In the beginning God...Part 2

Opening Comments:

Please meet me in your copy of God’s Word at the very beginning. We’ll take our text from the very first verse of the Bible and quickly make our way in an overview form through all of chapter one and up to chapter 2:3 of Genesis.

Last week we began a brand new series titled “Prologue: Genesis 1-11” You may be asking yourself, why are we going to the book of Genesis and why now?

Well, every single major issue we are struggling with today as a society has its answers in the first 11 chapters of Genesis and there is not portion of scripture that is under attack more than Genesis 1:11.

Things like Gender, abortion, marriage, why is their death, suffering and disease, racism all are answered in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. They are absolutely foundational to having a truly Christian world view. In fact every single doctrine of scripture is found either directly or indirectly in Genesis 1-11.

Last week in our time together, we said that before we could begin to break down the events of creation, we needed to look first at the creator.

The Bible begins with God.

We said that we see 8 attributes of God on display in the Creation account of Genesis 1:1-2:3. We looked at 4 last week.

Today we will observe the next four.

Before we do that, lets read Genesis 1:1 together.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Genesis 1:1 NKJV

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Introduction:

I am of the opinion that as believers in the American church context we do not spend enough time learning of the character and attributes of our creator. For too many christians we have unknowingly reduced God to some mythical being in the sky that we don’t really know much about. But the fact remains that we can know God and he desires for us to know him in an intimate way. It is in fact the very reason that mankind was created. In order to have a relationship with God. So, if we desire to have a more intimate relationship with our creator, we have to know him and his divine attributes. In the overview of the creation account we see eight of God’s attributes on display. Last week in our time together, we looked at the first four, which were:

God is

God creates by His word.

God is the supreme intelligence of the universe.

God is a god of goodness, grace and order.

Let’s not spend any more time talking about what we’re going to talk about and get right into the meat of the sermon this morning.

The next attribute we see of God through the creation account is:

5.) God is a God of great will and purpose.

He plans, foreordains, and predestines.

Allow me to explain to you what I mean by using these three words.

Picture if you will the mind and thoughts of God leading up to creation. Picture Him thinking over what exactly He wanted to do.

God wanted mankind and the universe; therefore God thought and planned about how to create mankind and the universe.

He thought the plan of creation through step by step.

The He willed, purposed and predestined the existence of man and the universe.

God in His infinite wisdom knew that each thing he created was dependent upon other things being created. He knew that sequence and order were an absolute necessity if the pinnacle of His creation, mankind was to survive.

We know this by examining the order and sequence in which God created all things. The six days of creation reveal that God is a god of will and purpose, who plans and thinks through, foreordains and predestines what He wants and wills.

Allow me to illustrate this point for you by looking at the six days of creation in reverse.

God wanted and planned the creation of a creature (man) upon whom He could shower His goodness and grace, a creature who would freely choose to love, worship, serve, and fellowship with Him. Man would naturally be the last thing that God would create. Why? Because man would need a number of things to sustain his life, and these would need to exist before man was created.

God knew that man would need other creatures that would immediately surround him, creatures that could help carry on the reproduction of the food chain and provide companionship, variety, and beauty for him upon the earth. Land animals would naturally be the thing created right before man. Why? Because they are the closest creatures surrounding man, the creatures more closely akin to man, the creatures which share the earth with man.

God knew that man would also need other creatures to fill the air and the waters, creatures that could also help carry on the food chain and provide companionship, variety, and beauty for man. Water animals and air animals [birds, winged fowl] are a little farther removed from man, so they would logically be created right before the land animals.

God knew that both man and animal would need lights upon earth (sun, moon, and stars) to govern their lives and their seasons, their days and their years, and to give variety and beauty to the universe. Light upon earth would be needed right before the animals and man were created. Why? So that they could see to move about, and so that the life of all things upon earth could be regulated. If man and animals were in total darkness upon earth, and if there were no days or seasons to regulate growth and life upon earth, neither man nor animals could exist.

God knew that both man and animal would need a place to live and the necessary food to sustain life. A place to live and food to eat were needed before the heavenly bodies were visible upon earth. Why? Because without dry land and vegetation there would be no reason for regulating seasons or days or years.

God knew that both man and animal would need air to breathe and water to drink. The atmosphere (air to breathe) and water to drink were bound to be created before the dry land and vegetation. Why? Because vegetation and all life upon earth are dependent upon air to breathe and water for survival.

God knew that both man and animal would need light to provide warmth and to stimulate the growth of all things. Light has to precede everything—light has to be the first thing created—for light is absolutely essential for the warmth and growth of life.

