Genesis 1 is believed by some to have been written by Moses in or around 1,400BCE after the time of the Israelites’ exodus from their slavery in Egypt, after the parting of the Red Sea that led them out of captivity. The way in which this passage is written sounds very similar to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, in particular the parting of the Red Sea, the revealing of the dry land allowing them to pass through, the appearance of vegetation that will sustain them in their new land as well as the fruit bearing seed that will see growth and future generations provided for. I believe it could be very likely that when Moses or others were writing the creation narrative, they used their past experiences and drew upon what they saw happening around them during their Exodus from Egypt. This in no way changes the meaning or purpose of what Moses or others are intending to convey to those reading verses 9 through 13. It also in no way changes the power and authority of God to perform these miraculous works, controlling the sea, the land, and everything that grows within the land. But it would potentially give us a greater insight in the situation from which this passage draws its creative imagery. This would also mean that the justification that has been historically used by Western churches, governments and empires would no longer be valid – particularly their taking over lands they deemed now belonged to them because they ‘found’ them or were new to them because they had never been there before. 35
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