The Role Of Creation In Genesis

In Genesis, it is described how the Hebrew people believed God created the “heaven and the earth.” However, there is not one but two accounts of creation. These two accounts exemplify two unique questions that the Hebrew people sought an answer to; why did they exist and why was there death and suffering? Although both myths are classified as stories of creation, the two narratives target different aspects of the beginning of Earth, the heavens, and mankind. There are several aspects of these myths that highlight their differences. First, the first account (Gn 1:1-2:4a) of creation focused the creation of physical and godly things, including humans. Although the second account of creation (Gn 2:4b-4:26) began with God’s creation of the Earth and heavens, it does not give an explanation from where they came. Second, the second account of creation …show more content…
If the book of Genesis could proceed from the end of the first creation story to the time after the murders of Cain and Abel, or even before the murders of Cain and Abel, Genesis would be unable to answer the other aspects of human existence. Although the story of Cain and Abel may have given some causation to the suffering of mankind, it does not explain the aspects of death, the suffering and inequality of women, or need to cultivate food. For these questions to be answered a story such as the tale of the Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden had to occur after the creation of the world, but before the beginning of civilization. In comparison the two myths may appear to answer similar questions, however, both were needed to answer the great unknown questions that Hebrews faced, where did we come from and why must we suffer? Although both myths of creation contain elements of both answers, neither myth alone accounts for both aspects, therefore both were necessary in order to complete the story of