The Basic Questions of Creation
Prologue: Genesis 1-11 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 22 viewsAnswering the basic who, what, when, why and how questions of creation.
Notes
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Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please met me in your copy of God’s Word today in Genesis chapter 1. Where we will take our text for today from verses 1 and 2.
I had lunch this week with two fellow pastors in the area who are faithful expositors of Gods Word. Tim White (WinBap) and Davey Ermold (BRGB). We have lunch together once a month and when we do, we always ask each other “what are you preaching?” Davey just finished a series in the Psalms and said “We started the book of Hebrews this week.” (Talk about the difficulty of Hebrews) and Tim said “We’re in Isaiah” (Talk about the difficulty of the amount of judgement in Isaiah). To which I jokingly replied “Ya’ll are my heroes, you always do the hard stuff. When I grow up, I want to be like you.” They both chuckled and said “Your doing Genesis, and neither of us are brave enough to tackle that one yet.”
There is much controversy surrounding the book of Genesis in the world today and while thats to be expected from the world, its somewhat surprising to me to see it among christians.
For, as I said last week, if just one thread of Genesis 1-11 is not accurate and to be literally interpreted, then it unravels the entirety of the authority of Scripture. No wonder, it is under such assault today.
Let’s read these two verses together this morning shall we, this is the Word of the Lord.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 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 opening words of the Bible are absolutely stunning.
Introduction:
Introduction:
The first two verse of scripture make an astounding declaration. The Bible declares that God is behind everything. That is the starting point for the Christian world view. Everything begins with God. The universe is not eternal nor did it just happen by chance. Something did not come out of nothing. Nothing did not give rise to something. There is a creator and that creator has given purpose and meaning to everything He has created. The Bible doesn't argue for the existence of God; it declares the existence of God. It doesn't argue that the Heavens and the earth have a creator; it declares that God created the Heavens and the earth.
The first two verses of the Bible answer for us the most basic questions concerning creation.
When was the universe created?
Who created it?
What was created?
How was it created?
Let’s answer these questions from the text before us this morning.
1.) When was the universe created? (v.1)
1.) When was the universe created? (v.1)
The Bible tells us in a very simple manner, that anyone can understand. The Heavens and the Earth were created “In the beginning.” There was a beginning to the universe. Neither the world or humanity are eternal. The universe has not always existed.
The phrase “in the beginning” means that there was a time when it came into existence.
There was a time when the world did not exist, then, out of nowhere and out of nothing the world began.
All things have a beginning. There was a time when there was no physical matter, no physical energy, no atoms, protons, neutrons or electrons, no gaseous substances. Then the process of time began. There was a beginning. A time when everything was launched.
10 And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
This is a universal truth, everything has a beginning; consequently, there will be an ending to everything as well. There will come a time when this world and all that is in it will pass away.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
This should stand as a warning to everyone. Since man had a beginning, he will one day have an end. Therefore we must prepare to stand before our creator. If we do not know Him as Lord and savior we must repent of our sin bwfore a holy God.
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
Scripture tells us that it is the Lord Jesus who is the beginning and ending of all things. It is to Him that man must repent and to him we must turn to for the salvation of our souls.
6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
2.) Who created the universe? (v.1)
2.) Who created the universe? (v.1)
It was God, Elohim (the self existent one.) The supreme person, the supreme presence, the supreme being. the supreme intelligence.
It was God who existed before the world began, He is the one who began the beginning. He existed before everything began and everything owes its existence to Him and that includes Mankind and all he is. God alone deserves all of our worship, obedience and service. Nothing created and gave God life, he is eternally self-existant.
The fact that God was there at the beginning before the universe existed disproves and destroys many of man created beliefs.
A.) Atheism and agnosticism- Atheism is the belief that there is no God. Agnosticism is the belief that a person cannot know whether God exists or not. They are both wrong. The Bible declares that God exists right from vs.1
1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
B.) Pantheism- the belief that there is a god ut he is not personal. HE is nothing more than a force or an energy that is in all things. Its the belief that God is not a person but that God is within everything. (Star Wars). The Bible declares that God is a person, the Supreme person, who existed before the universe. He is above and beyond all matter and energy and He desires to have a relationship with you.
