Genesis 1 1:1-2 Creator and Creation

Overview

Genesis 1:1–2 KJV 1900

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

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

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

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

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

Earth

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

Jeremiah 4:23 KJV 1900

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

Isaiah 34:11 KJV 1900

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 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

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

ruach

spirit or wind

pairing with elohim usually refers to God’s spirit

dual meaning of literal wind works

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

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

Merchandise

M.E. Wright

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