What are some truths told in the creation stories?

Answer 1

Important themes in the first creation story in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 1:1-2:4a) include that man was created in God's image and was created to have dominion over the world. In this account, God (El Shaddai - 'God Almighty') was able to speak things into existence.

Important themes in the second creation story (Genesis 2:4b-2:25 and then following) include that man was created to serve the earth and to till the ground; he was not created in God's image, but became god-like on transgression: (Genesis 3:22) "now the man is become like one of us." In this account, the powers of God (Yahweh - YHWH) were more limited and he could not create living things out of nothing: he created Adam and then the animals out of clay, and created Eve out of Adam's rib.

For more information, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation

Answer 2

The account of Creation, which is contained in Genesis ch.1 and 2, teaches us that God exists, that our lives and the world are meaningful, and that the created things may be assumed to contain vast wisdom in their beautiful and purposeful design. (In recent decades, this wisdom has indeed been partially revealed, through increasingly powerful microscopes.)Evolution through random mutations, on the other hand, may be understood as implying that life is an accident, that perceived beauty and wisdom are ultimately purposeless, and that our instinctive yearning for the Eternal is just an electrical impulse in our brain.

See also:

http://religion.answers.com/controversy/is-there-evidence-against-evolution

http://judaism.answers.com/jewish-philosophy/can-you-prove-that-god-exists

According to tradition, there is only one Genesis creation-narrative, with ch.2 serving as an expansion of the brevity of ch.1, not a separate set of events (Rashi commentary, Gen.2:8). In ch.1, God created the universe from nothing (Exodus 20:11, Isaiah 40:28; Maimonides' "Guide," 2:30; Targum and Nachmanides on Gen. 1:1; Rashi commentary, Gen.1:14), and in ch.2, God performed specific acts within the broader picture.While Judaism has always seen the Torah as an intricate tapestry that nonetheless had one Divine source, some modern authors such as Wellhausen (the father of modern Biblical-criticism, 1844-1918) have suggested artificially chopping up the narrative and attributing it to various authors, despite the Torah's explicit statement as to its provenance (Exodus 24:12, Deuteronomy 31:24). This need not concern believers, since his claims have been debunked one by one, as Archaeology and other disciplines have demonstrated the integrity of the Torah. No fragments have ever been found that would support his Documentary Hypothesis, which remains nothing more than an arbitrary claim:

http://religion.answers.com/theory/debunking-the-jepd-documentary-hypothesis

http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=6&article=1131(a Christian author)

Answer 3

Some truths found in the two creation stories of Genesis:

1. The world is not the result of an accident
   
2. The ancient Israelites believed in a higher power who created all living things.
   
3. According to Leon R. Kass (The Beginning of Wisdom), the second creation story, while not historically true, realistically portrays permanent truths about our humanity.

Both creation stories go further than merely saying the world is not the result of an accident, with the first saying that the entire universe (with the possible exception of the earth) was created and both saying that all living things were created. Whether this is true is a matter of faith, but it should be noted that the two stories portray a quite different sequence of events, with creation taking place in very different ways. Science agrees that the world is not the result of an accident, but finds evidence that there was no need for a higher power in creation.

Some say that these creation stories actually tell us that humans were imbued with souls but, read literally, there is nothing in them to say this. The nearest we come is, in the second creation story (Genesis 2:4b-25), that God breathed life into Adam.

For more information about the creation narratives and their significance, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation

Answer 4

The account of Creation, which is contained in Genesis ch.1 and 2, teaches us that God exists, that our lives and the world are meaningful, and that the created things may be assumed to contain vast wisdom in their beautiful and purposeful design. (In recent decades, this wisdom has indeed been partially revealed, through increasingly powerful microscopes.)Evolution through random mutations, on the other hand, may be understood as implying that life is an accident, that perceived beauty and wisdom are ultimately purposeless, and that our instinctive yearning for the Eternal is just an electrical impulse in our brain.

See also:

Is there evidence against Evolution?

Can you show that God exists?

Seeing God's wisdom

According to tradition, there is only one Genesis creation-narrative, with ch.2 serving as an expansion of the brevity of ch.1, not a separate set of events (Rashi commentary, Gen.2:8). In ch.1, God created the universe from nothing (Exodus 20:11, Isaiah 40:28; Maimonides' "Guide," 2:30; Targum and Nachmanides on Gen. 1:1; Rashi commentary, Gen.1:14), and in ch.2, God performed specific acts within the broader picture.While Judaism has always seen the Torah as an intricate tapestry that nonetheless had one Divine source, some modern authors such as Wellhausen (the father of modern Biblical-criticism, 1844-1918) have suggested artificially chopping up the narrative and attributing it to various authors, despite the Torah's explicit statement as to its provenance (Exodus 24:12, Deuteronomy 31:24). This need not concern believers, since his claims have been debunked one by one, as archaeology and other disciplines have demonstrated the integrity of the Torah. No fragments have ever been found that would support his Documentary Hypothesis, which remains nothing more than an arbitrary claim:

Refuting the JEPD Documentary Hypothesis

The creation-narrative in Genesis (a Christian author)

The authorship of the Hebrew Bible

Answer 5

Creation stories often convey themes such as the origin of the world, the relationship between humanity and the divine, the importance of balance and order, and the cyclical nature of existence. Additionally, they often explore concepts like creation through divine will or power, the role of humans in the world, and the interconnectedness of all life.

Answer 6

God is all powerful

God is sovereign

God is holy

God communicates with man