Unlocking the Grand Story: Exploring the Foundational Metanarrative of Creation

Welcome to a deep exploration of the foundational story that underpins the entire Bible, a story known as the metanarrative of Scripture. This grand narrative, stretching from Genesis through Revelation, provides the framework for understanding reality and answering life’s most profound questions. In this comprehensive post, we dive into the first critical chapter of this story: Creation.

What is a Metanarrative and Why Does it Matter?

To truly grasp the significance of the creation account, we must first define the concept that ties the entire biblical storyline together—the metanarrative.

The term Metanarrative is derived from “meta,” meaning above or beyond, and “narrative,” meaning a story. Therefore, the metanarrative represents the big picture story, allowing us to see the forest for the trees. It is the overarching framework of reality.

The Essential Connection: Metanarrative and Worldview

A metanarrative is intrinsically linked to a worldview. A worldview can be defined as a system of beliefs held by a person about the world. Critically, every worldview must include a metanarrative—a big picture story. Every single person possesses a worldview, whether they have consciously articulated it or not. Understanding the biblical metanarrative is crucial because it helps articulate the worldview presented within Scripture.

Any coherent worldview, and thus any metanarrative, must provide satisfactory answers to four fundamental questions about life:

1. Where did we come from? (Addressed by Creation)

2. What went wrong? (Addressed by Fall)

3. What is the solution? (Addressed by Redemption)

4. Where is history going? (Addressed by Restoration or Consummation)

This structured approach shows the temporal relationship of these topics, placing Creation in the past, leading eventually toward Consummation in the future. Our focus today is on the first topic: Creation, which answers the essential question, "Where did we come from?".

Creation: Answering the Question, "Where Did We Come From?"

The Bible begins with the book of Genesis, a name which itself means beginnings. Genesis 1 starts with the monumental phrase: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.

This opening statement immediately reveals four core ideas regarding our origin, addressing aspects of where we came from:

1. God is the Creator, and He is Apart From His Creation

The Genesis account establishes unequivocally that God Created All things. This foundational truth implies a radical difference between the Creator and the created order: God is distinct from, or apart from, His creation. This perspective stands in contrast to common Near-Eastern myths, which often blur the lines between deity and the material world.

2. God is Not Bound by Time

When we read the word “beginning,” we must ask: the beginning of what? This is not merely the start of a story situated within a larger, more distant context. Rather, this is the very first, most zoomed-out beginning possible. This beginning is also understood as the beginning of time itself, implying that God is not limited by or bound by time.

3. Creation Ex Nihilo (Out of Nothing)

The term “Created” carries a technical theological meaning. This creation is defined as creation ex nihilo, which is Latin for “out of nothing”. This differentiates God’s action from merely manipulating or forming pre-existing matter. God did not craft the world out of some existing mass of dark matter, energy flux, or aether; rather, God created everything from scratch, out of absolute nothing.

4. The Metanarrative Has a Beginning (Not Cyclical)

The assertion that God is the unique Creator of the beginning establishes that the metanarrative of Scripture is linear. It has a definitive starting point, meaning the story is not cyclical or endlessly repeating.

Progression and Development: Bringing Order from Chaos

As we delve into Genesis 1, it is essential to notice that the creation is characterized by progression and development. It was not a single, instantaneous action that was immediately complete. Instead, the process involved meticulous crafting, forming, and manipulating, all moving toward a specific goal.

The structure of the early world—described as without form, void, and dark—was purposeful. This deliberate sequence displays God’s delight:

• Bringing order out of chaos.

• Bringing light into darkness.

• Doing the work necessary to make improvements.

• Setting things in right relationships to each other.

This theme is so prominent that we note darkness comes before light, demonstrated by the repeating pattern: “and there was evening (darkness), and there was morning (light)”. This ancient pattern is why the Jewish calendar traditionally starts the beginning of the day with evening.

The Triune God and the Golden Principle

The opening verses of Genesis also introduce the concept of the Trinity.

