Born in Africa, at the crossroads of three cultures—Arab, French, and Jewish—Jacques Doukhan was raised in a Jewish family. At the age of 18, he discovered the Christian gospel and became a Seventh-day Adventist, rejoicing that he did not have to renounce his roots in this church. Like Jews, Adventists observe the Sabbath and “share the same life ideals”, explains Dr Doukhan.
It was in this church that Prof Doukhan found himself captivated by the Christian gospel as viewed through the lens of the Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament. During our interview, he told me that he was struck by the value of biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled in history. Now in his old age, Jacques Doukhan confessed to me that he is still impressed by these things.
Did you discover the Christian gospel while you were still in North Africa?
Yes, I was born in Algeria. The text that captivated me is from Daniel 9. It is a passage that I am still studying. It is enigmatic, rich, profound, and complex. This text opened up a whole new world for me.
What text was that?
The prophecy of the 70 weeks in Daniel 9. I have been writing about it ever since. It is a prophecy about the Anointed One, the Messiah, who was to come at a specific time in response to the needs of the people of Israel. This text surprised me and marked the beginning of my journey of discovering faith in Jesus, the Messiah.
I noticed the beauty of Scripture, not only in the way it speaks to the mind and heart, but also in the way it speaks about the times we live in and about hope. These are living words that give life. I have come to call the Scriptures the Word of God, and they have become part of my life. I have dedicated my life to studying, interpreting, and examining Scripture closely, and asking questions about it. One of my most precious discoveries has been the importance of creation and its influence on our ideals, way of life, and hopes.
It must have been a happy experience to remain faithful to your religious heritage and see it fulfilled in the person and mission of Jesus of Nazareth.
I wouldn’t say it was entirely happy, though. While it has certainly brought me much joy, it has also often been a struggle, and an adventure. I have asked myself many questions, and still do. There were moments of joy, but also challenges, tensions, and problems. Sometimes it was a real struggle, not only with myself or my family, but with others around me too, including some Christians who did not understand what was important.
Viewed in its historical context, Christianity evokes a lot of pain. It is a painful experience, but over time, people realise that they can acknowledge biblical truth without denying their heritage. It is still difficult. For a while, you don’t know who you are. Eventually, however, you discover an identity that transcends the two sides and is rooted elsewhere. Essentially, you are an outsider everywhere. You are a stranger and a traveller. However, you get much closer to the essence of the Word you are studying.
As you said, creation is fundamental. So why is the account of creation in the Hebrew Bible so important? Almost every people, and every family of tribes, has its own primordial myths or legends about the origin of the world. What makes the biblical account stand out?
I will start with some basic information. If you study the mythology of origins and compare it with the history presented in the Bible, you will notice that they belong to two different literary genres. All the others speak of a story of creation, not creation itself. They are secondary accounts that refer to creation in order to convey an existential message or idea. The Bible is the only ancient text that clearly presents an account of creation. This is its purpose, and the passage even identifies itself as an account of creation in its conclusion: “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.”
Therefore, we have a historical account of an event that took place in the distant past with which we have lost contact. I have also studied other accounts of origins, such as those in the ancient texts of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian texts, for example. What is striking about the biblical creation account is that it is complete, and beautifully structured. The others are just scattered mentions. They allude to the beginning, but lack such elaborate structure. Here, we have a beautiful poetic text presenting the complete history.
In the biblical tradition, creation was considered a fundamental concept. From a literary point of view, the fact that the Bible begins with creation is significant. It does not begin this way simply because it is a chronological enumeration; it begins this way because creation is important. Then, throughout the Scriptures, we have multiple references to it. For instance, there is only one definition of faith in the entire Bible.
And it leads us to creation!
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Now faith is. . . assurance about what we do not see. . . By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (Hebrews 11:1-3). Creation is the foundation of biblical faith. Without faith in creation, there is no hope. Faith in creation is essential for hope to work. Creation forms the basis of many tenets of biblical thought, including the truths about hope, our destiny, and how we should live.
What does creation tell us about the Creator Himself, about God?
This is, in fact, the first statement in Genesis 1:1, which consists of seven words in the original Hebrew. Here, we encounter the rhythm of the number seven. There are seven days.
The first verse is composed of seven words, which establish the rhythm. Interestingly, the fourth word is the word “God”.
The apex.
There are three words before it and three after. In the middle, we have Elohim—God. Without getting into more complicated matters, we can verify this observation at the level of the letters as well. We have two sets of seven letters at the beginning and two sets of seven letters at the end. In the Jewish tradition, the Bible is read like a song, with several notes and accents on words. The most important accent, atnah, separates the two parts of this verse and corresponds to the word “God”. This implies that, in ancient times and even today, when the singer or priest sings the word “God”, they emphasise it, repeat it, and pause to show that it is the most important word in this account. This is the message about God.
What else can we learn about God’s character and power if we read further in the account of creation?
