Science and the BibleA Course of Study

byDr. David C. Bossard

Winter, 2008 (Continued)

Week 18 Genesis 1, Days 6&7

Creation Wrap-up

The "Breath of Life"QuickTime™ and a

TIFF (LZW) decompressorare needed to see this picture.

"Nephesh ha'yah used in 1:30 "breath of life" 2:7 and 2:19 "living creature"

Sometimes nephesh is also translated "soul"

The "Breath of Life"Why two words used in Gen. 2:7?

TWOT: "[nasham] seems synonymous with nephesh…The precise translation of this noun must fluctuate in accordance with itsContextual usage." - BUT NASHAM IS ONLY USED OF GOD OR OF MAN, NEVER OF ANIMALS!

I conclude that "nashan" refers back to the image of God in 1:27

Other remarks on Gen. 2:7

• Note use of "Yahweh Elohim" throughout Genesis 2.

(just "Elohim" in Genesis 1)The Redeemer GodThe Revealed God.

• Note "adam" ("adamah")(Deliberate play on words)

= Adam (the name)= "the man" = the ground.

• 1:28 Subdue the earth; have dominion over all animals.Some see a parallel thought in naming the animals in Genesis 2:19-20.(maybe, but I'm not enthusiastic about it!)

• 1:29 seed plants and seed trees for food.Compare 1:30 -- animals have "every green plant for food"

-?? includes grass and other things not fit for human food.- Note that this does not say ONLY seed plants for food!

[The food chain BEGINS with green (photosynthetic) plants]

THIS IS ONLY A STATEMENT ABOUT PLANTS FOR FOODTHIS IS NOT AN ASSERTION THAT THE EARLY CREATION WAS VEGETARIAN!!

(Hunting Lodge illustration)

Concluding Day Six

… And God saw everything that he had made, and

behold it was

very good.

Concluding Day Six

Day Seven Genesis 2:2-3

2:1 "All the host of them" (shabaot)- Refers to the Sun, Moon and Stars- A frequent name for God is "God of hosts"

2:2-3 Resting on the Seventh Day.-How does this relate to John 5:16-17?

John 5:16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

The Creation Account ofGenesis Two.

General Note: "made" vs. "had made" -- completed action.

When in relation to Genesis 1?• v. 8 Planted the Garden of Eden - preparation of a special garden• v. 19 "Formed" the beasts and birds and brought to "the man"• v. 22 Creation of woman.

Where was Eden? The Clues:

• "In the East" v. 8• Watered by mist. No rain. v. 6• The four rivers including the Tigris and Euphrates.

v. 10 "flowed out" =? "converged?"

Suggestions:• Floor of the Mediterranean Sea• Vicinity of Babylonia.

The Creation Account The Rivers of Eden

Genesis 2:10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.

TWOT on "nahar" = river: " The rivers of Eden are named and the two larger ones easily identified. "Speiser points out that Gen. 2:10 speaks of four river valleys going up from Eden to their headwaters. The streams obviously flow into Eden and unite to go toward the Persian Gulf."

This section probably written by R. Laird Harris, based on his work,

"The Mist, The Canopy and the Rivers of Eden" JETS 11:177-179

The Creation Account The Rivers of Eden

Note: Suggested Locations of Pishon and Gihon.

ggg

ggg

ggg

ggg