At the Beginning...God!

Introduction:

Documents are written for many reasons. Some stories entertain; some Manuals describe minutia; Documentaries describe a collection of facts to inform; Some essays attempt to persuade. Some approach Genesis expecting an explanation of metaphysics, geology, or cultural anthropology or philosophy.

Some see these words as a summary of highlights of millions or billions of years. Some read these words and conclude that the earth is flat. Some ask this book to answer the question about life on other planets. But these readers are placing a burden on the text that it was never meant to bear.

In my devotional reading this week I was in the end of John’s gospel, where John declares in John 10:30-31 that he doesn’t describe everything Jesus did, but the things he did write are sufficient to make belief reasonable.

I will admit that my approach to the purpose and meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures is in the thought flow of Saint Anselm of Canterbury who wrote nearly 1,000 years ago Credo ut intelligam, Latin for “I believe so that I may understand”. Anselm’s creed is a restatement of Saint Augustine’s statement 700 ears earlier that fides quaerens intellectum, “faith seeking intelligence”, and stands in opposition to intellego ut credam, “I think so that I may believe”.

I am not so naive as to believe that if an intelligent person would just read Genesis, that he or she would be forced to adopt my positions. I admit that I approach this book as someone who already believes. I believe there is a good and great personal God who supersedes time and matter who has a plan for creation and humanity. From that bias I believe God has revealed Himself as the only person who was present before time and is uniquely qualified to describe what happened. I admit before we begin this study that I believe in a historical Adam and six literal days of creation.

If Moses authored Genesis, who was his audience and why was this text needed?

If Moses was rescued from the Nile somewhere around 1526 BC and is raised by Pharoah’s daughter, kills an Egyptian, and flees to the Wilderness then encounters the burning bush somewhere around 1276 BC, Yet (my perspective flows from the Jewish number of years) and I believe the events of today’s text happened around 4140 BC, What had happened over those 2600 years of humanity to create a curiosity about the origin and purpose of man?

Sometime between the 2nd and 3rdmillennium BC the Babylonians wrote a creation story where credit is given to their gods. Somewhere around 2700 BC the Egyptians wrote a creation account giving credit to their God. I’m convinced that Moses wrote during the wandering in the Wilderness. The murmuring Israelite had been exposed to Babylonian and Egyptian theories but found themselves in a desert the talks around the campfire prompted questions like: How did we get here? Who is behind it all? Where are we going? These are questions that continue to plague humanity to this day!

Since neither Moses, nor any of his audience were there, God reveals himself by instructing Moses through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

We are going to discover God’s answer to these 3 questions between now and Memorial Day. The first question is answered in the first 3 words (4 words in English) of the Hebrew Bible— reshith Elohim bara "beginning created God”.

Transition: To the question “Who is behind it all?” God tells Moses to write that the Bible is not primarily a man-centered tale. It begins, ends, and revolves around God.

God’s Presence is Preeminent (v.1)

“Beginning” of what?

1. Time [sequence of events] and Matter[gas/vapor/solid] as we know it

Books & Movies appeal to being “lost in time” or “the Land before Time”, but those measure time as it relates only to humanity. A plain reading of Genesis 1 indicates that Time and space existed before man and that God existed before time or space.

2. This is why when God reveals His name to Moses at the Burning Bush, He doesn’t call Himself, “I was” but “I am”. And when Jesus appeared on the storming sea in Matt 14:27, he used the Greek equivalent "ἐγώ εἰμι" which is normally translated “it is I”.

Plural gods? (elohim)

Singular for the word is god.

To make a word plural in English we add -s, (sometimes -es and sometimes -ies).

To make el plural in Hebrew they add -ohim

In Hebrew plural can mean either quantity or quality. Elohim can mean either gods (small g) or God (the one high God). Context is the main way to tell which meaning Hebrew is trying to communicate.

In response to all the campfire stories about other (small g) gods, Moses cuts to the chase right off the bat, by clarifying that he is referring to a (big G) the true top God. He uses the singular of bara/create.

Perfect Fellowship (John 17:5, 24)

The Bible is an unfolding drama. Later passages enlighten truths that were already present, even if they were not stated.

An uniformed, blank slate, reading of Gen 1:1 would conclude that there is some sense that God is plural (either in number or majesty), yet singular. But the members of that plurality is not explicit at this point.

We need to read these verses from the posture of the Israelites in the Wilderness, then continue to read the rest of the Bible story, then go back and read this again reconciling both our post-resurrection understanding with Christ as the pinnacle of God’s revelation as the plan was progressively revealed, and the posture of the historical audience.

I like the mental picture of walking into a fully furnished, but darkened room with a flashlight. All the furnishings are in place, but as you shine the flashlight around you catch glimpses of the many pieces. Then you find the light switch, the overhead light illuminates the space and you can see the bigger picture of the location, spacing and flow of all the room. When we stand at the doorway and shine our Israelite light on the large sofa that is already in the middle of the room, we know the room is not empty. Later we get more light and an opportunity to see that sofa from different angles. We can count the number of cushions, we can observe the upholstery, we notice the excellent double stitching that holds the pieces together.

4. Jesus didn’t become God or god-like (as some cults teach) Jesus says in John that he shared in God’s glory before creation.

