Genesis 1.1-2-Creation, Fall of Satan and Restoration

Tuesday July 19, 2005

Genesis: Genesis 1:1-2-Creation, Fall of Satan and Restoration

Tape # 1

Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 1:1.

This evening we will embark upon a study of the book of Genesis.

The naming of the book of Genesis is in conformity with the ancient Near East practice of naming a book by its first words, the Hebrew title of the book of Genesis is bere’shith (jyv!ar@B+), “in the beginning.”

On the other hand, the English title is a transliteration from the Latin Vulgate (Liber Genesis) of the Greek title, probably taken from 2:4, genesis, “origin, source, race, creation”).

Both titles are appropriate for the book of Genesis deals with beginnings and origins of the cosmos (1:1-2:3), of humanity, the nations and their alienation from God and one another (2:4-11:32) and of Israel (12:1-50:26), God’s new initiative to save the world through the promised “Seed”, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible attributes the authorship of the Pentateuch to Moses, and if so, then the book of Genesis was authored by Moses since Genesis is contained in the Pentateuch (Ex. 20:2-23:33; 34:11-26; Lev. 1:1; 27:34; Deut. 1:5-4:40; 5:1-26:19; 27-28; 31:30-32:43).

The prologue of the book of Genesis is contained in Genesis 1:1-2:3 and from there the book of Genesis is divided according to the genealogies that are marked by the noun toledhoth (pronounced: toh-l`dohth) (tw{dl@w{T), which means, “origins, records of the origins”

The noun toledhoth appears ten times in the book of Genesis and is always used in a transitional sense as a heading or title for what is to follow and provides the outline or framework to the book of Genesis.

Therefore, the outline of the book of Genesis is as follows: (1) The account of the line of the heavens and the earth-transition (2:4-4:26). (2) The account of Adam’s line (5:1-6:8). (3) The account of Noah’s line (6:9-9:29). (4) The account of the line of Noah’s sons (10:1-11:9). (5) The account of Shem’s line (11:10-26). (6) The account of Terah’s line (11:27-25:11). (7) The account of Ishmael’s line (25:1-11). (8) The account of Isaac’s line (25:19-35:29). (9) The account of Esau’s line (36:1-37:1). (10) The account of Jacob’s line (37:2-50:26).

The book of Genesis is an extremely important book because it gives us information regarding the origins of the universe, the solar system, the atmosphere, life, man, the total depravity of man, marriage, evil, language, government, culture, the nations, religion, the chosen people (Israel).

Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Corrected translation of Genesis 1:1, “In eternity past, God created out of nothing the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1 refutes (1) Atheism because God created the universe. (2) Pantheism for God is transcendent to that which He created. (3) Polytheism for one God created all things. (4) Materialism for matter had a beginning. (5) Dualism because God was alone when He created. (6) Humanism because God, not man, is the ultimate reality. (7) Evolutionism because God created all things.

“In the beginning” refers to eternity past when there was only the Trinity and no creation or creatures.

“Created” is the verb bara (arB), “to create something out of nothing” which is in Genesis 1:1 and is not used until the introduction of animal and human life, in the 5th and 6th days indicating that the six days are an account of a divine restoration.

The other verbs which are used to describe the work of the 6 days such as “made,” (asah), “form” (yatsar) “divide” (badhal), and “set” (nathan) are used elsewhere of work done with existing materials, thus clearly indicating that something tremendous and terrible happened to the initial creation.

“Creation” is different from “restoration” since the former is making something out of nothing whereas the latter is fixing something up after it has been destroyed.

God the Father planned the restoration, God the Son gave the commands to create and restore (Gen. 1:21, 27; Heb. 1:2) and God the Holy Spirit executed God the Son’s commands to restore and create (Gen. 1:2b-20).

Colossians 1:16, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

Evolution is taught in our schools as an alternative to the creation account that is taught in the Bible, but it takes more faith to believe in evolution than it does to believe the Biblical account of creation.

There are three essential areas into which evolution cannot move and which evolution cannot solve: (1) It cannot bridge the gap from nothing to something. (2) It cannot bridge the gap from something to life. (3) It cannot bridge the gap between life and humanity-that is self-conscious human life with a volition.

Genesis 1:2a, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep.”

Corrected translation of Genesis 1:2a, “However the earth became an empty desolation, and darkness was upon the surface of the raging ocean depths.”

Genesis 1:2 begins with a “waw-disjunctive construction” (conjunction-noun-verb), which indicates a contrast between Genesis 1:2 and 1:1 and that the original creation underwent a catastrophic judgment.

Now, we know that God is perfect and His creation of the heavens and the earth was perfect, thus what we read in Genesis 1:2 indicates that something happened to God’s perfect creation.

“Was” is the verb hayah, which is in the perfect tense referring to the present state of the earth that is the result of a preceding situation, namely, the judgment of the fallen angels and should be translated “became.”

“Formless and void” is composed of 3 Hebrew words: (1) “Formless” is the noun tohu. (2) “And” is the conjunction waw. (3) “Void” is the noun bohu.

