thinking bible.

You asked

what understanding of 'creation' did ancient israelites likely have compared to modern scientific views?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.

This passage opens the book of Genesis, attributed to Moses, setting the scene for the entire biblical narrative. It describes the very first moments of creation from a perspective focused on God's initiative.

What does it mean for your understanding of the world to begin with God as the source, rather than with impersonal forces?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

  • Psalm 104:5-9

    This Psalm describes God's ongoing creative power in sustaining the earth and its waters.

  • Proverbs 8:22-31

    Wisdom is depicted as present with God during creation, highlighting the order and purpose of the world.

  • John 1:1-3

    The New Testament links creation to God's 'Word,' offering a theological parallel to Genesis.

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