In the Beginning ...

Genesis In the Beginning ... - Genesis 1:1-2:3 May 4, 2025 This morning, we begin our series in the book of Genesis. The very first book of the Bible. Good news is that it is not hard to locate, so you can make your way there now. I'm actually going to begin this morning with the reading of our passage, because it really does speak for itself. I'll begin in chapter 1, verse 1, and end in chapter 2, verse 3 this morning. 1 IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 2 THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM AND VOID, AND DARKNESS WAS OVER THE FACE OF THE DEEP. AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS HOVERING OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS. 3 AND GOD SAID, "LET THERE BE LIGHT," AND THERE WAS LIGHT. 4 AND GOD SAW THAT THE LIGHT WAS GOOD. AND GOD SEPARATED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS. 5 GOD CALLED THE LIGHT DAY, AND THE DARKNESS HE CALLED NIGHT. AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, THE FIRST DAY. 6 AND GOD SAID, "LET THERE BE AN EXPANSE IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS, AND LET IT SEPARATE THE WATERS FROM THE WATERS." 7 AND GOD MADE THE EXPANSE AND SEPARATED THE WATERS THAT WERE UNDER THE EXPANSE FROM THE WATERS THAT WERE ABOVE THE EXPANSE. AND IT WAS SO. 8 AND GOD CALLED THE EXPANSE HEAVEN. AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, THE SECOND DAY. 9 AND GOD SAID, "LET THE WATERS UNDER THE HEAVENS BE GATHERED TOGETHER INTO ONE PLACE, AND LET THE DRY LAND APPEAR." AND IT WAS SO. 10 GOD CALLED THE DRY LAND EARTH, AND THE WATERS THAT WERE GATHERED TOGETHER HE CALLED SEAS. AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. 11 AND GOD SAID, "LET THE EARTH SPROUT VEGETATION, PLANTS YIELDING SEED, AND FRUIT TREES BEARING FRUIT IN WHICH IS THEIR SEED, EACH ACCORDING TO ITS KIND, ON THE EARTH." AND IT WAS SO. 12 THE EARTH BROUGHT FORTH VEGETATION, PLANTS YIELDING SEED ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN KINDS, AND TREES BEARING FRUIT IN WHICH IS THEIR SEED, EACH ACCORDING TO ITS KIND. AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. 13 AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, THE THIRD DAY. 14 AND GOD SAID, "LET THERE BE LIGHTS IN THE EXPANSE OF THE HEAVENS TO SEPARATE THE DAY FROM THE NIGHT. AND LET THEM BE FOR SIGNS AND FOR SEASONS, AND FOR DAYS AND YEARS, 15 AND LET THEM BE LIGHTS IN THE EXPANSE OF THE HEAVENS TO GIVE LIGHT UPON THE EARTH." AND IT WAS SO. 16 AND GOD MADE THE TWO GREAT LIGHTS-THE GREATER LIGHT TO RULE THE DAY AND THE LESSER LIGHT TO RULE THE NIGHT-AND THE STARS. 17 AND GOD SET THEM IN THE EXPANSE OF THE HEAVENS TO GIVE LIGHT ON THE EARTH, 18 TO RULE OVER THE DAY AND OVER THE NIGHT, AND TO SEPARATE THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS. AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. 19 AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, THE FOURTH DAY. 20 AND GOD SAID, "LET THE WATERS SWARM WITH SWARMS OF LIVING CREATURES, AND LET BIRDS FLY ABOVE THE EARTH ACROSS THE EXPANSE OF THE HEAVENS." 21 SO GOD CREATED THE GREAT SEA CREATURES AND EVERY LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES, WITH WHICH THE WATERS SWARM, ACCORDING TO THEIR KINDS, AND EVERY WINGED BIRD ACCORDING TO ITS KIND. AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. 22 AND GOD BLESSED THEM, SAYING, "BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY AND FILL THE WATERS IN THE SEAS, AND LET BIRDS MULTIPLY ON THE EARTH." 23 AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, THE FIFTH DAY. 24 AND GOD SAID, "LET THE EARTH BRING FORTH LIVING CREATURES ACCORDING TO THEIR KINDS-LIVESTOCK AND CREEPING THINGS AND BEASTS OF THE EARTH ACCORDING TO THEIR KINDS." AND IT WAS SO. 25 AND GOD MADE THE BEASTS OF THE EARTH ACCORDING TO THEIR KINDS AND THE LIVESTOCK ACCORDING TO THEIR KINDS, AND EVERYTHING THAT CREEPS ON THE GROUND ACCORDING TO ITS KIND. AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. 26 THEN GOD SAID, "LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS. AND LET THEM HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA AND OVER THE BIRDS OF THE HEAVENS AND OVER THE LIVESTOCK AND OVER ALL THE EARTH AND OVER EVERY CREEPING THING THAT CREEPS ON THE EARTH." 27 SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM; MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. 28 AND GOD BLESSED THEM. AND GOD SAID TO THEM, "BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY AND FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT, AND HAVE DOMINION OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA AND OVER THE BIRDS OF THE HEAVENS AND OVER EVERY LIVING THING THAT MOVES ON THE EARTH." 