Hi, Cody —
If we get bogged down in proving or disproving the historicity of Genesis and other books in the Old Testament we wind up asking the wrong the questions and often times miss the point of the text.
For example, let's just look at the Genesis 1 creation account. The first thing we must consider is:
- What is God trying to convey through the human author?
Well, we have six days of creation and on the seventh day God rests.
- OK, why did he choose to record this as a seven-day period?
Note that God marks the Sabbath as the Covenant Sign so then we look at the original Hebrew and we see that the Hebrew word for seven is also the same Hebrew word for swearing an oath. Later in Genesis, we read that Abraham entered in to a covenant with Abimalech . . . It literally says:
Abraham sevened himself with Abimalech . . . (Genesis 21:26-28)
So God first creates the universe and man and then enters in to a covenant relationship with His own creation, marked by the Sabbath.
Well, for two parties to enter in to a covenant implies that there must be a certain parity. This is not to say man is equal to God but rather that God wants to elevate man. To do so, He would need to become man Himself so right there in Genesis 1 we see a hint at the Incarnation.
We don't see it as readily in the English but it was clear to those who read and understood the Hebrew. The importance of Covenant, not only speaks to the coming Incarnation but it speaks to character and nature of God. To enter in to a covenant, one must give Himself fully to the other party. It's not just a contract with promise. It is a total giving of self. That's why Matrimony is not just contract but a covenant and when the terms of covenant get broken, the covenant remains, the people involved are broken as the covenant is enforced. This is why Jesus died for us: to fulfill Our part of the Covenant. You see when you enter in to a covenant, you take on the debts of the party as well.
All of this is buried in Genesis 1 . . . If we spend our time trying to prove it did, or did not, happen just our way we miss what God is saying. The way to deal with a proper understanding of Sacred Scripture is ask:
- What is the point of this text?
- Why is it there?
- Why did the human author chose these words to convey his message?
The Old Testament does indeed record history . . . Salvation History . . . and that is not the way we record history today. It's not meant to be an exact chronology, yet there is a reason for all the genealogies, and all the events recorded there.
The Catholic approach is looking for what God is trying to communicate to us. Whether or not God created the universe in seven days or seven billion years is not the point. The point is God created the Universe and then swore an oath to give Himself to His creation by becoming part of it.
Hope this helps,
John
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