Proud to be TJ's man

I want to be especially careful as we approach this first chapter of the book of Genesis. This past week I read an account of a man who attempted to quote Scripture from our passage as a proof text for smoking pot. Here is the account as given by Christianity Today a couple of years ago:

Arrested in Olathe, Kansas, for possession of the drug, Herb Overton based his defense on Genesis l:29: “and God said, … I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of the earth …”

Judge Earl Jones doubted Overton’s hermeneutics, however. According to a Chicago Tribune account, the judge told the Bible-quoting defendant: “As a mere mortal, I’m going to find you guilty of possession of marijuana. If you want to appeal to a higher authority, that’s fine with me.”[1]

We can all read of such an event and laugh about it. While Herb Overton’s error is comical, there may be a less obvious error of which many Christians may be guilty—and it is not a laughing matter.

This week my attention was arrested by a brief article in Eternity mag­azine entitled, “Evangelicalism’s Six Flaws.” Most of the article has me still scratching my head, but I was particularly troubled by this statement:

We have treated creation as a static occurrence—arguing whether or not God has created it in seven days, thus missing the point of the religious meaning of creation and the ongoing activity of God in history.[2]

As I have considered Robert Webber’s accusation, it seems to me that we evangelicals have made five major errors in the way we have handled Genesis over the past few years. Most of these errors are in part a reaction to the three‑fold attack of atheistic evolution, comparative religion and literary criticism.[3]

(1) We have dealt with the creation account according to a scientific grid. Some recent theories and conclusions of scientists have challenged the traditional interpretation of the biblical creation accounts. In a conscientious effort to prove the Bible to be scientifically accurate, we have approached the first chapters of Genesis from a scientific point of view. The problem is that these chapters were not intended to give us an account of the creation that would answer all of the scientific problems and phenomenon.

Dr. B. B. Warfield has stated the problem well:

A glass window stands before us. We raise our eyes and see the glass; we note its quality, and observe its defects; we speculate on its composition. Or we look straight through it on the great prospect of land and sea and sky beyond. So there are two ways of looking at the world. We may see the world and absorb ourselves in the wonders of nature. That is the scientific way. Or we may look right through the world and see God behind it. That is the religious way.

The scientific way of looking at the world is not wrong any more than the glass‑manufacturer’s way of looking at the window. This way of looking at things has its very important uses. Nevertheless the window was placed there not to be looked at but to be looked through; and the world has failed of its purpose unless it too is looked through and the eye rests not on it but on its God.[4]

The author of Genesis has not written the creation account for the glass maker. Rather he urges us to look through the glass of his account to the Creator behind it all.

(2) We have used the creation account of Genesis as an apologetic, when its primary purpose is not apologetic. The apologetic use of the early chapters of Genesis, while of value,[5] is not in keeping with the author’s purpose for writing. Genesis was written to the people of God, not un­believers. Men who refuse to believe in creationism do not do so for lack of facts or proof (cf. Rom 1:18ff), or due to their greater knowledge (Psalm 14:1), but due to a lack of faith (Hebrews 11:3). Genesis is much more of a declaration than a defense.

(3) We have attempted to find in Genesis one the answers to mysteries which may or may not be explained elsewhere. We may wish to learn, for example, just where Satan’s fall and judgment fit into the creation account, but may not be given such information because it was not the purpose of the author to answer such questions.[6]

(4) We have failed to study Genesis one in its historical context. I suppose that it is easy to commit such an error here. We may doubt that there is any historical background. Or we may conclude that this is pre­cisely the purpose of the chapter—to give us a historical account of creation.

The background which is vital to our grasp of the meaning and message of creation is that of those who first received this book. Assuming Moses to be the author of Genesis, the book most likely would have been written sometime after the Exodus and before the entrance to the land of Canaan. What was the situation at the time of the writing of this creation account? Who received this revelation and what needs were to be met by it? This is crucial to rightly interpreting and applying the message of the creation.

(5) We have often failed to apply the first chapter of Genesis one in any way that is relevant to our own spiritual lives. As one of my friends put it, “We come to a message on Genesis chapter one expecting nothing more than to have our apologetic batteries recharged again.”

The creation account becomes a prominent theme throughout the Old and New Testaments. Here, as elsewhere, we cannot do wrong by allowing Scrip­ture to interpret Scripture. When the creation theme occurs in Scripture, it calls forth a response from men. We have frequently failed to call for any such response as we have taught Genesis chapter one.

The Historical Backdrop of Genesis 1

Revelation never is given in a historical vacuum. The Bible speaks to men in specific situations and with particular needs. We cannot rightly interpret Scripture or apply it to ourselves until we have answered the question, “What did this passage mean to those to whom it was originally given?” From archaeological studies much is known of the literature, culture, and religions of those who surrounded the Israelites. Understanding the contemporaries of the Israelites greatly enhances our grasp of the meaning of the creation account according to divine revelation as found in Genesis one.

First, we know that virtually every nation had its own cosmogony, or creation account(s). Somehow I had always thought that the account of Genesis one was something new and original. Actually this revelation came late compared to other near eastern nations. Antiquity had devoted a great deal of time and effort to its origins. The account of Genesis chapter one had to ‘compete,’ so to speak, with the other accounts of its day.

Secondly, there is an almost remarkable similarity between these pagan cosmogonies. From her study of twelve myths, Ms. Wakeman has identified three features always present: “1) a repressive monster restraining creation, 2) the defeat of the monster by the heroic god who thereby releases the forces essential for life, and 3) the hero’s final control over these forces.”[7]

Third, while distressing to some, there is considerable similarity between the pagan creation myths and the inspired account of creation in the Bible.[8] The correspondence includes the use of some of the same terms (e.g. Leviathan) or descriptions (e.g., a man‑headed sea monster), similar literary form,[9] and a parallel sequence of events at creation.[10]

The explanation of these similarities by some are unacceptable. For example, we are told that these similarities evidence the fact that the biblical cosmogony is no different than any other ancient creation myth. Others would assure us that while there are similarities, the Israelites ‘demythologized’ these corrupted accounts to assure an accurate account of the origin of the earth and man.[11] Some conservative scholars simply call the correspondence coincidence, though this seems to avoid the difficulties, rather than to explain them. The most acceptable explanation is that the similarity is explained by the fact that all similar creation accounts attempt to explain the same phenomenon.

Early races of men wherever they wandered took with them these earliest traditions of mankind, and in varying Latitudes and climes have modified them according to their religions and mode of thought. Modifications as time proceeded resulted in the corruption of the original pure tradition. The Genesis account is not only the purist, but everywhere bears the unmistakable impress of divine inspiration when compared with the extravagances and corruptions of other accounts. The Biblical narrative, we may conclude, represents the original form these traditions must have assumed.[12]

More important than the fact that the nations surrounding Israel had their own (perhaps older) accounts of creation, was the use to which these were put in the ancient Near East. Ancient cosmogonies were not carefully recorded and preserved out of a love for ancient history; they were the foundation of religious observance.

In the ancient world their deities were nature gods, sun gods, moon gods, rain gods, and so on.[13] In order to assure the on‑going of the forces of nature and guarantee bountiful crops and growing herds of cattle, the creation myths were re‑enacted every year.

Myth, therefore, in the ancient world was mimetically re‑enacted in public festivals to the accompaniment of ritual. The whole complex constituted imitative magic, the effect of which was believed to be beneficial to the entire community. Through ritual aroma, the primordial events recorded in the myth were reactivated. The enactment at the appropriate season of the creative deeds of the gods, and the recitation of the proper verbal formulae, it was believed, would effect the periodic renewal and revitalization of nature and so assure the prosperity of the community.[14]

From this background we can begin to realize how vital a role was played by cosmogony in the ancient Near East. Israel’s social and religious life, like that of her neighbors, was based upon her origin. The Genesis account of creation laid the foundation for the remainder of the Pentateuch.

In this light we can see the significance of the contest between the God of Israel and the ‘gods’ of Egypt. Pharaoh dared to ask Moses, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” (Exodus 5:2).

The answer of the Lord was a series of ten plagues. The message of these plagues was that Israel’s God is the creator of heaven and earth.

For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night and will strike down all the first‑born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—­I am the Lord (Exo 12:12; cf. 18:11; Num 33:4).

It would seem that each plague was a direct affront to one of Egypt’s many gods. While a direct correlation of each plague to a specific god may be somewhat speculative,[15] the battle of the gods is evident.

