The Genious of God: Creation

Brett Pagan

In the Beginning • Sermon • Submitted 3 months ago • Presented 3 months ago

Genesis 2:1–3

Genesis 1

Creation

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Intro: Today we are going to start an exciting journey through the book of Genesis. Genesis is an amazing book intended to shape our understanding of God but also the world we live in. There are elements in the Genesis account that are gritty, raw, and even shocking. There are parts of it that will seem more like a fantasy movie than reality , yet these accounts really happened.

In fact, these accounts really aren’t that hard to believe when we adopt a supernatural worldview. I would argue that if you do not have a supernatural wold-view than much of scripture will be hard for you to accept. I mean think about it. God becoming man. Raising people from the dead. raining food from heaven. The Bible is a supernatural book preserved for us supernaturally. So if you have trouble believing the supernatural there are many elements in scripture that will be hard for you to accept.

Since, this will be a lengthy study, we will plan to take a few breaks from it of course for holidays, but also a few topical series here and there.

Now when interpreting Genesis there are a few foundational principles that we need to agree on to keep us on course.

#1 Scriptures primary function is to communicate.

So then we must ask, Is God a good communicator?

If we believe God is a good communicator then we must take seriously the way he chose to communicate? Yes?

We must then try our best to look at scripture through the eyes of the original audience. One of the interpretive mistakes is reading meaning from a modern perspective back into the text to fit our current cultural context. For our purposes this morning who is the original audience? The nation of Israel. We will come back to that idea in a few moments.

If God is a good communicator than we must take seriously the way he has chosen to reveal His story.

Can we agree on this idea?

#2 We must accept there are elements in Genesis which create questions the text doesn’t answer.

I love mysteries. I love to investigate areas of theology that may not have a definitive answer this side of eternity but at some point we have to accept that not all mysteries can be solved. There are places where we can make educated guesses, but at the end of the day they are assumptions. But if understand that God is a good communicator than we must accept that He has communicated to us exactly what we need to know to convey His story in his way.

These are broad principles for interpretation and there is one other concept that I want to point out that mainly concerns Genesis chapters 1-2.

#3 The main purpose of the text cannot be primarily a treatise against evolution because evolutionary ideas did not exist.

I would argue this in itself is an argument against theistic evolution based upon the principle that God is a good communicator and could have easily communicated the creation story in a way that would reflect evolutionary ideas, but He didn’t.

In fact, it seems he clearly communicated it in a way to suggest something entirely different.

Again, We will come back to some of these ideas later on, but for now lets dive into the text.

In order to understand the Book of Genesis context is key. This is true of any book of the Bible.

The First five books of the Bible known as the Pentateuch were authored by Moses. Understanding this fact is very important because it sets the tone and purpose for the book of Genesis

For which event is Moses primarily known? He is known as the leader, sometimes prophet, that leads Isreal out of Egypt to the very doorstep of the promise land. Joshua was the one to lead them over.

So when Moses, inspired by God wrote Genesis to instruct God’s people what was he attempting to accomplish? He was correcting the narrative of Who God is and what God had done..

The enslaved people of Israel came our of a pluralistic culture. The Egyptians worshipped many gods. It is likely that the people also would have adopted these same ideas. Again, there was no scripture at this time. The closest thing they may have had was possibly some of the oral traditions passed on from Jacob, Joseph and his brothers. So purpose of Genesis is to correct their world view and share with them their lineage as a people chosen by God through the covenant made with Abram, eventually named Abraham.

This is why the first verse of the Bible begins with

Genesis 1:1 CSB

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

This verse is the foundation for the entire Bible. It is the foundation from which we build every other doctrine. Without an understanding of who created us ownership and authority are in question. While this verse is simple to understand it is incredibly profound.

Without knowing there is a God that created all things. We will look to ourselves as the source of truth and authority. Can we see this disposition today?

When we except that there is a God who created all things, we intuitively ask “Now what does He want and expect from His creation?”

I can not overstate the importance of this verse. Without it nothing in scripture makes sense.

In the beginning God.....

Genesis 1:1 CSB

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

So as an Israelite coming out of the bondage of Egypt , Why should He/She reject other gods and follow this one? Because in the Beginning Yahweh created all things and all things belong to Him.

Why should a person today follow and obey Yahweh today, repent, and turn to Christ. Because He created all things and you belong to Him. In the Beginning God.

Now A Hebrew way of writing a story was to tell you a summation statement and then give you the details of how it was done. This is Genesis 1:1 .

We see this literary style again in Genesis. 2. In it we get an expanded look at the story of How God created man and woman.

Trans: So lets look at how God created all things.

Genesis 1:2 CSB

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.

A minute ago I mentioned that there are some things in Genesis in which the text expects us to take as a fact without any explanation to its meaning. This is one of those verses.

We naturally ask the question “Where did these elements come from that God is hovering over. Some would suggest that there was previous creation that God destroyed and now is reorganizing it into the world we live in today.

Throughout the Old Testament, the word formless, empty, and deep were used as images of God’s wrath. Is it possible that When Lucifer rebelled something took place? I don’t know again the text simply doesn’t tell us.

Or is it simpler than that? Is this just part of Gods creative process before speaking into existence these things than showing us in the next few verses how he shaped them into what we understand now as creation? Again, the text simply doesn’t tell us.

I would suggest to you that many will try to add into this verse millions of years (known as the gap theory) in order to fit evolution into the scriptures.

I would suggest to you that this idea goes against our original premise that God is a good communicator.

It also violates an important interpretive principle of reading back into the text information that fits our current theories or ideas.

Would the original audience have any conceptual ideas of evolution? No, so again this cannot fit into the text.

