What is creation?

[[Author's note - When I write about my experience "growing up" in the church, I am not suggesting that all others have the same experience. However, I know that many have similar experiences. Hopefully, sharing my experience will serve to encourage others to reflect in a similar way.]]

The question in this post's title was not one that was raised in my church experience. Sure we knew what was created and we knew who created it, but we didn't know what it was. In fact, it wasn't even a valid question. Had one asked it, likely there would only be looks of incomprehension returned in lieu of an answer.

Have you ever thought about what creation is?

Since the period in history in which I grew up was a time of burgeoning scientific integration in all aspects of western society, as we were exposed to more and more challenges from science to our traditional understandings of the world, we developed 'ideas' about how science could confirm our understanding. In doing so we adopted the benefits of the scientific method, but also its limitations. That is, we cast our understanding of creation as a material concept. When the Bible talks about creation being created, we thought of atoms coming into existence ex nihilo, against which the theory of a big bang had to be defended or perhaps reconciled to. So ingrained was this adoption that when scientists decried the miraculous we postulated mechanisms by which God could break so called 'natural law', and theorize as to why he would want to do that in the first place instead of just sitting back in his celestial 'lazy boy' cloud. And finally, when the Bible speaks of 'new' heavens and 'new' earth, we knew that was referring to a materially - and completely - different heaven and earth than the one that we existed in now, though why heaven was material and needed to be destroyed and replaced with a new one ... we didn't seem to want to think about.

I have mentioned in a prior post that my own understanding has changed over the years, through a process which I profess to be an honest assessment of the data, of the primacy of history, and of linguistic theory.

Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD.
– Isaiah 66:1–2a ESV

It is well documented in biblical studies literature that the prevailing view of creation in the biblical corpus is as a building structure, and the Isaiah passage above highlights that it is specifically a palace that is in view. For example, Psalm 104 ties God's splendor with his creation activity, constructing his abode:

... stretching out the heavens like a tent.
He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
...
He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.
...
From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
– Psalms 104:2–13 ESV

And is it continued in many other places, for which we will give just two more examples:

For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
– Isaiah 24:18 ESV

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? ...
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, ...?
Or who shut in the sea with doors ...?
Have you commanded the morning since your days began...? ...
Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? ...
Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? ...
Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, ...? ...
Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail ...?
– Job 38:4–22 ESV

This is not too surprising given what we have traditionally professed about heaven as God's dwelling, but that is only half of it. What is surprising is that not only is the earth included in Isaiah's formulation, but that the earth exists in the throne room, that is the very center of the presence of God. This realization gives new meaning to the value of the earth in the scheme of creation, that is, it is not just material that is intended for destruction, but has special function within God's palace/temple that God will restore through renewal. Palace, because it is the place of God's reign, and temple because it is the place of both the presence of God's image and the location of God's worship.

This reading of the biblical text found within the text itself, comports with the ancient Near Eastern practice of describing the creation process as the activity of the gods making a habitation for their dwelling. There are of course differences between the biblical account and other contemporary examples, and significant differences in the view of humanity in relation to the gods' activity. But the general trend towards this mode of expression in the milieu of the second millennium BC in Egypt and the Near East allows us to make better sense of the biblical text.

What does this now mean for us? First, we need to give up arguments regarding the material nature of creation using the biblical text [see Walton]. While the ancients certainly knew that creation consisted of 'stuff' they were not concerned with 'how' that 'stuff' came to be, but rather 'who' and 'why'? That is, who was responsible for the 'stuff' being here, and why it was created. Second, we need to reclaim the goodness of creation and respect for creation. In exercising our role and dominion over creation, we must be respectful since it belongs to God and continues to function as his palace/temple.