Understanding the Book of Genesis

The Beginning

Michael Branson

• Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC
• Year: 2019
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781643678993
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

The purpose of this book is to offer a logical, common sense translation of the book of Genesis. It is not written as a dogmatic statement of absolute authority, but rather it is meant as a translation that conforms to the literal writing of Genesis. I am aware that it differs widely from conventional teachings. When I first read the book of Genesis, however, I did not have the benefit of much formal religious training, so I was not influenced by the opinions and interpretations of others. From the outset I formed the theories that are stated here based on the words I read, and further study has only served to strengthen those concepts. This is what the book of Genesis says to me. I offer it as a possible alternative to the interpretations that have been handed down unquestioned and unchallenged for several hundred years. What this book is not is a work of apologetics. I have begun with the assumption that the Bible says what it means, and means what it says.

CHAPTER ONE

VERSE 1

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(Note that this verse does not begin, “In the beginning bang.” Common sense tells us it could never be “In the beginning bang” because bang could never be the beginning of anything. What material was there to go bang? How long had it been there? Where did it come from? Did it carry its age with it after the bang?

What caused it to go bang? And on and on, ad infinitum. It’s now even been suggested that there may have been a series of bangs with the universe expanding until it finally implodes in on itself and starts the whole process all over again with yet another bang. But still no explanation of what caused the first bang or where or how the material originated.)

The word used throughout the first chapter for creation is bâhrâh (sometimes spelled bârâ), a word meaning “created from nothing” (creatio ex nihilo).

We are told in many places in the Bible that in creating the universe, God spoke it into existence. Hebrews 11:3 is the most definitive; there are also references such as Psalm 33:6 and 33:9. He didn’t use existing materials for any of the things He created in the first chapter. Therefore, from the beginning of the account of Creation and reaffirmed repeatedly, whatever exists today does so because God spoke it into existence. Whatever characteristic or peculiarity it may have (such as the semblance of age) is a result of God’s having created it with those qualities. A method of determining age such as carbon dating might indicate that a rock appears to be a certain age. Although there are some problems with the dating process, for the most part, the dating is accurate. A rock does have those characteristics, but its carbon dating just shows the way God made it!

Everything spoken into existence was just a day old when it was created, but it would be absurd to suggest all these things were created in their absolute infancy; rather, they all had the semblance of age to one degree or another. Surely it can’t be a stretch of faith to believe that if He could speak something into existence, He could also give it the qualities He chose.

VERSE 2

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

This is the first mention of the Holy Spirit. Actually, the Trinity, the triune God, is variously credited with different parts of Creation. This doesn’t mean the tasks were divided but rather that all three were present at any given time.

VERSE 3

And God said, let there be light: and there was light.

The first item to be created specifically to combat the void and darkness was light. This is significant because it came on day one, while the creation of the sun and stars (the light givers) didn’t come until day four. This, in my opinion, is the explanation of how light apparently traveled many light-years in less than the actual number of years indicated. The whole light path was created at one time, and it was spoken into place first.

It’s unfortunate that whenever a passage such as this, troubles some scholars, they immediately assume the passage must be at fault and try to interpret it according to their understanding. They will shrug it off with an explanation such as, “The Bible isn’t concerned with chronology,” “The Bible wasn’t written by a scientist,” or some other lame phrase that does nothing but undermine the confidence of the student. Better to consider the fact that maybe the Bible was concerned and maybe it does mean what it says; maybe the interpretation is at fault.

VERSE 4

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

VERSE 5

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Is there any reason for assuming this is anything other than a twenty-four-hour period? We’re talking about God speaking creation into existence, and noth...

Table of contents

• Understanding the Book of Genesis: The Beginning
• Copyright
• Contents
• Author’s Note
• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Chapter Three
• Chapter Four
• Chapter Five
• Chapter Six
• Chapter Seven
• Chapter Eight
• Chapter Nine
• Chapter Ten
• Chapter Eleven
• Chapter Twelve
• Chapter Thirteen
• Chapter Fourteen
• Chapter Fifteen
• Chapter Sixteen
• Chapter Seventeen
• Chapter Eighteen
• Chapter Nineteen
• Chapter Twenty
• Chapter Twenty-One
• Chapter Twenty-Two
• Chapter Twenty-Three
• Chapter Twenty-Four
• Chapter Twenty-Five
• Chapter Twenty-Six
• Chapter Twenty-Seven
• Chapter Twenty-Eight
• Chapter Twenty-Nine
• Chapter Thirty
• Chapter Thirty-One
• Chapter Thirty-Two
• Chapter Thirty-Three
• Chapter Thirty-Four
• Chapter Thirty-Five
• Chapter Thirty-Six
• Chapter Thirty-Seven
• Chapter Thirty-Eight
• Chapter Thirty-Nine
• Chapter Forty
• Chapter Forty-One
• Chapter Forty-Two
• Chapter Forty-Three
• Chapter Forty-Four
• Chapter Forty-Five
• Chapter Forty-Six
• Chapter Forty-Seven
• Chapter Forty-Eight
• Chapter Forty-Nine
• Chapter Fifty
• Endnotes