2005), 24.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.