No wonder that the covenant sign of the Israelites was the keeping of the Sabbath:

But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “You shall surely observe My Sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.…  It is sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed” (Exo 31:13,17).

Observing the Sabbath identified Israel with their God, the Creator Who ceased from labor on the seventh day.

The miracles of the Exodus, then, served a function similar to the signs and wonders performed by our Lord. They authenticated the message which was proclaimed. In our Lord’s case, it was the words He proclaimed and the inspired writers preserved. In the case of the Exodus, the Penta­teuch was Moses’ written revelation of God which his miracles authenticated. The Exodus proved Yahweh to be the only God, the Creator and Redeemer. The Pentateuch provided the content for the faith of Israel, of which the creation account is the foundation.

Genesis 1:1‑3

Many interpretations exist for the first three verses of the Bible, but we will briefly mention the three most popularly held by evangelicals. We will not spend a great deal of time here because our conclusions will be tentative and the differences have little bearing on the application of the text. Let me simply begin by saying that we who name the name of Christ as Savior must ultimately take Genesis 1:1 at face value on faith (Heb 11:3).

View 1: The Re‑creation (or Gap) Theory. This view maintains that Genesis 1:1 describes the original creation of the earth, prior to the fall of Satan (Isaiah 14:12‑15; Ezekiel 28:12ff). As a result of Satan’s fall the earth lost its original state of beauty and bliss and is found in a state of chaos in Genesis 1:2. This ‘gap’ between verses 1 and 2 not only helps to explain the teaching of Satan’s fall, but it also allows for a considerable time period, which helps to harmonize the creation account with modern scientific theory. It does suffer from a number of difficulties.[16]

View 2: The Initial Chaos Theory. Briefly, this view holds that verse one would be an independent introductory statement. Verse 2 would describe the state of the initial creation as unformed and unfilled. In other words the universe is like an untouched block of granite before the sculpter begins to fashion it. The creation is not in an evil state, as the result of some catastrophic fall, but merely in its initial unformed state, like a lump of clay in the potter’s hands. Verses 3 and following begin to describe God’s working and fashioning of the mass, transforming it from chaos to cosmos. Many respectable scholars hold this position.[17]

View 3: Precreation Chaos Theory: In this view (held by Dr. Waltke), verse one is understood either as a dependent clause (“When God began to create … ”) or as an independent introductory summary statement (“In the beginning God created … ”). The creation account summarized in verse one begins in verse two. This ‘creation’ is not ‘ex nihilo’ (out of nothing), but out of the stuff existing in verse 2. Where this comes from is not explained in these verses. In effect, this view holds that the chaotic state does not occur between verses one and two, but before verse one of an unspecified time. The absolute origin of matter is, then, not the subject of the ‘creation’ account of Genesis 1, but only the relative beginnings of the world and civilization as we know it today.[18]

We might summarize the difference between these three viewpoints in this fashion:[19]

The Six Days of Creation (1:1‑31)

It is important to recognize that verses 2‑31 do little more than expand upon verse 1. They do not fully (certainly not in a scientific fashion—­who would have cared over the centuries until now?) explain creation. Neither do they prove it, for this is ultimately a faith issue. The facts upon which this faith must be based are simply stated.

There does seem to be a pattern to these six creation days, which many Bible students have observed. It can best be illustrated graphically:

Formlessness Changed to Form			Emptiness Changed to Habitation
vv 3-5	Day 1	Light	vv 14-19	Day 4	Luminaries (sun, moon, stars)
vv 6-8	Day 2	Air (upper expanse) Water (lower expanse)	vv 20-23	Day 5	Fish, Birds
vv 9-13	Day 3	Dry land plants	vv 24-31	Day 6	Animals, Man

Seen in this way, the first three days remedy the situation of formless­ness described in Genesis 1:2. The 4‑6 days deal with the state of ‘void’ or ‘emptiness’ of verse 2. There also seems to be a correlation between days 1 and 4, 2 and 5, 3 and 6. For example, the air and water receive correspond­ing life forms of fish and birds, though this should not be pressed too far.

Two other observations should be pointed out. First, there is a sequence to the six days. It is clear that this account is arranged chronologically, each day building upon the creative activity of previous days. Secondly, there is a process involved in the creation, a process involving the change from chaos to cosmos, disorder to order.

While God could have instantaneously created the earth as it is, He did not choose to do so. The clear impression given by the text is that this process took six literal days, and not long ages. Nevertheless, the eternal God is not nearly so concerned about doing things instantaneously as we are. The process of sanctification is only one of many examples of God’s progressive activity in the world.

The Meaning of Creation for the Israelites of Old

Before we approach the question of what the creation should mean to us, we must deal with its meaning for those who first read these inspired words from the pen of Moses. The initial purpose of this account was for the Israelites of Moses’ day. What should they have learned? How should they have responded?

(1) The creation account of Genesis was a corrective to the corrupted cosmogonies of their day. We have already said that Egypt, for example, believed in a multiplicity of nature‑deities. We need to recognize that Israel, due to her close and prolonged contact with the Egyptians, was not unaffected by their religious views.

“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14).

It was not enough to regard Yahweh merely as a god, one among many. Neither should He be conceived of as just the God of Israel. Yahweh is God alone. There is no other god. He is the Creator of heaven and earth. He is not merely superior to the gods of the surrounding nations; He alone is God.

The tendency to begin to confuse God with His creation was a part of the thinking of the ancient world. He must be regarded as the God of creation, not just God in creation. Every attempt to visualize or humanize God in the form of any created thing was a tendency to equate God with His creation. So it was, I believe, with Aaron’s golden calf.

(2) The creation account describes the character and attributes of God. Negatively, Genesis one corrects many popular misconceptions concerning God. Positively, it portrays His character and attributes.

• God is sovereign and all‑powerful. Distinct from the cosmogonies of other ancient peoples, there is no creation struggle de­scribed in Genesis one. God does not overcome opposing forces to create the earth and man. God creates with a mere command, “Let there be … ” There is order and progress. God does not experiment, but rather skillfully fashions the creation of His omniscient design.
• God is no mere force, but a Person. While we must be awed by the transcendence of God, we should also be His immanence. He is no distant cosmic force, but a personal ever‑present God. This is reflected in the fact that He creates man in His image (1:26‑28). Man is a reflection of God. Our personhood is a mere shadow of God’s. In chapter two God provided Adam with a meaningful task and with a counterpart as a helper. In the third chapter we learn that God communed with man in the garden daily (cf. 3:8).
• God is eternal. While other creations are vague or erroneous concerning the origin of their gods, the God of Genesis is eternal. The creation account describes His activity at the beginning of time (from a human standpoint).
• God is good. The creation did not take place in a moral vacuum. Morality was woven into the fabric of creation. Repeatedly, the expression is found “it was good.” Good implies not only usefulness and completion, but moral value. Those who hold to atheistic views of the origin of the earth see no value system other than what is held by the majority of people. God’s goodness is reflected in His creation, which, in its original state, was good. Even today, the graciousness and goodness of God is evident (cf. Matt 5:45; Acts 17:22‑31).

The Meaning of Creation for All Men

The theme of God as Creator is prominent throughout Scripture. It is significant that the last words of the Bible are remarkably similar to the first.

And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond‑servants shall serve Him; and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their fore­heads. And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not ­have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:1‑5).

The truth that God is the Creator of heaven and earth is not merely something to believe, but something to which we must respond. Let me mention just a few implications and applications of the teaching of Genesis 1.

(1) Men should submit to the God of creation in fear and obedience. The heavens proclaim the glory of God:

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge (Psalm 19:1‑2).

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:20‑21).

Men should fear the all powerful God of creation:

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast (Psalm 33:6‑9).

The greatness of God is evident in the work of His hands—the creation which is all about us. Men should fear and reverence Him for Who He is.

Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty, covering Thyself with light as with a cloak, stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; He makes the winds His messengers, flaming fire His ministers. He established the earth upon its foundations, so that it will not totter forever and ever. Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters were standing above the mountains. At Thy rebuke they fled; at the sound of Thy thunder they hurried away. The mountains rose; the valleys sank down to the place which Thou didst establish for them. Thou didst set a boundary that they may not pass over; that they may not return to cover the earth ( Psalm 104:1‑9).

(2) Men should trust in the God of creation, to provide their every need.

