Completion of Creation: What About Hell?
Genesis 2 starts with the statement that the creation of the heaven and the earth was complete. However, the author of the text does not discuss whether hell was created or not. The good book does not mention the creation of hell elsewhere either (inform me in the comments section if it does).
God’s Rest: A Divine Retirement?
The chapter states that God rested on the seventh day after creating all that he wanted. This rest suggests that God was like a human being in need of rest because, like humans, He counts days, gets tired, and rests. This leads to the idea that God ‘retired’ on the seventh day, given that he did not go back to the creation adventures.
Contradictions in the Creation of Plants
Verses 5 tells of a time when there were no plants on the face of the earth because God had not sent rain, and there was no one to take care of the grounds. This contradicts Genesis 1:11-12 where God speaks to the land to bring forth vegetation and it is written that plants had sprouted from the land. This further demonstrates that biblical authors were never shy of contradicting themselves from the first verse of the book until at least this step. They had stated in the previous chapter Genesis 1:11-12:
11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
The Garden of Eden: The Myth of an Orchard
In verses 7 and 8, the Bible says that God planted the Garden of Eden with trees that were good for food, the indication being that there were many trees. Yes, we can ignore the fact that different trees have different climatic and soil requirements. The Middle East grew all types of trees only that it can no longer do that because of climate change, which turned it into a sandy desert. It even grew a unique tree, “the tree of knowledge.”
Genesis 2:10-14 describes four rivers that watered Eden: The four rivers are Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. Although we can locate today’s Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Pishon and Gihon have not been identified. This implies that these rivers may have been in existence at the time of writing Genesis 2 but have since disappeared. They were very important rivers, not like others, yet they dried up.
Eden and the Garden of Hesperides: The Mythologies of Similarities
The Garden of Eden has much in common with the Greek myth of the Garden of Hesperides which is believed to have been located near the Atlas Mountains in North Africa or perhaps in Southern Spain. In this myth, the garden is protected by the daughters of Titans and contains golden apples and have a dragon guarding them. This comparison makes one wonder whether the Eden narrative was an isolated event or just another mythological story.
Adam Naming the Animals: A Herculean Task
Verses 18 to 25 talk about Adam naming all the living creatures. The Lord had brought all the living creatures to Adam to name them, which would mean that he named over 1 million insect species, which are known to science and possibly 10 million species that are yet to be discovered. The differentiation between wild animals and livestock at the creation stage also belittles our understanding of the process and dynamics of animal domestication.
Creation of Woman: A Myth Revisited
Another mythological aspect is the creation of a woman from a man’s rib as described in the book of Genesis 2: 18-25. It is a myth that men have one less rib than women, both have the same number of ribs. This concept correlates with the Sumerian myth of Ninti, a goddess who is linked to the healing of a rib, and this shows that myths from earlier cultures are related to biblical stories.
The Persistence of a Myth: Genesis 2 as a Cultural Narrative
In conclusion, the creation story in Genesis contains many mythological features. However, despite the fact that many people accept the story, its mythological nature is still quite transparent. It is important to note that such myths are understood differently, but they remain myths even if they are believed by a majority of the people including adults, professors, farmers, doctors, old, and the young.
If you enjoyed this reading, you might also be interested in reading about Genesis 1. You may also read other analytical articles here. Stay close for the next chapter.
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