29 AND GOD SAID, "BEHOLD, I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERY PLANT YIELDING SEED THAT IS ON THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH, AND EVERY TREE WITH SEED IN ITS FRUIT. YOU SHALL HAVE THEM FOR FOOD. 30 AND TO EVERY BEAST OF THE EARTH AND TO EVERY BIRD OF THE HEAVENS AND TO EVERYTHING THAT CREEPS ON THE EARTH, EVERYTHING THAT HAS THE BREATH OF LIFE, I HAVE GIVEN EVERY GREEN PLANT FOR FOOD." AND IT WAS SO. 31 AND GOD SAW EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD MADE, AND BEHOLD, IT WAS VERY GOOD. AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, THE SIXTH DAY. 2:1 THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE FINISHED, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM. 2 AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD FINISHED HIS WORK THAT HE HAD DONE, AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORK THAT HE HAD DONE. 3 SO GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND MADE IT HOLY, BECAUSE ON IT GOD RESTED FROM ALL HIS WORK THAT HE HAD DONE IN CREATION. I wanted to start with the reading of our passage this morning because there are actually a lot of questions to answer in these opening words of the Bible. So, let's jump right into this passage and this book, so we can better understand what we're getting ready to study. First area I want to touch on is that Genesis - as a whole - but specifically chapters 1-11 are foundational to our faith. Ken Ham, a Creationist, makes the argument that "every single major Christian doctrine is either grounded directly or indirectly in the history of Genesis." Some examples he uses are the topics of marriage, gender, sanctity of life, race, death and suffering, and the Gospel itself. But the first question I want to address is about the "days" that we see in Genesis 1. Are these days literal or symbolic? * There are two major schools of thought on this question. The first is that the ... o Earth is old, referred to as "Old Earth" * This assumes that the days in Genesis 1 are not literal, rather periods of time. * The other belief is that ... o The earth is new, referred to as "Young Earth" * This assumes that the days in Genesis 1 are literal, 24-hour days * So, which one is it? o To answer this (at least partially), we need to look at the word used for "day," which is "yom." One expert (who supports the young earth viewpoint) stated that, "outside of Genesis 1, yom is used with a number 410 times, and each time it means an ordinary day. Why would Genesis 1 be the exception" o Another expert (who supports an old earth viewpoint) explains that yom "possesses four distinct literal definitions: a portion of the daylight hours, all of the daylight hours, a 24-hour period, or a long but finite time period." He uses this to open the possibility of a longer period to support an old earth viewpoint. * This is one of those areas where we describe in the Church's belief statement where "in essential beliefs - we have unity," and "in non-essential beliefs - we have liberty." But "in all our beliefs - we show love." * What is clear and definitive, is that God did not use evolution in His creating the heavens and the earth. o There is nothing in this account that supports evolution. Guzik uses the example of days 3 and 4 in saying, "no modern evolutionist would argue plant life is older than the sun or the moon, but this is what the Genesis record tells us." * Me personally, I believe in a young earth. I believe that the days in Genesis 1 are literal, 24-hour days. * There are, of course, other factors involved in this discussion that we just won't have enough time to discuss. * In the end, the fact that the Lord did not give us a definitive direction here means that what He wants us to understand is that He is the source of creation and living. That's what really matters. The next question is about how we are to view Genesis. I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice that God did not give us a whole lot of detail surrounding Creation. So, What does Genesis tell us about God? * First, let's look at the structure of the book: o Chapter 1 introduces us to God the Creator o Chapter 2 describes and details God's relationship with man o Chapter 3 introduces sin, and how sin disrupts man's relationship with God o Chapter 4 further develops the effects of sin on the hearts of man o Chapter 5 gives us our first genealogy, detailing the history of man o Chapters 6-9 we see a picture of God's judgement because of the effects of sin o Chapters 10-11 show us how the world continued to be stained by sin, and ultimately how nations were formed, which was God's intervention in His mandate way back in Genesis 1:28 o Chapters 12-50, we see the founding of and history of the nation of Israel * So, what does the Lord want us to understand based on this very broad overview of Genesis? o The answers are found in the details. o For example, He spends more time on His relationship with man, and the creation of a nation set apart for Himself, than on the actual Creation of all things. o Not that Creation is not important, but His relationship with mankind is foundational for the overall theme of the Bible, which is redemption. o This continues and is made very clear after Genesis, where we see the book of Exodus which introduces us to a deliverer in Moses, who