Transition: I realize that I have already spent a lot of time on individual words. But if the first 11 chapters of Genesis covers 2000 years, yet God slows down to give two chapters to just 6 days, it is good for us to slow down as well. When we slow down to consider God’s existence before earth, we notice that…

God’s Grace resolves chaos and emptiness (v.2)

One continuous thought (vv. 1-2)

1. This is what today’s reading looks like in the language Moses wrote. The verses read right to left and the red, green and blue words are the verbs.

2. Notice the 3 words that begin verses 3,4 & 5 all start with a a letter that looks like a skinny backwards “7”. That is a conjunction that appears over 50K times in the Old Testament that means “and then”

Look at your translation of this whole chapter and notice how many verses begin with “and”, but v.2 doesn’t begin with “and”. CSB & NIV use “now”, ESV & NASB just begins describing the condition that we were just talking about.

3. Without getting lost in the grammar, I just show you this to explain that verses 1 and 2 are describing the same circumstance. V.1 introduces when and who, v. 2 describes what.

4. It is a mistake to insert millions of years between these two verses to make room for the dinosaurs.

5. I don’t deny that dinosaur fossils have been unearthed, I just deny, based on my understanding of Scripture, that dinosaurs should be dated before days 5 and 6 of creation.

תֹהוּ (tohu) & בֹּהוּ (bohu)

(without form and void) These words don’t have the same rhyme in English.

We use the phrase “null and void”. By repeating 2 similar words we highlight just how useless it is.

The pairing of formless and void attempt the same emphasis.

Earth without God is a wasteland.

I know that a lot of people who have never been to Kansas think our whole state is an empty wasteland. Whenever I hear this I want to ask, “Have you ever driven through Central Illinois, Northwest Texas, or Arizona?”

5. Later (Isa 34 & Jer 4) this pairing of words is used to describe the landscape following judgment.

6. Nothing in vv.1-2 indicate any judgment or punishment. Simply that earth without God is quite barren. As man has been able to send back pictures from the moon and Mars, I see uninhabitable, barren, void—this is life apart from God’s gracious intervention.

Why would God send…?

1. Many people who want to create a god of their own imagination ask, “Why would “god” send anyone to hell?”

2. God doesn’t send people to hell. Sin and rebellion, wanting to do life apart from God causes people to go to a place where God is not present.

Transition: Before God spoke, Earth was as useful to plants, animals, and humans as other planets. But…

God’s Word reveals Possibilities (vv.3-5a)

God Said (10x)

Where else do we see God speak 10 times? The translation notes of the NET Bible point out, “The ten decrees of God in this chapter anticipate the ten words in the Decalogue (Exod 20:2–17)”.[i]

When God speaks, potential exists. Speaking is a delivery of ideas that exist in the mind of God.

3. In a situation of emptiness and darkness, God kindly said, “Let there be light”.

God didn’t create the emptiness, the emptiness is the absence of God’s creation. It wasn’t a judgment or punishment, it simply is the reality of a life without God’s presence or involvement.

When God gives His decalogue (10 statements/commands) obedience and fellowship with God becomes possible. If one were able to keep all the commands (As Jesus did) fellowship with God becomes possible. And if that possibility exists, we are drawn to it, even if we fall short.

Revealing Possibilities

Genesis begins to unroll the possibilities that a kind and gracious God introduces to hopeless and useless circumstances.

To darkness He introduces light

To the abyss He introduces dry land

To the land and seas He introduces animals and mankind

To mankind He introduces fellowship and Communion

To rebellion He introduces the proto-evangel (the promise of an heir who crushed the head of the enemy)

To wickedness He introduces restoration

To vanity He introduces worship and purpose

To sin He introduces forgiveness

To death He introduces resurrection.

To evil He introduces a new Heaven and a new Earth.

Transition: A cosmic Bang or spontaneous collision of protons never contains the positive possibilities that come from the mind of God. Ext

God’s Plan is Perfect (v.5b)

Sequence of Moments

A must happen before B is possible.

One situation existed and then another situation came to be. This progress was called a “day”.

If there is a sequence, then that sequence is either random or planned.

If there is a sequence, then entropy says it is either getting better, getting worse, or becoming different.

Random requires eons

1. For years, historians have tried to let God off the hook by introducing extra time into the sequence.

2. To our kids who have only been exposed to this random, old earth theory, some have found the displays at the Creation Museum and Ark Exhibit to helpfully visualize an alternative.

SIDENOTE: I’m going to drop an idea and see if it picks up traction. One our members suggested that a group trip to Creation/Ark when school lets out would really enhance this sermon series. I don’t know a single person who was disappointed that they took that trip. Talk it up to each other and let’s see if it moves out of a formless idea into a concrete plan.

To those who claim that change is random, I observe differently.

You have heard the quote, “all that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

I believe that is because forward energy demands input.

God spoke energy into formless and void because He is great and good.

God promises the seed of woman because He is great and good.

God promises atonement and forgiveness because His plan is great and good.

God offers salvation because His plan is great and good.

Our world only has hope because His plan is great and good.

Conclusion:

To all of us who have found our best intentions and efforts are without form and void, today is the Day you can repent of sin and follow Christ.

Stop relying upon human effort, and begin to trust in the plan and goodness of a God who graciously offers you salvation.

Our final song is a reprise of one that we did earlier in the service. As we sing if you would like to place your trust in God’s good plan of salvation come to the front and I will partner you with someone of your gender who can show you from God’s Word how you can join God’s good plan.

Song of Response . “Ah Lord God/What a Mighty God”

Benediction: Romans 15:13 (ESV) —May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

[i]Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Ge 1:3.