In the Beginning

O.T. #2  "In the Beginning"
March 14, 2013
Introduction to Genesis-Part 2
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  Genesis 1:1 KJV

LET IT GLOW

Background

I remember as a little child looking up into the heavens and wondering how everything got here. In my heart, I knew God did it. I would go outside and sing to Him. They were not Christian songs nor church hymns. I didn't know them back then. (I wasn't a faithful Sunday School goer in my early years.) All I can say is, God must have a sense of humor. Although, even the cows' moos and birds' tweets praise Him in their own ways. Nature reveals there is a God. Shall we get started now?

The English title Genesis comes from the Greek translation meaning "origins." The Hebrew title is derived from the Bible's very first word, translated "in the beginning." (MacArthur)

The first book was titled Bere'shit (pronouncing the second e long and the i long), meaning "In the beginning" in Hebrew, which means "origins." (Falwell)

Matthew Henry says it is the history of origins-creation, sin and death, invention of arts, the generations of God's chosen people, the Law, as well as the prophecies of Jesus Christ the Savior and Messiah,

Who is the author of the book of Genesis?

• Genesis is the first book of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and the Pentateuch is said to be written by Moses. In face, the Pentateuch is sometimes simply called "Moses."
• Each of those five books says that Moses is the author, except for Genesis.
• The New Testament always refers to Moses as the author of the Pentateuch which includes Genesis.
• The Talmud, the earliest writings of the Jews, says that Moses was the author of Genesis.
• Moses was an eyewitness, an actual participant in the events of Exodus to Deuteronomy.
• Moses was well acquainted with Egypt. The author of Genesis is familiar with Egyptian names, and  Genesis is actually has a larger number of Egyptian words than any other book in the Old Testament.
• We know that God's Holy Spirit inspired man to write His Holy Word (2 Peter 1:21).

I thought it was an understood thing, considering Moses as the one who penned Genesis. After reading several commentaries, I now agree with them that it is so.

When did Moses write Genesis?
As to when he wrote it, now that's a different story. It could have been during the first 40 years of Moses' life, which he spent in Egypt. He must have studied Israel's history  and God's promises to Abraham's descendants at this time. It could have been during the second 40 years of Moses' life, which he spent in Midian. Although, he would not have had access to all the records of his people while there. It could have been written during the last 40 years of Moses' life, while leading Israel through the wilderness. Though he was busy being the deliverer and leader of his people and writing the other books of the Law. (Norman Geisler)

It really doesn't matter to me-when Moses wrote down these early events, beginnings. Personally, I always thought that was part of what God told him while Moses was up on Mt. Sinai, but I could be wrong.

Liberty Bible Commentary informs us that the great questions of life are answered in Genesis:

1. Where have I come from?
2. Why am I here?
3. Where am I going?

Okay, are you ready to start our walk through Genesis? I am. I feel like I should go put on my sandals.

LET IT GROW

The whole Bible starts out at the beginning of everything created and tells who created it. Let me be the first to admit that my mind is not smart enough to comprehend all of this. I know that God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit existed before anything and everything was created. All the things we see in what we call nature was created at some point in time out of nothing. All was an idea in God's mind, yet God is a Spirit. I wonder if God and Jesus conversed and planned out everything from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 and beyond into eternity before He created anything. This can definitely be deep thinking if you let it.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (verse 1)

Beginning, in Hebrew, is the word reshiyth (ray-sheeth') means the first, in place, time, order, or rank; chief. (Strong's Concordance)

The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible states:

The stress is God. God was there in the beginning, already existing when the universe first began. He is the God of power who actually existed before the universe and who acted and created the universe. God (Elohim) is the subject, sovereign Person who stands behind all things. this is the great declaration of the very first chapter of Genesis.
 

This description of God creating heaven and earth is understood to be:

1. recent, thousands not millions of years ago,
2. out of nothing (ex nihilo),
3. special, in 6 consecutive, 24 hour periods called days. Scripture does not support a creation date that makes the earth any more than about ten thousand years old.  (MacArthur)

God, in Hebrew is elohim, a masculine plural noun that emphasizes His majestic power and glory. the noun's root is generally agreed to mean power, strength, glory. (Falwell)

Created, is a Hebrew verb bara, which convey the idea of an absolute creation. (Falwell)

What was created in the beginning? The heaven and the earth, in reference to the universe.
Heaven may refer to the three heavens of Scripture: the atmospheric heaven, the heaven of outer space, and the realm of angels. Apparently, the angels were created at the very beginning of the first day of creation week; for they were already on hand to rejoice at the creation of the earth (Job 38:7). (Falwell)

While God exists eternally, this marked the beginning of the universe in time and space. God brought the created thing into being. Matter emerged from that which was immaterial. Out of nothing, in an instant, the universe-with all its space and matter-was made by God's decree.  The universe-at least its energy and mass-began to exist in some form. (MacArthur)

All this happened before all the details of earth were perfected and before man was created.
What I gleam from this very first verse is that God, Elohim, declared Himself to be the great Creator, the Sovereign Lord and Majesty of the universe. I think it all boils down to that. If we agree or disagree, it does not change the fact. People can choose to believe that everything got here through evolution, disbelieve the Word of God to be only a fairytale, but one day they will bow before this Elohim and confess Him as Lord.

Where do you stand, my friend?

According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. Ephesians 1:4-5

Before God created anything, He decided to adopt us, you and me, as His child through Jesus. Do I hear an amen?

LET IT GO

Dismiss all the false teachings and believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God.

Trust God/Jesus that what He says is true; He created everything out of nothing.

Thank our loving, creative God for all He has given me.