While chapter 1 is a broad overview of creation, chapter 2 gives us a bit more detail.

The events in Genesis took place several hundred plus years before Moses, the author, was born which means the stories were handed down from generation to generation until Moses recorded it for posterity.  You know that game Telephone?  The one where Person A whispers something to Person B and the message goes down the line until Person Z tries to say what Person A said?  Most of the time the message at the end is nothing like the message at the beginning.  Now I’m not saying that happened here, but I do wonder about this next part.

Verse 18 says, “The Lord God said, ‘it is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.’  But then in verse 19 God brings all the living creatures to Adam for him to name (makes you curious about what he’d been eating when he named the hippopotamus, kangaroo and platypus, doesn’t it?) and verse 20 says, “But for Adam no suitable helper was found.”  Really??

Since “no suitable helper was found” amongst the animals, God created a woman.  And “the man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”  Of course, the as-of-yet-unnamed woman wasn’t assaulted by images of movie stars or television celebrities or supermodels, either.

At this point paradise is still perfection.  That’s all about to come to a swift change, however.

CHAPTER 3

Right as you start to read chapter 3 you’re hit with the most obvious of questions.  Was it normal for the animals to speak?  Forget that the snake was saying something contrary to what God had told the woman.  Wasn’t the fact the serpent was TALKING TO HER a clue that something wasn’t quite right?

Verse 6 says, “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”  Why had he kept silent?  Maybe he was so dumbstruck by the talking snake that he was left speechless.  Until he was confronted by God, that is.  Then he was really quick to blame everyone but himself – which was a really short list.  Do you notice he says, “The WOMAN YOU put here with me…”?  Way to take responsibility, Adam.

God starts handing out curses to all those involved and he tells the serpent “you will crawl on your belly… all the days of your life.”  I wonder what the snake’s mode of transportation was before he was condemned to slither.  To the woman he greatly increased her childbearing pains – thanks, lady – although a good epidural these days and that problem’s solved.  This may be a leap, but I’m guessing PMS is her fault, too.  And finally, God replaces Adam’s life of leisure with a life of toil.  Interestingly, Eve doesn’t get her name until after the Great Forbidden Fruit Debacle.  Any thoughts on the possible significance?

It’s easy for us to blame Adam and Eve for all the less than wonderful aspects of life, but really, it was just a matter of time.  If it hadn’t been them to mess up it would have been someone else down the line.

Now that Adam and Eve realize they’re nekkid God makes them garments of skin – lucky for them it was before PETA.  After he clothes them he gives them the boot out of the Garden and places a cherubim and flashing sword – the ultimate bouncer – to guard the way to the tree of life so there would be no living forever.

One seemingly small act of disobedience and humankind goes from utopia to anything but in the blink of an eye.  Next up – jealousy, anger, murder, curses … 

It’s been several weeks since I first posted about Trippin’ Through The Bible or TTTB for short.  As is often the case, life happens and the best laid plans go awry.  So here’s a quick refresher.  Starting at the beginning of Genesis and going until I, become inundated with requests to please stop the madness, finish the entire Bible, we’ll look at the interesting/funny/crazy things it says.  We may do one chapter at a time or we may do several chapters.  It just depends on what catches my attention.  We’ll also keep track of Jesus’ rather colorful lineage as we go.

But here’s the thing.  This series will only be as good as the participation.  Read the scriptures for yourself and add your two cents or four cents or a whole dollar if you’re so inclined.  Agree with me, disagree with me, point out something I totally missed.  I say we have fun with this and maybe learn something along the way.

Ready?  Let’s get going!

Genesis 1

Right off the bat there are several points that catch my attention.  For example, I always thought the three parts of God were a New Testament thing.  But in only the second verse of the Old Testament, clear as day, it mentions the Spirit of God.  I don’t know about you, but I find it fascinating that the Holy Trinity was involved in the great creation.  I’m not sure why I always just assumed it was God the Father who did the whole creating thing while I was growing up.  I suppose I didn’t really give it much of a thought one way or another.