Then after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tenth of all. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share (Genesis 14:17‑24).

Abram offered tithes to Melchizedek on the basis of his profession that Abram’s God was “God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth” (verse 19,20). And yet while Abram gave a tithe to Melchizedek, he refused to benefit in any monetary way from the pagan king of Sodom, for he wanted this man to know that “God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth” was the One Who made him prosper.

We sing, “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills … I know that He will care for me.” That is good theology. The God Who is our Creator, is also our Sustainer. You see God did not wind up the universe and then leave it to itself, as some seem to say. God maintains a continual care over His creation.

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man, so that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine which makes man’s heart glad, so that he may make his face glisten with oil, and food which sustains man’s heart. The trees of the Lord drink their fill. The cedars of Lebanon which He planted, where the birds build their nests, and the stork, whose home is the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers. He made the moon for the seasons, the sun knows the place of its setting. Thou dost appoint darkness and it becomes night, in which all the beasts of the forest prowl about. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God. When the sun rises they withdraw, and lie down in their dens, man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening (Psalm 104:14‑23).

The New Testament goes an additional step by informing us that the Son of God was the Creator, and continues to serve as the Sustainer of the creation, holding all things together:

For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16‑17).

(3) Men should be humbled by the wisdom of God as evidenced in creation. Job had endured much affliction. But finally, enough was enough. He began to question the wisdom of God in his adversity. To his questioning God responded,

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth! Tell Me, if you have understanding, who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:1‑7).

Job was challenged to fathom the wisdom of God in creation. He could not explain or comprehend it, let alone challenge it. How, then, could Job possibly question the wisdom of God’s working in his life. True, he could not see the purpose in it all, but his perspective was not God’s. Let any who would question God’s dealing in our lives contemplate God’s infinite wisdom as seen in creation, and then be silent and wait upon Him to do what is right.

If man should choose to ponder any question, let him attempt to fathom why an infinite God would so concern Himself with mere man:

When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the Stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? and the son of man, that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, and dost crown him with glory and majesty! (Psalm 8:3‑5).

(4) Man should find comfort in times of distress and difficulty, knowing that His creator is able and willing to deliver him.

Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (I Peter 4:19).

Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and the justice due me escapes the notice of my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He in­creases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40:27‑31).

Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk in it, ‘I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, and I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations’ (Isaiah 42:5‑6).

I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. The One forming light and creating darkness, causing well‑being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these (Isaiah 45:5‑7).

(5) Man should respond to the God of creation with the praise that is due Him:

Let the glory of the Lord endure forever; let the Lord be glad in His works; He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall be glad in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104:31‑35).

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away (Psalm 148:1-6).

Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6).

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth, Who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens! (Psalm 8:1).

Conclusion

My friend, the teaching of Genesis one is a great and mighty truth. It is one that demands more than assent; it necessitates action. And yet, great as it is, it has been paled by the coming of Jesus Christ. Just as God proclaimed, let there be light, so God has once and for all spoken in these last days (Heb 1:1‑2) in His Son, Who is the light:

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (II Corinthians 4:6).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness; and the dark­ness did not comprehend it (John 1:1‑5).

There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:9‑13).

While God revealed Himself faintly in creation, He has disclosed Himself fully in His Son:

No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him (John 1:18).

We cannot avoid the biblical revelation that the God Who created heaven and earth, the God Who redeemed the Israelites from Egypt, is the God‑man of Galilee, Jesus Christ. Just as He fashioned the first creation (Col 1:16), so He has now come to accomplish a new creation, through His work on the cross of Calvary:

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (II Corinthians 5:17).

Beyond this there will soon come a day when the heavens and the earth will be purged of the effects of sin and there will be a new heaven and a new earth:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells (II Peter 3:10‑13).

Are you ready for that day, my friend? Have you become a new creation in Christ? Genesis one reveals how God has taken chaos and fashioned it into cosmos—order and beauty. If you have never come to Christ, I can say with total confidence that your life is formless and empty; it is chaotic and lifeless. The same One Who turned chaos into cosmos can make your life anew.

[1] “Pot Proof,” Christianity Today, September 22, 1978, p. 43.

[2] “Evangelicalisms Six Flaws,” Eternity, January, 1980, p. 54. This article by the Staff of Eternity magazine is a summary of an article by Robert E. Webber, published in the October issue of New Oxford Review.

[3] Dr. Bruce Waltke briefly describes this threefold attack:

First, there came the challenge of the scientific community. In the wake of Charles Darwin’s revolutionary hypothesis of evolution to explain the origin of species, the majority of the scientific com­munity fell in with Darwin’s hypothesis against the Bible. They believed that they could validate Darwin’s theory by empirical data, but they thought that they could not do the same for the Bible.

The second challenge came from the comparative religionists who sought to discredit the biblical story by noting the numerous points of similarity between it and ancient mythological creation accounts from various parts of the near East being studied at that time. . . . According to his (Gunkel’s) view, the Hebrew version of creation was just another Near Eastern folk tale but in the process of time the transmitters of the story improved it by their creative and superior philosophical and theological insights.

The third challenge came from literary criticism. The case was stated most persuasively by Julius Wellhausen in his most influential classic, still available in paperback on book stands, entitled, Pro Legomena to the Old Testament. Here he argued that there were at least two distinct accounts of creation in Genesis l and 2 and that these two accounts contradicted each other at various points. Bruce Waltke, Creation and Chaos (Portland, Oregon: Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1974), pp. 1‑2.

[4] Benjamin B. Warfield, Selected Shorter Writings of Benjamin B. Warfield, Vol. I, edited by John E. Meeker (Nutley, N.J. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1970), p. 108.

[5] I must stress here that we should take seriously Peter’s instruction, “ . . . always being ready to make a defense to every one who asks you to give on account for the hope that is in you . . . ” (I Peter 3:15). Even here, in what might be called an exhortation for apologetic readiness, the message most needed by the unbeliever is the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ. My experience is that few are saved by the use of the Genesis account of creation as an apologetic. For those who are seriously consider­ing the claims of Christ, but fear the Bible to be untrustworthy, such effort may well be worthwhile.

[6] “First we can say, that the Book of Genesis does not inform us concerning the origin of that which is contrary to the nature of God, neither in the cosmos nor in the world of the spirit. Where does the opposite of Him that is good and bright originate? When we delve into the problem of the origin of evil in the moral realm, we come upon a great mystery. Suddenly, without explanation, in Genesis 3 an utterly evil brilliant, intelligent personality appears in the Garden of Eden masquerading as a serpent. The principle of origins, so strong in our minds, demands on explana­tion. But the truth is that the Book mocks us. Likewise, when we come to that which is negative in the cosmos, something devoid of form and dark, the Bible provides us with no information. Here are some of the secret things that belong to God” (Waltke, Creation and Chaos, p. 52). While I do not prefer Dr. Waltke’s choice of words (“the Book mocks us”), I do agree with his position that Genesis does not tell us all we might desire to learn.

[7] Wakeman, as quoted by Waltke, Creation and Chaos , p. 6.

[8] Waltke demonstrates the similarities between the biblical cosmogony with the creation myths of the ancient near east:

First, by a comparison of Psalm 74:13,14 with the Ugaritic Text 67:I: 1‑3 (Waltke, p. 12).

Psalm 74:13‑14: “Thou hast broken the sea with Thy might, even smashed the heads of the monster of the waters, Thou hast crushed the heads of Leviathan, even given him as food for the people. . . .”

Text 67: I . 1‑3, 27‑30: “When thou smitest Lotan (Leviathan) the evil dragon, even destroyest the crooked dragon, the mighty one of the seven heads. . . .”

Second, by a comparison of Isaiah 27:1 with the Ugaritic Text ‘nt:III: 38‑39 (Waltke, p. 13):

Isaiah 27:1: “On that day God will visit, with his sword (that is) mighty and great and powerful, Leviathan the evil serpent, even Leviathan the crooked serpent, and slay the monster that is in the sea.”

Text ‘ni:III: 38‑39: “The crooked dragon, the mighty one of the seven heads.”

[9] Cf. Waltke, Creation and Chaos, pp. 33,35. Actually, this similarity in form between the biblical text of the Pentateuch and the ancient Near Eastern texts has proven to be a blessing to those who hold to a unified (Mosaic) authorship:

“Kitchen compared the Pentateuch with ancient Near Eastern texts and discovered that the same features used by the critics as a divining rod to divide up the Pentateuch were present in these texts, written on rock with no pre‑history.” Waltke, pp. 41‑42.

