God's Pattern for Creation: A Covenantal Reading of Genesis 1

by W. Robert Godfrey

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Beginnings are important. If we want to understand the Bible as a whole, we must understand what it teaches about creation. Interpreting Genesis 1 has become controversial among "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." evangelicals today. Because of this, W. Robert Godfrey has written this short, clear study with thoughtful Christians in mind. He understands that it can be difficult to take fresh look at a Scripture passage that is so familiar. Godfrey encourages readers to come to Genesis 1 eager to find all that God has to teach us. Godfrey’s foundation to his approach to Genesis 1 covenantal. He carefully examines Scripture with the understanding that the whole Bible is "covenantal because from beginning to end it shows how God is our God and how he makes us his people, first in creation and then in redemption through Christ." Godfrey carefully examines the text, knowing that the Bible is a covenantal record, always focused on God and his relationship to his people. "Where does Genesis 1 fit in this covenantal structure?" Godfrey asks. "It is the introduction to the introduction. Genesis is the introduction to Exodus, and Genesis 1 is the introduction to Genesis, detailing the grand story of creation before sin entered the world. It is a history for us as the people of God." Some of Godfrey’s main theses - Genesis 1 and 2 are true, historical accounts of creation. - God created the earth for man, his image-bearer. - Genesis 1 presents God’s days of creation as a pattern for man with six days for work and one day for rest. The days of Genesis 1 are not primarily about how God created. - The Sabbath is a creation ordinance for man. - Christians must believe what God has revealed about his work of creation.

Genres: Theology, Christian

141 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

About the author

Dr. Godfrey has taught church history at Westminster Seminary California since 1981. He taught previously at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Stanford University, and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is the third president of Westminster Seminary California and is a minister in the United Reformed Churches in North America. He has spoken at many conferences including those sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, and Ligonier Ministries.

Reviews

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

God‘s pattern for creation is exactly what it says. It stays in just the first six days of Genesis 1. It is a relatively short volume. You could probably read it in an afternoon or two. But it emphasizes that Genesis is a book about covenant. You don’t have to wait until Adam or Noah or even Abraham to see the covenant. That is the point of the story the first three days are done with humanity in mind. But this is not a simple narrative instead of a good portion of the book is respond to questions posed by a single verse. Genesis 1:2. Read the appendixes. The book is so short but there’s also mined gold in there. From Calvin on first and secondary causes to the quotations, it is a resource for pastors and scholars alike. My gripe about the book is how short it is. There is an account in there of a parallel view of creation that really never gets examined.

[Mark Seeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed my first reading of this monograph concerning Genesis One. Godfrey's interpretation is sound. It is a view I am very sympathetic toward having first been taught by my Old Testament professor that the 7 days are a literary structure framing the totality of the created order within a sequential development. Godfrey is careful in his interpretation stressing the often overlooked premise that God is making a home for man. This premise bypasses the mechanics of creation and the strict literal application of 'young earth' fantasies. Godfrey's covenantal approach avoids the speculation of what Genesis 1 taught "scientifically."

[Will Turner]

Helpful focus on God's creative acts as covenantal. Gen 1:2 establishes the problem with a world that is uninhabitable for humanity. Actually three problems: 1. emptiness, 2. darkness, 3. covered by water.

Therefore, God creates so that humanity may dwell upon the earth and live in covenant fellowship with him. Creation's telos is humanity. And humanity's telos is covenant fellowship with God himself.

Godfrey argues that the six days are literal for humanity but figurative for God. God exists outside of time and his six days of creation are meant for us to model. He is the creator. We are made in his image. Therefore, we are to model his creative work.

[Robby Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We have interpreted Genesis 1 to mean that in creation God has revealed Himself as a model to His people through a description of Himself in terms of actions that are meant to be understood figuratively."

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and concise exposition of a literary and covenantal reading of Genesis 1.

[Nathan White · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, easy-to-read book on creation that attempts to raise some legitimate questions about the 6-24 view. In other words, the main point of the book is not so much to defend a precise reading of Gen 1-2, but to rather demonstrate that the 6-24hour view is read INTO the text rather than out of it. It's not an exhaustive treatment by any means, and Dr. Godfrey is unconvincing at points, but it's a good introduction to the debate, and it raises a lot of legitimate questions. I recommend it.

[Troy Neujahr · Rating 2 out of 5]

While he does shed some fascinating light on the poetic and literary features of Genesis 1 (which is very much worth the price of the book), I find the overall argument against the traditional interpretation weak and unconvincing.

[Nicholas Robison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little simplistic and repetitive, but the message of the primacy of God's covenant relationship with man is never unappreciated.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Augustine, the great theologian of the early fifth century, considered the six creative days to be six periods of time - and he was not motivated by nineteenth century science.”