is a type of Christ. This leads us, finally, to our main idea: If Genesis is trustworthy, then the rest of the Scriptures are trustworthy. That's really where I want to spend the rest of our time today. Since there are six days of creation, here are ... SIX TRUTHS ABOUT THE BEGINNINGS * God has always been and always will be (1:1) o An often-asked question to believers is "who created God?" o Honestly, it's not a bad question. o God created a beginning for us. He has always been. o We are limited by time. o God created time. o God is not limited by time, because if was, He is not God. o It is hard for us to understand because we're thinking with our finite minds. o In God's creation, there is a beginning and there is an end. o But the first four words of the Bible require faith: IN THE BEGINNING, GOD. o He has always been. He will always be. o Next, * God is the Creator of all things (1:1,3,6,9,11,14,16,20,21,24,26,31; 2:3) o The word used in this section, when used here and anywhere in the Old Testament, is always applied to "divine activity" o In other words, God is the only one who can create something - out of nothing. o Man can make or form something, but only with existing material. o God made something without any prior existing material. o In fact, He spoke it into existence. * This isn't the first time He has done this. * Recall Mark 4 when Jesus told the wind and the sea, "PEACE! BE STILL!" * That is how powerful our God is. Commanding the creation with His voice. Even in the process of creation. * Everything, out of nothing. o Not even evolution can make that claim. o Next, we see in our account, that ... * God is a God of order (1:1,5,8,13,19,23,31) o We see the days of creation, that corresponds with the days of the week. o We see God separate land and water o We see God separate the atmosphere from the earth. o We see that God created the plants before the living "creatures" o We see that God created night and day - order. o The word "create," that we just talked about, denotes "order." o In verse 2, when it talks about the earth being without form and void, it implies that it lacked order and content. o Nothing was by accident or by chance. o Next, * God designed for a purpose (1:3,7,11-13,14,22,26,28) o Night and day o The stars for signs and seasons o The expanse was used later in the flood account o Plants were for the purpose of food for the living creatures o The living creatures, the animals, were "blessed" in verse 22 to "BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY" o Man was created to be God's managers on earth and given the mandate to "BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY AND FILL THE EARTH." o Next, * God breathes life into the lifeless (1:2,11-12,30; cf. 2:7) o This will be addressed next week when Pat tackles chapter 2, but there's so much beauty in this picture of God created the earth in six days. o Verse 2 could be a picture of you and I without Christ. o But God gives us life. o That life is given to us, in Christ, when we put our faith in Him. o This entire account reminds us that it is 100% His doing. He spoke. He acted. He created. o Finally, this passage reveals that ... * God rested to show His work was complete (2:1-3) o Which, once again, is a direct contradiction of evolution, which theorizes that something will evolve into something else over a period of time. o God put the period at the end of this Creation account when He rested on that 7th day. o In His rest, not only did He show that He was finished, but He also gave a pattern to man in His work. The structure of a seven week was established. With the seventh day, being one of rest. o Again, we are pointed to Christ, who is our eternal rest. o In the now, we can rest in Christ, because of the work that He did on the Cross, and through His resurrection. I want to close by answering one more question: HOW TO RESPOND: * I must believe it. o I said earlier in our main idea that if Genesis is trustworthy, then the rest of the Scriptures are trustworthy. o We must believe this. Because it is the Word of God. o When we get to chapter 3, you will clearly see why we must hold to the truth, without any doubt. o If we doubt Genesis 1 and its content, then we will doubt anything else in God's Word that we don't agree with. o That's the reality of it. o That's how dangerous it is. o That's why we said Genesis is foundational. o Finally, our response is that ... * I must worship the Creator. o If you believe that God created the HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, as Genesis 1:1 tells us, then how can one not be in awe of Him? o In seven days, God spoke into existence the universe. o Anytime we open the Scriptures, this should be our response. o Page after page after page, we see His glory, His mercy, His grace, His creation, His plan, and His mighty works. o Once again, as I have said before, this is why we gather together every week. * Recognizing * Remembering * Honoring * And waiting Will you worship the Creator God? Let's pray. 2