[10] Ibid, p. 45.

[11] “The most common explanation of those scholars who regard the world as a closed system without divine intervention is that Israel borrowed these mythologies, demythologized them, purged them of their gross and base polytheism, and gradually adapted them to their own developing and higher theology.” Ibid., p. 46.

[12] Merrill F. Unger, Archaeology and the Old Testament, p. 37, quoted by Waltke, p. 46.

[13] “In Canaan at the time of the Conquest, each city had its own temple dedicated to some force of nature. The name Jericho derives from the Hebrew word, yerah, which means “moon” for its inhabitants worshipped the moon, the god “Yerach.” Likewise, on the other side of the central ridge of Palestine, we find the city of Beth Shemesh, which means “Temple of the Sun” for Shamash, the sun god, was worshipped there.” Waltke, p. 47.

[14] Sarna, Understanding Genesis, p. 7, as quoted by Waltke, p. 47.

[15] “The knowledge extant concerning the practical everyday wor­ship of the Egyp. pantheon is meager, and for all intents and purposes little or nothing is known about their metaphysical assumptions from the documented sources. It is obvious, however, that the twenty‑two Egyp. provinces each had their respective religious center and totemic animal or plant. It is precisely the attributes of these deities that are involved in the plagues, but whether each of the plagues was thought to be the special domain of one or another of the Egyp. gods cannot be stated with certainty.” W. White, Jr. “The Plagues of Egypt,” The Zondervan Pic­torial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975, 1976), IV, p. 806.

[16] Cf. Waltke, pp. 21‑25.

[17] For example, E. J. Young, In the Beginning (Carlisle; Pennsylvania: Banner of Truth Trust, 1976), pp. 20ff.

[18] “But what shall we say about the uncreated or unformed state, the darkness and the deep of Genesis 1:2? Here we enter a great mystery for the Bible never says that God brought these into existence by His Word. What can we say about them?” Bruce Waltke, p. 52.

[19] Adapted from Waltke, p. 18.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The Sound of Music, includes this song which Maria teaches the Von Trapp children. “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read you begin with A-B-C, when you sing you begin with do-re-me.”

Genesis is called the Book of Beginnings. It sets forth the beginnings of the world, of life, of domestic relationships, of institutions, of the moral order, of sin and its consequences, God’s plan of redemption, of nations, and God’s choosing of His people, Israel. Genesis spans a greater range of time than any other book in the Bible. It extends from the beginning of the world to the death on Joseph in Egypt.

This morning we will discover the implications of the very first sentence of the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The insights that are gained from this first verse will help us to understand three things: First, there is a beginning to all things. Second, God is the creator of all things and third, the answer to the questions: Who is God?

We Are Told There Is A Beginning to All Things. Scientific views are changing.

Most views of the beginning are what is called a postulate. A postulate assumes the truth or reality of something with no proof: something assumed without proof as being self evident or generally accepted, especially when used as the basis for an argument. For example, at the end of the 1800’s and the beginning of the 1900’s, the universe was conceived of as static. That is it was considered to have always existed in its present form. The laws of physics had never been any different than they were. Even though the universe was seen as intricate, amazing, and huge, it would yield its secrets to scientific endeavor. All that was needed they postulated was the development of more instruments and more powerful instruments. It would be then that things would be seen more clearly and mankind would gain mastery over the universe. But as more evidence has been discovered, the postulation of a static universe lost favor and was replaced by an opposite thought.

This is the postulate that the universe is not eternal. It was replaced by what is called the big bang theory. In this postulation, the universe began somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 billion years ago. According to this theory, all matter was contained in a compacted mass that suddenly exploded sending forth everything that is in our universe.

But problems are arising with the “big-bang” theory of beginnings. Eighteen billion years may seem like a long time, but, we just have to “remember, the government can spend that much money without even trying.”

In fact, 18 billion years is actually a fairly short amount of time for all the intricacy, balance, extraordinary diversity, and interwoven complexity of the cosmos that exists to have come into being. In other words, it’s actually a big problem that all of this could have come into being in only eighteen billion years. Further, if it’s eighteen billion years old, then there was a time eighteen billion and one years ago when it didn’t exist. It is a huge intellectual problem that no unbeliever has a solution for to say that the universe had a beginning.

The truth is the cosmos is not lying there waiting for us to investigate it, gather up its secrets, and control it.

The cosmos is humbling any man or woman who would dare to study it. It is posing tougher questions than we’ll ever be able to answer. It is reducing, not promoting, the arrogance of the scientists who attempt to see it as it is.

Certainly the cosmos may not lead to any kind of personal faith in God, because that’s the work of the Spirit. But believers who say, “I know the One who existed before the universe began,” cannot be called fools for using that language, because there indeed was a “before the universe began.” No serious seeker of truth thinks that’s a nonsense statement anymore. We don’t have to retreat from the language of Biblical cosmology, hide our faith, or be embarrassed about it.

If a person does not accept the fact of creation and clings to the idea of some great cosmic accident, then:

Life has no purpose or meaning. We are here as the result of the accidental meeting of molecules which evolved, and we are the result of countless years of evolutionary process. We merely developed from lower forms of life. There was no cause or purpose to it, it just happened.

If this is true then, even though we may possess higher intelligence than other forms of life, we are still mere animals. We have no more rights or privileges than a kangaroo. Life is simply biology and we are merely protoplasm. There is no God and there is no plan. There is therefore no one to whom we are accountable and no universal, transcendent moral code. We are alone in the cosmos. Morality becomes whatever the society at large decides it will be, and what you do in private is no one else’s business.

If we need to worship something let us worship Gaia [Mother Earth], or the physical universe from which we came. This was the suggestion of Carl Sagan the writer and producer of the popular PBS series on the history of the cosmos. Some are even worshiping themselves as God – getting in touch with their divinity. As Bill Hybels said, If the cosmos began 18 billion years ago with “a big-bang, who pulled the trigger?”

The first verse of Genesis 1 tells us there was a beginning. Second….

We Are Told God Is The Creator of All Things.

The first verse of the Bible declares that God is the creator of the universe.

Carl Sagan and anyone else is wrong when they say the universe is all there is, has ever been, or ever will be. It is God, not energy, not matter, but the Creator God, who is eternal. It is God who formed all that there is. It is God who keeps the cosmos in working order until He chooses to change things.

Evolution attempts to substitute God in the process of beginnings. There are too many unanswered questions with evolution. Now I’m not getting into a lecture on evolution, but there are many questions that the theory of evolution raises but does not answer.

In April of 2000, eminent scientists and philosophers from Europe and the United States, met for a conference on what is called “intelligent design.” While there was not universal agreement, just having the conference indicates the rising status of intelligent design as a serious scientific concept. Intelligent design is a theory based on observation that the world looks very much as if it was designed by an intelligent cause.

On the other hand, Oxford biologist Richard Dawkins describes these observations as illusions that only appear to have intelligent design. As far as Dawkins is concerned every organism and every system is a product of random genetic mutations and natural selection – the survival of the fittest. There is a tenaious hold on the theory of evolution, because, without it, there would have to be an admission of the existence of an intelligent cause – God.

But “the fossil record has never been consistent with Darwinian evolution,” says Dr. Phillip Johnson, professor emeritus of law at the University of California at Berkley. He goes on to say, “the claim that natural selection can create new organs, limbs or body plans is unsupported by experimental evidence.” Here is part of an article from the July/August issue of Moody Monthly:

Advances in molecular and cell biology…are becoming difficult to ignore. The more we tinker with the machinery of cells, the harder it is to believe that the blind processes of random mutation and natural selection could have created it.

Take … [for example, the flagellum] that bacteria … use to swim through their environments. [It] has [in terms of machinery] a reversible engine (complete with rotors, stators and bearing), a drive shaft, U-joint and long whip-like propeller. And it can make up to 100,000 revolutions per minute.

The flagellum’s complexity is enormous. According to Scott Minnich of the University of Idaho, about 50 genes are needed to create a working flagellum. Each gene is as complex as a sentence with hundreds of letters….

“Mutations in any single gene knock out function or in lesser cases diminish function,” Minnich says. “To swim you have to have the full complement of genes…no intermediate steps.”

