THE WORLD - A DIVINE CREATION

The biblical statement that "God is the creator of the universe" underlies the whole Christian faith. And the whole biblical narrative is structured in this truth. Why are we reaffirming this? Because in the text The Days of Creation we do not advocate a literal reading of Genesis 1. So It is possible that some readers have the impression that the narrative of the first page of the Bible is only a work of fiction, fruit of the author's imagination. Thinking like that would be a big misconception.

Genesis is the first book of a five-volume work of the prophet Moses. This collection of these early books of the Bible is given the name, by the Jews, of Torah. Moses wrote them, not because of his literary genius, but because of his experiences and his relationship with the Creator, who appeared to him and revealed ineffable mysteries to him (Exodus 3). For that reason what is in these books is had, not as human inventions, but as the Word of God.

After the apostles, who walked with God in the person of the Son, for three years, Moses was the prophet who had deepest experiences with the Creator. In Exodus it is recorded: "God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them" (6.2,3). God, however, revealed his own name to Moses (Exodus 3: 13-15). Exodus 33:11 also reads: "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend".

In this way, Genesis 1 is of great relevance. The first page of sacred Scripture deals with the creation of the world by God. It is not a scientific text that shows how God created the universe, but it is God's written revelation to mankind, where He shows Himself as the Creator. Here we see the transcendental nature of the text. It is not a religious, human production, but rather Divine Revelation. Its purpose is to lay the foundation that everything that exists is divine work. He is the sovereign of creation (Revelation 3:14). For this reason, It begins by stating: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (1.1).

This initial affirmation of the sacred Scripture that the Universe is divine creation echoes in all biblical extent. In Job, for example, God says, "“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?" (38.4). Already the Apostle Paul affirms that It, the creation, was affected by the original sin. It is sick, decadent, and waits forward to the moment of the total restoration of humanity through the work of Christ (Romans 8: 19-23). John, in the throne room of God, sees beings worshiping Him, in these terms: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being”. Sacred Scripture ends by speaking of "a new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21: 1).

Thus, it must be said that Genesis 1 is the legitimate Word of God, written, however, in the literary style of Hebrew poetry. The sacred Scripture was written, using various literary genres, among them, poetry. How beautiful the Bible begins with the poetry of creation! According to Bible commentators New International Version 40% of the text of the Old Testament is poetry[1]. Truth is not always in the literal sense. The book of Revelation that brings the message of God's victory over evil is written in a highly symbolic genre. Jesus also taught much by parables.

If the text of the creation of the world can only be interpreted literally, then it is necessary to recognize that God got tired after six "days" of creative activities (Genesis 2.1). However, the Prophet Isaiah says: "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom" (40:28). Of course the good reader will understand the meaning of "rested" as having nothing else to create. For this reason and others, humility is required in the face of Scripture. It is sacred. It should be read in prayer and with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Antônio Maia - M.Div.

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[1] NVI, Bíblia. São Paulo: Ed Vida, 2003, p.8