Last week we said that God wanted and planned the creation of man on which He could shower His grace and goodness. A creature who would freely choose to love, worship, serve, and fellowship with God.

This is the reason that God provides a way of salvation, chooses us as His children and then predestines that all of His children be conformed into the image of Christ.

Ephesians 1:4–6 NKJV

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

John 15:16 NKJV

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

This is why we are given the command to love God with all our heart, soul and minds.

Matthew 22:37–38 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.

This is the reason that He works all things our for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28–30 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

God has a purpose and plan for every single human life because all human life is precious to God. The problem comes is that most of mankind do not choose to surrender their lives to the Lords will and purpose. So they never experience the love of God, His divine purpose or plan for their lives. When we place our faith in Christ we then get to experience the wonderful plan that God has foreordained and predestined that we walk in if we follow him.

1 Peter 2:9–10 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

6.) God is a God of revelation.

A God who reveals His nature, what He is like and what He has done.

When we closely examine the six days of creation they teach us wonderful truths about God’s glorious nature and His great purposes for mankind. He revealed himself through His creation work.

WHAT SCRIPTURE STRESSES AND TEACHES ABOUT GOD IN HIS CREATIVE ACTS

1st Day- Light- Provides light and warmth to stimulate growth.

God’s nature: is light (1 Ti. 6:16; Js. 1:17; 1 Jn. 1:5; Mic. 7:8)

2nd Day- Heavens: the Firmament or Atmosphere (Air), Water- Provides air and water to sustain life.

God’s being:

⇒ is infinite, clearly seen in the height of the heavens (Jb. 22:12)

⇒ is glorious, declared glorious by the heavens (Ps. 19:1)

⇒ is great, declared by the creation of the heavens and the waters (Ps. 104:1–3; Is. 48:13)

3rd Day- Dry land (the fertile earth) and Vegetation- Provides a place to live and food and beauty for life.

God’s right: is sovereign over all—the Sovereign Owner of all land (the earth) and all that is upon the land (Ps. 24:1; 50:12; 89:11; 1 Co. 10:26)

God’s creative design: is intelligent and good (Ps. 33:4–5; 104:5–9; Ec. 1:4–7)

4th Day- Lights (sun, moon and stars)- Provides seasons and days and years.

God’s glory:

⇒ is full of splendor and brilliance, grace and glory (Ps. 84:11; 97:6)

⇒ shines within and upon believers now, while upon the earth (2 Co. 4:6; see 1 Pe. 2:9; Re. 22:5; Ps. 18:28)

⇒ shall shine in and upon believers in heaven throughout all of eternity (Re. 22:5; Is. 60:19–20)

God’s Word and its power (Ps. 33:6; 62:11; He. 11:3)

5th Day- Water animals Birds- Provides animals to populate the water and air, to help carry on the reproduction of the food chain, and to give kinship, variety, and beauty.

God’s power: is strong enough to create life (Jb. 12:7–10; Ac. 4:24; 14:15)

6th Day- Land animals- Provides animals to populate the earth, to help carry on the reproduction of the food chain, and to give kinship, variety, and beauty.

God’s power: is all-embracing and sufficient to create all things, including all animals and man (Ge. 2:18–22; Jb. 33:4; Is. 45:12; Ac. 17:24–26)

Also on the sixth day Man- Provides the free moral creature desired by God. The creature who can freely choose to love, worship, serve, and fellowship with God. The creature upon whom God can pour out His goodness and grace throughout all eternity

God’s purpose for man:

⇒ to love God (De. 6:5; 10:12; Mt. 22:37–38; Jude 21)

⇒ to worship God (Ne. 9:6; Ps. 5:7; 95:6; 96:9; Mt. 4:10; Jn. 4:24; Re. 14:7; 15:4)

⇒ to fellowship with God (Ps. 73:28; 145:18; Is. 43:10–13; Mt. 18:20; Ac. 17:24–28; Js. 4:8; 1 Jn. 1:3; Re. 3:20)

⇒ to serve God (Ge. 1:24–30; 2:15–17; Ex. 23:25; Ps. 2:11; 8:6–8; 40:8; 100:2–3; He. 12:28)

⇒ to know and experience the goodness and grace of God throughout all eternity (Ps. 84:11; Ro. 8:16–17; Ep. 1:3–14, esp. 4–6, 9; 2:7, see v. 4–10; 3:11–12; Tit. 3:7; He. 2:6–8)

7.) God is a God of form, fullness, completeness, fulfillment, and satisfaction.

