Photo by Paxton Tomko on Unsplash
We can all recite Genesis 1:1, right? “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
A little more? “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
And then there’s this: “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”
Such was the science of the first day.
A common roadblock for those trying to wrap their minds around the existence of God is the logic of the creation story, and a common point of argument between believers is the when and how of it all.
From the small-minded cynic: “Yeah, right. How could there be light if there was no sun?” From the self-righteous bigot: “Lying scientists! We all know a star can’t be 16 billion years old. God created everything in seven days. The Bible tells us so!”
Seriously, people?
The authors of Genesis weren’t speaking about science; they were speaking about God. They weren’t speaking to those of us alive today, but to those there when the account was first given. Why use language listeners couldn’t comprehend? Would you speak English to a tribe of Somalis?
God certainly knows the science behind creation but He’s not telling. Why? Because He’s not speaking to scientists; He’s speaking to seekers. Seekers may or may not be scientists but those who aren’t really seeking can get stuck on the science.
God, being God, can create whatever He likes however He likes, and He chose to create this environment for this time as the medium for this man’s existence. He could have done it in countless ways, but He decided to put the earth in orbit around the sun to orchestrate day and night. He tilted this planet to establish the seasons and appointed others to fine-tune our weather. He made the moon to mark months, light up the night, and govern the oceans’ tides. And He set a myriad of stars on fire to steer sailors in the dark and lead some magi to Jesus.
That’s all I really need to know.
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