Such a system defies Darwinian explanations. And as more like it are found, the problems for Darwinism will only get worse. (Moody Monthly, July/August 2001, p. 43)

The very beginning finds God pre-existent, calling into being all that is.

The first verse of the Bible simply presents us with God. There is no attempt to explain God. The rest of the Bible is an expansion on the theme of who God is, what He is like, and what He is doing. God has no beginning — He is eternal; He is without beginning and without ending.

The earliest Christian thinkers placed much emphasis on the importance of creation. In their minds, if you get it wrong here you get it all wrong.

Irenaeus, one of the early Church Fathers wrote: “We hold, however, the rule of truth, according to which there is one almighty God, who formed all things through His Word, and fashioned and made all things which exist out of that which did not exist.”

The Christian faith holds that God created all that exists ex nihilo, that is, “out of nothing.”

The story goes that one day a group of scientists had a meeting and decided that humans had come so far that they no longer needed God. After reaching their decision they appointed one of their number to go and explain to God that his services were no longer required. He said, “God, we’ve concluded that we no longer need you, because we are to the point that we can conceive life in a test tube and even clone people. We are so technologically advanced that we can do many things that at one time would have been thought of as miraculous. So we are now inviting you to leave the world in our hands.”

God listened very patiently and quietly until the man was finished. With great kindness in his voice, he said, “Very well then, but first, why don’t we have a man-making contest.” This sounded like a marvelous idea to the deluded scientist, and he agreed to the challenge. But God said, “Now, you understand that we are going to have to do this just like I did back in the garden with Adam.” The self-assured man said, “That will be no problem,” and he bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt, realizing that he held in his hand all the building blocks of life. But God looked at him and said, “You don’t understand. You have to get your own dirt.”

God did not start with something, he started with nothing – nothing except himself. He spoke the universes into existence.

The Bible declares, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:6-9).

The first verse of Genesis 1 tells us there was a beginning. Second, it tells us God Is The Creator of All Things. One last thought…

We Are Told About Who God Is.

There is an account of how things came into being, but the focus on Genesis 1 is not how God created, but rather upon the awesome God who is the Creator of all that exists.

If you read Genesis 1 and leave wondering how or when God did what He did in creation, then you have missed God’s message in this chapter. The main purpose of this text is to teach us about who God is. Let’s keep this thought in mind this morning: God is great!

He is so great that He can create the entire universe. By simply speaking a word, God produces life. Six times in this chapter God says, “Let there be…” and the explicit result is always “It was so.”

Certainly we can be fascinated by the wonder of God’s creation, but it is more important to be fascinated by the One who made it. Every bit of the cosmos is telling us something about God. When we see distant universe through the Hubble telescope, it is fascinating, but something greater is being said about the One who created all of that – and more that we can’t see! When we consider the structure of DNA, or hear a two-year-old learning to talk, or experience a thunderstorm, how can we be more fascinated by that than we are by the One who prior to the existence of those things was fascination Himself?

Angels live in the presence of God and will forever, with nothing else to do but adore him. And he will never become boring or cease to be worthy of adoration. It will never strike those angels as a waste of time to forever adore him. And we have that opportunity as well.

The creation ought to be less fascinating than the Creator.

All it does is speak of him, and there is more than even the creation can tell. A sculptor can take stone and turn it into a statue, but God took nothing and turned it into a universe. The Bible tells us that because God is the Creator, it is He, and not anyone or anything else who is to be worshiped.

Conclusion

There are those who attempt to exclude God by excluding any idea of intelligent design for all there is. There has been a substitute of godless evolution, but more recently the question is being asked, “Where is God?” in all of the order of the universe.

Ray Stedman has said: God is absolutely necessary for the completeness of life. Without God you cannot understand the world around you. You can’t understand yourself or your neighbor or God himself. You will never have any answers without God, but if you have fallen away or excluded God and found misery and heartache and darkness and futility and emptiness and boredom — all the things that are a result of man attempting to live without him, Genesis declares that if you return on the principle of faith in God you will find help, spiritual health, and happiness, in every realm of life.

Genesis 1

We will confine ourselves to some major truths found in this important passage.

1. The Creator

No scientist or historian can improve upon, “In the beginning God . . .” This simple statement refutes the atheist, who says there is no God; the agnostic, who claims we cannot know God; the polytheist who worships many gods; the pantheist, who says that “all nature is God”; the materialist, who claims that matter is eternal and not created; and the fatalist, who teaches that there is no divine plan behind creation and history. God’s personality is seen in this chapter, for He speaks, sees, names, and blesses. The scientist may claim that matter just “came into being,” that life “happened,” and that all complex forms of life “gradually evolved” from lower forms, but he cannot prove his claim. That there are changes within species (such as the development of the horse or the house cat) we admit, but that there are changes from one kind of creature into another, we will not accept. Why did God create the universe? Certainly not to add anything to Himself, since He needs nothing. Actually, creation limits God, since the Eternal must now confine Himself to work in time and human history. The Word makes it clear that Christ is the Author, Sustainer, and Goal of creation (Col. 1:15-17; Rev. 4:11). Christ, the Living Word, reveals God in the written Word and in the book of nature (John 1:1-5; also see Ps. 19).

What does creation reveal about God? Creation reveals: (1) His wisdom and power (Job 28:23-27; Prov. 3:19); (2) His glory (Ps. 19:1); (3) His power and Godhead (Rom. 1:18-21); (4) His love for insignificant man (Ps. 8:3-9); (5) His providential care (Isa. 40:12ff). Our Lord, when on earth, saw the gracious hand of the Father even in the flowers and fowl (Matt. 6:25ff).

The Hebrew name for God in Gen. 1 is Elohim—the name of God that links Him with creation. The basic root of the name is El which means “mighty, strong, prominent.” In 2:4 we have “LORD God” which is Jehovah Elohim. Jehovah is the covenant name of God and links Him to His people. This is the name He gave when He spoke to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14-15, NKJV). It means that He is the self-existing, unchanging God.

 

1. The Creation

The existence of the angels and the fall of Satan antedated the Creation, for the angels (“sons of God”) sang at Creation (Job 38:7). Lucifer was the highest of God’s created beings in this original Creation (see Ezek. 28:11-19) and wanted to take the place of God (Isa. 14:12-17). We find Satan already on the scene in Gen. 3, so that his fall must have taken place earlier.

The earth was formless, so on the first three days, God formed what He wanted. The earth was empty, so God filled up what He had formed. He made the expanse of the heavens (“firmament”) and filled it with stars and planets. He made the land and filled it with plants and animals. He made the seas and filled them with fish and water mammals. God brought light into being before He placed the lights into the heavens. Note the principle of separation illustrated in Creation; for God divided light from darkness and seas from land (see 2 Cor. 6:14-18). Note too that each living thing was to reproduce “after its kind”; there is no suggestion here of gradual evolution. We may breed different kinds of cattle, but we cannot breed a cow into a reindeer!

 

1. Creation (Genesis 1-3)
2. The Creation of the Universe (Genesis 1:1-2)

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This great introductory sentence of the Bible assumes the existence of God. It assumes His eternity; for He was before all things. This creating is the omnipotent act of giving existence to things which before had no existence. This sentence denies atheism, for it assumes the being of God. It assumes the existence of God apart from all things and before all things. It denies polytheism in all its various forms including the doctrine of two eternal principles, the one good and the other evil; for it acknowledges the one eternal God. It denies materialism, for it asserts the creation of matter. It denies pantheism for it assumes the existence of God before all things and apart from all things. It denies fatalism, for it involves the freedom of the Eternal Being.

In search of the origin of the human race and of the world we inhabit, we wander until we meet this declaration, “In the beginning, God.” We can explore the field of philosophy as well as the areas of geology and with weary minds come to the same, “In the beginning, God.”

At the beginning of Scripture there is no argument as to the existence of God, any more than a human author begins his book by proving he actually lives. There is a God—a living God, a personal God, a present God. The writer to the Hebrews affirms that this doctrine God the Creator is accepted by faith upon the credit of God’s own testimony. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3).

Reason as well as faith demands that we devoutly confess that God is all in all, in Him by whom they were formed, all things consist, and in Him all live and move and have their being. God is the author and giver of life.

1. The State of Creation (Genesis 1:2)

The creation in Genesis 1:2 is described as formless, empty and dark. Two views are generally taught from the context of the first two verses of the Bible. The first theory is referred to as the “reconstruction” or “gap” theory; the second theory is referred to as the “progressive creation” viewpoint.

