Genesis 4-11

Up to this point in Genesis, there have been two creation stories and according to Leon Kass in his book The Beginning of Wisdom, even a third. Despite each creation account being a different story that involves different people and events, each account is a portrayal of the overarching theme that encompasses the first eleven chapters of Genesis. In Genesis 3, sin is introduced for the first time to the human race as Adam and Eve disobey God and as a result are banished from the Garden of Eden. Once sin has been introduced, it progresses to the point where “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” and as a result, God decides to send a flood to wipe out the human race. This may seem a little extreme when, according to Kass, “the root of the trouble is the male attitude toward other people’s daughters.” This story is not meant to portray God as cruel and harsh, however, and is instead meant to emphasize the effect sin has on our relationship with God. In the previous creation story with Adam and Eve, we see how sin can damage our relationship with God and, as a result, distance ourselves from him. After disobeying God, he banishes Adam and Eve from the garden, permanently damaging their close relationship with him. This idea is seen again in the story of Noah and the flood as humanity continues to sin, distancing themselves from God until God eventually decides that humanity needs to be wiped from the face of the earth. In both cases, sin ruined the close relationship humanity had with God and as a result led to more struggle and hardship among humanity. however, the theme of these stories is more than just emphasizing the damaging effects of sin as it also gives hope to humanity. Humans are not perfect as we all have free, which will inevitably lead to sin. God knows that we can’t be perfect everyday of our lives which is why he is always willing to show us mercy and forgiveness. After Adam and Eve are kicked out of the garden, God allows them to continue not only their own lives, but he blesses them with children, continuing the growth of the human race. This idea of second chances is also seen in the story of the Noah. If God really wanted to wipe out the human race, he would have killed everyone, including Noah. He doesn’t do this however, giving humanity another chance at survival. These creation stories are meant to emphasize the damaging nature sin has on our relationship with God and remind us that we aren’t perfect and will eventually sin, but we can repair our relationship with God simply by asking for forgiveness and doing our best to live righteous lives as we continue living.