EMAIL: mike@geocreationism.com
Genesis 2:4-7 - “4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."
Introduction
Genesis 2:4-25 is generally interpreted as a repeat of the account of Genesis 1, with verse 4 being the introduction. But, if Genesis 2 is meant to overlay the account of Genesis 1, then it does not overlay very well. It suggests that Genesis 2 is focusing on events subsequent to Genesis 1, and that Genesis 2:4 is merely a bridge between them.
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth
when they were created,
when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.
A Comparison of Creation Accounts
When taken at face value, mankind's evolutionary development coincides very will with Genesis 1, while the history and dry-farming agriculture of the Ubaid 3/4 period coincide very well with the account of Adam and Eve, potential locations for Eden, and Adam's banishment to till the cursed soil in Genesis 2. Table 1 is a timeline with Genesis 1 and 2, side-by-side.
| Year | Scentific Event | Genesis 1 | Genesis 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 Ga | Heavens and Earth form | v. 1 - God creates the heavens and the earth | v. 4 - God made the earth and the heavens |
| Earth is basically rock and lava - the makings of dust! | v. 5 - No shrub has yet appeared and no plants. It has never rained. There are no people | ||
| 4.4 Ga | Outgassing from within the earth starts to form a global ocean... the water and dust would form clay! | v. 2 - Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters | v. 6 - Streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground |
4.4 Ga - 5.5 Ma |
Evolution continues, from bacteria dating to 3.9 Ga, on through to the first homonids | vv. 2-25 - The process for God allowing the earth to develop new life forms. Records mostly God's interruptions to the process, until finally mankind appears | v. 7a - Man is formed intentionally from the dust |
| 5.5 Ma | First hominids appear | v. 26 - God wants mankind to be in His image | |
| 250 Ma | Homo Sapiens appear | v. 27 - Male and female are now in God's image | v. 7b - Mankind was alive, but not ALIVE |
| v. 28 - God blesses mankind to subdue the earth, to rule the animals | |||
| v. 29 - God gives mankind every seed-bearing plant and fruit tree for food | |||
| v. 30 - God gives all animals all green plants for food | |||
| New "kinds" cease to appear | v. 31 - God calls His creation very good and rests | ||
| 10 Ka | Agriculture begins. Mankind exists around the world. Mankind has subdued the earth | ||
| ~6.4 Ka | (Young Earth Alt. - v. 27 - Many put God's creation of mankind here. Problem: Eve did not yet exist) | v. 7c - Adam is a made a living living being v. 8 - God makes Garden, puts Adam there v. 9 - God puts trees in Garden, including Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil |
|
| (Young Earth Alt. - vv. 28-29 - Most would put God's blessing of Day 6 here. Problems: 1)Eve did not yet exist, 2)the earth would then not be subdued until after Adam and Eve were cursed and the Flood subsequently destroyed their descendents (except Noah and his family), 3)The blessing would have to exclude the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) | vv. 16-17 - God blesses Adam to eat of any tree except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil | ||
| (Young Earth Alt. - vv. 20-25 - Many believe the birds and wild animals were created when God decided that Adam should not be alone. Problems: 1)Birds were created on Day 5, not Day 6, 2)Man was created last in Genesis 1, but birds were created last in Genesis 2. (One could argue that Adam was not mankind by himself, and so Eve's creation is the completion of mankind, but the placement of Adam somewhere on Day 5 would still be problematic).) | vv. 18-19 - Adam names the animals; none are a suitable helper for him | ||
| vv. 20-25 - God makes Eve from Adam's rib | |||
| (Young Earth Alt. - vv. 28-29 - Some might put God's blessing of Day 6 here, though 1)the earth would not be subdued until after the Flood 2)The blessing would have to exclude the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life, 3)God would be calling the earth "very good" sin entered the world) | In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve sin and are banished from the Garden. Eve is cursed. |
Conclusion
Notice the italicized Young Earth alternatives. It shows that when Genesis 1 is interepreted as occurring about 6000 years ago, it introduces logical conflicts in the sequence of the creation of female humans, the blessing given to mankind, God's statement that His creation is very good, the Fall in the Garden, and mankind's subduing of the earth. However, allow Creation Day 6 to precede Adam and Eve, and the scripture can now be read sequentially and interpreted literally without conflict.
1/27/31 - Tied Adam's birth to Ubaid 3/4