1. Reconstruction or Gap Theory

Those who hold to this theory suggest the condition in Genesis 1:2 is the result of a cataclysmic judgment involving the fall of the angels; that there was a primeval creation, complete in itself, which by some catastrophe had become desolate and dark. Therefore, the six creative days in the following verses of Chapter 1 of Genesis would be restitution or new creation of the earth which had become desolate. The Genesis narrative does not decide this point, since it does not state why the earth was “without form and void” or by what process it had become such.

2. Progressive Theory

This theory regards the first two verses of Genesis as that of the original creation in its crude and chaotic state as from nothing, while the remaining part of the chapter is an elaboration and distribution of the matter thus created. This creation of things from nothing speaks of an infinite power and divine wisdom. In Genesis 1:1-2, an introductory statement of fact, we have three propositions:

1. Originally God created the heaven and the earth.
2. At a certain time formlessness and darkness prevailed.
3. The Spirit of God or Divine Spirit brought about this chaotic state.

In this manner the way is prepared for the six days’ work. The length of time that may have elapsed between the events recorded in the first verse of Genesis 1 and the condition of our globe when God began to prepare it for the abode of man is absolutely indefinite. How long it was we do not know and ample space is given to all the requisitions of geology. The first day’s work of creation does not begin until the third verse of Genesis 1.

With these two theories in mind, let us remember that there are scholars of equal standing who accept the authority of the Bible, but who differ in their opinions about creation, and we need to be cautious and humble before God in forming our own conclusions. God’s word to Job applies also to us and to all, however brilliant in their research: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4-7). Yet it is also true that “the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)

1. The Moving of the Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2)

Science cannot tell how the change from the chaotic, the desolate and the empty was accomplished. The Scriptures tell us it was by the action of the Spirit of God. We are taught throughout the Old Testament that the Spirit of God is the quickening principle of the world and that all life is an outgoing from God. The word “moved” or “moving” denotes motion, from which light, heat and electricity come. The word conveys the idea of brooding over, cherishing, the act of incubation and the particular development of powers inherent in matter. The creative movement was made by the will of God. The action was not in but upon the face of the waters. “As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings,” (Deuteronomy 32:11).

The drama of creation opens with chaos, and the Holy Spirit brooded over the waters; then chaos became cosmos, order. The Spirit garnished the heavens. All the beauty of the world, physical as well as spiritual, is from the Holy Spirit. He gives wisdom, inspires prophets, works regeneration and sanctification and kindles love to God. This is not speculation. This is what God reveals in His Word.

1. Application

Let us think of the story of creation as a likeness to God’s creative work in us spiritually. God created us in His image and for His glory. Outside of God our life is without purpose, it is empty, it is lonely and it is waste. God’s Holy Spirit begins the work in our hearts; the LIGHT comes in our giving ourselves to Christ and we are no longer in darkness. In Christ we are new creatures, our talents and time become more meaningful as God begins to do a work in and through our lives. Then we begin to produce foliage and fruit for His glory.

1. Seven Days (Genesis 1:3 – 2:3)

The Bible is able to hold its own in any kind of controversy with human wisdom in any form, and in no part of the Bible is this more true than the first chapter of Genesis. One of our first considerations will be to discuss one of the most perplexing questions raised about this chapter—the time element. One question we are sure to meet in such a study is, “Are the days of Genesis literal days of 24 hours each or are they periods of time?”

The word “day” is one of the mysteries of Scripture. The word used in the Hebrew was “yom.” This appears in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament 1,480 times and translated into our English Bible by 54 different meanings but all associated in character. Let us list a few of the possible meanings as having to do with the span of time.

1,181 times as “day”

67 times as “time”

30 times as “today”

18 times as “forever”

10 times as “continually”

6 times as “age”

4 times as “perpetually”

We cannot take any one meaning and be dogmatic as to exactly how it can be translated. We must be governed by the context of Scripture. The word “day,” even in our English language has many meanings:

1. It may be a solar day (24 hours).
2. It may be a figure of speech covering considerable time.
3. It may be a collective word covering a definite number of years.

Let us see what we can determine concerning the time element in the first chapter of Genesis. Let us examine some of the usages in Scripture.

1. Solar Day (as we understand it)

Ninety million miles from this planet is the sun. It takes approximately 24 hours for the planet to make one complete revolution:

12 hours of light

12 hours of darkness

In Scripture this 24 hour period of time is frequently expressed in the word “yom” or day. “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.” (Genesis 7:12 and Genesis 8:4). Because the day of the month is being used, there can be no question that this means also a solar day. There are hundreds of verses in the Old Testament used in this solar day sense.

1. Period of Time
2. The day of Jehovah – “And Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11). We discover that the word “yom” is sometimes used as a figure of speech or in a figurative sense a time period being intended.
3. In other instances the word “day” means time itself. “And in the process of time it came to pass… ” (Genesis 4:3). “And it came to pass when he had been there a long time,” (Genesis 26:8). Also read Numbers 20:15.
4. “Yom” (day) is also used to denote a comprehensive or inclusive period. In the first chapter of Genesis the story of creation is given in seven “yoms” or days or time periods. Genesis 2:4 presents another meaning of the word “day”: “This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ”
5. Conclusion: While we may conclude that the days of Genesis do not demand a solar day meaning, we must not lose sight of the fact that these days of creation may very well have been solar days. There are many arguments, and sound ones, which incline many to believe that this is the meaning of the text.
6. Reasons for Believing in Solar Days
7. The first day divided into periods of darkness and light exactly as a day is.
8. Method of recording time used in the day of Moses and the time of Christ.
9. Two equal lengths of time and two periods collectively called a day.
10. The third day of creation the world of botany was born. This day is divided as are the other five, light and darkness making one day.
11. In Exodus 20:8-10, we have the account of establishing the seventh day as a day of rest, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. ”
12. The appearance of man was not until the last day of this week of God’s work of creation.

Let us remember that we are dealing in this record with the limitless power of an omnipotent God. He spoke and the thing commanded was accomplished. Do you believe there could have been an instant response to the command, “Let there be light?”

There is no reason to demand an extension of time period in the days of creation in Genesis except it be to conform with demands of the theory of evolution. This theory needs unlimited ages for the unfolding and the gradual development of the creation and calls for millions of years for each small change in the vast chain of evolving creatures. Let us keep in mind the unlimited power and ability of our God, whose only limitation is His own sovereign will and desire.

“And God Said.” This gives the key words to the narrative, ten times repeated. To say is both to think and to will. In this speaking of God there is both the legislative power of his intelligence and the executive power of His will. Everything came into being at God’s Word. “For He spoke, and it was done;… ” (Psalm 33:9).

We must never limit God. Again, we need to be humble and cautious before God in forming our own conclusions. See 2 Peter 3:8. Whatever our beliefs or conclusion as to how God created or the time frame for the creation, it is an issue which must not be allowed to cause strife within the Christian community. Satan would like nothing better. The only irrefutable conclusion which must be drawn from the story of creation is that God is infinite, without beginning or end, and by Him were all things made; by His power and authority and for His purpose.

III. Days of Creation

Two Divisions of the Work of the Six Creative Days:

Work of Divisions

1st day – light

2nd day – air and sea

3rd day – land and plants

Work of Quickening and Adorning

4th day – sun, moon and stars

5th day – birds and fish

6th day – animals and man

1. First Day: Light (Genesis 1:3-5)

The light dispelled the darkness which enshrouded the deep. Without light the world could not exist. It is interesting to note some of the other sources of light apart from the sun itself:

Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)

phosphorus

lightening bug – mysterious insect

cosmic light – radioactive glow

In the New Testament in the gospel of John are these words: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:4-5) Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” If we belong to Christ we are the light container and are of value to God and our fellowmen. (See 2 Corinthians 4:6).

1. Second Day: Air and Sea (Genesis 1:6-8)

(The term “firmament” may be understood as “expanse.”)

1. Third Day: Land and Plants (Genesis 1:9-13)

The water was confined and dry land appeared; then God infused it with plant life. The plants now created are divided into three classes: grass, herb and tree. In the first, the seed is not noticed as obvious to the eye; in the second the seed is the striking characteristic; in the third the fruit, “in which is its seed,” the seed is enclosed. In the first the green leaf or blade is prominent, in the second the stalk, in the third the woody texture. In the first, the seed is not conspicuous; in the second, it is conspicuous; in the third it is enclosed in a fruit which is conspicuous. It appears from the text that the full plants, and not the seeds, germs or roots, were created.

