There is a commonly overlooked parallel between two cannons of scripture, the existence of which can help lead to a greater understanding of the most known story in western religion.
The Old Testament begins with the oldest story of mankind, known by the title The Creation. The first chapter details the seven creative periods where every physical thing perceived by man is organized or created, with the concluding period discussed at the beginning of the second chapter. Yet at this point within the story the narrative seems to change, and the story reverts back to what seems to be things that take place on the sixth creative period – the formation of man, also known as Adam. From verse three of the second chapter when the seventh creative period ends and the LORD rest, to the fourth verse which begins in detail the activities that took place in the sixth creative period we have a strong narrative switch. Such a narrative switch could easily go unnoticed, and the value of such a switch could be questionable. Yet, as usual latter day revelation can help reframe this narrative switch to help us better understand it’s potential purpose and value – and more importantly our potential purpose and value.
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they open up The Book of Mormon and start with, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…” The first verse of the first chapter of the first book is the easiest place to start when reading a book of scripture for most people – but not for those with the Hebrew background.
Readers of The Book of Mormon may or may not notice the importance of the introduction to the first book of Nephi. At the top of the first page, before the first chapter begins the reader will notice that there is a rather lengthy introductory paragraph to the book. This paragraph contains a general outline or preface to what is about to be written by Nephi, and was in fact written by Nephi himself (“I, Nephi, wrote this record”). Previous to Nephi beginning the tale of his families journey’s he does what every good Hebrew author had been taught to do – give a short introductory section on what the reader will read with some background information to help the readers along. It is even in this paragraph that we learn information about his family that otherwise is never explicitly mentioned in the rest of his record.
What does this have to do with The Creation story in Genesis? Everything.
Nephi was writing in the language of the Egyptians, but was taught after the manner of the Jews. He was following the literary rules and structure that he grew up with. The same literary rules that would have been taught to him using the Books of Moses as precedent, beginning with Genesis. So then begs the question: Where is Genesis’ introductory paragraph?
It is found as Genesis Chapter 1 through the third verse of Chapter 2. Here the author grants the reader and introductory paragraph of what is or has taken place. The introduction, much like Nephi’s pattern, tells the reader informational background about the creation to set the scene for the rest of the record. It tells of the creation, and of the pattern of creative periods.
Then it starts in the fourth verse of chapter two where the story really picks up – the sixth day.
In the introduction, the reader is told that Man was created in the image of God (1:26) in the sixth day; then in the story the sixth day begins with the creation of man. Yet, there is a question to be begged out of this – outside of the introduction to the Book of Genesis (or possibly the whole collection of the Books of Moses), where is the seventh day rest? At what point is it fulfilled in the story, that man’s creation in the image of God is complete? Or is it?
In this light we learn that the entire Book of Genesis, potentially the entire documentation of The Law, and even the entire collection of sacred writings throughout history is really a documentation of the sixth day of Creation. God hasn’t created us in his image (fully) yet, but is in the process of doing so. The sixth creative period hasn’t ended, and he hasn’t rested yet. When Alma asked, “Have you received his image in your countenance?” how many can truly answer in the affirmative?
God hasn’t made man as designed yet, but he is making man. The fifth creative period has ended, the sixth creative period is in the process, and the seventh creative period is prophesied to come. Adam was the dawn of that day, and with each prophet that followed we see the Lord’s hand in the creation and evolution of man into the image of God referred to in the most sacred introductions of holy writ.
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