Regarding other accounts of our early history, when we read about the creator god in other traditions, our first observation is that this god created beings for the purpose of being served. He created people to be his slaves and serve him. In contrast, the God of the Bible created people so that He could serve them. He created them to provide them with food. The other gods created people so that they could provide them with food.
Our God creates in order to love, to have a relationship, and to save. God wants to form a personal relationship with us. He came down to us. He is not a God who remained in His own world. He created a relationship with humans and made them in His image, meaning they are capable of communicating with Him, having a relationship with Him, despite being different from His nature. He is a great, powerful, and loving, personal God. This tension is evident from the beginning of the Bible.
The Bible says that God created humans, male and female, in His image. How can we understand this?
There are several aspects to this. One is that every human being is a unique individual. This is the meaning of the technical term used in this context. God created human beings, not an alter ego. This is another difference from the gods, who created an alter ego out of themselves. God created distinct persons. The first expression of His character is individuality, uniqueness, and difference. This difference makes relationships possible. He created a couple—a man and a woman—who are different from each other and can therefore have a relationship based on this difference. In this way, they are made in God’s image. Our uniqueness and individuality are proof of God’s existence. However, we cannot prove His existence because He transcends human reason. Yet the fact that each individual is unique throughout time and up to the present day is not something that comes naturally. This suggests that there is a Hand behind all things, a Creator.
In fact, the Bible begins with two chapters that describe creation from two different perspectives. These two accounts are complementary and parallel. They are linked by their shared structure, as well as certain parallels, and echoes of words corresponding to the same moments. However, at the same time, there are two opposing perspectives. In the first account, Elohim—the great God, the God of gods—is portrayed as a transcendent being somewhere far away, while humans occupy only a small area. From the sixth day onwards, He disappears into infinity.
But in the second account of creation, the focus shifts. God does something He has never done before. He comes into contact with people, and touches them. He establishes a connection. According to the text in Genesis 2:7, He even kisses them. He enters into a relationship with them and speaks to them. Even God’s name changes. We progress from Elohim-Yahweh to Adonai, which implies a personal relationship.
He is the great God who dwells in heaven, yet He is also the God who came to us. That is why this God is special.
We have a God who is powerful and great, but also personal, loving, and merciful. This tension enables me to worship and connect with Him. He is different, yet He enters into a relationship with me. This makes my relationship with Him possible. If He were too distant, I could not have a relationship with Him. If He were too close, He would not be God. All too often, even within Christianity, one aspect is emphasised at the expense of the other. The Bible begins with this tension and balance.
What does creation tell us about nature?
Nature, and our bodies as part of it, are a gift from God. Both Judaism and Adventism recognise the fundamental truth of the value of creation. Creation is a gift from God. Traditional Christianity, however, has a sense of contempt for nature. Nature is despised. The flesh is discredited. This is why salvation means liberation from the body. This is why Sunday is observed. During Lent, liberation from the body is proclaimed. Sunday is celebrated because the body is considered evil.
However, according to the biblical understanding, creation is good; it is a gift from God. Salvation is associated with creation, not separate from it. If creation is not recreated, neither are we. We cannot separate the soul from the body, considering the body to be evil and the soul to be good. Creation encompasses the formation of both the soul and the body. The two are closely united. When we die, the body ceases to exist, and with it the soul, because they are one.
Here is another lesson that we can learn from the story of creation. It tells us that we are all one, and at the same time it instructs us to thank God for creating us, and to enjoy the gift of creation. Our job is to enjoy our bodies—God’s gift—and to take responsibility for them and for nature.
Can we learn about lifestyle from the account of creation?
I believe so. The account of creation speaks of the creation of man, which involves the body. This means that a response is needed at the level of the body as well as at the level of the spirit—the two are inseparable. The Hebrew word for spirit is ruach, which appears at the beginning of creation: “The Spirit moved…” and represents the principle of spirituality. This same word is used for both the Spirit of God and life itself. “To breathe” represents the principle of life. Those who are dead cannot be spiritual. In order to be spiritual, one must be alive and in good health.
Therefore, creation presupposes a philosophy of life. The Apostle Paul later says that “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit”, or life itself. He is playing with words. When he says “temple of the Holy Spirit”, he means “temple of ruach“, or “temple of life”. We have the gift of life and are responsible for our own lives. The principles of health—what I drink and eat—represent faith in a Creator God. When Daniel was in exile, he refused to drink and eat certain things when expected to do so. To justify his position, he quoted Genesis 1, the account of creation.
You mentioned that there are many references to creation throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. Could you mention a few of them?
Creation is mentioned every time for a specific purpose, namely to convey a lesson. For instance, references appear in wisdom literature, such as the Book of Job. Job suffers and questions his destiny. God answers the questions he raises. In response to the question, “Where are you, Lord? Why do you crush me?”, God describes creation to him. There are many references to creation. Firstly, God wants to emphasise that He is a creator, not a destroyer. Secondly, the solution is a new creation.
