The Genesis section of the Bible is dedicated to the contextual history of the creation of the world. It is therefore part of the Old Testament that describes the precise order in which God has created the earth and all the living forms that populate it. To this day, Genesis maintains great structural and spiritual importance for the biblical scholars and the general population overall. This importance is linked to the fundamental weight that the myth of creation holds in human minds and souls. It is natural for people to wonder where they have come from, and what the world had been like before the creation of the human race. Christians are widely aware of God’s role in creating the universe, yet the detailed account of it happening strengthens the connection people have with the words of the scripture.
Genesis establishes the canon of the universe being created over the seven-day period, which one might culturally link to the seven-day week adopted by the Roman time measurement system. The precise order in which God creates the universe is interesting, and seems to follow the pattern of more complex creations following after the simpler ones. This resonates closely with the reader, providing them with an internally consistent sense of meaning and cohesion.
A reader can see how the world familiar to them, or at least the version of thereof, slowly develops on a step-by-step basis. Interestingly, the early days of the creation of the world rely heavily on several binary dichotomies. God begins the creation of the world with heavens and earth, the two realms that are connected but can never intersect until the end of times. Later He proceeds to make day and night, the light, and the absence of thereof. Metaphorically, one might link this to the way good and evil are clear within the biblical canon, and how a concept is most often related to either God or Devil.
The creation of the world concludes on the seventh day, when God designs the first man, Adam, in his liking. He then proceeds to make him a companion out of Adam’s rib, so that he is not lonely, thus creating Eve. With the idyllic life of the first human pair in gardens of Eden begins perhaps the most recognizable tale of the Biblical canon: the one of the forbidden fruit. Throughout human history, the phrase forbidden fruit became a euphemism for something corrupting and dangerous that is, nevertheless, intensely designed. Moreover, the negative qualities of the object of such desire are not an obstacle to the impulse, but instead one of the most crucial parts of the appeal. This contradiction is explained by the sheer nature of the temptation: how it is almost universally harmful to one’s soul, yet attractive, nonetheless.
The concept in which forbidden fruit appears in the second book of Genesis is also noteworthy, since the rule of not attempting to eat it is the sole limitation placed by God on the first humans. Adam and Eve were permitted to take whatever else they desired in the garden and continuously live a life of pleasure and the absence of pain. Yet, the Snake knew how to appeal to the darkest and most whimsical humans of Eve’s mind.
For her, curiosity was stronger than obedience and devotion to her creator, which has famously led to the downfall of Adam and herself. In a way, this story teaches a reader to respect and fear authority and follow the laws of those who are entitled to make them. The disobedience exhibited by humans was comparatively insignificant, since eating a fruit, any fruit for that matter, can hardly be classified as a sin by itself. However, the disregard for the divine will resulted in the truly horrendous consequence for the entire human race; the loss of paradise.
If one wishes to reflect on the forbidden fruit further, multiple hidden meanings might come to light. Such, the story teaches its readers about the dangers of lust and the ways in which it may cloud one’s judgement. It is Adam’s affection for Eve, in this case presented in it’s rush and irrational form, that prevents him from seeing clearly through the manipulations of the Snake. The lustful side of Adam’s love for Eve contributes to the inevitable divine punishment. The first humans, and with them all of the following ones, are faced with the much harsher world than the one they knew in the divine garden. And the early days of this young world continue to be fearful, as humanity is yet to witness the gravity of God’s anger.
The third notorious element of the book of Genesis is universally understood as the darkest; the one that has repeatedly made people in the present day question God’s mercy and forgiveness. It focuses on the events of the great flood and Noah’s Ark, that secured the survival of the one devoted Christian, his family and hundreds of animal species. Arguably, the controversial and conflicting sentiments attached to the account of events may constitute its main point and purpose. After the flood covered the entirety of Earth, Noah spent months upon months in the endless sea, holding on to the thread of God’s promise.
Floating on the emptiness that surrounded the Ark, he was likely to have felt abandoned by his creator. It is not unlikely to presume, that throughout this period Noah might have doubted his faith, as there was no sign of any divine intervention. Many believers of today might somewhat relate to the depicted struggle, as following the guidelines of one’s faith can be exceedingly difficult in times of hardship and loneliness.
With these three famous elements the reflection on Genesis may be summarized as the account of the early days of the world. It appears to me that back then the punishments were harsher, but so were the sins. The world was new back then and had no history and heritage to rely upon and to protect itself from temptation and vice. In a way, relating to the events depicted in the very first book of the Old Testament is hard, since it is the most distant part of the Bible for every person of today.
Yet at the same time, it remains the central pillar in the understanding of God and His world in general. By reading into it, studying its tales and analysing the events depicted, one is more likely to fundamentally feel some of the most well-known laws and rules of Christianity. And the ease with which black and white are, at least on the first glance, distinguished in the narrative create a solemn sense of melancholy for the times when things were simpler.