Ancient Cosmologies
The first portion of the book of Genesis presents the story of creation. But it provides more than simply an Israelite cosmology. It offers an understanding of various Near Eastern cosmologies or the remnants of the former religious ideas still existent in the memory of Israelite society. More importantly, it provides a response to these ideas. Genesis conveys the idea of the one God that created the world according to His will, without restraint.
Before reviewing the specific manner in which Genesis addresses the claims of competing Near Eastern cosmologies, a brief assessment of the former is appropriate. They typically begin with a theogony, a story relating the origins of the gods and include a genealogy of those deities that existed before the world's creation. They also generally include the various conflicts and wars between a variety of deities which ultimately lead to the creation of the earth and the heavens. While they appear with modifications among the surrounding cultures, recurring characters in these creation stories include Yam (Sea), Nahar (River), Leviathan (Coiled One), Rahav (Arrogant One) ,and the Tannin (Dragon).
One of the most common creation stories of the Near East is the Babylonian epic Enuma Elish. In this story, nothing existed before earth and heaven were formed, except water. This is a theme which is retained in the Biblical account in Genesis which states: "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep..." The two generative elements were identified with the monstrous Apsu, the primordial sweet water ocean embodied as a male, and his female consort, Tiamat, represented by the primordial saltwater ocean. From the mingling of these two bodies of waters, the gods were given birth. This process continued several times leading to the rise of additional gods.
The rise of the gods and their subsequent revelry disturbs the precious tranquility previous experienced by Apsu and Tiamat. In order to recapture their previous tranquility, they attempt to destroy the gods. The plan is frustrated by Ea, the earth-water god. The stories continues with Tiamat marshaling her forces to do battle against the gods, with the god Marduk as their head. Marduk, having agreed to lead the gods against Tiamat, is granted sovereignty over the universe in exchange for his leadership. Marduk proves successful in his fight against Tiamat, and slays her. Tiamat is cut in two and one half of her body creates the firmament of heaven, while the other serves as the foundation of their earth. In the end, human beings are created to free the gods from menial labor. The first man is fashioned out of the blood of Kingu, the second spouse of Tiamat and the captain of her army.
The purpose of the Babylonian story is rooted in its explanation of the origin of the gods familiar to the various peoples of Mesopotamia. It also provided an explanation of the origin of the universe. Lastly it provided the structure reflected in Babylonian society that explained the nature and purpose of man as a servant or slave to the gods and to the state.
About the Author
Jacob Lumbroso is an enthusiast for foreign languages and cultures. He writes articles on history and languages for http://www.ultimatelanguagestore.com and is currently working on a book for learning Spanish.
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