And God Said - Day 1
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And God Said — Day 1
And God Said — Day 1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day,” and He called the darkness “night.” Evening came and then morning: the first day.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
This is the foundational verse. It’s the foundational verse of the entire Bible, of the OT, of Genesis — it’s the foundational verse of the creation account.
God created everything — including, and this is very important — Time. God created Time. It’s says, “In the beginning.”
In the beginning of what?
In the beginning of everything, before there was anything — there was absolutely nothing — except God. So it was God who was, and as He told Moses — I AM. So, only God, the eternal One. He created everything.
And you’ll remember Henry Spencer’s 5 Characteristics susceptible to scientific examination: Time, Force, Action, Space, and Matter.
“In the beginning” — That’s Time.
“God” — That’s Force.
“Created” — That’s Action.
“The heavens” — That’s Space.
“And the earth” — That’s Matter.
Like Space and Matter, Time is God’s creation. None of these are absolute or eternal. They each had a beginning. There will be a time when they will be uncreated.
10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
Since God created Time, wouldn’t it be best to believe Him as to what happened at the beginning of Time, when it was only God? So, considering the language of — six 24 hour days — Don’t you think God is able to communicate what He wants? if He wanted to communicate billions and billions of year, don’t you think He would have clearly stated it that way, rather than clearly stating Evening — Morning — Number — Day?
“Evening came and then morning: the first day.”
Let’s look at what God said He did on the First Day of Creation.
I. The Foundation
I. The Foundation
The beginning
The beginning
B’reshet “In the beginning” is written in such a way to clearly tell us about the beginning of all things. This is the beginning not only of space and matter, but also time. This is NOT — Once upon a time, as merely to tell a story or fable. This is clearly and unmistakably, Historical Account according to the only One there — God.
God
God
Elohim “God” this is the first occurrence of the the divine name. Elohim stresses His majesty and power. Throughout the creation account it is Elohim, 32 times in chapter one. In fact, it’s not until 2:4 that Yahweh is used.
This one statement — “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” soundly refutes all false philosophies.
Atheism — the universe was created by God.
Pantheism — God is transcendent to all His creation. He is beyond it and superior to it.
Polytheism — Elohim is in the singular — One God.
4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Materialism — Matter had a beginning. God is.
Dualism — It was God alone, none other.
6 so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but Me. I am Yahweh, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I, Yahweh, do all these things.
Isaiah 45:6
Humanism — God is the ultimate reality, NOT man.
Evolutionism — God created all things.
It truly is — God and no other.
Created
Created
Bara “created,” There is a uniqueness to God’s creating because of the absoluteness of it. Everywhere in Scripture, the creative action is past tense. God is not creating anything else.
Genesis 2:
1 So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed.
2 By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done.
The infinite, eternal, personal, triune God created, brought into existence that which was not prior to the moment of creation. That which is now everything, was in the beginning — nothing. Ex Nihilio, Latin meaning out of nothing.
How did He do it?
He spoke it into existence.
— “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light!”
God spoke into existence everything that wasn’t before, from the grains of the sands to far away galaxies, from bacterial microbes to enormous nebulae, form the single cell ameba to mankind. God made everything. He made every rank of angel. God made Lucifer. The Devil is God’s devil. Behind the universe and everything in it stands the Originator, the Creator — the living God who was and is and is to come.
We are introduced to the Creator in John 1.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.
John 1:1-3
Isn’t this enough to settle all issues?
Without Question — It’s enough to settle the issue of origin, age of everything, sin and death, evil and wickedness, the meaning of life, the reason for reason — it settles the issue of you.
Isn’t it enough to settle every doubt of the text of ?
The only Eyewitness of the beginning of everything is the One who was before the beginning and created the beginning and who will bring it to it’s end.
The Heavens
Shamyim “the heavens” this is a plural noun that is not the stars (those come into existence in verse 4). This is space.
The Earth
Erets “the earth” refers to matter — not the planets, stars, or material bodies — this is the Earth, as we’ll see, that was without form. God will take this formless matter and form it, shape it and make it habitable for life.
This is the general framework, the foundation for everything God will create and make.