Talk about a powerful God.  All he had to do was say the word and BAM!  There it was.  “God said let there be light and there was light.”  “God said,” fill in the blank, “and it was so.”  I’ve tried this approach at home with little to no luck.  “Jen said,” empty the dishwasher/dust the living room/ let the dog in/ get your feet off the coffee table/pick up your mess, etcetera, etcetera and so forth, but just saying it never seems to make it so.  I usually have to throw in a dirty look to get anything accomplished and even then there’s usually whining.

Verses 20 through 25 mention all the creatures God created: water creatures, winged birds, livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals.  I see nothing in here about flying insects.  Where do mosquitoes and other buzzing pests fit in?

Going back to the subject of the Trinity, have you ever noticed in verse 26 it says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…”?

This next part I really like, undoubtedly because I’m a woman and I think this scripture has been twisted over the centuries to elevate men above women.  God says, “Let us make man in our image,” etc., but he’s not talking about a male.  He’s talking about mankind.  How do I know this?  Because the verse goes on to say, “and let them rule over (all the animals and such)”.  And verse 27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”  That’s right, ladies.  We were created in God’s image, too!

In the beginning of chapter 2 God’s wonderful handiwork was finally completed and he rested on the seventh day.  I picture him kicked back in his Lazy Boy (‘cause you know he could have spoken one into existence) watching over his exquisite creation.  As much loveliness as I’ve been witness to in this life it’s difficult, maybe even impossible, to fathom perfection.  But think about it.  There was no crime, no war, no litter, no smog, no rude people, no political campaigns, no infomercials – only peace and joy and pristine beauty.  Of course he rested.  But it wasn’t like when I finally finish painting a room and I rest from exhaustion.  God is tireless.  There was simply nothing left to create so he rested and enjoyed his work.

Chapter one and the first couple verses of chapter two serve as a summary with a timeline of creation.  But as we get into chapter two we’re given a bit more detail and things really start getting good.  You’re not going to want to miss it!

Several years ago I taught a Wednesday night Bible class to third and fourth graders.  There was no specific curriculum so I made up my own.  I decided to start with the first page of the Bible and work my way through, hitting all the major stories I’d learned as a child and tying them all together for the kids.  A long piece of butcher paper hung horizontally on the wall with the words “The Family of Jesus” written at the top.  The first night we wrote in “Adam and Eve” and with each story we came to we filled in the name of the relative Jesus descended from.

This plan was truly brilliant.  Have you seen how big the Bible is?  Have you read the recorded genealogy of Jesus?  I was pretty sure I could manage enough lesson plans to last me for quite a while.  I figured I’d just cruise along, scan over the familiar stories ahead of time; write down the pertinent character on our family tree and BAM!  Lesson done with a minimum of work.

But a funny thing happened.  Each week as I’d read through the next chapter or two in preparation for the upcoming class, new things would jump off the pages at me.  I started seeing the Bible in a whole new way.  I have always believed the Bible to be the Word of God, but it always seemed kind of like a history text book/instruction manual hybrid.  Instead I found out the Bible is loaded with all the elements of a great fiction novel: suspense; deceit; murder; adultery; love; war; violence; tenderness; mercy – all wrapped up in the ageless battle of good versus evil. 

Not only that, but so many of the stories I’d learned as a child and thought I knew so well were not exactly as I had remembered.  And all those parts in between the familiar tales that you hardly ever hear about?  Overflowing with unexpected gems, some of which are hardly appropriate for children.  (Intriguing, isn’t it?)

Can I tempt you into taking a trip through the Bible with me?  I can’t promise any deep spiritual insights, but I can promise you an amazing ride with surprises and treasures and more than just a few laughs around nearly every bend.  And who knows?  Maybe we’ll even glean something of real substance every now and then.