It’s no surprise that many of us are addicted to movies-all kinds of movies- action, scary, western, and romance. Movies tell us stories. They take us by the hand and guide us through a narrative. Have you ever noticed how the first scene of a movie often begins with a helicopter view of a cityscape? Maybe Manhattan or Chicago. Then after the opening credits are over, the camera focuses and zooms into a particular detail and begins the story.
The Bible is a story, a story of epic proportion. In it is contained all the tragedy, comedy, horror, and romance of any great Hollywood blockbuster. It tells a story that spans thousands of years. It includes a variety of characters-from shepherds and prophets to princes and paupers. But how does the greatest story in the world begin? In the opening credits of Genesis 1, we’re presented with a broad perspective of what God created-heavens, earth, light, darkness, water, sky, land, vegetation, sun, moon, fish, birds, animals, and humans. That’s our helicopter perspective. Genesis 2, on the other hand, zooms right into the heart of the action. We meet Adam and Eve up close and personal. We’re introduced to their context and also their conflict-to eat from or ignore the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. These two chapters don’t contradict each other. Instead, they complement each other by guiding us into a narrative in a creative and natural way.