The Introduction to Genesis (and to the whole Bible)
Genesis 1:1-2:3, ascribes everything to the
living God, creating, making, acting, moving, and speaking. There is no room for evolution
without a flat denial of Divine revelation. One must be true, the other false. All God's
works were pronounced "good" seven times, videlicet: Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31. They
are "great," Psalm 111:2. Revelation 15:3. They are "wondrous," Job 37:14.
They are "perfect," Deuteronomy 32:4.
Man starts from nothing. He begins in helplessness, ignorance, and
inexperience. All his works, therefore, proceed on the principle of evolution.
This principle is seen only in human affairs : from the hut to the palace ;
from the canoe to the ocean liner ; from the spade and ploughshare to machines for
drilling, reaping, and binding, etc. But the birds build their nests to-day as at the
beginning. The moment we pass the boundary line, and enter the Divine sphere, no trace or
vestige of evolution is seen. There is growth and development within, but no
passing, change, or evolution out from one into another. On the other hand, all
God's works are perfect.
In the Introduction to Genesis (chapter 1:1-2:3 fortysix times everything is ascribed to direct acts and volitions on the part
of God as the Creator.
God (or He) created |
6 times (1:1,21,27,27,27; 2:3) |
God moved |
1 once (1:2). |
God said |
10 times (1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26,28,29). |
God saw |
7 times (1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31,) |
God divided |
2 twice (1:4,7) |
God (or He) called |
5 times (1:5,5,8,10,10). |
|
__ |
Brought forward. = |
31 |
|
|
God (or He) made |
7 times (1:7,16,25,31; 2:2,2,3). |
God set |
1 once (1:17). |
God blessed |
3 times (1:22,28; 2:3). |
God ended |
1 once (2:2). |
He rested |
2 twice (2:2,3). |
He sanctified |
1 once (2:3). |
|
__ |
= |
46 |
It will be noted that the word "God"
(Elohim) occurs in this Introduction
thirty-five times (7 x 5), the product of 7 and 5, the numbers of spiritual
perfection, and grace.
There are also ten words connected with the word "God"
; this is the number of ordinal perfection .
There is only one verb used alone with the pronoun "He",
instead of "God", and that is the verb "rested".
This makes eleven in all ; for the significance of which see Appendix
10.
The word "and" is repeated 102 times : thus,
by the figure Polysyndeton, marking and
emphasising each separate act as being equally independent and important.
Evolution is only one of several theories invented to explain the
phenomena of created things. It is admitted by all scientists that no one of these
theories covers all the ground ; and the greatest claim made for Evolution, or Darwinism,
is that "it covers more ground than any of the others."
The Word of God claims to cover all the ground : and
the only way in which this claim is met, is by a denial of the inspiration of the
Scriptures, in order to weaken it. This is the special work undertaken by so-called "Higher
Criticism", which bases its conclusions on human assumptions and reasoning,
instead of on the documentary evidence of manuscripts, as Textual Criticism does.