The first two chapters of Genesis have drawn a lot of attention throughout the years. There are wide-ranging views concerning these opening chapters of the Biblical narrative. They are seen by some as competing narratives, competing stories of the creation of the world that may have originated from different sources. Others view them as complimentary narratives in which chapter two serves as an expanded explanation of certain aspects of chapter one. However, a careful reading of the two chapters make that difficult. For example, chapter one has vegetation created on day three, but in chapter two it appears that man was created prior to vegetation being present (Genesis 2:5-7), so we wonder how we can reconcile these two passages.

What if we are asking questions of Scripture that it wasn’t meant to answer? The first two chapters of Genesis aren’t written to explain exactly how this world came into being. They are written to identify who is responsible for creating it. They also speak loudly to the identity of our Creator as we will see him throughout the Bible.

In Genesis chapter one we see the awesome power of God. He speaks and things come into being (Genesis 1:3, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 28). All we see of God, or I guess all we hear of God is his voice, and with that voice, things come into being. He is powerful. He is transcendent.

Genesis two gives us a very different picture of this same Creator. Here we see God form man of the dust of the earth and breathe into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). We read of God planting a garden in Eden and put the man there (Genesis 2:8, 15). Then we see God take one of the ribs of the man, close his flesh, and make woman (Genesis 2:21-22). Each of these are actions that God took. In each one of these encounters, we can see God working with his hands, close to his creation.

Now, when we put these two chapters together, we get a picture of the God who created the heavens and the earth and the seas and all that are in them. He is a God that is powerful, transcendent, and far above what we could ever hope to be. And he is a God that wants to be near to his creation. What we find in these two chapters sets the stage for the major theme of Scripture: God with us.

It is interesting that the Bible begins and ends with this image. We’ve seen it in the first two chapters of Genesis. Then we look at the other end of the Book and find it yet again. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

This is what God has wanted from the beginning. Yet, humanity rejected him and decided to go our own way. But God didn’t give up. He continues to want to be with us and for us to be with him. He went to great lengths to accomplish this. He worked through incredibly flawed people and called them to partner with him. He worked and loved and pursued. He rescued and redeemed and disciplined. Then he made the most incredible move. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-3,14) It is here that we see the transcendent God, the Creator come near so that we could be saved.

This is the message revealed to us in Scripture. It is the message of God who is transcendent, righteous, and holy also wants to be near to us. He wants that badly enough to send Jesus. It is the message of forgiveness, reconciliation and belonging. It is the message of hope that we carry to the world around us. Thank God for his mercy and grace.