Genesis 1 1:1-2 Creator and Creation
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Overview
Overview
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 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.
Genesis 1:1-2
first verse is a general introduction to the inspired volume
declaring the great truth that all things had a beginning
announces how Israel’s God can be known
in terms of “when” and “where” of human life and history
this is how humans orient themselves to the world
we are finite with beginning and end, related in space
God is infinite and relates by announcing his presence in our terms
God is not merely an idea
eternal being whom we can know and experience personally
verses are an invitation to learn of Him
comes to full manifestation in the Incarnate Word, the Son, Jesus Heb 1:3
In the beginning
In the beginning
Hebrew phrase bere’shith
typically translated “in the beginning”
Heaven and Earth have not existed from all eternity
specific, absolute beginning of all time
had a beginning
anticipates an end of the universe and human history
beginning is often paired with antonym end in OT
future goal, eschatological purpose
prophets speak of end in terms of beginnings “new heavens and new earth” Is and Rev
God is sovereign, knows, and controls the “end from the beginning” Is 46:10
nonspecific, general beginning of God’s work of creation
Did not arise by emanation from an absolute substance
created by God
This sentence is not a heading or summary of the history of Creation
declaration of the primeval act of god
calling the Universe into being
not a heading is indicated by “and” the earth...
Spirit of God
God
God
elohim
plural, that use uncertain why, perhaps indicates honor or majesty. literary convention reflecting special reference
supernatural being who originated and rules over the universe, singular God
can also describe multiple deities, disembodied spirits, angels…
here it’s Yahweh (2,000 instances in OT same)
not specifically named Yahweh until Genesis 2:4
elohim transcends the common association of Yahweh with the covenant agreement with Israel
created
created
does not begin by attempting to prove the existence of God, assumes the fact
bara
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible A. The Creation of the World (1:1–2:3)
statement of the fact of an action which is described in detail in 1:2–2:3
Hebrew word for create
used in OT to refer to Divine activity only, unique
people can not create in the way that Yahweh creates
no other god can claim to be the creator
conveys the idea of ordering or determining function
suggesting God’s creative activity consists of bringing order and function to the cosmos
statement of the fact of an action which is described in detail in 1:2-2:3
ex nihilo, out of nothing
seen in bara used solely as a description of result and not material
opposed to asa where making involves existing material
Heaven and Earth
Heaven and Earth
may be merism - expression of totality through the use of opposites
saying God created EVERYTHING, entirety of creation
OT often uses opposing word pairs to refer to a totality
Heaven
Heaven
Earth
Earth
without form and void
without form and void
tohu and bohu
pair of words occurs again only in context of divine judgment
confusion and emptiness” in Is 34:11
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; And the heavens, and they had no light.
Genesis is not the result of God’s fury
But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; The owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: And he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.
state of material, devoid of order, prior to God’s work on it
darkness
darkness
darkness was upon the face of the deep
darkness represents evil or calamity throughout the Bible
here it is the unformed and unfilled conditions of the “heaven and earth”
in revelation there is no night because of God’s presence 21:25
was upon the face of the deep
was upon the face of the deep
face of the deep (tehom, primordial or primeval sea) was an impersonal watery mass that covered the world before God brought created order
not Tiamat, Akkadian goddess of chaos, not personal
no god of chaos to contend with
in Revelation there is no seawater in new heavens and new earth 21:1
Spirit of God
Spirit of God
ruach
spirit or wind
pairing with elohim usually refers to God’s spirit
dual meaning of literal wind works
moved
moved
same verb used in of birds
literally moved
continued brooding over it like a fowl over eggs, eagle in song of Moses deuteronomy
tending to creation
dual meaning of literal wind
Face of the Waters
Face of the Waters
Conclusion
Conclusion
elimination of dark and sea in new jerusalem new heaven
completed new creation
atheism is folly
atheists are greatest fools in nagure
see a world that could not make itself, yet insist there is no God that made it
they are without excuse, but the god of this world has blinded their minds
God is sovereign Lord of all
as Creator, He is the owner and possessor of heaven and earth
With God, all things are possible
happy are the people that have Him as their God
Help and hope stand in His Name
God is worthy of, and yet exalted far above, all blessing and praise
As Creator
doesn’t need our services
can’t be benefitted by our services
yet requires them
and deserves our praise
not only the author of all being, but the fountain of life and spring of motion
brings dead matter to life
can raise the dead
raise Jesus
to raise our vile bodies out of the grave, a land of darkness as dark as itself and without any order according to Job
make glorified bodies,
completed new Creation
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