Look at verse 2, and let’s see what and how God began to form the earth to make it livable.
II. The Earth — Formless and Empty
II. The Earth — Formless and Empty
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
The Gap Theory
The Gap Theory
Here is where some Christians place what is referred to as the Gap. They try to fit in millions and billions of years to a six day creation story so as to harmonize the Bible’s chronology with the accepted Geological Ages. The Gap Theory, as it’s commonly known, assumes chaos, destruction, and death before verse 2. So, it’s also known as the Ruin and Reconstruction theory or Pre-Adamic Cataclysm Theory. It was first proposed by Scottish Theologian, Thomas Chalmers and popularized by the Scofield Reference Bible. It has done tremendous damage, opening the door for evolution. It’s not only ridiculous when you consider the clear writing of the text, but it’s also theological suicide, undermining the veracity of the Word of God. Either it’s what God said or it’s not.
For instance, if there were death before Adam — as they suggest the dinosaurs and the fossils demonstrate this, then why did Christ come to die?
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.
It also puts Satan’s rebellion and fall before creation in verse 2. So, when God declares everything He created as — Very Good, Satan’s rebellion is now considered good?
What does the text say?
The Grammatical Structure
The Grammatical Structure
First, there is a grammatical structure. The Hebrew conjunction Veh which is translated “and” or “then,” begins every verse from verse 2 of chapter 1 to verse 3 of chapter 2. This indicates a continuity of every statement from 1:1 — 2:3.
For example.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
“And the earth was formless and void...” — Verse 2
“Then God said...” — verse 3
“And God saw that the light was good...” — Verse 4 and so on.
So, there is this obvious continuity of the account that indicates it’s historical in nature and clearly not poetic or allegorical or metaphorical.
The 3 Descriptions of the Earth
The 3 Descriptions of the Earth
1. Formless and Empty
Tohu ve’bohu — “Formless and empty” You have this newly created earth which is the focus here. It would be here that everything else is created around. It’s a new thing. He’s just telling us what the earth began as.
Tohu, formless means wilderness or devastated place.
Boho, empty means waste place.
Jeremiah borrows toho ve’bohu from .
19 My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in agony! Oh, the pain in my heart! My heart pounds; I cannot be silent. For you, my soul, have heard the sound of the ram’s horn— the shout of battle.
Jeremiah 4:
He’s looking at the destruction of Jerusalem.
23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone.
Formless and empty — This is what the earth was like. In other words, it was not complete. It was not ready to sustain life. It was like a lump of clay in the Potter’s hands before he puts it on the wheel to begin forming the clay into a pot.
The earth was unfinished in shape and unable to sustain life.
2. Darkness
“Darkness was over the surface of the watery depths...”
God had not yet created light. But He had created darkness. The earth is formless and empty and dark. Interestingly, the darkness is said to cover the surface of the watery depths — not the earth.
What is this primordial depth?
It’s synonymous with sea. So, the earth is covered in water. It’s a primordial ocean surrounded by a universal darkness.
5 He established the earth on its foundations; it will never be shaken.
6 You covered it with the deep as if it were a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
5 They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God.
27 I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,
God created the earth — matter became a sphere and He shaped it and engulfed it in water.
8:
3. The Spirit of God Hovered
Ruach Elohim “the Spirit of God” hovered — rehoph. This is a beautiful word that describes the work of the Holy Spirit in creation.
Look at
11 He watches over His nest like an eagle and hovers over His young; He spreads His wings, catches him, and lifts him up on His pinions.
Isn’t that beautiful? God is described like an eagle caring for its young.
This is a major detail in the creation account. God is directly involved in His creation. His presence is there, superintending, hovering over it. He doesn’t just make it, wind it up, and let it go. He is brooding over it. He is directly in charge of it. Notice this is not an angel doing God’s bidding. This is the Spirit of God. Throughout the Scriptures you find the Spirit of God is the Source of all life. And that’s the idea here. God provides the energy to shape, organize, and bring life — this is His Spirit.
And again — He does it by His word.
And God said
And God said
6 The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.
This is the way God created everything, by speaking it into existence.
