Explain Genesis 1 literally to me

[samaus12345]

Ok wasnt sure what "christian seeker" was.

 

[Assyrian]

I was so interested in this subject, I decided to write an article on it.
Reconsidering The Waters of Genesis

It's a bit non-traditional, and even includes at theory as to why God did this. Let me know what you think, if you have a chance to delve into it.

Reconsidering The Waters of Genesis
Well, even in english, not all waters are equal. From the brown muddy waters of the Mississippi, to crystal clear stream waters, to the dense salty waters of the Dead Sea, the differences in content abound. Yet they are all considered bodies of water and at least have H2O in common. But they are certainly different and perhaps the initial waters of Genesis were even more so. Maybe they didn’t contain H2O at all. After all the ancients were certainly ignorant about the basic water molecule and perhaps identified waters based on their formless flowing characteristics. Perhaps waters, or mayim, is the best term to describe a mass that isn’t solid. Perhaps the primordial earth was simply a liquid-like mixture of the basic elements of our world. Would mayim have been an appropriate word to describe this? Perhaps.
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You are not too heretical there, or at least you are in some pretty good company

Calvin Commentary on Genesis 1:2
I will, in the first place, state what (in my judgment) Moses intended. We have already heard that before God had perfected the world it was an undigested mass; he now teaches that the power of the Spirit was necessary in order to sustain it. For this doubt might occur to the mind, how such a disorderly heap could stand; seeing that we now behold the world preserved by government, or order. (46) He therefore asserts that this mass, however confused it might be, was rendered stable, for the time, by the secret efficacy of the Spirit.
(46) “Temperamento servari.” Perhaps we should say, “preserved by the laws of nature.” — Ed.
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Calvin Commentary on 2Peter 3:5
The world no doubt had its origin from waters, for Moses calls the chaos from which the earth emerged, waters

Barnes Commentary on 2Peter 3:5
the creation of the earth was the result of the divine agency acting on the mass of elements which in Genesis is called “waters,” Gen_1:2, Gen_1:6-7, Gen_1:9. There was at first a vast fluid, an immense unformed collection of materials, called “waters,” and from that the earth arose.
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I think from Barnes commentary on Genesis that he subscribe to the Gap Theory, so whether he is describing the initial creation here or the post Gap chaos I am not sure.

 

[Calminian]

Reconsidering The Waters of Genesis
Well, even in english, not all waters are equal. From the brown muddy waters of the Mississippi, to crystal clear stream waters, to the dense salty waters of the Dead Sea, the differences in content abound. Yet they are all considered bodies of water and at least have H2O in common. But they are certainly different and perhaps the initial waters of Genesis were even more so. Maybe they didn’t contain H2O at all. After all the ancients were certainly ignorant about the basic water molecule and perhaps identified waters based on their formless flowing characteristics. Perhaps waters, or mayim, is the best term to describe a mass that isn’t solid. Perhaps the primordial earth was simply a liquid-like mixture of the basic elements of our world. Would mayim have been an appropriate word to describe this? Perhaps.
​

You are not too heretical there, or at least you are in some pretty good company

Calvin Commentary on Genesis 1:2
I will, in the first place, state what (in my judgment) Moses intended. We have already heard that before God had perfected the world it was an undigested mass; he now teaches that the power of the Spirit was necessary in order to sustain it. For this doubt might occur to the mind, how such a disorderly heap could stand; seeing that we now behold the world preserved by government, or order. (46) He therefore asserts that this mass, however confused it might be, was rendered stable, for the time, by the secret efficacy of the Spirit.
(46) “Temperamento servari.” Perhaps we should say, “preserved by the laws of nature.” — Ed.
​

Calvin Commentary on 2Peter 3:5
The world no doubt had its origin from waters, for Moses calls the chaos from which the earth emerged, waters

Barnes Commentary on 2Peter 3:5
the creation of the earth was the result of the divine agency acting on the mass of elements which in Genesis is called “waters,” Gen_1:2, Gen_1:6-7, Gen_1:9. There was at first a vast fluid, an immense unformed collection of materials, called “waters,” and from that the earth arose.
​

I think from Barnes commentary on Genesis that he subscribe to the Gap Theory, so whether he is describing the initial creation here or the post Gap chaos I am not sure.

I would imaging that last commentary is talking post-gap, if he is a gapper, but no matter, he still gets the basic idea. Peter said the earth (land) was formed and shaped out of water. I like the term "fluid" used above. According to the text, reading in a very straightforward way, the land and sea were formed from these initial primordial fluids. Perhaps it was kind of like mud, which was then separated into dry dirt and water. This happened of course, after the primordial fluids were divided in half. The other half is said to be above the heavens somewhere very far away. So I speculate this may have been saved by God for a later time, when He creates the new earth. It's a theory!