10 “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior. 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the Lord, “that I am God. 13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?”
C.) Polytheism- the belief that there are many God. Again the Bible is clear, Genesis 1:1 is clear, there is one God and he is God alone. One God, not many gods. He alone is the sovereign majesty of the universe. Polytheism is a false belief of man’s own imagination about God.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
D.) Materialism- the belief that the universe is all there is; nothing beyond this world and life exist. Materialism says that there is no God. The most supreme thing in the universe is the vey basic energy and force that causes all matter to exist and function. Beyond the physical material world there is nothing that exist. The Bible declares this to be wrong as well. God existed prior to the material and physical universe. THere is a God and mankind is answerable to that God.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
E.) Humanism and secularism- These are one in the same thing. It is the belief that man himself is the ultimate being of the universe. There is no God, no supreme being who rules over man and the universe. Man is there own authority and determines his own destiny. HE has the reasoning power to rule over both himself and nature. Humanism declares that man himself is his own supreme being. Mankind is not a spiritual being and he is not answerable to a supreme God.
The Bible declares “In the beginning God.” God existed before man ever appeared on the scene. Therefore He is before, above, and beyond man. God has always existed, He exists now, and He always will exist. Therefore man is answerable to God.
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; 7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’
3.) What was created. (v.1)
3.) What was created. (v.1)
God created the Heavens and the earth (universe).
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
God was there when the Heavens and earth was created. Before anything was ever made, god existed. You cant say it any simpler way. God’s presence and power are everywhere. We must always remember that God is present with us. He desires to make Himself known to us.
24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
God created the universe “ex nihilo”- out of nothing.
There is purpose to His creation. Life is full of purpose, meaning and value. Life is not meant to be empty and alienated from God. He created the universe and gave mankind life so that man could fellowship, worship, and serve God on all the fullness of life forever and ever.
God’s creation reveals to us who God is and what he is like.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
Romans declares to us here that creation reveals the Deity of God “eternal power” and “Godhead”. MAn can look at God’s creation and see everything he needs to see about God. Notice Romans 1:20 also says that man is without excuse.
Mankind has every evidence imaginable within creation directing him to God; yet mankind rejects the knowledge of God in that creation. Man has no defense, no answer, and no reason that can justify his rejection of God.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory.
Understand, this means that God is the owner of all creation as well. He possesses all the rights to the world to do as He pleases. His possession includes mankind. God is the rightful owner over every human life. We do not have the freedom to live however we please and we will answer to almighty God for doing so one day. A man can either bow his knee to God as Lord now or he will do it on judgement day when it is too late.
4.) How was the earth created? (v.2)
4.) How was the earth created? (v.2)
Verse two tells us that the earth was created in stages.
V1.- Launches the first stage of creation: God created the earth right alongside of the heavens. He used His supreme power to hang both the earth and the other heavenly bodies in place at the same time.
v.2 describes what the earth looked like in the first stage of creation, before God created light, vegetation, animals and man.
The earth was like many of the other planets in space. In fact v.2 tells us that it was covered in water. The Spirit of God then began hovering over the face of that water until He was ready to launch into the second act of creation where he would shape and form and make the earth fruitful and productive.
God created, wished and willed. He began the process of creation and moved through it step by step. HE repeated and repeated the creative act through the six days of creation. HE created the earth stage by stage.
HE alone has the power to take a lifeless and unpopulated earth and create life and populate it. This is why He is the Sovereign Majesty of the universe.
As Sovereign Lord, God reveals three wonderful truths to us:
A.) God has the power to take a person and make a new creation out of him. And God has the power to take that new person, that new creation, and move him along stage by stage until he reaches the climactic moment of redemption and perfection—all at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
B.) God also has the power to take the present universe, which is corrupted, and destroy it and make a new heavens and earth.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
C.) God has the power to quicken dead, lifeless matter and give it life. He has the power to quicken the dead spirit of man.
17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
Closing:
Closing:
DO you know your creator today? Give invitation.