Art Reading Scripture

Landscape with the Creation of the Animals, Jan Brueghel (1568-1625), Dora Pamphilj, Rome, Italy

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

The refrain of creation, "And God saw that it was good," in Genesis 1 reaches its climax with intensity, "God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good." Everything, indeed, and very are exclamation points of God's assessment that this world in its entirety is good. Various religious and philosophical arguments have asserted that the material world a lesser good or even bad because it is temporal, subject to decay, carnal, and violent. Humanities goal, according to these arguments, is to control, escape or rise above the material world in favor of a spiritual, eternal, pure existence. Because matter, the material, is of a lesser status than spirit, humanity, above and superior, the crown of creation, given dominion, has the authority to dominate, exploit, use, and control creation. It is said we live in a broken and fallen "world." The world is not broken or fallen though, humanity is, but that's a story from another of Brueghel's paintings. Genesis 1 does not support an argument of lesser creation. Humanity is called into being in the same manner as other created things. God gives humanity dominion, but dominion does not mean domination. Dominion is responsibility to represent the blessing and further the goodness of God. The incarnation of Christ, God becoming flesh, entering fully into this material world to love and save it affirms the goodness of creation, humanity and everything God has made.

In the beginning God created paradise, a harmony of all created things, a world of goodness and beauty. The only thing understood as "not good" was loneliness, the absence of community, individuality with companionship, which is addressed in the second story of creation in Genesis 2. "Then the LORD God said, 'It is not good that the man (adam) should be alone; I will make a helper for him as his partner." God corrected the only not good thing by creating community, partnership, and interdependence. The story of Genesis 1 incorporates community throughout as male and female are created at the same time, equally blessed and equally responsible to the rest of the community of life all around them. All else was and remains good. Light is good. Earth and seas are good. Vegetation of all kinds is good. The glory of the heavens and mystery of the universe is good. Creatures of the sea and air are good, and blessed to flourish. Every creeping thing on the face of the earth is good, including humanity but exclusive to humanity, and it also blessed to flourish. The term "good" has many nuances: pleasant, practical, suitable, nice, friendly, just, and beautiful. As God speaks the word goodness has function, it is "good for ...". Creation is good for plants, birds, swimming and creeping things, and creation is good for us. Truly we cannot get along without it, though I suspect the world would still flourish without us.

Brueghel's painting celebrates the flourishing diversity of life in harmony. A variety of creatures reside together in like pairs. The only human-like figure is God, whose robes catch the breeze and whose hand extends in blessing. While the full range of creatures are present, the only absent ones are the male and female created in the image of God. It seems odd that the human figures are absent from this otherwise complete scene. Does Brueghel suggest by presenting God in human form that this figure simultaneously represents the male and female created in the image of God, God in us and us in God?

A large tree also figures prominently in this scene which is so full of life. Balancing God who is just left of center, is a tree bearing fruit just right of center. Perhaps this is the tree of life which fully expresses the goodness of the world God has made. Where all is good, indeed very good, there is no room or need for the knowledge of good and certainly not the knowledge of evil.

Before there was a need for salvation there was simply goodness and blessing. God did not create a world in need of forgiveness or a savior. God created a world of flourishing, joyful, good and beautiful life. May we be blessed with eyes to see and gratitude with lives to honor God and represent God's love and joy for all creation.

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.

Pastor Tim Bauer