The Open Scroll

God first gave the instruction not to eat from the forbidden tree to the man in Genesis 2, even before the woman was formed: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16–17) Yet we know how the story unfolds. The woman ate, and she also gave some to the man, and he ate as well (Genesis 3:6). Let us x-ray what happened after they ate the forbidden fruit, and compare their reactions with what we often observe in our own lives. Immediate Reactions to Sin After they ate the fruit, Scripture tells us that: They became ashamed and covered themselves “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” (Genesis 3:7) They hid from God “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden… and they hid fro...

Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 often appear to present two different timelines for the creation of plants and humans. At first glance, it can look like a contradiction. But is it? Or is something else going on in the text? Let’s walk through it carefully. The Apparent Problem Genesis 1 (Day 3, Day 6) Plants are created on Day 3. Animals on Day 6. Humans —male and female—also on Day 6. Genesis 2:5 Then we read: “No shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground.” This sounds like plants did not yet exist , and humans did not yet exist , because: There was no rain for plants to grow. There was no man to work the ground. So what gives? Did Genesis 2 forget what Genesis 1 already said? A Possible Explanation: “Created” vs. “Brought Forth” One reasonable way to understand this is to consider that “created” in Genesis 1 may refer to establishing the potential , not necessarily the immed...

One of the most frequently discussed passages in the creation narrative appears right at the beginning of the Bible. It raises a question that has puzzled readers for centuries and makes for a perfect entry in this series: Did God create light twice? Let’s take a closer look. The Two Passages in Question Genesis 1:3–5 The text states: “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light… He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness He called ‘night.’” Here, light is created on the first day , and the concepts of “day” and “night” are established. Genesis 1:14–18 A few verses later, we read: “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate day from night… God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.” This happens on the fourth day , when the sun and moon are created. So the natural question arises: If day and night already existed on Day 1, why are the sun and moon introduced on ...