lain: Wonderful. That really changes...nothing...ever. You mean right after Genesis.
Rather, you choose to understand the literary device in use, the approach that isn't literal. No where does the scripture state it as less than or other than literal. You apply a larger understanding to arrive at the context.
Would you mind explaining how you get around the whole light-dark, day-night, "and it was evening, and it was morning", parts that provide the context for how we read six days?
I don't know what you mean by get around and I'm not particularly entrenched. That's why I made the mistake of asking my old friend Stripe to explain a few things, including his thinking on the whole.
I am entrenched in the belief that the story in the Bible shows that God created the earth in six literal 12 hour days (He didn't work at night).
Normally, literary genre. one of the problems with this question is the line between straight history and symbolic/mythic retelling is somewhat blurred in ancient near eastern culture (ANE). Most stories are re-told with particular emphasis to make a particular point. (Compare Kings and Chronicles)
I wouldn't call it allegory per se. But it's not intended as a literal re-telling of history either, though some aspects may be intended at least partly historically (esp. the story of Adam and Eve).
The flood has some of the same literary elements as Genesis, the basis is likely an actual flood, though not likely one on a global scale.
A Noah (6:10a)
__B Shem, Ham, and Japheth (10b)
___C Ark to be built (14-16)
____D Flood announced (17)
_____E Covenant with Noah (18-20)
______F Food in the ark (21)
_______G Command to enter the ark (7:1-3)
________H 7 days waiting for flood (4-5)
_________I 7 days waiting for flood (7-10)
__________J Entry to ark (11-15)
___________K YHWH shuts Noah in (16)
____________L 40 days flood (17a)
_____________M Waters increase (17b-18)
______________N Mountains covered (19-20)
_______________O 150 days water prevail (21-24)
________________P GOD REMEMBERS NOAH (8:1)
_______________O’ 150 days waters abate (3)
______________N’ Mountain tops visible (4-5)
_____________M’ Waters abate (5)
____________L’ 40 days (end of) (6a)
___________K’ Noah opens window of ark (6b)
__________J’ Raven and dove leave ark (7-9)
_________I’ 7 days waiting for waters to subside (10-11)
________H’ 7 days waiting for waters to subside (12-13)
_______G’ Command to leave ark (15-17 [22])
______F’ Food outside ark (9:1-4)
_____E’ Covenant with all flesh (8-10)
____D’ No flood in the future (11-17)
___C’ Ark (18a)
__B’ Shem, Ham and Japheth (18b)
A’ Noah (19)There are still literary devices even within these stories. They are written in a more narrative style, however.
Both are presented as stories coming from eyewitnesses, rather different from the earlier books of the bible.
Of course, some of the Bible is clearly intended as historical narrative, some is apocalyptic literature with obscure meaning (parts of Daniel, Revelation and Ezekiel). Others are songs and sayings (Psalms, proverbs). Each has to be understood in the appropriate genre and context. We can read on the surface and take all scripture the same way, but this will inevitably cause distortions in our understanding. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
He had one. You're just still sore because you stuck your foot in your mouth trying to kick me with it for who knows what reason elsewhere.