Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This one verse serves as the foundation for the rest of the Bible. If this one verse is not true, then nothing else the Bible says really matters.
“In the beginning” speaks of the perpetual (eternal, or everlasting) nature of God. In the beginning is a reference to the creation of all things, including time as we know it. Not only states that God exists; also states that God has always existed. See Psalm 90:2 – “From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
What should man’s response be to an everlasting creator? Some have difficulty accepting the existence of an “everlasting” God – but the only other alternative is to accept the existence of an everlasting earth (one that has always existed). Which is more reasonable? The answer is obvious! The fact that God has always existed and will always exist indicates that God is sovereign over (has priority over) all his creation, including man. Because God has always existed and will always exist, it is of paramount importance that we humble ourselves before Him (involves submission). As created beings, we ought to recognize the authority of God and then submit to that authority.
“In the beginning God” speaks of the personality of God. The word “God” is translated from from the Hebrew word “Elohim,” plural in form. This does not teach the existence of more than one God, but it does teach that there is more than one person in the Godhead. The word “God” does not necessarily denote number, but deity. There is one God (divine nature) but three persons who possess this one divine nature:
First, there is God the Father. From John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” From this, we understand the idea of God the Father.
- Second, consider God the Son. John 1:1-3: “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.” From reading the remainder of John chapter one and considering the context, we know John 1:1-3 speaks of God the Son.
Third, consider God the Holy Spirit. From Acts 5:3-4: “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” Notice that when Peter told Ananias he lied to the Holy Spirit and he lied to God, he was using the words “God” and “Holy Spirit ” interchangeably with one another.
What should man’s response be to the existence of God? Because all three persons of the Godhead possess the characteristics of deity (omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence) it is imperative that we honor them with our lives.
“In the beginning God created” speaks of the power of God. The word “created” is translated from the Hebrew word “bara.” This is significant because it is always used only of the work of God. The work of making and forming consists of organizing already existing materials into more complex systems, whereas the act of creation is that of speaking into existence something whose materials had no previous existence, except in the mind of power of God. Man can “make” things or “form” things, but only God can create things – that is, call into existence that which had no existence.
As part of God’s creation, how should man respond? God not only had the power to create the world, he still possesses the power that will one day bring the world to an end. I Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: “
In light of the fact that this world will one day come to an end, we ought to heed what God says. From II Peter 3:10-14: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Because you and I are a part of God’s creation, we ought to live accordingly, always striving to please our creator.