Beginning to Read the Bible Typology and Genesis: The Antediluvian Period

Typology A Biblical Type is a person, place, or event in the Old Testament that has its own proper significance but also prefigures a person, place, or event later in the Old Testament or in the New Testament. For example, Jonah emerging from the whale after 3 days is a type of Jesus emerging from the tomb after 3 days.

Typology Also, Moses’ parting of the Red Sea can be viewed as a type of Baptism (according to St. Paul 1 Cor 10:2) Typology shows us that God is the author of history and how He gradually unfolds His plan to save humanity. See CCC 1094

Creation We already discussed that there are two separate creation accounts, but now let’s look at Genesis 1 in more detail.

Genesis 1 It is easy to remember the Order of Creation: – The first three days are the creation of environments Day 1: Day and Night (Time) Day 2: Sky and Sea (Space) Day 3: Land and Vegetation (Life) – The last three days are the creation of rulers for those environments Day 4: Sun and Moon Day 5: Birds and Fish Day 6: Humans and Animals

Genesis 1 On the Seventh day God rested. This is significant because God formed a covenant with creation. This interpretation is based off of the Hebrew root שבע which means ‘seven’ as well as ‘to swear, take an oath’ (depending on the arrangement of vowels). For overview see chart on page 50.

The Adamic Covenant A covenant has been established and the Covenant Sign is the Sabbath Day. When Eve was created, this started the institution of marriage, which is the form of the covenant. Adam’s role in this covenant is as Husband. Although the two creation stories are indeed separate, throughout history this was not always known, so some elements of the Adamic covenant are taken from both Gen 1:1-2:4a and Gen 2:4b – 25.

The Fall: Genesis 3 By eating from the Tree of Knowledge Adam and Eve suffered a spiritual death and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Spiritual Death means that they lost supernatural life, original holiness, and original justice. The human nature was wounded by Original Sin. This means we also suffer from the spiritual death that Adam and Eve experienced.