1. Fourth Day: Sun, Moon and Stars (Genesis 1:14-19)

We note from our text that stress is laid on their ruling as well as lighting the day and night. God said, “Let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years.” They were designed, as they have been used ever since to mark out the periods of human life; to inculcate, that is to impress through repetition, the great lesson that “to everything there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

1. Fifth Day: Birds and Fish (Genesis 1:20-23)

The word “bara” or “create” is used for the second time—Genesis 1:1 and now in Genesis 1:21. On the first day a new admission of light into darkened region is expressed by the word “be.” On the second day a new disposition of the air and the water is described by the verb “be” and “make.” These indicate a modification of that which already existed. On the third day no verb is applied directly to the act of Divine Power. The natural changes following are implicit. In the fourth day the words “be,” “make” and “give” occur, where the event is the manifestation of the heavenly bodies and their adaptation to the use of man. In these cases it is evident that the word “create” or “bara” would have been improperly or only indirectly applicable to the action of the Eternal Being. Here it is used rightly, as the animal world is something new and a distinct being is summoned into existence.

1. Sixth Day: Animals and Man (Genesis 1:24-31)

God made the beasts of the earth and all living creatures “after his kind” and in Genesis 1:26-27, God crowned all of His creation with man, for whom He had fully prepared the creation for his abode. Only where the true idea of God is known is the true idea of man and history understood.

Man’s creation differs from that of the animals in that he is made “in the image and likeness of God.” This points to the dignity of man. After God’s likeness, man is an intelligent being, endowed with a will and a moral nature and is to exercise dominion over the rest of creation. The subsequent entrance of sin blurred this likeness and rendered him impotent to fully carry out the purpose God intended for him. It is only through Jesus Christ, the second Adam, that God’s purposes are realized. Read Hebrews 2:5-9 with Psalm 8.

After reading six times that God saw what He had created “was good,” we read, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” This leaves us with no doubt as to the perfection of His creation as it came into being by His Word.

1. Seventh Day: The Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3)

The Sabbath marks the completion of God’s creative work. The six days of creation are followed by a day of rest. The word “sanctified” means set apart for God’s special use. When God blessed the seventh day and set it apart, He intended that man’s week should also be divided into six days of work and one of rest. Read Exodus 20:10-11, Leviticus 23:3 and Mark 2:27-28.

The seventh day is distinguished from all the preceding days by being itself the subject of the narrative. In the absence of any work on this day, God is occupied with the day itself and does four things in reference to this day:

First – He ceased work.

Second – He rested. This indicated that His undertaking was accomplished.

Third – He blessed the seventh day.

Fourth – He hallowed it or set it apart to a holy rest. To “bless” a day was to set it apart to be a blessing.

This sacred day is God’s day which man should devote to Him in some special or uncommon way, turning aside from the common occupations of life. The Sabbath was God’s first ordinance to man.

 

 

 

Above all powers, above all kings Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth There’s no way to measure what You’re worth

Crucified, laid behind a stone You lived to die, rejected and alone
Like a rose, trampled on the ground You took the fall and thought of me Above all — Michael W. Smith

In spite of its name “Genesis,” which means “beginning,” and in spite of its position as the first book in the Bible, the Book of Genesis isn’t the beginning of everything. Genesis 1:1 reminds us, “In the beginning God.” So, before we study the basics that are laid down in Genesis 1-11, let’s acquaint ourselves with what God did before what’s recorded in Genesis. After that, we’ll examine what He did that’s recorded in Genesis, and finally, what occurred after Genesis. This will give us the kind of broad overview we need to study the rest of God’s revelation in the Bible.

Before Genesis: Redemption Planned

What was happening before God spoke the universe into existence? That may seem like an impractical hypothetical question, like “How many angels can stand on the point of a pin?” but it isn’t. After all, God doesn’t act arbitrarily; and the fact that He created something suggests that He must have had some magnificent purposes in mind. What, then, was the situation before Genesis 1:1, and what does it teach us about God and ourselves?

God existed in sublime glory. God is eternal; He has neither beginning nor ending. Therefore, He is totally self-sufficient and needs nothing more than Himself in order to exist or to act.

A.W. Tozer: God has a voluntary relation to everything He has made, but He has no necessary relation to anything outside of Himself.”

God needs nothing, neither the material universe nor the human race, and yet He created both.

If you want something to boggle your mind, meditate on the concept of the eternal, that which has neither beginning nor ending. As creatures of time, you and I can easily focus on the transient things around us; but it’s difficult if not impossible to conceive of that which is eternal. Contemplating the nature and character of the Triune God who always was, always is, and always will be, and who never changes, is a task that overwhelms us. “In the beginning God.”

Moses wrote, “Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Ps. 90:2, niv).

Frederick Faber expressed it like this: “Timeless, spaceless, single, lonely, Yet sublimely Three, Thou art grandly, always, only God in unity!

“Process theology,” an old heresy in modern dress, affirms a “limited god” who is in the process of becoming a “greater” god. But if God is God, as we understand the word, then He is eternal and needs nothing; and He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere present. In order to have a “limited god,” you must first redefine the very word “God,” because by definition God cannot be limited.

Furthermore, if God is limited and “getting greater,” then what power is making Him greater? That power would be greater than “God” and therefore be God! And wouldn’t that give us two gods instead of one?

But the God of the Bible is eternal and had no beginning. He is infinite and knows no limitations in either time or space. He is perfect and cannot “improve,” and is immutable and cannot change.

The God that Abraham worshiped is the eternal God (Gen. 21:33), and Moses told the Israelites, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut. 33:27, niv). \

Habakkuk said that God was “from everlasting” (Hab. 1:12, and see 3:6), and Paul called Him “the everlasting [eternal] God” (Rom. 16:26; see 1 Tim. 1:17).

The divine Trinity was in loving communion. “In the beginning God” would be a startling statement to a citizen of Ur of the Chaldees where Abraham came from, because the Chaldeans and all their neighbors worshiped a galaxy of greater and lesser gods and goddesses. But the God of Genesis is the only true God and has no “rival gods” to contend with, such as you read about in the myths and fables from the ancient world. (See Ex. 15:1; 20:3; Deut. 6:4; 1 Kings 8:60; 2 Kings 19:15; Ps. 18:31.)

This one true God exists as three Persons: God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV)
¹⁶  And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; ¹⁷  and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
¹⁸  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 3:34-35 (ESV)
³⁴  For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵  The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.

John 14:15-17 (ESV)
¹⁵  “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷  even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Acts 2:32-33 (ESV)
³²  This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

Acts 2:38-39 (ESV)
³⁸  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Acts 10:36-38 (ESV)
³⁶  As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷  you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

1 Corinthians 12:1-6 (ESV)
¹  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. ²  You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. ³  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. ⁴  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV)
¹⁴  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Ephesians 1:3-14 (ESV)
³  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ⁷  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸  which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹  making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰  as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ¹²  so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. ¹³  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (ESV)
¹  I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴  There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (ESV)
¹³  But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. ¹⁴  To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:4-6 (ESV)
⁴  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵  he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

1 Peter 1:1-2 (ESV)
¹  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ²  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

This doesn’t mean that one God manifests Himself in three different forms, or that there are three gods; it means that one God exists in three Persons who are equal in their attributes and yet individual and distinct in their offices and ministries.

As the Nicene Creed of A.D. 325 states it, “We believe in one God—And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, light of light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father—And in the Holy Ghost.”

The doctrine of the Trinity wasn’t clearly revealed in the Old Testament, because the emphasis in the Old Testament is that the God of Israel is one God, uncreated and unique, the only true God. Worshiping the false gods of their neighbors was the great temptation and repeated sin of Israel, so Moses and the prophets hammered away on the unity and uniqueness of Israel’s God.

Even today, the faithful Jewish worshiper recites “The Shema” each day: “Hear [shema], O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut. 6:4-5, nkjv).

The God revealed in Scripture has no peers and no rivals.