Verse 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29 — all begin with the words “Then God said...”
Is God’s Word important?
Yes!
Look at verse 3 — “Then God said...”
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The first thing that happens creatively after the original creation of matter is in verse 3.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
There was no light and then God said “Let there be light.”
And what happened?
There was light!
This is utterly amazing. According to — the One who “dwells in unapproachable light” commanded light to be in the place where there was only darkness — and light came into existence.
16 the only One who has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; no one has seen or can see Him, to Him be honor and eternal might. Amen.
6 The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.
Job 26
There is something to notice here concerning the creation of light.
Separation
Three times the Creator accomplished a Separation
Day 1 — He separated Day and Night.
Day 2 — He separated the firmament, the upper waters, from the earth.
Day 3 — He separated the lower waters, below the heavens, from the dry land.
All three of these separations show the mighty power of God as He shapes and organizes this dark mass of matter that was formless and empty watery mass into this beautiful life-sustaining Garden fit for plants, animals, and mankind.
The separation of Day and Night was into the cycle we have to this day. The earth then began to rotate on its axis with light on one side and darkness on the other. And this is important — WITHOUT THE SUN! Isn’t that incredible?!? You say, “Well, that’s impossible!” Really? Impossible with God?
What will happen concerning light in eternity?
5 Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
God doesn’t need a sun to produce light. There was light simply because God told it to exist.
Light is Good
Light is Good
4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.
This shouldn’t surprise us at all. All that God does and makes is good, right? He’s the standard of good. Good is what God is and what God does. He is all sublime, the highest of all heights, deeper than all depths, greater than all that is great, mightier than everything mighty, wiser than the wisest, richer than all the richest — He is kinder, lovelier, more just, more merciful, more loving, more powerful. He is God and He is superlatively Good!
So, we would expect what God created to be good. We’d also expect what God calls good to be good.
There is something to notice here concerning the creation of light.
Separation
Three times the Creator accomplished a Separation
Day 1 — He separated Day and Night.
Day 2 — He separated the firmament, the upper waters, from the earth.
Day 3 — He separated the lower waters, below the heavens, from the dry land.
All three of these separations show the mighty power of God as He shapes and organizes this dark mass of matter that was formless and empty watery mass into this beautiful life-sustaining Garden fit for plants, animals, and mankind.
The separation of Day and Night was into the cycle we have to this day. The earth then began to rotate on its axis with light on one side and darkness on the other. And this is important — WITHOUT THE SUN! Isn’t that incredible?!? You say, “Well, that’s impossible!” Really? Impossible with God?
What will happen concerning light in eternity?
5 Night will no longer exist, and people will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
God doesn’t need a sun to produce light. There was light simply because God told it to exist.
He created the darkness, created the light, separated the light from the darkness, created the day and the night. He did all of this and called it — Good.
7 I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I, Yahweh, do all these things.
And aren’t you glad He did it this way?
Think of this. Our bodies need the darkness for good rest. He created the Light and didn’t destroy the darkness. You see this doesn’t fit with the Gap Theory and the idea of Ruin and Restoration. He made light and separated the Day from the Night so we might be able to work in the day and rest at night.
And obviously, this fantastic separation to create the Day Cycle is not a billion years.
Why did God do it this way?
Because it suited His creative plan and told us He did it this way, so we can see how it all unfolded.
But if you cannot understand how this could have been done in six days, take Martin Luther’s advice.
“Grant the Holy Spirit the honor of being more learned than you are.”
5 God called the light “day,” and He called the darkness “night.” Evening came and then morning: the first day.
It’s a pretty fantastic 1st Day!
Don’t you think?
And we’ve lived here just as He designed it from the beginning. And it will continue this way until the Day when the Creator returns and Uncreates it all.
Let’s Pray.
Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for the power and clarity of Your Word. This straightforward account of how You formed the earth and called light into existence is incomprehensible and utterly amazing. You are our Creator and we praise You. We thank You for creating and the purpose of making this world for us to live in. Thank You for that You made us to be a part of it. We’re filled with awe and amazement. We praise You! In Jesus name. Amen