In The Beginning...
This week, we're going to take a look at the biblical account of creation, but not in the traditional sense. We all know the story of creation as read in the book of Genesis, but we're going to compare the creation as recorded in Genesis with the account of the creation in the first chapter of the book of John. I think we will find that these two very different accounts do not in any way contradict each other, but rather, that they complement one another, and when read together, they help to form a more complete picture of the creation.
For the purposes of this study, we will be looking at only the first 3 verses of Genesis chapter one, because our intention is not necessarily to delve into the entire process of creation day by day, but rather to intertwine the Genesis account with that of the first 3 verses of the book of John. The goal of this study will be to shed light on the fact that Jesus was not only present at the time of creation, but had a pivotal role in the forming of the universe. Our focus will be on the parallels of the two accounts, and the revealing of the creative work of Jesus as read in the book of John.
We'll begin by looking at Genesis 1:1-3..."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. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."
With verse 1, we see the inception of the creative process. However, the first four words of the verse, "In the beginning God", reveal far more than they at first appear to. We all understand that "the beginning" refers to the birth of the universe, a point at which things came into being, that is, before this time, there was nothing. Only God existed before the creation, as we read in Psalms 90:2..."Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." However, when we take a closer look at the first four words of the verse, we find that there is a fundamental, if not somewhat hidden, truth which is revealed. The original text of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the word used for "God" in this verse, as well as the verses which follow, is the Hebrew word "Elohiym", which is a plural noun. This is not a grammatical error, as this word existed in a singular form, as well. The Hebrew vocabulary was vast, and contained more names which referred to God than any other language, before or since. So, what does this tell us? The phrase in verse one, "God created", is perplexing when we realize that the word "Elohiym" is a plural noun, and "created" is a singular verb. It is as if we are reading the phrase as "We created ". And this is exactly the point. This is the first mention of God, in Genesis 1:1, and here we see that there is a plurality with God, our first glimpse of the Godhead, the Trinity.
Verses 2 and 3 lend further credence to the concept of the Trinity, as we see the work of the Spirit..."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. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Here we have the first mention of the Spirit of God, the Third Person of the Trinity, and the fact that He moved upon the face of the waters. Further evidence of the plurality of God is found later in Genesis 1:26, on the sixth day of creation, where we read..."And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:..." This is rather confusing until we realize that this was a consultation between the Trinity, a coming together for the purposes of forming man, because he was to be not only dedicated to Father, Son, and Spirit, but he was also to be the only creature with a living and immortal soul. It is humbling to think that mankind was the last of the creation, therefore, he had no role whatsoever in the creative process, and yet, the whole of creation was put under his dominion. This is our first indication of the love that God has for us.
With these thoughts in mind, let's now take a look at John 1:1-3, and the parallels which will help us to see a more complete picture of the creation..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. "
Let us first take a look at John 1:14, in order to establish the fact that it is indeed Jesus who is referred to in these verses..."And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." This verse serves to demonstrate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus and "the Word" are one and the same. With this truth firmly established, we begin to see the beautiful harmony which flows between the first 3 verses of Genesis and John, showing us the completeness of the Trinity. The plurality of God, that is, the Father and the Son, along with the Spirit, created the heaven and the earth, and came together to form mankind in their image, after their likeness. Furthermore, when we read in verse 3 of Genesis 1 that "God said, Let there be light...", this is an example of the Word of God in action. This coincides with verse 3 of John 1, as we read that "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Jesus, the eternal Word of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, was and is the driving force behind all of creation. He tells us in Revelation 1:8..."I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Finally, we read in Colossians 1:12-17..."Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
One final thought...knowing what we know now, let's think about this: the hands that set the planets in motion, and formed the sun, moon, and stars, the hands that created all the animals and plants, and filled the oceans, the hands which created every human being who has ever lived, these same hands were nailed to a cross on our behalf. These same hands are, as we speak, preparing a home in glory for those who have believed on Him. All we need to do is to put our trust, and our life, in His hands.
For the purposes of this study, we will be looking at only the first 3 verses of Genesis chapter one, because our intention is not necessarily to delve into the entire process of creation day by day, but rather to intertwine the Genesis account with that of the first 3 verses of the book of John. The goal of this study will be to shed light on the fact that Jesus was not only present at the time of creation, but had a pivotal role in the forming of the universe. Our focus will be on the parallels of the two accounts, and the revealing of the creative work of Jesus as read in the book of John.
We'll begin by looking at Genesis 1:1-3..."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. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."
With verse 1, we see the inception of the creative process. However, the first four words of the verse, "In the beginning God", reveal far more than they at first appear to. We all understand that "the beginning" refers to the birth of the universe, a point at which things came into being, that is, before this time, there was nothing. Only God existed before the creation, as we read in Psalms 90:2..."Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." However, when we take a closer look at the first four words of the verse, we find that there is a fundamental, if not somewhat hidden, truth which is revealed. The original text of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the word used for "God" in this verse, as well as the verses which follow, is the Hebrew word "Elohiym", which is a plural noun. This is not a grammatical error, as this word existed in a singular form, as well. The Hebrew vocabulary was vast, and contained more names which referred to God than any other language, before or since. So, what does this tell us? The phrase in verse one, "God created", is perplexing when we realize that the word "Elohiym" is a plural noun, and "created" is a singular verb. It is as if we are reading the phrase as "We created ". And this is exactly the point. This is the first mention of God, in Genesis 1:1, and here we see that there is a plurality with God, our first glimpse of the Godhead, the Trinity.
Verses 2 and 3 lend further credence to the concept of the Trinity, as we see the work of the Spirit..."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. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." Here we have the first mention of the Spirit of God, the Third Person of the Trinity, and the fact that He moved upon the face of the waters. Further evidence of the plurality of God is found later in Genesis 1:26, on the sixth day of creation, where we read..."And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:..." This is rather confusing until we realize that this was a consultation between the Trinity, a coming together for the purposes of forming man, because he was to be not only dedicated to Father, Son, and Spirit, but he was also to be the only creature with a living and immortal soul. It is humbling to think that mankind was the last of the creation, therefore, he had no role whatsoever in the creative process, and yet, the whole of creation was put under his dominion. This is our first indication of the love that God has for us.
With these thoughts in mind, let's now take a look at John 1:1-3, and the parallels which will help us to see a more complete picture of the creation..."In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. "
Let us first take a look at John 1:14, in order to establish the fact that it is indeed Jesus who is referred to in these verses..."And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." This verse serves to demonstrate, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jesus and "the Word" are one and the same. With this truth firmly established, we begin to see the beautiful harmony which flows between the first 3 verses of Genesis and John, showing us the completeness of the Trinity. The plurality of God, that is, the Father and the Son, along with the Spirit, created the heaven and the earth, and came together to form mankind in their image, after their likeness. Furthermore, when we read in verse 3 of Genesis 1 that "God said, Let there be light...", this is an example of the Word of God in action. This coincides with verse 3 of John 1, as we read that "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Jesus, the eternal Word of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, was and is the driving force behind all of creation. He tells us in Revelation 1:8..."I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Finally, we read in Colossians 1:12-17..."Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
One final thought...knowing what we know now, let's think about this: the hands that set the planets in motion, and formed the sun, moon, and stars, the hands that created all the animals and plants, and filled the oceans, the hands which created every human being who has ever lived, these same hands were nailed to a cross on our behalf. These same hands are, as we speak, preparing a home in glory for those who have believed on Him. All we need to do is to put our trust, and our life, in His hands.
Comments
Post a Comment