In Genesis 1:2, we read that the Spirit was hovering over the waters. This action of hovering means brooding, suggesting that the Spirit was about to bring about a change or birth something new. The waters themselves are often associated with chaos and meaninglessness, and the action of the Spirit signifies that God brings order from these chaotic waters. This shows that our creation was infused with meaning from God and was created with purpose.

Furthermore, the nature of creation reveals the internal relations of the persons within the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).

When God initiates creation, He speaks: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”. God could have simply thought it into existence, but He chooses to act through speech, through His Word. This reflection of the Word is later understood in the Bible (John 1) as the Son, through whom all things were created.

This leads to a crucial theological insight—the Golden Principle of the Trinity:

The Father always acts through the Son, in or by the Spirit.

It is always the Father acting through the Son, never the reverse. This pattern reflects the eternal reality that internal to the Trinity, the Son is relationally from the Father. Therefore, all members of the Trinity were involved in our creation, emphasizing that we were created by a triune God.

The Creation Pattern: Forming and Filling the Realms

The structure of Genesis 1:3-25 is characterized by parallelism and repetition. This repetitive structure is used by the author to convey the detailed, intentional pattern of creation.

The six days of creation establish an intentional relationship between forming the realms (Days 1-3) and filling those realms (Days 4-6):

Created (Days 1-3: Realms)

Filled (Days 4-6: Rulers/Inhabitants)

Day 1: Light and Darkness

Day 4: Sun, Moon, Stars

Day 2: Sky, Water

Day 5: Fish, Birds

Day 3: Land (and vegetation)

Day 6: Land animals, Humans

Establishing Order and Morality

Throughout this process, God actively structures the universe and imbues it with inherent value.

1. The Goodness of Creation: At the end of each creation day, God performs an evaluation, repeating the phrase, “and God saw that it was good”. This demonstrates that whatever God does is good and that creation itself is good. This also establishes that the universe has a moral dimension instilled by God; morality is not merely imposed upon the world by humanity.

2. Order and Right Relationship: God actively provided order to the universe. Genesis 1:4 records that God “separated the light from the darkness,” which means God was setting things in right relationships to each other. It is not enough merely to be; existence requires being in the correct relationship with other things.

3. Dominion Through Naming: God established His direct authority and control by “calling” or “naming” the three realms. He named the light Day and the darkness Night. He named the expanse Heaven, the dry land Earth, and the collected waters Seas. Naming in this context is an exercise of direct dominion, involving no delegation or pass-through authority.

The Principle of "After Its Kind"

For all the living things God created (except for man, as we will see), the creation narrative states that they were created “After or according to its kind”.

This principle conveys two main ideas:

1. Multiplication and Spread: Life is meant to multiply, life after life, spreading across the earth.

2. Like Begets Like: This principle asserts that trees bring forth trees, fish bring forth fish, and birds bring forth birds. This idea of order from chaos demonstrates that creation operates according to inherent biological categories.

The Apex of Creation: Man in the Image of God

The creation of humanity marks a significant shift in the biblical pattern. When God created man, He did not create him “after its kind,” but rather in God’s image and likeness. This distinction is crucial.

In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let Us Make man in our image, after our likeness”. This statement is unique and highlights the special significance of humanity's creation:

1. Divine Consultation: God enters into a Divine consultation with Himself ("Let Us make"), something He does not do for any other creation. This is another compelling hint at the Triune nature of God.

2. Union with God: Because humanity is created in God’s image rather than merely “after its kind,” we were created with a certain union with God. This union is suggested to be the ultimate goal of the entire biblical story.

The Five Components of the Image of God

The image of God is understood to consist primarily in five essential aspects:

1. Rule (Dominion): We were created to rule over a portion of creation, paralleling God’s rule over the entire universe.

2. Role as Representative: Humanity acts as God’s representatives, representing God to the world. In the Ancient Near East, statues of kings were placed in their domains to signify that the area was governed by that king. Humans are described as living statues designed to multiply and fill the earth with the reflection of God's glory.

3. Responsibility (Moral Agency): We were created as morally responsible agents possessing the ability to perform moral actions.

4. Reason (Intellect): We were created with minds capable of reasoning about God, ourselves, and the world. This includes the capacity to design, create, and fashion new things.