He forms what is formless.

Fills that which is unfulfilled and empty.

Completes what is incomplete and unfinished.

Fulfills what is unfulfilled and lacking.

Satisfies that which is unsatisfied and displeasing.

We see this on full display throughout the creation account.

Look at:

Genesis 1:2 NKJV

2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The earth was:

“without form” -Formless, unshaped, undeveloped, unfinished.

“void”- empty, barren, and desolate.

Now notice that in the six days of creation, that God moved from “formless and empty” to form and filled up. On the first three days, God formed the universe, then in the next three he filled up what He formed and made it full.

On day 1 God created light (v.3) then on day 4 He made the Sun, moon and stars giving fullness to the light.

On day 2 God created the atmosphere and water (v.7) then on the fifth day he filled them with birds and water creatures.

On day 3 God created dry land and vegetation (v.9-12) then on the sixth day he filled the dry land with with land animals and man.

We see here God forming and then filling the universe. He brings to completion everything he made. He fulfills and satisfies His plan and purpose for creation.

The six creation days tell us that God is a God of form, fullness, completeness, fulfillment, and satisfaction.

8.) God is a God of enormous power.

I mean he created the vastness of the world and the universe in just six days. That’s incredible power.

In many places, what I just said is a controversial statement. There are many people who do not agree that God created the earth in just 6 literal 24-hour days.

Much of the argument, at least amongst christians comes down to the meaning of the word “day.”

The Hebrew word “Yom” (day) is used in scripture to refer both to a literal 24-hour day and to a longer period of time.

How then, are we to understand the word “day” in the creation account? Did God actually create the earth in 6 24-hour days? or Does each day represent large periods of time, ages?

Allow me to make another controversial statement, to believe anything other than a literal six day creationism is to deny the power of God and to deny the inherency of scripture. That may seem like a very strong statement, but if one strand of the creation account is wrong, the entire Bible unravels. Either God means what he says in His word or he doesn't.

There are 8 reasons we see from Genesis 1:1-2:3 that prove that God created in 6 literal 24-hour periods.

A.) The word day, when it refers to a specific number like first or second, always means a 24 hour day (Ge. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31)

B.) Only days have mornings and evenings, not geological ages (Ge. 1:5, etc.). To say that “morning and evening” is figurative language picturing long ages of time is stretching the rules of grammar.

Nowhere in scripture does the word “evening”, “morning” combined with “day” ever mean “period of time.”

C.) God actually named the light “day” and the darkness “night,” and then He actually ended the day with darkness and the night with light (vv. 5, 17–18). It is most unlikely—possible, but most unlikely—that God would call each creative period a day with light and darkness dividing it.

D.) God created plant life on the third day (vv. 11–13). This plant life could not have survived without sunlight which was not visible upon earth until the fourth day (vv. 14–19). To say that the days of creation are ages is to say that plant life existed for thousands, perhaps millions, of years without the light of the sun, moon, and stars, and without the regulation of the seasons which they control.

E.) Genesis 1:14 definitely says that God divided days, seasons, and years. This division is bound to mean twenty-four hour days and not geological ages.

Genesis 1:14 NKJV

14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;

F.) Other Scriptures definitely say that God made the earth in six literal days and that the Sabbath day is for rest

Exodus 20:8–11 NKJV

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Exodus 31:14–17 NKJV

14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

G.) Note that God rested on the seventh day (Ge. 2:1–2).

Genesis 2:1–2 NKJV

1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

If the seventh day is a geological age, then God would still be resting, for the sixth day stopped all activity for God. To some minds, saying that God is still resting would mean that God is far removed from the earth and is not active in the affairs of the world.

H.) Note that God created the universe in six days and rested on the Sabbath day, and then He blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day. This means that He set aside the day for man to rest and worship. The only analogy that makes sense for man working six days and resting one day is to take the days as literal days. To say that the days are ages makes no sense as an analogy.

When the Bible says “day” it means what is says. God has such enormous power that he could create the universe, earth, and all there is in just six-days.

Conclusion:

The God of creation…the God of the Bible… is the same God who provided a way of salvation whereby we can be saved from power of sin.

He can save you from your sin because:

God is

God creates by His word.

God is the supreme intelligence of the universe.

God is a god of goodness, grace and order.

God is a God of great will and purpose. He plans, foreordains, and predestines.

God is a God of revelation, a God who reveals His nature, what He is like and what He has done.

God is a God of form, fullness, completeness, fulfillment, and satisfaction.

God is a God of enormous power.