The noun tohu signifies “desolation, that which is desolate, a chaos, a ruin” whereas the noun bohu means “emptiness,” or “that which is empty.”

Tohu and bohu always refer to a confused, chaotic state, inevitably the result of some cataclysm, and usually one that has been brought on by divine judgment.

Isaiah 45:18, “For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place (tohu), but formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else.”

Jeremiah 4:23, “I looked on the earth, and behold, it was a ruin (tohu) and a desolation (bohu); And to the heavens, and they had no light.”

In Genesis 1:2, the nouns tohu, bohu express the concept of chaos on the earth and a comparison of Scripture with Scripture indicates that this was the result of God’s judgment of the Satanic rebellion.

Genesis 1:1-2:3 along with a comparison of Scripture with Scripture (cf. Isa. 45:18; Jer. 4:23-25; Ezek. 28:12-18; Isa. 14:12-14) clearly indicates that the earth and all of creation have already undergone 3 phases: (1) Creation (Gen. 1:1). (2) Chaos (Between Gen. 1:1 and 1:2; cf. Isa. 14:12-14; 45:18; Ezek. 28:12-18; Job 4:18). (3) Restoration and Creation of Mankind (Gen. 1:2b-2:4).

The six days recorded in Genesis 1:3-31 are a record of the restoration of the original creation that was judged by God for the rebellion of Satan and this restoration was accomplished in 6 literal 24-hour days.

(1) 1st Day: The Lord restored light to the earth (Gen. 1:3-5). (2) 2nd Day: The Lord restored the atmosphere (Gen. 1:6-8). (3) 3rd Day: The Lord restored the dry land by causing the flood waters to gather into one place (Gen. 1:9-11). (4) 4th Day: The Lord restored the stellar universe (Gen. 1:14-19). (5) 5th Day: The Lord created animal life (Gen. 1:20-21). (6) 6th Day: The Lord created man (Gen. 1:26-28).

The presence of the heavens and earth already in place at Genesis 1:3 shows this is restoration.

Three major events took place between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2:

(1) The rebellion of Satan in eternity past, which is noted in Job 4:18, Isaiah 14:12-14, 45:18 and Ezekiel 28:12-18.

Job 4:18, “He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error.”

Ezekiel 28:12, “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, you had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”

Ezekiel 28:13, “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared.”

The fact that Satan was in the garden of Eden before he sinned and rebelled against God indicates that the garden of Eden that Adam was placed in was a restored one and if a restored one then the account of the six days of Genesis 1 are that of a restoration rather than one of creation.

Ezekiel 28:14, “You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.”

Ezekiel 28:15, “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.”

Ezekiel 28:16, “By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.”

Ezekiel 28:17, “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you.”

Ezekiel 28:18, “By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.”

Ezekiel 28:19, “All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; You have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”

Isaiah 14:12, “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!”

Isaiah 14:13, “But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.”

Isaiah 14:14, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

The fact that Satan desired to ascend to heaven indicates that he was not satisfied with his position on planet earth in the garden of Eden and if he was in the garden of Eden, then the garden of Eden that Adam was placed into was a restored one and if it was restored, then the account of the six days in Genesis 1 are an account of a restoration and not of creation.

(2) The Supreme Court of Heaven’s decision to sentence Satan and the fallen angels to the Lake of Fire for their rebellion as noted in Matthew 25:41.

(3) The appeal of the sentence by Satan, which is indicated by the following: (a) Satan is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2), (b) he deceives it (1 Jn. 5:19), (c) he has access to heaven and accuses believers (Job 1-2; Zech. 3:1-3; Rev. 12:10), (d) his sentence to the lake of fire has not been executed as of yet and won’t be until the end of human history (Rev. 20:10).

Genesis 1:2, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”

The earth enshrouded in darkness indicates that the earth was judged by God since darkness in the Bible is always associated with judgment, sin and evil (cf. Is.5:30; 8:22; Ezek.32:7-8; Acts 13:11; Ex.10:21-29; cf. Ps.105:28; Matt.27:45-54; Rev.19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8).

The earth being completely flooded with water indicates that the earth was judged by God since water is commonly associated with judgment (Gen. 6-9; cf. 2 Pet.2:5; 3:5-7).

As a result of Satan's activities on the original earth, God judged the original created world and the earth was cursed by association with Satan's sin (just as the restored earth would later be cursed for its association with Adam's sin (Gen.3:17-19; Rom. 8:19-22).

At the end of Genesis 1:2, we have the Holy Spirit anticipating the command from the Lord Jesus Christ to restore physical light to the stellar universe and planet earth, which would indicate the restoration of the presence and glory of God and that God granted Satan and the fallen angels there appeal.

Genesis 1:2, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”

Corrected translation of Genesis 1:2b:

Genesis 1:2b, “Now, the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

“Was moving” is the piel stem of the verb rachaph ([j^r*), which is used as an anthropopathism where God the Holy Spirit is depicted as hovering over the raging ocean depths of planet earth like a mother eagle hovering over her chicks in order to convey God’s attitude of concern for His creation, which was judged because of the Satanic rebellion.

The word speaks of the mercy and grace of God who as to His nature is love.