Genesis 1:1 to 2:3 and Genesis 2:4 to 3:24 are considered by several misguided scholars as separate and distinct creation accounts. They are wrong. This has been studied, argued and concluded long ago, but these scholars insist that they know better than all the scholars that came before them. How profoundly arrogant... Genesis 1:1 to 2:3 tells of Gods creative work. Genesis 2:4 is a retelling of the creation account with emphasis on God’s relationship with man.
The biggest problem these scholars have is that different names for God are used. First, in Genesis 1, the creator God or Elohim (the mighty ones) is used. These mighty ones are the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or the Holy Trinity and the scripture bears this out. All three persons of the Trinity were present from the beginning. In Genesis 2, the focus is diverted from the creation to God’s Lordship of everything including humanity. Moses refers to him as Lord God or Jehovah and basically introduces God as the covenant-maker. This distinction has been known for thousands of years and understood for thousands of years.
So, why would modern scholars choose to put such a twisted spin on this logically concluded reality? Well, in my opinion it is deliberate rebellion against God. They don’t want to serve God or be obligated by love and gratitude to worship Him. They want to govern their own path in life, because God’s path rejects sin, and they want to continue in their sin. They reject, dismiss and rebel against their creator (Elohim) and their Lord God (Jehovah), which is one and the same, even though they know and understand that we, as humans, are hard wired for spirituality and faith. They reject God and replace Him with a creation myth called Naturalism (evolution), which has no scientific merit whatsoever. They choose Naturalism, because it makes everything random chance, survival of the fittest and without order, therefore making it perfectly okay to sin. They feel they have no obligation to a higher Power or Higher Law and they like the feel of that.
Folks, the Bible is true and no amount of “new” scholarship can change that fact. These scholars want to discover new and different interpretations of scripture to discredit it or support their own sinful ideations. The Bible, in part and as a whole, has been scrutinized by a vast array of scholars throughout history. We know who wrote the Bible – God, via inspiration. We know what the Bible says through centuries of theological scholarship. We know the Bible is accurate via Christian apologetic scholarship and creation science. The Bible is true and trustworthy.
I pray that these scholars humble themselves and accept the truth that the Bible is real, God is real and His Son died and rose again for each of them. Amen.