Genesis Creation Story: starting with tohu and bohu, we terminate with one flesh. That is the good news of the coherent completeness of a perfectly assembled puzzle.
Genesis Creation Story from tohu va bohu to the Sabbath, one flesh who is naked and not ashamed – wise and not confused.
The Genesis Creation Story has covered a lot of Biblical ground. With this final chapter of Origin of Humankind, we’re in a position to give an overall picture of Genesis creation story 1 and 2. These two chapters in Genesis represent the end of the beginning. The end of the introduction of God’s Plan, but the beginning of the accomplishment of the story of humankind, the story told in the rest of the Bible.
(Origin of Woman, chapter 4.4)
Last week we saw that Genesis 1 relates to the physical sciences of the Universe, and Genesis 2 to the life sciences of humankind. That chapter covers the material, worldly relationship of the Bible to the 21st century.
To terminate Origin of Humankind, The Explanation gives you the spiritual overview of the whole story of the Universe and Humankind expounded in Genesis creation story 1 and 2. Here is God’s Plan of Salvation for humankind; this is the assembly of the coherent completeness of the entire theological puzzle.
The Genesis creation story establishes the framework for the Story of the Universe. It starts general, with the heavens and the Earth, and gets specific with the Sabbath day of rest in chapter 1. Then, chapter 2 focuses on the role of humankind. They become one flesh with God through the marriage of humankind with Christ (Husband and Bride, Christ, and Church). That process is the purification, the cleansing, and justification of the human mind. That’s the spiritual transformation into naked and not ashamed, the Godly wisdom and absence of confusion.
Genesis 1 from tohu va bohu to the Sabbath day of rest
Let’s see where the story in the New Testament leads to its conclusion. Here’s how the Apostle Paul refers to Genesis with The Explanation‘s comments in brackets. Paul expounds on the labor necessary to enter the Sabbath rest. He gives the in-depth spiritual version of the Genesis creation story, the process of ceasing from tohu va bohu and moving to the Sabbath rest.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. (read The Explanation of Gen. 2:3 here)
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest (shevet, Shabbat means rest, sitting still in Biblical Hebrew).
6 Seeing therefore it remains that some (those called during the New Testament era) must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached (the Old Testament era) entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limits a certain day, saying in David, To day (New Testament era), after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remains therefore a rest (the Shabbat of Genesis 2:3) to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (a specific reference to the Shabbat of Genesis 2:3. Remember that Shabbat ALSO means cease. The Sabbath represents both the process (ceasing) and the end result (rest) of the Plan of God).
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, (Note verse 10, cease from one’s own works = works of tohu va bohu to labor and replace them with transformation and the renewing of one’s mind, putting on the mind of Christ).
Only human beings can follow this Godly spiritual pathway from tohu va bohu to the Sabbath rest. Only human beings possess neshama, which gives us the understanding to choose, apply, and be thankful for this spiritual trajectory. For those of you who already have a deeper understanding of God’s Plan for ALL of humankind, the possibility to enter HIS REST extends to the 1000 years and the Last Great Day, AFTER Christ’s Return. That encompasses the ENTIRETY of humankind, who will have their opportunity to follow the process of tohu va bohu (ceasing from one’s own works) to the Sabbath (the rest referred to by Paul). It’s all there in Genesis 1.
That said, in the book of Romans, Paul also personifies the pathway to REST for the entire PHYSICAL Creation of Genesis 1. The heavens and Earth are crying out for rest. The COP25 Climate Change Conference takes place in Madrid amid worldwide indifference. Paradoxically, attending European members flew in because it’s cheaper than taking the train. Besides, in France trains are on strike as I write. Creation has never been in worse a state as it is today in the so-called enlightened 21st century.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain (a direct reference to tohu va bohu) together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption (to be the sons and daughters of God), to wit, the redemption of our body.
Redemption means God’s plan for saving, humankind, and the planet. The creation is groaning in its tohu va bohu because of humankind’s rulership mismanagement. In Genesis 3, I will show you why and how humankind ended up, or rather started in tohu and bohu, and is responsible for that same state of the planet. Stay tuned, that’s the next book, Agony of Humankind, in The Explanation series.
God’s process alone will restore peace and prosperity to this planet and its inhabitants. The Genesis Creation Story outlines that Plan, as we’re seeing. The Sabbath rest for the Creation is the New Heavens, the New Earth, and New Jerusalem.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
In Genesis creation story chapters 1 and 2 God’s outlined plan is the only answer to the question, How can we bring Peace and Prosperity to Earth? How can we transform tohu va bohu into the Sabbath rest? After the process of ceasing, which is a meaning of the Biblical Hebrew Shabbat, from human ways, comes rest. The rest for the groaning physical creation is the NEW Heaven, the NEW Earth, and NEW Jerusalem.
The difference between Genesis 1 and 2 creation story is an illusion. These two chapters tell the same story from a complementary point of view — the first focusing on the Universe, the second on Humankind.
Genesis 2 from tohu va bohu to One Flesh, which is Naked and Not Ashamed, Wise and Not Confused
Genesis 2 is a total makeover of the body and mind. To be the Bride of Christ, which is the goal of the Church, its members must become like Christ. That is to say; the end result is they will have spiritual bodies and spiritual minds.
This concept, of course, flies in the face of artificial intelligence (creation of the perfect brain and mind) and transhumanism (creation of the perfect human body). Human science is proposing its solutions to today’s dilemmas. God’s Sacred Book has offered the answer to the human predicament for millennia. The new man is not Superman or Superwoman or Iron Man or Spiderman. The new human is a transformed being who will be composed of Spirit and endowed with Godly wisdom. A new body and a new mind. Nothing to be ashamed of, to the contrary, this Godly Individual will be wise and not confused.
