Second Genesis Account God example essay topic

The creation of the earth and all that is within the earth is mysterious yet miraculous at the same time. Although there are probably hundreds of different accounts, they all seem to be different while almost identical in text. I will be comparing and contrasting between account one and account two in the book of Genesis. In the beginning, according to Genesis in the bible. In the two creation accounts God is portrayed in two different ways.

In the first account God is portrayed as an ultimate or Supreme Being that creates the world by fiat, which are divine spoken words. An example of this is found in Genesis 1: 3, which says; "Then God said, "let there be light"; and there was light". This is the fiat command that creates light in the first account of creation and demonstrates the supreme power of God. In the second Genesis account God is portrayed as a much more mortal being, a concept called anthropomorphism. In Genesis 2: 7 God creates man, but it wasn't done through fiat. It says, "Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being".

This account of God creating man is much different from the first account because God is physically-taking part in creating man instead of using powers by way of fiat. Another instance that portrays God as more human like is found in Genesis 2: 8 where it says God "planted" the garden in Eden. The use of the word "planted" suggests that God physically interacted with the earth to create the garden. A second difference between the two creation accounts is the order in which the world was created.

In the first account God created light, sea, land, vegetation, living creatures, then man and woman. In the second account God created man from the earth (so land was created before man) then God planted the garden in Eden and provided animals to give man a helper. The woman is the last creature to be created in the second account, and is actually the same order in which the woman was created in the first account. The main difference in the two accounts is that man and woman are created last in the first account, and in the second account, man is created before any life form and the rest seems to be provided for him; even woman.

It's the creation of woman that is consistent in both accounts. The avoided use of sexual activity as a part of creation is similar among the two creation accounts. In the first account sexual activity is not directly referred to at all. Instead, alternate words such as "multiply" and "fruitful" (Gen 1: 28) are used to suggest reproductive sexual activities. In the second account sexual interaction is also avoided in the direct sense, but is indirectly referred to as a God-given impulse (Gen 2: 24-25). It specifically refers to them becoming one flesh, and the man and woman being naked, but not ashamed.

The difference in the avoided use of sexuality is noted in the way the world was produced in each of the two creation accounts. In the second account there was no in director direct inference to sexual reproduction. Instead, it was said, "out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air" (Gen 2: 19). In this verse God didn't use sexual reproduction; the almighty powers of God created all living life. In the first creation account when God creates the world, there is an indirect reference to sexual activities used to reproduce and populate the earth with species of animals on land, in the air, and in the waters. In Genesis 1: 22 God says, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on earth".

In this it is suggested that God blessed these creatures with the ability to sexually reproduce in order to populate the earth and seas. The two creation accounts are similar and different in several ways, and these that I have suggested are those that, I feel, are most important. Understanding these main differences and similarities will help one understand God and the important aspects that the writers of the bible want us to see God as..