of Yahweh or not, would agree with the psalmist that “a fool says in his ‘there is no God’” (Ps 14:1). Likewise, the creation accounts contain no speculation about God’s/gods’ origin because such speculation would be foolishness.8
This crucial similarity between the creation accounts is important for Christian theology in the West today because we are so interested in the origins debate. We of course hold firmly that Yahweh created the entire universe just like Genesis testifies that he did. But, in an increasingly post-Christian West, rather than arguing over the how of creation—this author holds to a literal seven-day creation—perhaps we should emphasize the who of creation, just as the biblical account does. Yahweh himself, the same God who sent his son Jesus to die for our sins, created the entire universe.
Yahweh’s Word and Work
Rather than creation resulting from a cosmological battle, creation results from the “word and work” of the creator God.9 He speaks, and existence happens. Yahweh creates by divine command for the first five days of creation. He simply speaks to bring into existence another piece of the puzzle: light, the heavens, dry land, vegetation, the sun and moon, fish and birds. On each of these days Yahweh created by his very word. He only had to speak and all of the world came forth. As Dyrness has stated, God displayed “creative power that is completely without analogy.”10 And perhaps this is why the Hebrew term bārā’ only appears in the Old Testament with God as its subject, with the “creative endeavors of human beings being expressed by other verbs.”11
Finally, on the sixth day God creates by work. Rather than speaking humanity into existence, he “makes” man in his image (Gen 1:26). The overview of creation in Gen 1:1–2:4 gives only the scantest details about this creative work, but the more focused account of humanity’s creation in Gen 2:5–25 completes the picture. Here we learn that Yahweh “formed” man from the dust (Gen 2:7) and later fashioned the woman out of his rib. Yahweh took a personal interest in creating humans, stooping to form us from the earth. Yahweh created humans in his own image. Yahweh breathed life into humans. And Yahweh gave humans dominion over the earth. Each these aspects of the creation of humanity has enormous implications for the Christian life specifically and the human life more generally.
Humans, crafted in God’s image, are God’s image bearers in the earth. That means we participate in the same type of work Yahweh participates in—creative rule. As Goldingay has stated, “Genesis 1–2 imply that humanity’s chief and highest end is to work for God in the world.”12 That work certainly involves creation care—humans are stewards of the rest of creation. And since the fall that work also involves priestly work, or mediating between God and other humans as Yahweh’s image bearers. Of course, Jesus Christ is the one Mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5), and yet Christians today must also boldly proclaim the gospel so that humans may be reconciled to God. These two roles—mediator and ruler—are entrusted to us at the very beginning of time.
Creation in the Old Testament
Creation in Job
The book of Job presents Yahweh as all-powerful creator both in Job’s speeches about Yahweh and in Yahweh’s response to Job. After Job’s horrific attacks from the accuser (Satan) and consistent defense of his innocence in the face of his interlocutors, Yahweh confronts Job in chapter 38. Yahweh fires off a series of questions in chapters 38–41 that highlight his power in creation and resulting sovereignty over all things. He laid the earth’s foundations, he put the stars and moon and sun in place, he said to the sea, “thus far and no more,” he set light and darkness in its place, he ordained rain and snow and hail, he feeds the animals and gave them their distinctive features and instincts. What’s more, he created Behemoth and Leviathan—beasts humans cannot contain—thus demonstrating his great power. Yahweh’s point is clear: we humans are “not as strong as we think we are.”13 As we cower before animals we cannot overpower, so we should submit to the power and sovereignty he displayed in creation.
Creation in Psalms
Several psalms extol the Lord for the attributes he displayed in creation: wisdom, power, sovereignty, faithfulness. Psalm 33, for example, connects God’s work in creation with God’s faithful love, or hesed. The psalmist here sees God’s love and faithfulness to Israel expressed in creation itself.14 The grand narrative of Yahweh’s special relationship with his people therefore did not begin with his covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12. It began much earlier than that, when Yahweh spoke and the heavens and earth and all within them came forth. Psalm 33 further indicates that Yahweh’s creation was not a static event, a one-time display of greatness and mercy. No, Yahweh’s creative work is ongoing as he fashions the hearts of all the earth’s inhabitants (Ps 33:14–15). Verse 8 points out the appropriate response of humans in light of Yahweh’s creative work: to fear him.15
Psalm 89 likewise extols the majesty of Yahweh because of his work in creation. This psalm declares that the heavens and earth—and all within them—belong to Yahweh because he created them (Ps 89:11). However, it quickly moves in a different direction. After proclaiming Yahweh’s faithfulness and sovereignty in creation, the psalmist reminds the Lord of his covenant with David, thus connecting Yahweh’s faithfulness in creation with his faithfulness to the people of Israel.16 Yahweh’s care and faithfulness and sovereignty in creation assures his people of his care and faithfulness and sovereignty in their lives. Yet the psalmist laments in vv. 38–45 that the Lord has rejected the Davidic servant for a time, then asks in 46–51 how long God will be distant from his people and implores him to remember. The psalm ends with a bold declaration of praise.
The wonder of this psalm—and its importance for a theology of creation—is that it connects Yahweh’s work in creation with Yahweh’s concern for his people. The psalmist honestly reflects on the current crisis—there is no Davidic ruler in Israel, God is silent, the covenant seems demolished—and bases his certainty that Yahweh will hear on the very fact that Yahweh created all things. The psalmist proclaims that we can know that Yahweh hears, remembers, and acts on behalf of his people because he created this whole world. This clear connection between Yahweh’s hesed in creation and his hesed toward his people is a sure foundation on which the people of Israel—and we today—stand. Indeed, “Blessed be Yahweh forever. Amen and amen.”
Creation in Proverbs
Proverbs contributes to the Old Testament understanding of creation by highlighting that Yahweh crafted the world through wisdom. Yahweh did not create haphazardly. He did not set about building a tower before counting the cost, as the foolish are wont to do (Luke 14:25–33). No, Proverbs tells us that Yahweh “fathered [wisdom] at the beginning of his deeds” (8:22).17 Wisdom was there before Gen 1:1 (Prov 8:23–24). Birthing wisdom was the first of his acts, and the rest of creative activity flowed out of it.18 Importantly, personified wisdom does not create, thus further clarifying that wisdom itself is not a goddess but rather one of Yahweh’s many attributes that elicit worship and awe from his creation.19
Thus, whereas Psalms assures us that creation displays Yahweh’s faithfulness to his people, Proverbs tells us that it also displays his wisdom.
