Tag: Genesis 1:1-5

In the beginning our story began in a complete state of darkness. Our earth was formless and empty, a darkness, 9/11/01 hovered lingered on the deep. Genesis 1:1-5

Genesis 1:1-5 Complete Jewish Bible

Parashah 1: B’resheet (In the beginning) 1:1–6:8

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was unformed and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So there was evening, and there was morning, one day.

The Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Beginnings are important.

Backgrounds about characters in novels and movies help us see the situations that have shaped them.

Sometimes we will introduce ourselves by talking about our likes, dislikes, what it is we do for a living, what sort of day we are having or the weather or what is currently going on in the world around us with our thoughts and our feelings.

We recognize how much of who we are in any given moment of time has a lot to do with our interpretations of the situations and the people who came before us.

Similarly, the Bible’s first words about the earth are that it was “formless and empty” and that “darkness was over the surface of the deep”—a poetic way of saying that our world did not exist before God started speaking and creating.

Have you ever been in a room without any lights on? It can be so dark that you can’t see your hands in front of your face or even when you touch your nose.

The Bible begins with such an indescribable darkness that is deeper than that.

It’s the very deepest darkness biblical writers could imagine or conceive: the empty darkness of nothingness, chaos is everywhere, our world not existing.

However heavy and impossible our current circumstances may feel, the Bible reminds us that from the beginning our story begins with the God who speaks, who creates new life even in the midst of the deepest darkness imaginable.

In other words, with God there is a non stop, continuous cycle of hope. God speaks and the result is always the same – the old is gone new life is created.

2 Corinthians 5:16-19 Complete Jewish Bible

16 So from now on, we do not look at anyone from a worldly viewpoint. Even if we once regarded the Messiah from a worldly viewpoint, we do so no longer.  17  Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! 18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation, 19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Genesis 1:1-5 Amplified Bible

The Creation

1 In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was [c]formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, [d]“Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and [e] He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness. 5 And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was [f]evening and there was [g]morning, one day.

In the Bible we have God’s great story of the world from its beginning to its end.

This story includes not only complexity and beauty but also great tragedy and sorrow. One of the golden threads woven into this story focuses on the world’s true King. Who is this King, and what does true kingship look like on the earth?

In the Bible’s opening verses we hear God speaking.

In the ancient world, no one could make things happen the way a king could by just speaking. If the king said, “Let there be a great banquet,” all the servants immediately jumped into action. “Your wish is our command,” they would say.

In Genesis, God speaks as King, and the cosmos itself springs into being.

God can even make something out of nothing!

Light and darkness, day and night, water and sky, sun and moon, vegetation and creatures. Whole arenas of life are formed and filled.

And God the King affirms its cosmic importance, “It is good.”

Creator King builds by speaking, his lordship over all things is put on display.

Ancient kings in their earthly kingdoms would build temples, palaces, and gardens. The Creator King has built the marvelous temple-palace-garden complex that is creation, the whole universe, including our earthly home.

The world in which we “live and move and have our being” now exists because God our King continues to speak and uphold its existence (Colossians 1:16-17).

Colossians 1:15-20 Amplified Bible

15 He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation. 16 For [a]by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him. 17 And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is all of the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] 18 He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the [b]church; and He is the beginning, [c]the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. 19 For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son), 20 and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

9/11: Understanding God’s Sovereignty and Purpose

On September 11, 2001, our world was forever changed by the tragic events that unfolded.

Many people asked the question:

Where was God in the midst of this terrible tragedy?

As Christians, we believe that God is always present and in control, even in the face of evil and suffering.

While it may be difficult to comprehend why a loving God would allow such a tragedy to happen, we must always remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9).

The Reality of Human Sinfulness

To understand why God allows evil and suffering in our world, we must first acknowledge the reality of human sinfulness.

The Bible tells us all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Humanity is desperately wicked and sinful (Romans 3:10-18). God allows human beings to commit sin for His own reasons and to fulfill His own purposes. This does not mean that God is responsible for the wicked acts of evil men.

God’s Eternal Perspective

God looks at things from an eternal perspective, while we often view things from an earthly perspective.

We wonder why God allowed Adam and Eve to sin and bring evil, death, and suffering upon all mankind.

However, it is important to remember that the purpose of all creation and all creatures is to glorify God.

God is glorified when His nature and attributes are displayed.

If there were no sin, God would have no opportunity to display His justice and wrath as He punishes sin.

Nor would He have the singular opportunity to show His grace, mercy, and love to all of our neighbors.

Matthew 25:40 Amplified Bible

40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’

The ultimate display of God’s grace was seen at the Cross, where Jesus died for our sins.

Here, we witness an inconceivable depth of unselfishness and unconditional obedience being gruesomely displayed in God’s Son, who knew no sin but was made sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This was all to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:14).

