Three important themes to consider when reading the Hebrew Bible are God’s relationship with humanity, humanity’s attempt to be like God, and humanity’s disobedience of God. These themes are important in any religious text because they are crucial to understanding the human condition and the purpose of human existence. Genesis reveals how God’s relationship changes because of disobedience, as well as how a desire to be equal to God motivates disobedience. This is important in how it explains the ultimate reason humans sin and how it affects God’s relationship with humanity.
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden depicts a different relationship between God and man than is expressed anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible. God takes walks with humanity, provides them with all the food and water needed to take care of themselves and the animals. After Eve and Adam eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God comes to walk …show more content…
In the city of Babel, the human race attempts to build a tower in order to minimize the distance between God and man. This emphasizes how the relationship between God and humankind changes after the Garden of Eden.
While the relation between God and man changes, God still shows grace and mercy towards humanity. Grace is giving something that is not earned or deserved. Before banishing humanity from the Garden of Eden, God makes them clothes out of animal skin, showing the compassion God has for humanity.
Mercy is withholding punishment that is deserved. The story of Noah is important for understanding this aspect of the relationship between God and man. The world population becomes so disobedient and wicked that Noah becomes the only obedient man on earth. By flooding the earth, God shows that he cannot tolerate evil and disobedient actions. Yet, by saving Noah and his family, God show mercy on humanity by allowing it to continue to flourish through Noah and his
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden depicts a different relationship between God and man than is expressed anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible. God takes walks with humanity, provides them with all the food and water needed to take care of themselves and the animals. After Eve and Adam eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God comes to walk …show more content…
In the city of Babel, the human race attempts to build a tower in order to minimize the distance between God and man. This emphasizes how the relationship between God and humankind changes after the Garden of Eden.
While the relation between God and man changes, God still shows grace and mercy towards humanity. Grace is giving something that is not earned or deserved. Before banishing humanity from the Garden of Eden, God makes them clothes out of animal skin, showing the compassion God has for humanity.
Mercy is withholding punishment that is deserved. The story of Noah is important for understanding this aspect of the relationship between God and man. The world population becomes so disobedient and wicked that Noah becomes the only obedient man on earth. By flooding the earth, God shows that he cannot tolerate evil and disobedient actions. Yet, by saving Noah and his family, God show mercy on humanity by allowing it to continue to flourish through Noah and his