While differing in detail, there are strong similarities in the theological cosmologies of Ancient Near East (ANE) creation accounts. Common to many of these ancient narratives of origins is the contention that creation has been birthed through intra-divine violence: the chaos that threatens the stability of the world is overcome, and order is established, through divinely enacted bloodshed. The natural world is then composed of the material remnants of this divine cosmic violence, and humanity, conceived of as lowly slaves, is created to work tirelessly to follow the instructions and fulfil the wishes of rulers whose power and authority stems from these malevolent and fickle gods.

In contrast to these mythological accounts founded upon ontologies of violence and belittling anthropologies, the accounts of creation contained in the Judeo-Christian scriptures offer a radically different vision. In the biblical narrative, the origins of the created order are not found in intra-divine violence but rather stem from the goodness and overflowing love of the creator God. The divine gods do not dwell in sanctuaries built with human hands, but rather the whole of creation belongs to God and is a temple in which God’s glory is manifested (see Ps. 24.1; Isa. 66.1-2). While other ANE accounts serve to legitimize a hierarchical and stratified social structure founded upon oppression and injustice, the biblical narrative offers a vision of the universalization and democratization of social power. All of humanity, not merely the divine rulers, are bearers of the image of God, created by God to care for and tend to God’s created temple of glory, which has its origins in divine joy and love. Human society is instituted not upon oppression and the exercise of coercive power, but rather, the foundation stones of creation are God’s justice (mišpāṭ) and righteousness (ṣeḏeq) (Ps. 89.14).

What does it mean to conceive of creation as established upon the justice and righteousness of God and thus to view God’s work of creation as an activity of joy-filled justice-making?