The First and Second Creation Stories (Genesis 1, Genesis 2:4:-25)

Before God began to create, the entire world was void but, there was body of water over which the spirit of God was moving.  Then God spoke and creation began.  The first thing that was created was light.  Then God separated the light from the darkness and called it Day and named the darkness Night.  On the second day, the firmament i.e. heavens were created by God and God saw that it was good.  On the third day, God created land, seas and vegetation which is the earth.

On the fourth day, the heavenly bodies, that is , the sun, moon and stars were created the birds and sea animals and God equally saw that they were good.  On the sixth day of creation, God created the land, animals, that is , the creeping things, beasts, cattle and man.

None of the things created by God was in the image of God except man.  God created man in His own image and likeness.  He blessed them and commanded them to be fruitful  and multiply.  He also gave man dominion over everything He has created.  He said: “Have dominion over the fish of the sea. Over the birds of the air and over everything that moves upon the Earth.

Then after the creation, God rested on the seventh day.

THE SECOND CREATION STORY (Genesis 2:4:-25)

The second creation story started that the world was not void before God created it.  The land was already in existence but it was barren and a waste.  There was nothing like plants of the field yet on earth.  According to this story, man was the first thing that God created.  When God observed that there was nobody around to cultivate the land, He then created man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

After the creation of man, the next thing was the planting of the garden of Eden and vegetative plants.  After these, God caused a river to flow out of  Eden to water it.  The river was parted into four different rivers which were pishon, Gihon, Tigris and Euphrates.

The assignment God gave to man was to till the garden and keep it.  God’s plan was for man to continue His creative work.  God then command man to eat of the fruits of every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  After this, God created the out of the ground.  They were to keep company with Adam who lonely.  God asked Adam to name the animals HE created.  After the naming of the animals by Adams, God saw that Adam himself needed a helper fit for him and God caused a deep sleep to fall on him and Adam said: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man”.  The two were joined together as husband and wife and both of them were naked without being ashamed.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CREATION STORIES

In the creation stories, God is seen as an all powerful being who by His power created the entire world and everything that is in it.

In the creation, man was special to God because He created him in His own image after His likeness.  Man was also ordained by God to take care of other thing that He created.