Comparison of Genesis I and Exodus 20

The purpose of the creation story is not central to the Bible but serves as a prologue to the historical drama, which are the central concerns of the Bible. The narrative focus in the Bible is on the story that begins with Noah and is centered on the exodus from Egypt. The central event in the Bible is the creation of the covenant and the giving of laws and commandments. Although the creation of the world in Genesis I and the pronouncement of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 are two completely different accounts in the Bible, there lies a similar theme between them: God creates an orderly and hierarchical universe, both natural and moral.

In Genesis I, God creates an orderly natural universe. He separates and categorizes everything he creates. For instance, he separates the seventh day from all the others. This suggests that everything in the universe has its proper place and will follow its regular path. In addition, the cosmos is purposeful and unified. What is created each day depends upon what was previously created. Those things created on the fourth through sixth days are dependent

on those things created on the first through third days. For instance, air, water, birds, and fish are dependent

on light, sun, moon, and stars, and land, vegetation, animals, and mankind are dependent

among air, water, birds, and fish as well as light, sun, moon and stars. This suggests God created things in the world to fit together in an orderly and hierarchical fashion. Things are created to serve the needs or requirements of other things. Thus, the universe is a place in which everything can, in general, expect to get what it needs or requires. In conclusion, we human beings can rely on the order of nature to attain our ends.

In Exodus 20, God creates moral order. God's way of separation and categorization is a model for human morality. Morality divides up actions into right and wrong, good and bad. To be moral is to categorize actions and circumstances appropriately and follow the correct rules in each case. The Ten Commandments serve as a guide for human beings to be moral. In disobeying these laws, God is well known to punish, starting with Adam and Eve. God punishes because punishment is necessary in order to create human beings who can be morally responsible for themselves. To be morally responsible, we must be able to do the following

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