In the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 8, there is a poem about creation that begins with the same words as the creation account: “In the beginning”. Once again, there are seven steps or sections, reflecting the rhythm of the creation account. Then we are told, “Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise”. Therefore, faith in God the Creator is the reason for living a righteous life.
The Sabbath is also a reference to creation. We remember that we were nothing, and now we exist. This is referenced in Exodus 20. Another relevant text is Deuteronomy 5, in which the Jews remember that they were once slaves and are now free. This is why we have the Ten Commandments. Interestingly, there are ten commandments, which echo the ten words of creation. God spoke ten times in the account of creation. “God-Elohim said” is repeated ten times. Similarly, the ten commandments echo the idea that we were created to keep God’s law. The fourth commandment, which reminds us of creation, is in the middle of the Ten Commandments.
Furthermore, the structure of the entire Bible—the Old and New Testaments together forming the canon—begins with the account of creation and ends with another creation, or recreation. These two events form the pillars of Scripture. These structural statements—beginning and end, both of which are creation—are found countless times in the Bible. The beginning and the end refer to the same thing. Genesis begins with creation and ends with the Promised Land as an allusion to resurrection. The Torah also concludes with the observation that the location of Moses’ tomb is unknown. The Old Testament begins with creation and the Promised Land appears again at the end of Chronicles. The Book of Isaiah begins with creation and ends with re-creation. The Book of Malachi concludes with the return of the Lord. Thus, creation appears at the beginning and end throughout scripture, in our lives and in the Sabbath. At the end of each week, we commemorate creation.
Quite early in history, the Sabbath was replaced by another day. There has also been a noticeable reduction in references to creation. What initiated this process? Did disregarding the Sabbath lead to the loss of an emphasis on creation, or did despising creation result in giving up the Sabbath as well?
This is a very good, albeit difficult, question. I believe this issue lay at the root of the separation between Christians and Jews. It also marked the difference between Christian and Jewish identity. It is closely linked to the concept of contemptus mundi (contempt for the world) in medieval and Christian history, which encompasses contempt for nature, the body, and the flesh. Anything material was considered evil.
The concept was promoted by Christians led by Marcion, a Gnostic. Considered a heretic at the time, he nevertheless had considerable influence on Christianity. Even during the Reformation, Martin Luther said that salvation, not creation, is important. Grace is more important than the Law. This is the same way of thinking.
Grace liberates you from the body, while the Law gives the body life.
As a result of Greek influence, there was a dissociation and a dualism, which certainly had an effect. This is why, in Christianity, we tend to prioritise the spiritual over the material and talk about spiritual liberation from the material.
Sunday affirms this belief that the spirit is freed from the prison of the flesh, while the Sabbath affirms the value of creation. By observing Saturday, we acknowledge the value of creation and God’s gift, whereas by observing Sunday, we proclaim salvation from creation. This is probably the mysterious process that led Christians to replace the Sabbath—symbolising creation—with Sunday, which signifies salvation or deliverance from this flawed creation.
When we read the Scriptures, we see that salvation is viewed in the context of creation. Creation is part of the salvation process. We cannot be saved spiritually, only through creation. This is why we speak of a new creation.
Many Christians believe that when they die, their soul goes to heaven. But why would it need creation and resurrection? The soul is already there. From a biblical point of view, this is nonsense. You cannot be saved outside the body because the body is also part of the salvation process. That is my position. Biblical truth is not just “spiritual truth”. Biblical truth encompasses my entire self. It is a historical truth. From a biblical point of view, salvation means that I will be saved historically and truly. Once we understand this, we will also understand that the Sabbath is part of the equation.
The Sabbath is a sign by which I synchronise my life, time, concrete rhythm, and body with my faith. In this way, my faith becomes part of my time, body, and the rhythm of my body.
Today, perhaps more than ever, I believe that people need the Sabbath. Above all, they need to enjoy God’s gift, learn to appreciate this creation, rest, and take time for themselves. We live in a very stressful time and need to make time for relationships, meditation, and recreation. Let’s make time for time. This is perhaps the most relevant message today, when we no longer have time and have lost the concept of it. Even those who observe the Sabbath no longer know how to do so properly. They are so busy keeping it that they no longer receive God’s blessing. The message of the Sabbath is actually that God works for them. Some have turned the Sabbath into work for God. The message of the Sabbath is very relevant and necessary for our time.
You are clearly captivated by the things you are telling us.
This faith influences and guides my life but the only thing I know for sure is that, according to the promises made in the Scriptures in Isaiah and Revelation, God will come and wipe away my tears. He will speak to me, and I will be able to enjoy life and form relationships with others. I will be able to live life to the fullest. That is what I know. To imagine what that will be like is beyond my ability!
Thank you very much. It has been fascinating to have this discussion.
