What did you notice?

If you took up my challenge to re-read Genesis 1-7 as objectively as possible, placing what you think you know about these stories on a shelf, what did you notice?  I also hope, as you continue to read through the Hebrew Bible, that you will try to read without prior prejudice. Years ago, Kellogg's filmed a number of commercials trying to motivate people to eat Kellogg's Corn Flake with the punch line: "Try them again, for the first time!"  I think that's what we need to do every time we read any portion of the Bible - try reading it again, for the first time.

So, did you notice...

• That "God" is used exclusively in some passages (e.g., Genesis 1:1-2:4a, among others) and that either "LORD God" or "LORD" is used exclusively in other passages? (BTW - any time you see "LORD" it is "Yahweh" in Hebrew. So "LORD God" is "Yahweh Elohim".)
• That the order of creation is different in Genesis 1:1-2:4a than in Genesis 2:4b-25, especially in relation to the creation of humans (Hebrew = "adam") and animals?
• That "the sons of God" took for themselves "the daughters of men" who bore children, "the Nephilim," who were "the heroes of old, the men of renown"? Who are the "the sons of God"? Who are the "Nephilim"?  
• That the numbers of animals varies throughout the flood account? In some places Noah is commanded, "And of all that lives, of all flesh, you shall take two of each into the ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female." In other places Noah is commanded, "Of every clean animal you shall take seven pairs, males and their mates, and of every animal that is not clean, two, a male and its mates..."
• That Noah sends out a raven which "went to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth" but yet then sent out a dove three times with seven days between attempts until on the third attempt "it did not return"?
• That, if you read on through chapter 11, in chapter 10 the descendants of Noah's sons each had their own language, but Genesis 11:1 reads, "Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words"?

I am not saying that there aren't reasonable explanations for some (or even most) of these textual inconsistencies, but what we can't do is simply ignore them.  And if we raise questions and seek answers we are not guilty of doubting God or his word. This is the Bible as we have received it and for those who hold to it being the inspired word of God, we need be able to provide some kind of explanation for the numerous textual issues in Genesis 1-11, or else it appears to others that we are operating on "blind faith."  And I know by experience (40 plus years as a Christians and more than 35 years working in ministry) that "blind faith" does not withstand the challenges of life. 

In my next blog, I will present what I think is a reasonable explanation for these (and other) issues in Genesis 1-11. You may disagree with me (and others)...and that's OK. As we re-read the biblical texts and strive to determine their messages, let us be respectful of each others' quest to understand and communicate our faith.