Paul explicitly refers to their bodily transformation. In the following passage, understand that for all of Paul’s references to weakness, dead (because we’ve eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil), dishonor, living soul, earthy, natural, corruption, first man, image of the earthy, you can substitute and read tohu va bohu. Likewise, for incorruption, glory, power, spiritual body, quickening spirit, last Adam, from heaven, image of the heavenly, you can substitute and read naked and not ashamed or, better yet, a more suitable translation, wise and not confused.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Between the Bible context above and those below, Paul expresses God’s Creation story as outlined in Genesis 1 and 2. Humans are dust. We have physical life with a mind and free will. The human dual nature makes wrong choices, which lead to bad behavior, the result of which is (slow) death. Through Christ and His Church (the man who sleeps/dies and woman who gave birth to the Saviour), we can be one flesh, united to Christ and become naked (rid ourselves of the tohu va bohu) and not ashamed (not confused) and partake of the Tree of Eternal Life.
New man (human), New mind
As there is no discrepancy between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, likewise, there’s no discrepancy between the Old Testament and the New Testament. There’s continuity and more in-depth understanding as we progress.
Genesis 2 and the entire New Testament are about the RENEWAL of the NESHAMA God breathed into the first man. Christ is the example of this NEW Neshama in action. His whole LIFE on Earth revealed the result of this NEW Neshama, this NEW GODLY mind at work.
17 Therefore if any man (God’s Plan is inclusive of ALL humans) be in Christ, he is a new creature (a new creation, a new mind, becoming wiser in God, less confused): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (the old tohu and bohu in the process of becoming naked and not ashamed).
18 And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. (Christ and the Church becoming One Flesh and in the future being presented to God the Father).
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, (The rest of the Bible is the story of turning human confusion into Godly order, that’s the meaning of reconciliation. Taking humankind and turning them into Sons and Daughters, Children of God).
21 For he (God the Father) has made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us (humankind), who knew no sin (Christ was naked and not ashamed, Godly wise and not confused); that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (All humanity is being MADE, (remember what God did on the seventh day) UNashamed, pure of heart and mind, not confused, in a right relationship to be able to rule with Christ).
Genesis 2 is humans (males and females, made in the image and likeness of God), with their neshama, the Godly ingredient possessed only by human beings. It is our minds and consciousness that endow us with the singularities that define humankind. Humans alone have a dual nature with free will that allows them to choose between good and bad. Humans alone have good and bad behavior, and every single human has done bad things (sin), whether in their body or mind.
We’ve all broken the rules of life, God’s rules, and need forgiveness and rehabilitation; this is the whole story of the woman who represents the Church, the assembly of broken humankind, presented to the (second) man, Jesus Christ, and the two becoming ONE FLESH. That’s reconciliation.
Paul and the teachings of the New Testament are the continuation and expansion of the Genesis creation story.
12 That at that time ye were without Christ (tohu va bohu), being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (this is the only way to peace. This whole context is an allusion to making the descendants of the original helpmeet (the first woman) one flesh with Christ)
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body (bone of my bone, one flesh) by the cross (remember, God put the first man to sleep symbolizing Christ’s death), having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord (the tohu va bohu > naked and not ashamed process):
22 In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (one flesh).
The new (hu)man is a transformed mind. The human mind is the central focus of God’s attention in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
23 And be renewed in the spirit (spirit in man – ruach) of your mind (neshama, the God-given software that makes us human with all the human singularities);
24 And that you put on the new (hu)man (the human plasticity of the mind), which after God is created in righteousness and true holinesss (naked and not ashamed)
Each human being follows this process of tohu va bohu to shevet, resting in God’s abode, New Jerusalem, as part of the one flesh, the Bride, the Church married to Christ. The whole plan for the entire Universe and especially the HUMAN component, is in Genesis 1 and 2.
8 But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth (the tohu va bohu).
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge (the process of becoming naked and not ashamed) after the image (G1504 – the image and likeness of God) of him that created him (Genesis 1 and 2):
Genesis 2 focuses on creating the FIRST PHYSICAL (Gen. 2:7) and the SECOND, NEW Man! (Gen. 2:24-25 UNashamed humans). It’s all about the NESHAMA. That is the key. And psychology and religion don’t know what this is all about! They do NOT have the KEY. How can you expect to UNlock a mystery if you do NOT possess the key? Impossible.
There is continuity in the story from Genesis 1:1 to 2:25. There is NO break of progression between Genesis 1 and 2. It is the same story that takes us from utter destruction to the restoration of planet Earth. And on to this planet’s life ending with the epitome of God’s Creation, the man and the woman in a bound marriage with a wise and not confused husband and wife.
The PHYSICAL restoration to wisdom and no confusion is the story of the rest of the Bible and culminates in Revelation 21-22 with the NEW Heavens and the NEW Earth and especially with wisdom and absence of confusion; not of humankind, but of Godkind when all will inherit the Image of God. The last words of the Bible confirm the inclusion of all those with a transformed mind. And the exclusion for those who have fixed their minds in a contrary way.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
We started with billions of pieces all jumbled. In Inventory of the Universe and Humankind, all we did was turn the pieces right side up. The Explanation gave you a look at the isolated images of each piece and their basic diverse shapes. None of these pieces has either the same image or the same shape. Yet, they assemble perfectly to form the Universe and Humankind.
The Creation Story from Tohu va bohu to the Sabbath, with its cease and rest, reveals how God will turn our present civilization around; this is the entire story of the Universe, the Heavens, the Earth, and Humans becoming the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New (Hu)mans with a new world capital, New Jerusalem, where a New Rulership and New Relationships will reign.
Genesis 1 and 2 denote God’s Creation Story. We have the beginning to the end Story of Humankind.
This blog post is an excerpt from chapter 4.4 of the book Origin of Woman.
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