If he created all things through evolution than the rest of Genesis 1 would suggest that God is not a very good communicator because there are no evolutionary statements made or implied and the following scripture found in exodus seems to be pretty clear.

Exodus 20:11 CSB

For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

But as I already mentioned scientific debate is not the purpose of the text. If that is all we see, we will miss the main theme and subthemes.

Genesis 1’s purpose is threefold.

#1 To reveal God’s Character through creation

#2 To reveal how everything came into existence

#3 To reveal Himself as its rightful ruler.

Romans 1:19 CSB

since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them.

Romans 1:20 CSB

For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

Now through out this Chapter we are going to see a few phrases repeated. Repetition of a word or an idea should always be a signal for the main idea of the passage.

Genesis 1:3 CSB

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:4 CSB

God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:5 CSB

God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

Light and darkness…Notice that God does not take credit for creating darkness rather it is exist as the absence of light. We see this theme throughout scripture. Wherever there is the absence of the knowledge of God (the light) darkness (sin) exist.

1 John 1:5 CSB

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.

Matthew 5:14 CSB

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.

John 1:5 CSB

That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

But I want you to notice something with me. Did God name the darkness? Yes

To name something in the O.T. context suggest dominion and authority over it. Our God reigns supreme. He is not controlled or hindered by the dark. His power and dominion is over all. He is the God of light that defeats the darkness. In us the Holy Spirit dwells. Wherever we are the the light of Christ Shines.

Genesis 1:6 CSB

Then God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water.”

Genesis 1:7 CSB

So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so.

Genesis 1:8 CSB

God called the expanse “sky.” Evening came and then morning: the second day.

The word for expanse means” extended surface”. The ancient Hebrew cosmology echoed that of the creation story. The belief was that the expanse held back the waters.

You can see this idea again in

Psalm 148:4 CSB

Praise him, highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens.

Scientist conjecture about what is at the edge of the universe. Maybe scripture already gives us the answer. i’ll just leave that one right there.

We once again see the phrase Evening and Morning.

Genesis 1:9–10 CSB

Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of the water he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

What did God say about his creation “it was good”

Genesis 1:11–12 CSB

Then God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.” And it was so. The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

A universal truth is that creation can only reproduce their own kind. Dogs produce dogs, Birds birds, etc. There is great variation within these “kinds” but yet all are limited to producing offspring with their own kind. Interesting how scripture states this as fact and this is what we witness. A fish cannot produce a dog. A dinosaur a bird....

If you would like a good resources on this topic, watch evolution vs. God @ livingwaters.com or visit answersingenesis.com

And God saw it as good.

Genesis 1:13–15 CSB

Evening came and then morning: the third day. Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. They will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth.” And it was so.

Genesis 1:16 CSB

God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night—as well as the stars.

Genesis 1:17 CSB

God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth,

Genesis 1:18 CSB

to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.

Again the theme is repeated....What God creates is Good.

Does anyone else imagination get fired up about the idea of large sea creatures in the depths of the ocean? Just recently researchers have had to admit there exist a large creature they are yet to understand. It seems it is big eoung to nearly swallow large mako sharks whole.

Psalm 148:7 CSB

Praise the Lord from the earth, all sea monsters and ocean depths,

In Job 41 God describes a terrible creature called Leviathan that lives in the deep water.

Genesis also suggest this idea:

Genesis 1:19–20 CSB

Evening came and then morning: the fourth day. Then God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”

Genesis 1:21–22 CSB

So God created the large sea-creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged creature according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them: “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.”

The word blessed means “to give fullness of life” Before sin even the animals were to live life to the fullest and that included reproduction.

And God saw that it was Good...

Genesis 1:23 CSB

Evening came and then morning: the fifth day.

Genesis 1:24–25 CSB

Then God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Now we come to the creation of man....

Genesis 1:26–31 CSB

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

What does it mean to be created in the Image of God? Well the text tells us. To be made in the image of God is not about attributes or abilities. Are abilities and talents equally given to all mankind? No. Some have more others less. If it was about abilities like creativeness, will, and intelligence. It would be easy to say that some men and woman are closer to the image of God than others. This would not produce equality but rather a legitimate excuse for inequality when looking at each other. But all men and women are equal, Yes?

Because being made in the image of God is not about these things but about imaging God to all of creation.

Look what is said in Genesis 1:27-28

Genesis 1:27–28 CSB

So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

Mans function is to rule. We were to represent God’s authority. We were to be imagers of Himself to all of creation. This is our purpose. Therefore all mankind is created in the image of God to rule over it. To image Gods authority, care, and love. Does this make sense? If we take this one step further, we realize that ruling and service go hand in hand. This was God’s authority and in it he ruled but created a creation that both brought him Joy but also served man.

Then in verse 29 we see the generosity of God. Food was everywhere. It literally popped up out of the ground and every seed bearing plant was good for food. Can you imagine a world where no resource was limited. This perfect creation.

But now he stops. There is an interruption here. He says it was very Good. Everything else is good but man was created very Good. Why? because we as his imagers were the crowning achievement.

So back to Romans 1:20

Romans 1:20 CSB

What does creation have to do with Gods attributes being seen and us not having any excuse.

#1 Good things are produced by a Good God. A Good God Produces good things.

1 John 1:5 CSB

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.

#2 Mankind was created with a purpose and that purpose has always been to represent Him well.

Do you see it God is good and you get to be the representative of that God. This is not something to dread it is something to delight in. You have an all-powerful, loving God who has created you to represent himself. So are you living for that purpose? Have you forgotten who you are in the business of Life? Has sin deceived you into believing there is something better than being created in His Image.

We see this same language in the new testament as well. We are His ambassadors. An Ambassador represents the authority of the one who sent him.