in the Hebrew text, God said the
>world was good (towb) not perfect (tamiym). Karen, is it moral to leave
>this very important textural issue out of a discussion when the YECs make
>such a hard and fast claim that 'good' equals 'perfect'? 'Good' (towb)
>would allow for death in the universe, 'perfect' (tamiym) might not. God
>deliberately avoided tamiym in Genesis 1!!!!! But Henry and the YECs
>correct God and re-insert it via their books!!!!
Thank you for the information on these two words. I wasn't aware of this
great conflict. I thought that very good (Genesis 1:31) meant at least
close to perfect. God is perfect, and He does all things well.
The possibility of sin was there, and the test (tree), and that was good,
even very good, giving choice and freedom to the man and woman. But
apparently perfect is too strong a word for it. As you pointed out that
word, or at least the first uses of it, is reserved for the perfect Lamb of
God (or a sacrificial lamb representing Him), and those who follow Him
completely (Gen 6:9;Lev 22:21).
The creation, good as it was, I guess will not be really complete until the
restoration, the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells (2
Peter 3:13).
Karen