Essay Question 1: Biblical Worldview
Rationale for the Biblical Worldview Essay

Genesis 1-11 gives an excellent explanation of the beginning of many important realities which are some of the world’s most highly discussed topics including creation, existence, identity, relationships, early nations and civilizations. Genesis teaches of the natural world through the scriptures found in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 with the creation. Genesis chapters 3-5 tell of the fall of Adam and Eve into sin and how it would affect human relationships with each other and God. Genesis chapters 6-9 tell of the growing power of sin and God’s intent to restore creation through the Noahic covenant after the Great Flood. Finally in Genesis chapter 10 there is the table of nations as they descended from Noah’s sons, Genesis 11 speaks of the tower of Babel and begins to introduce Abram’s family beginning with his father Terah. Genesis chapters 1-11 provide lots of information pertinent to the rest of the bible and the way things are to be carried out across the nations. The Creation begins in Genesis 1:1, the first day, God creates the heavens and the earth but seen the earth as formless and empty, then its continued in verse 3 with God creating light and separating light (day) from darkness (night). In verse 6, the second day, God creates a vault (sky) to separate the water from water and in verses 9 and 10, the third day, dry ground appears it is called land and the water is called seas 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.” In verse 14, the fourth day, the sun, moon, and stars are formed to govern the day from the night and to mark seasons, days and years. Verse 21, the fifth day, is where we find the creation of fish and birds to fill the water and the sky. In verse 25, the sixth day, God made wild animals according to their kind, the livestock according to their kind, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kind. Then in verse 27, also the sixth day, God created mankind in his own image, male and female, and told them to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” Chapter 2 verse 2, the seventh day, God rested from his work, the day was blessed and made holy. When man was created he was put in a garden in the east of Eden. Man was told to eat freely from any tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Man was lonely so God created him a woman from man’s rib. They were named Adam and Eve, they roamed the garden naked and felt no shame. That ends chapter 2 and creates a path into chapter 3, the fall of Adam and Eve into sin which would affect mankind for the rest of eternity. Genesis chapter 3, the fall of Adam and Eve into sin and how it would affect human relationships with each other and God. In the beginning of chapter 3 we learn of the serpent that proved to be craftier than any other wild animal created by God. We learn in verse 6 that the temptation from the serpent was too much for Eve to handle and she ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, then shared the fruit with Adam. God in turn cursed the serpent to crawl on its belly and eat dust all the days of its life. Then God cursed Adam and Eve with pain and terrible consequences for being disobedient which cursed mankind for all eternity. Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and it was then that the punishment of mankind become evident, everything was no longer provided for them and they would have to work hard for what they would have. Genesis chapters 4 and 5 tell of Cain and Abel and the descendants of Adam. Cain and Abel were the sons of Adam and Eve, which had a difficult, resentful relationship. Relationships have proved to be difficult ever since. At the end of chapter 5 we are introduced to Noah that was born to Lamech when he was 182 years old, then in chapter 6 we begin to learn how the wickedness in the world continues. As the wickedness continues the Lord realizes how great this wickedness has become and the evilness is beginning to prevail in the heart of the human race, God began to regret creating humans. Noah finds favor in the eyes of the Lord, for he was a righteous man and walked faithfully with God. Since God seen how corrupt and violent the world had become he told Noah that he would destroy everything on Earth with the intent of restoring his creation. So as the story goes God followed through with what he told Noah and he destroyed the Earth by flood. Though people thought Noah was crazy he built an Ark to the specifications in which God had commanded him to save his family and two of every life form which God had created. God promised Noah that he would never flood and destroy all of mankind again. God blessed Noah and his sons just as he had Adam and Eve to be fruitful and increase in numbers. The Noahic covenant following the flood created the power of government and capital punishment as a way to deter humanity from going back to the same level of evil and violence before the flood. All though mankind to this day has remained sinful, evil, and violent it has not progress to the level of the time before the flood. Noah’s descendants are addressed in Genesis chapter 10 and the dispersion of nations at the tower of Babel are described in chapter 11. Genesis chapter 10 is the account of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah’s sons, who had sons of their own following the flood. The sons of Japheth called the Japhetites, the sons of Ham called the Hamites, and the sons of Shem called the Semites by clans and languages went out and created nations across the land. Then in chapter 11 the whole world had one language and a common speech, they decided to use brick to build a city with a tower that reached to the heavens. The Lord came down to see the city and tower only to realize if they continued to speak the same language nothing they would plan to do would be impossible. So the Lord confused their language and scattered them all over the earth and they stopped building the city. Verse 9 says that is why it is called Babel – because the Lord confused the language of the whole world. As stated in the introduction, Genesis 1-11 gives an excellent explanation of the beginning of many important realities which are some of the world’s most highly discussed topics including creation, existence, identity, relationships, early nations and civilizations. As you can tell through the key points of the essay the first 11 chapters of Genesis are closely tied together. Genesis the Beginning will continue to be some of the most key information you will need to know from the Old Testament as it sets the precedent for all other information you will encounter throughout the Bible.

References
1. Genesis. Life Application Study Bible, NIV. Carol Stream, IL.. Tyndall House, 2005. Print. Chapters 1-11.
2. Hindson, Edward E. "Genesis The Beginning." The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey. Nashville, Tenn.: B & H Academic, 2012. 51-66. Print.