Genesis is a beautiful book of rich and deep theology. It is also a beautiful and sophisticated piece of literature.
Like the beautiful balance that is revealed in the six days of creation, or the poetic mirror that connects the two Creation accounts in Genesis 2:4, the narrative continues to find balance, order, and intention in the first eleven chapters of Genesis.
These first chapters form a prehistory to the biographical stories of Abrahamand Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph in chapter 12-50. This second (and larger) section of Genesis also has a beautifully balanced literary structure, which we will explore later.
The first section of Genesis reveals itself in two sets of parallel stories, each showing the sovereignty of God, the downfall of mankind, God’s judgment, and God’s redemption.
Here is the parallel structure of Genesis 1-11. This will begin to form our study of the narrative of the Flood, God’s uncreation and re-creation.
Genesis 1-11
A - Creation (Genesis 1-3)
B - Sin of the sons of Adam (Genesis 4:1-16)
C - Human Development (Genesis 4:17-26)
D - 10 Generations – Adam to Noah (Genesis 5)
E - Total Human Downfall – Sons of God/Daughters of Man (Genesis 6:1-7)
Focal Event – God says he will save only Noah – Genesis 6:9-22
A2 - Flood - un-creation and re-creation (Genesis 7:1-9:17)
B2 - Sin of the sons of Noah (Genesis 9:18-28
C2 - Human Development (Genesis 10)
E2 – Total Human Downfall – The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-8)
D2 - 10 Generations – Noah to Terah (Genesis 11:10-32)
(we will allow the author license to switch the last two parallel events)
In this, and many other examples of literary unity and balance throughout Genesis, we see a story in the very structure of the book itself that speaks of a Sovereign Creator God who sustains all Creation according to his divine purpose. There are no accidents, no coincidences. God is behind it all.
(Once again, I acknowledge my debt to the incredible scholarly contributions of Gary Rendsburg of Rutgers University, New Jersey.)
No comments:
Post a Comment