But the Old Testament does give glimpses and hints of the wonderful truth of the Trinity, a truth that would later be clearly revealed in the New Testament by Christ and the apostles. The “let us” statements in Genesis (Gen. 1:26; 3:22; 11:7; see also Isa. 6:8) suggest that the Persons of the Godhead worked together in conference; and the many instances when “the angel of the Lord” appeared on the scene indicate the presence of the Son of God. (See Gen. 16:7-11; 21:17; 22:11, 15; 24:7; 40; 31:11; 32:24-30; Ex. 3:1-4 with Acts 7:30-34; 14:19; 23:11; 32:33-33:17; Josh. 5:13ff; Judges 2:1-5 and 6:11ff.)

Though the word “trinity” is nowhere used in the Bible, the doctrine is certainly there, hidden in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament. Does this profound and mysterious doctrine have any practical meaning for the believer today? Yes, because the three Persons of the Godhead are all involved in planning and executing the divine will for the universe, including the plan of salvation.

The divine Trinity planned redemption. The wonderful plan of redemption wasn’t a divine afterthought, for God’s people were chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4; Rev. 17:8) and given by the Father to the Son both to belong to His kingdom (Matt. 25:34) and to share His glory (John 17:2, 6, 9, 11-12, 24).

The sacrificial death of the Son wasn’t an accident, it was an appointment (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28); for He was “slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).

In the counsels of eternity, the Godhead determined to create a world that would include humans made in the image of God. The Father was involved in Creation (Gen. 1:1; 2 Kings 19:15; Acts 4:24), but so were the Son (John 1:1-3, 10; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2) and the Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:30). God didn’t create a world because He needed anything but that He might share His love with creatures who, unlike the angels, are made in the image of God and can respond willingly to His love.

The Godhead determined that the Son would come to earth and die for the sins of the world, and Jesus came to do the Father’s will (John 10:17-18; Heb. 10:7). The words Jesus spoke were from the Father (John 14:24), and the works He did were commissioned by the Father (5:17-21, 36; Acts 2:22) and empowered by the Spirit (10:38). The Son glorifies the Father (John 14:13; 17:1, 4) and the Spirit glorifies the Son (16:14). The Persons of the Holy Trinity work together to accomplish the divine will.

According to Ephesians 1:3-14, the plan of salvation is Trinitarian: we are chosen by the Father (vv. 3-6), purchased by the Son (vv. 7-12), and sealed by the Spirit (vv. 13-14), and all of this is to the praise of God’s glory (vv. 6, 12, 14).

The Father has given authority to the Son to give eternal life to those He has given to the Son (John 17:1-3). All of this was planned before there was ever a world!

When you seek to fathom the depths of the divine eternal counsels, you will be overwhelmed. But don’t be discouraged, for over the centuries, good and godly scholars have disagreed in their speculations and conclusions. “Try to explain these things and you may lose your mind; but try to explain them away, and you will lose your soul.”

Moses said it best: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29, nkjv).

The important thing is not knowing all that God knows but doing all God tells us to do. “For we know in part” (1 Cor. 13:9).

Genesis: Redemption Promised

When He wrote the Bible, God didn’t give us a ponderous theology book divided into sections labeled God, Creation, Man, Sin, and so forth. Instead, He gave us a story, a narrative that begins in eternity past and ends in eternity future. It’s a story about God and His dealings with all kinds of people and how they responded to His Word.

As we read these narratives, we learn a great deal about God, ourselves, and our world; and we discover that our own personal story is found somewhere in the pages of Scripture. If you read long enough and honestly enough, you will meet yourself in the Bible.

In our versions of the Bible, there are fifty chapters in Genesis; but the original Hebrew text isn’t divided. After describing the Creation (1:1-2:3), Moses listed eleven “generations” that comprise the Genesis narrative: the heavens and the earth (2:4-4:26); Adam (5:1-6:8); Noah (6:9-9:29); Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth (10:1-11:9), with an emphasis on Shem, father of the Semites (11:10-26); Terah, father of Abraham (11:27-25:11); Ishmael (25:12-18); Isaac (25:19-35:29); Esau (36:1-8), who is also Edom (36:9-37:1); and Jacob (37:2-50:26). These are the individuals presented in Genesis.

The first eleven chapters of Genesis deal with humanity in general and focus on four great events: Creation (1-2), the fall of man and its consequences (3-5), the Flood (6-9), and the rebellion at Babel (10-11).

The rest of Genesis focuses on Israel in particular (12-50) and recounts the lives of four great men: Abraham (12:1-25:18), Isaac (25:19-27:46), Jacob (28-36) and Joseph (37-50). We call these men the “patriarchs” because they were the founding fathers of the Hebrew nation.

As you study Genesis, keep in mind that Moses didn’t write a detailed history of each person or event. He recorded only those things that helped him achieve his purpose, which was to explain the origin of things, especially the origin of the Jewish nation.

Genesis 1-11 is a record of failure, but with the call of Abraham, God made a new beginning. Man’s sin had brought God’s curse (3:14, 17; 4:11), but God’s gracious covenant with Abraham brought blessing to the whole world (12:1-3).

You will also notice in the Genesis record that when man does his worst and reaches his lowest, God gives him a new beginning.

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said that the cycle in Genesis is “generation, degeneration and regeneration.”

• Cain killed Abel, but God gave Seth to continue the godly line.
• The earth became violent and wicked, so God wiped out humanity but chose Noah and his family to carry on His work.
• Out of pagan Ur of the Chaldees, God called Abraham and Sarah and gave them a son, Isaac; and the future of God’s plan of salvation rested with that son. Isaac and Rebekah had two sons, Esau and Jacob, but God rejected Esau and chose Jacob to build the twelve tribes of Israel and inherit the covenant blessings.

In other words, from beginning to end, Genesis is the story of God’s sovereign will and electing grace. This doesn’t suggest that the persons in the story were mere robots, because they made mistakes and even tried to thwart God’s plans.

But whenever people resisted God’s rule, He overruled and accomplished His divine purposes anyway. ‘The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Ps. 33:11, nkjv).

I want us to close this introduction of God in eternity with some of his statements to Job, which were intended to make certain that Job get a grasp of God in His greatness so as to quiet his constant, nagging need to answers he had about life and death:

Job 38:1-41 (ESV)
⁴  “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
⁵  Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?
⁶  On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,
⁷  when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
⁸  “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb,
⁹  when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band,
¹⁰  and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors,
¹¹  and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?
¹²  “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place,
¹³  that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?
¹⁴  It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment.
¹⁵  From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken.
¹⁶  “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?
¹⁷  Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
¹⁸  Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.
¹⁹  “Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness,
²⁰  that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?
²¹  You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
²²  “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
²³  which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?
²⁴  What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
²⁵  “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt,
²⁶  to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man,
²⁷  to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground sprout with grass?
²⁸  “Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew?
²⁹  From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?
³⁰  The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
³¹  “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?
³²  Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or can you guide the Bear with its children?
³³  Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?
³⁴  “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that a flood of waters may cover you?
³⁵  Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶  Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?
³⁷  Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,
³⁸  when the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast together?
³⁹  “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
⁴⁰  when they crouch in their dens or lie in wait in their thicket?
⁴¹  Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?

 

Job 39:1-30 (ESV)
¹  “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does?
²  Can you number the months that they fulfill, and do you know the time when they give birth,
³  when they crouch, bring forth their offspring, and are delivered of their young?
⁴  Their young ones become strong; they grow up in the open; they go out and do not return to them.
⁵  “Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
⁶  to whom I have given the arid plain for his home and the salt land for his dwelling place?
⁷  He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver.
⁸  He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
⁹  “Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will he spend the night at your manger?
¹⁰  Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes, or will he harrow the valleys after you?
¹¹  Will you depend on him because his strength is great, and will you leave to him your labor?
¹²  Do you have faith in him that he will return your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?
¹³  “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the pinions and plumage of love?
¹⁴  For she leaves her eggs to the earth and lets them be warmed on the ground,
¹⁵  forgetting that a foot may crush them and that the wild beast may trample them.
¹⁶  She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers; though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear,
¹⁷  because God has made her forget wisdom and given her no share in understanding.
¹⁸  When she rouses herself to flee, she laughs at the horse and his rider.
¹⁹  “Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
²⁰  Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying.
²¹  He paws in the valley and exults in his strength; he goes out to meet the weapons.
²²  He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
²³  Upon him rattle the quiver, the flashing spear, and the javelin.
²⁴  With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground; he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
²⁵  When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
²⁶  “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south?
²⁷  Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
²⁸  On the rock he dwells and makes his home, on the rocky crag and stronghold.
²⁹  From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away.
³⁰  His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he.”