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"This has already been stated by other authors, and is well known. A proof for this, namely that the phrase "God said" in the first chapter of Genesis, must be taken in the figurative sense "He willed," and not in its literal meaning, is found in the circumstance that a command can only be given to a being which exists and is capable of receiving the command. Compare, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" (Psalm 33:6). "His mouth," and "the breath of his mouth," are undoubtedly figurative expressions...The meaning of the verse is therefore that they exist through his will and desire." (Moses Maimonides The Guide for the Perplexed Chapter LXV)
As I have argued elsewhere, the opening chapters of Genesis cannot be wholly taken in a literal sense without embracing absurdity.
It is not possible to take all of the creation account in Genesis literally.
Let's assume that God literally spoke and creation came into being. Does God have a mouth? Who heard what was said? Does God have ears? In other words, does God have parts? It cannot be that God has parts, for God is One. If God has parts, then God is a composite being, composed by that which is smaller than the whole, which is absurd. So, if God does not have a literal mouth, then God did not speak literal words, and so not all of the opening chapter of Genesis 1 should be taken literally.
But, if not all of Genesis 1 should be taken literally, why should other parts like "day" be taken as a literal 24 hour period? There is no reason to take "day" as a literal 24 hour period, for to the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8).
So, should "God said" be taken literally or figuratively? Why?
As I have argued elsewhere, the opening chapters of Genesis cannot be wholly taken in a literal sense without embracing absurdity.
It is not possible to take all of the creation account in Genesis literally.
Let's assume that God literally spoke and creation came into being. Does God have a mouth? Who heard what was said? Does God have ears? In other words, does God have parts? It cannot be that God has parts, for God is One. If God has parts, then God is a composite being, composed by that which is smaller than the whole, which is absurd. So, if God does not have a literal mouth, then God did not speak literal words, and so not all of the opening chapter of Genesis 1 should be taken literally.
But, if not all of Genesis 1 should be taken literally, why should other parts like "day" be taken as a literal 24 hour period? There is no reason to take "day" as a literal 24 hour period, for to the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8).
So, should "God said" be taken literally or figuratively? Why?