Genesis is the Firm Foundation for the Righteous

Saturday, August 6, 2011

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3 KJV).

The Genesis creation account is diametrically opposed to evolutionary theory. Lest they are forced to abandon their theory, Genesis-haters simply dismiss the first two chapters of the Bible as Hebrew poetry. In order to get around the anti-evolution statements in Scripture, Bible skeptics encourage us to allegorize Genesis chapters 1 and 2, claiming “the Bible does not mean what it says, so do not believe in a literal interpretation of Genesis.”

There is nothing to indicate that Genesis chapters 1 and 2 are allegorical. In fact, there is evidence in Scripture to indicate the first two chapters of Genesis are literal.

• Genesis 2:7 says: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground….” This is a scientific fact: the human body contains elements—potassium, oxygen, magnesium, et cetera—that are also found in earth’s crust! Why would the rest of chapter 2 not be literal?
• The Lord Jesus said: “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6-8). Jesus Christ believed in a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:26,27 and Genesis 2:20-25.
• The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:13,14: “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3). Paul supports a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:26,27, Genesis 2:20-25, and Genesis 3:1-13.
• Exodus 20:8-11 is a literal commandment given to Jews. Obviously this literal commandment is based on a literal event: God really created the heaven, the earth, and all creatures in six, consecutive 24-hour periods, and that He rested on the seventh (Sabbath) day. Exodus 20:8-11 supports a literal interpretation of Genesis chapters 1 and 2.

Hebrew scholars tell us that Genesis chapters 1 and 2 do not exhibit the structure of Jewish poetry, but rather a literal account-narrative. Genesis teaches a literal account of creation, and should be believed literally. If you begin the Bible allegorically (Genesis), then we are left to wonder what is literal in Scripture, if anything at all…?