Genesis 1

Genesis 1 is the opening chapter of the Bible. How it came to be is explained in [74:8]. Despite this complex history of its origin and the presence of human fingerprints all over it, one can see it parallels the story of our world in Papers 57 through 64.

Although Symmetry of Soul has not studied Papers 57 through 64 in any broadcast episode, you may view the archive of episodes for much more content.

Parallel study of Genesis with The Urantia Book

This is from an analysis presented on March 18, 2023. The Bible translation is a mixture of Douay-Rheims, King James, New International, and quotations from The Urantia Book (what we might denominate the Midwayer translation).

Genesis passage (with Chapter.Verse)	Passage from The Urantia Book (with clickable link to text)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (1.1)	(Paper 57 begins after this Bible passage, but arguably [8:1] is an excellent telling of the "chronology" of the origin of the master universe)
And [all] was without form, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. But the spirit of God [Elohim] moved over [it all]. (1.2)	At the time of the beginning of this recital, the Primary Master Force Organizers of Paradise had long been in full control... [57:1-2]
And God said: “Let there be light,” and there was light. (1.3)	875,000,000,000 years ago the enormous Andronover nebula ... was duly initiated. 700,000,000,000 years ago the Andronover system ... continued ... to whirl faster and faster as it continued to condense and contract. 6,000,000,000 years ago marks ... the birth of your sun ... the great Andronover nebula ... lives on in the many suns and their planetary families which originated in this mother cloud of space. [57:1.6-4.9]
God saw that the light was good; and he divided the light from the darkness. And he called the light Day, and the darkness Night. (1.4-5)	3,000,000,000 years ago the solar system was functioning much as it does today... About this time your solar system was placed on the physical registry ... and given its name. [57:6.8-9]
And God said: Let an expanse be in the midst of the waters. And let it divide waters from waters. (1.6)	1,500,000,000 years ago ... Presently, the atmosphere became more settled and cooled sufficiently to start precipitation of rain on the hot rocky surface of the planet. For thousands of years Urantia was enveloped in one vast and continuous blanket of steam. [57:7.4-7]
God also said: Let the waters that are under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so. (1.9)	950,000,000 years ago Urantia presents the picture of one great continent of land and one large body of water. [57:8.1-5]
And God saw that it was good. (1.10)	About this time Urantia ... was placed on the life registry... Then began the administrative recognition of the small and insignificant sphere which was destined to be known as the “world of the cross.” [57:8.6]
Then God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation...” And it was so. (1.11)	550,000,000 years ago the Life Carrier corps ... organized and initiated the original life patterns of this world and planted them in the hospitable waters of the realm. [58:4.2]
And the earth brought forth vegetation. And God saw that it was good. (1.12)	500,000,000 years ago primitive marine vegetable life was well established on Urantia. [58:4.3]
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures”... (1.20)	450,000,000 years ago the transition from vegetable to animal life occurred. [58:6.1]
And God created ... every living and moving creature, which the waters brought forth, according to their kinds... And God saw that it was good. (1.21)	From era to era radically new species of animal life arise... Living organisms ... that attain cosmic unity persist, while those that fall short of this goal cease to exist. [58:6.3-8]
God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea... (1.22)	400,000,000 years ago marine life, both vegetable and animal, is fairly well distributed over the whole world. [59:1.2]
And God said: Let the land bring forth the living creature according to its kind. (1.24)	310,000,000 years ago ... the land plants are migrating farther and farther from the seashores. 210,000,000 years ago ... abruptly, the first of the land animals appeared ... From the briny waters of the seas there crawled out upon the land snails, scorpions, and frogs. [59:2.7-5.6]
And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and cattle, and all creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (1.25)	50,000,000 years ago ... the placental type of mammals suddenly appeared, and they constituted the most important evolutionary development up to this time. [61:1.1-2]
And he said: Let us make mortal man in our own image and likeness. (1.26)	1,000,000 years ago Urantia was registered as an inhabited world. A mutation ... suddenly produced two primitive human beings, the actual ancestors of mankind. [61:6.2]
Male and female he created them. (1.27)	When about nine years of age [these first two humans] journeyed off down the river one bright day and ... arrived at an understanding to live with and for each other. [62:5.8]
And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth... (1.28)	...their first child was born... and [he] was the first creature to be born on Urantia who was wrapped in protective coverings at the time of birth. The human race had begun. [63:3.1]
Then God said, “I give you ... all the beasts of the earth ... for food.” (1.30)	800,000 years ago game was abundant; many species of deer, as well as elephants and hippopotamuses, roamed over Europe. Cattle were plentiful; horses and wolves were everywhere. The Neanderthalers were great hunters... [64:4.2]
And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. (1.31)	The struggles of these early ages were characterized by courage, bravery, and even heroism ... sterling and rugged traits ... the magnificent persistency and superb devotion of your early ancestors ... oftentimes bordered on grandeur and sublimity. [64:7.20]

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