God(s), Humanity, and Open Eyes — Part 1: God(s)

There is something immensely important about understanding the beginning of a story. The beginning sets the stage for where the story is headed and provides a foundation for understanding why things are the way they are. If the scriptural narrative is a narrative about the history of creation, and thus a story that we currently find ourselves within, then it is imperative that we understand where it all begins.

Genesis 1–3 provides us with this beginning.

The first three chapters of scripture — known as the creation account — act as scripture’s “cold open,” or teaser (in a movie, this is the opening scene prior to the title and opening credits). It sets the stage for the rest of the story and provides necessary insight into character and plot development. This scene of creation can, itself, be broken into three parts: God(s) (1:1–2:3), Humanity (2:4–25), and Open Eyes (3:1–24). Each of these parts offer something unique to the understanding of the story.

Part 1 introduces us to God(s) and its relationship with creation
Part 2 expands on the creation of humanity and what it means to be human
Part 3 provides the presenting problem that disrupts the state of things established in Parts 1 and 2

With this opening sequence in mind, we can jump into the rest of scripture (as well as find ourselves in its ongoing story) with a better understanding of what story is at play. For example, in the movie UP, it is critical that one sees the opening scene in order for the rest of the movie to be understood. The opening scene introduces us to Carl, the main character, and then to his partner Ellie. The scene establishes a deep-seated desire within them for adventure while also walking us, via montage, through the history of their relationship together, which ends in Ellie’s passing (an interesting progression: man alone | man and woman | introduction of disruption/death. Sounds familiar ;). This opening scene serves as a necessary introduction for explaining later events. Without understanding Carl’s deep love for Ellie — as well as the unfulfilled commitment to go on an adventure, revealed in the montage — one will not understand Carl’s motivation for relocating his house to Paradise Falls, the supposed location of their childhood hero, Charles Muntz. In the same way, if we are to better understand the story we find ourselves in, we must understand the beginning of our story.

So let us begin.

PART 1: GOD(S)

“In the beginning, God(s) created the heavens and the earth.”

- Genesis 1:1

The opening chapter of scripture (technically, 1:1–2:3) is a poetic description of the creation of the world. Its focus is on God(s) and its relationship with the creation it is creating. The character of God(s) becomes illuminated and the intimate relationship between God(s) and creation becomes the framework by which the rest of the story resides. As Walter Brueggemann puts it: “This [relationship] is the presupposition for everything that follows in the Bible. It is the deepest premise from which good news is possible. God and his creation are bound together by the powerful, gracious movement of God toward creation” (Genesis, 1982).

Part 1 provides us with a founding picture of who God(s) is/are.

As hinted by the parenthetic addition to my use of the term God, from the very beginning God is defined as a plurality. “In the beginning God(s) created the heavens and the earth.” The word used here for God is ʾelohim which literally means “gods.” However, within the Hebrew tradition, this term, though plural in form, is to be understood as singular in meaning. From the very start, we are presented with a God who is one, yet characteristically plural. Christianity later defines this plurality within God as the Trinity: God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — three manifestations mysteriously maintained as a singular God. This Trinity can be seen within the first three verses of Genesis: God the being (Gen. 1:1), creates by speaking (Gen. 1:3) (which John 1:1 explicates as “the Word,” otherwise known as Jesus), while the Spirit hovers over the waters (Gen. 1:2). God(s), thus, becomes understood as a being that is inherently relational — constantly in union and relationship within the plurality of itself.

God(s) is also depicted as creative and inviting. God(s) finds enjoyment in the creation of new, good things and progressively creates spaces (days 1–3a) in order to fill those spaces with new creation that bear an invitation to participate with God(s) in the activity of creating (days 3b-6). Such is not a relationship of domination but is, as Jürgen Moltmann states, an invitation “to participate, and to enter into the mutual relationships of the living things” (God in Creation, 1985).

God(s) is relational, creative, and inviting — seeking to be in relationship with creation rather than dominating it.

This becomes key to our understanding, not only of God(s)’s relationship with humanity throughout the rest of the story, but of the characteristic identity humanity inherits.

The last portion of Part 1 leads to the climax of creation, which necessitates further illumination in Part 2: God(s) creates a being in its own image. Creation culminates in the creation of beings that embody the characteristic identity of the God(s) that created them: “Let us make humanity in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen. 1:26). Again, note the plurality within the language. God(s) — a plurality — creates humanity — a plurality — in order to embody the characteristic image of God(s).

God(s) calls humanity into creative partnership, to do as God(s) does, to create and to control. Humanity is wired for relationship with each other and with a God(s) that longs to join and enjoy life with its creation.

Though the rest of creation is invited into the creative participation of furthering creation (plants bear seed in order to create more plants; creatures, birds, and beast are invited to “be fruitful and multiply”), it is only the humans who are invited to bear God(s)’s image and join with God(s) in the furthering of and the sovereignty over creation. It is only with the humans that God(s) speaks directly to, in relational I-You dialogue. God(s) essentially creates humanity and joyfully proclaims “Join me! Do as I do! You were created to be like me!”

Thus Part 1 closes with a relational God(s) taking a step back, admiring the beauty of a creation that will continue to expand and grow and add to its splendor, and has this God(s) resting from work. The fact that God(s) rests reveals a trust in its creation. That life will continue and creation will do as it was created to do — continue. Humanity, being made in the image of God(s), is invited into that promise and invited to find rest in the trust that God(s) is with them and will hold life together when they pause. Once again Brueggemann puts it well when he says that Sabbath is “an assertion that life does not depend upon our feverish activity of self-securing, but that there can be a pause in which life is given to us simply as a gift.”

Sabbath embodies a trust. A trust in God. A trust in creation. A trust in others. It is a proclamation that we are not on our own and do not have to hold everything together because we are created in the image of a God(s) that operates out of trust. And thus, so we are created also to trust.

It is this trust that we will find threaded throughout the creation narrative and which will ultimately come to a head in Part 3. For, in Part 1 we are invited into a framework of trust: God(s), a plurality of being in mutual trust and reciprocity within itself, creates a creation that works in unified partnership within itself (e.g.: the sun participates in providing light for the growing of plants, which will continue to produce more and provide nourishment for the living beings that will continue to produce more and ultimately look after the creation that it is nourished by), and creates humanity to embody such relational trust. It is a framework that is held together by love. A network founded on the full belief that the other is for you and, in turn, the offering of yourself for the other.

Part 1 introduces us to the creator. To a deeply relational, creative, inviting God(s) and its deep relationship with the creation it creates. Humanity is the pinnacle of creation, and the next character(s) in the development of the story. And as such, it is deserving of a second chapter.