“Saturday Sermon” and “Doctrinal Commentary”
The Genesis Account
Genesis in unique among ancient creation stories.
The Genesis is poetic and beautiful. It is sophisticated and inspirational.
In Genesis mankind is God’s masterpiece. Men and women are the crown of creation. Humans are made in the very image of God.
The Genesis author’s theme and purpose is clear. There are two predominant words that are repeated at the beginning and end of verses – “God” and “good.” The earth was created by God, and the creation was good.
And after God created Eve, he looked upon his creation and pronounced it – “very good.” (Gen. 1:31; Moses 2:31)
Then, God established families by ordaining and sanctifying marriage. And God said, “therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one.” (Genesis 2:24; Moses 3:24) “Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:11)
Other Ancient Accounts
In the other creation stories, in sharp contrast to Genesis, humans are the dregs of creation. Mankind is an accident, a mistake, an afterthought. People grow from parasites or falling rocks. Mankind springs from chaos, violence and dismemberment. Humans are created so the gods can have servants. People are the gods’ playthings, created to entertain and amuse.
Ancient China
Pangu (P’an Ku) hatched from a cosmic egg. Half the shell above him became the sky and the half below him became the earth. Pangu grew so tall he pushed the sky and the earth apart. Afterward, he fell into pieces. His limbs became the mountains, his blood the rivers, his breath the wind, and his voice, the thunder. One eyeball became the sun, the other the moon. The parasites on his body become mankind.
Ancient Greece
From empty Chaos, Gaea, the earth, spontaneously emerged. Gaea gave birth to a son, Uranus, the sky. Their offspring became the Titans and Cyclops. They fought and ate each other until Zeus was born and ruled from Mt. Olympus. Mankind appeared out of nowhere. Zeus sent a flood to destroy mankind, but two humans escaped. They throw stones over their shoulders, and each rock became a person, a plaything for the gods.
Ancient India
The primal man was sacrificed by the gods. The sky came from his head, the earth from his feet, the sun from his eye, and the moon from his brain. The animals come from the body fat which dripped during the sacrifice.
Ancient Mesopotamia
Two watery beings existed, the male Apsu (sweet water) and the female Tiamat (salt water) From their union came sea monsters and gods. Tiamat’s descendants conspired against her, and choose Marduk, god of Babylon, as their leader. Marduk split the body of Tiamat into two parts, creating heaven and earth. Heaven becomes home of the gods. The gods need servants, and so they created mankind.
The London Edition 