5. Reflection of God’s Character: We were created fundamentally to reflect the character of God, the attributes of His nature.

The special significance of this section is further emphasized by the inclusion of Hebrew poetry in Genesis 1:27, setting it apart from the surrounding text.

Creation as Male and Female: Reflecting the Divine Us

The narrative further informs us that God created them “Male and female”. A thoughtful question arises: If the goal was to fill the earth quickly, why start with only two people instead of a billion?

The reason for starting with a single pair, from whom all others would descend, again reflects the internal, relational nature of the Trinity, the Divine Us.

The theological parallel is drawn as follows:

• The Trinity consists of the Father, Son (who is relationally from the Father), and the Spirit (who is relationally from the Father and the Son).

• In human creation, Eve is from Adam, and the rest of mankind derives from both Adam and Eve as a unified principle.

The structure of creation, starting with two, one derived from the other, and then multiplying, mirrors the nature of God Himself.

Additionally, starting with a single pair ensures that there is a community bond shared by all humanity. Since all people originated from the same parents, we are all of the same family and tribe, establishing the principle that humanity should be for one another, not against one another.

At this apex of creation, God provided every green plant for food, indicating that the original creation involved no meat consumption because that would involve death. After the creation of man, God evaluates His finished work again, declaring it “Very good”. This designation of "Very good" symbolizes the completeness of God’s work of creation.

The Divine Rest and the Garden of Eden

Although God finished His work of creation, there is one final, crucial day to explore: Day 7, the day of rest.

In Genesis chapter 2, we read of the Divine Rest. God rested from creation on the 7th day, not because He was tired. Rather, the Divine Rest serves two purposes:

1. A Pattern for Humanity: It sets a pattern for us to rest from our own work one day out of seven.

2. A Pointer to Eternal Rest: It points forward to an eternal rest that humanity will eventually have in union with God. This is referenced in the New Testament when Jesus offers rest to those who labor and are heavy laden (Matthew 11:28).

Life in the Garden

Genesis 2:4-25 provides a second creation narrative, which focuses not on the sequence of what happened (Genesis 1:1-2:3), but on the details of how God created and what life was like. This section is intended to show forth more details of the perfect environment God created.

Life in the Garden of Eden was characterized by ideal conditions:

• The Presence of God was there.

• There was No pain, no suffering, and no death.

• It featured Harmony and Peace.

• The environment was pleasing to the sight.

• It contained good food, precious stones, and rivers.

The Creation Garden as a Temple

A critical insight derived from studying the creation narrative is the conceptual link between the Garden of Eden and the later Temple used for Atonement or Redemption.

The Garden of Eden, situated atop the mountain of the Lord, contained the tree of life. Following the impending crisis (the Fall, which we will address later), the Garden is guarded by cherubim and a flaming sword.

This structural imagery—featuring cherubim, a specific physical layout, and access to God's presence—suggests that the Garden of Eden was designed as a prototypical temple, a sacred space. This concept highlights the need for a special, dedicated space—like the Garden or the later temple structures (Holy Place, Holy of Holies)—for there to be an overlap of God's space and humanity's space.

Conclusion: Setting the Stage for the Grand Story

We hope this exploration has helped you understand the profound answer to "Where did we come from?" and the immense significance of Creation in the metanarrative of Scripture.

The Creation account establishes God as the transcendent, triune Creator who brings order from chaos (ex nihilo) and imbues the universe with intrinsic morality and purpose. Most importantly, it establishes humanity as God’s representatives, created in His image to rule and reflect His character, destined for union and eternal rest with Him. This state of perfect union and goodness ("Very good") sets the necessary stage for the remainder of the grand story.

The subsequent topics—the Fall, Redemption, and Restoration/Consummation—rely heavily on this foundation. Join us next time as we explore the tragic reversal of this perfect order: the fall of man into sin and its monumental role in the overall Story of Scripture.

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Resources for Further Study:

• What Is Biblical Theology?: A Guide to the Bible’s Story, Symbolism, and Patterns

• Biblical Theology: How the Church Faithfully Teaches the Gospel