I have been studying many of your articles. They make one think. Therefore
questions come up. In reading Genesis it appears that the earth was formed
before God said “Let there be light.” Genesis 1:3 In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty,
darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was
hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there
was light. While I?m asking about Genesis, what do you think about this,
seems that there are two accounts. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his
own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them. Genesis 2:20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds
of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable
helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep
sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed
up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he
had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.,

I believe I answer all these questions or most of them in my book “Is
There a God? Questions of Science and the Bible. Have you read this book?

The short answer is that the way I understand Genesis 1:3 is that it is
referring to the creation, not of the universe (and therefore the big
bang), but to the creation of the solar system. According to physicists,
the way a solar system forms, a massive interstellar nebula condenses
through gravity. The slight angular momentum produces a significant amount
of spinning as the gas cloud condenses and heats. As the material
collapses toward the center, the material which remains farther from the
center produces smaller condensations we call planets. The material at the
center eventually becomes so dense and hot that fusion begins. At that
time, light is produced. Later, the planets which form cool to the point
that they have a solid surface. In the case of the earth, the ocean
formed, as well as an atmosphere. Eventually, folding and other motion of
the crust produced continents which rose above the oceans. I believe this
is in very good agreement with the description in the first several verses
of Genesis chapter one.

As far as the “difference” between Genesis chapters one and two, I have
heard many make a number statements on this score, but I simply fail to
see any statement in Genesis one which contradicts any statement in
Genesis two. Genesis chapter two only describes the creation of humans. In
Genesis chapter one this is covered as only a part of what happened on
“day six.”

John Oakes, PhD