aChristian:
Common sense should do.
If only that were true.
You wrote: God created the world in six days, and rested on the seventh.
Scientists assure us that our earth and universe are both billions of years old. So, if the Bible is truthful, the "days" of Genesis must be understood as figurative.
So what you're saying is - it's literal if it conforms to observed reality; if not, it must be figurative. I'm well aware that a literal reading is contradcted by what we actually know about the world, but if I did not know that, would I be able to determine from the text alone whether it was meant literally or figuratively?
Besides, Gen. 2:4 speaks of "the day [singular] that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens." Obviously then, the writer of Genesis was not using the word "day" to refer to a 24 hour time period. For after telling us of everything that happened during all seven of those "days" he told us that it all happened on only one day. It is obvious then that the writer of Genesis was using the word "day" to simply refer to a long period of time. We often do the same today when we say, for instance, "In my father's day."
But we don't usually talk about our father's morning and evening.
Gen. 1:6-8 describes the "sky" as an expanse of space between the waters on the earth and those above the earth. That is indeed what the sky is. The waters above the earth are clouds. The waters on the earth are oceans, seas, lakes, etc. The sky exists between the two.
It's a stretch, but it could be said to describe the world as a primitive observer would view it
It is important here to note that it is the Hebrew verb "Asa" which Gen. 1:16 uses in reference to the sun, moon, and stars being "made" by God on the fourth "day." And Hebrew lexicons tell us that "Asa" does not connote "the absolute newness of the object" that has been made, as does the Hebrew verb "Bara" used elsewhere in Genesis chapter one. Rather, we are told that "Asa" primarily connotes "the fashioning of" preexisting materials. This being so, I believe the writer of Genesis was telling us that God caused the preexisting sun, moon and stars to first become visible from earth's surface during this fourth creative period of time. (see Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, by Harris, Archer & Waltke, 1980, Vol.2, pg. 701)
Another stretch, but necessary because if taken literally the account cannot be true, right?
You wrote: No plants grew before God created Adam [contradicts chapter 1] (Gen 2:5)
There is no contradiction here. Genesis chapter 1 does not tell us of God's creation of Adam. It tells us of God's creation of "man," i.e., the pre-adamic human race. Prior to God's creation of Adam the land where He would create a garden home for him was barren.
That's a real stretch. What it looks like is a separate creation story.
You wrote: Adam was made from dust, and God breathed life into him. (2:7)
That is what the Bible tells us.
But it also tells us the earth was formed in six days. Is it possible to tell from the text alone that only one of these is meant to be taken literally?
You wrote: God then formed animals from dust and had Adam name them all [contradicts chapter 1] (2:19.20)
Again, there is no contradiction here. Genesis chapter 1 does not tell us of God's creation of Adam. It tells us of God's creation of "man," i.e., the pre-adamic human race.
And yet, in chapter 2, after placing Adam in the garden of Eden, God "formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air." Now, you claim the forming Adam out of dust was literal. Do you also believe the forming animals out of dust after this event was also literal? Were there pre-and-post Adamic animals?
You wrote: God made Eve out of Adam's rib (2:21-23)
That is what the Bible tells us.
Effectively, then, you believe there are two distinct species of human: those who are descended from Adam and Eve and those who already existed? How do you reconcile this with the observable reality that all humans appear in every measurable way to be descended from a common ancestor?
The Bible tells us that talking snake was actually Satan the devil. (Rev. 12:9)
No it does not. Your interpretation of what you call the Bible tells you that. Nothing in the Genesis account or anything that was written in the following millennium suggests that. Revelation 12:9 is a very weak supporting text. While it calls Satan "the ancient serpent" nowhere does it link him with the Genesis account. Wherever you're getting that idea, it's not from the Bible.
And the Bible does not say that eating that fruit made Eve wise. It says by her eating it, by her disobeying God, she gained a personal knowledge of both good and evil. Having a knowledge of both good and evil does not necessarily equate to being wise.
Fair point. Nevertheless she gained the knowledge of good and evil as the snake said she would. She did not die as God had warned.
You wrote: God cursed the talking snake to crawl on its belly (3:14)
Nothing is said here or implied that snakes did not already crawl on their bellies. Snakes have always been among the least loved and "lowest" creatures on our planet. God saw to it that Satan would use a snake to talk to Adam and Eve to illustrate Satan's character. Because of the events in Eden, from that time forward snakes have been "cursed" by being closely associated with Satan the devil. The real "curse" however has been that which was then spoken against Satan by God Himself. For God then told Satan that He would one day raise up a Savior for the human race. And God told Satan that Savior "will crush your head." (Gen. 3:15)
So those bits are figurative?
So let's see what we have so far:
Six days, figurative.
Sun, moon and stars being made, figurative
Earth and sky formed by separating two expanses of water, literal.
Adam's creation from dust, literal.
Adam's being placed in the garden of Eden, literal
Animals then being created from dust, figurative (I'm still not quite sure on this one)
Talking snake tricks them into eating fruit, literal.
God curses snake to crawl and eat dust, figurative.
Humans and snakes in ankle-biting head-bruising enmity, figurative.
Labour-pains and back-breaking work curse, literal I assume?
Eve being the mother of everyone living, figurative.
Flaming sword guarding the tree of life? I have no idea.
Boy, I wish i had as much common sense as you.