Ephesians 1:7-14 Names of God Bible

7 Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. 8 He poured out his kindness by giving us every kind of wisdom and insight 9 when he revealed the mystery of his plan to us. He had decided to do this through Christ. 10 He planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth. 11 God also decided ahead of time to choose us through Christ according to his plan, which makes everything work the way he intends. 12 He planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope on Christ would praise him and give him glory.

13 You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised. 14 This Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive our inheritance. We have this guarantee until we are set free to belong to him. God receives praise and glory for this.

Recognizing the Miracles Amidst Tragedy

When reflecting on September 11, it is easy to focus solely on the tragedy and forget the vast number of miracles which God wrought that day.

Despite the scope of the devastation, there were countless instances where lives were buried under tons of rubble and were saved and people were able to escape.

These miracles remind us God was present even amidst the darkness and chaos.

Psalm 46:1-3 King James Version

46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

For instance, a small group of firemen and one civilian survived in a very tiny stairwell as one of the towers collapsed around them.

The passengers on Flight 93 fought against the terrorists, preventing further destruction.

These are but a few examples of the numerous miracles taking place that day.

Why This Matters in 2026 – 25th Anniversary

Understanding God’s sovereignty and purpose in the midst of tragedy is crucial for our faith. It reminds us that God is always in control, even when things seem beyond out of control. Moreover, it helps us trust in His wisdom and goodness, even when after 25 years we cannot ever expect to comprehend .1% of His ways.

Think About It

As we reflect on September 11, let us not only remember the tragedy but also the stories of hope and resilience.

Let us be reminded of the countless lives that have been changed for the better since that day.

It is possible that vast multitudes of people have turned to Christ as Savior and found salvation as a result of what happened.

When faced with enormously difficult circumstances or tragedies in our own lives, may we will find comfort in knowing that God is with us. Let us trust in His sovereignty and have faith that He works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Spiritual Meaning of 9/11

The spiritual significance of 9/11, is often referred to as “angel number 911,” encompasses themes of transformation and renewal. This number is a powerful symbol that encourages individuals to embrace change and personal growth.

Key Themes
  • End of a Cycle: The number 9 signifies completion, indicating that a phase in our lives is concluding. This does not imply any negative ending but rather as a necessary transition to mark a starting line, make way for our new beginnings.
  • New Opportunities: The number 1, appearing twice in 911, emphasizes fresh starts and the courage to pursue new paths. It suggests that we are entering a period of time which God has filled with overflowing potential and possibilities.
  • Guidance and Support: Seeing 911 repeatedly is interpreted as a sign from the universe or higher powers, reminding us that we are never alone. It signifies that we are now being guided toward a more meaningful direction in our lives.
Spiritual Growth

The appearance of 911 can also indicates a spiritual awakening. It encourages us to shed old rusted patterns and embrace your true self. This number serves as a reminder to trust our intuition, recognize, use our God given gifts and talents.

Remember in spite of our differences are or what now divides us, from God’s covenant that the life of every person has great value.

Remembering 9/11 can also remind us of the value of individual lives. Every one of the thousands of people who passed away on 9/11 was created and loved by God and had people who loved them, as well.

When we remember people this way, we can focus on how every person we will encounter is someone who’s valuable because he or she is made in God’s image.

God’s Word Genesis 1:27 reveals: “So God created mankind in his own image.”

That includes people we agree with and people we see as our enemies, disagree with, as well as, people who are successful and people who are struggling. 

Jesus calls us to love all people – not just the people who are easy to love.

In Matthew 22:39, Jesus urges us to: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Remembering 9/11 can help us do so by changing the way we look at the people around us.

The person sitting next to us at church, the cashier at the store, the homeless person on the street, new biased and prejudices and all the difficult people in our lives all lives matter because they are all unconditionally valuable to God.

They’re all people God has created and loves – God wants us to love them too.

Let our fear and grief remind us to turn to God for help.

Finally, remembering 9/11 can teach us where to take our fear and grief.

The events of that day brought enormous fear and grief into Americans’ lives.

Many people lost loved ones.

Others lost their sense of safety. The emotional wounds people suffered on 9/11 have lasted for years.

But the Bible encourages us in Psalm 34:18 that: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

What a wonderful promise!

Instead of telling us not to be afraid or sad, God promises to be near us.

God will fight fear with us and help us when we’re grieving.

When we remember painful events, we can bring those memories to God and honestly share our feelings with him.

We can also help people who are dealing with fear and grief.

Thankfully, death isn’t final for those who place their faith and trust in Jesus.

In John 11:25, Jesus tells us: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”

That promise doesn’t erase the pain of losing someone.

But it does give us hope beyond the grave.

Today, 25 years after 9/11, we can remember the lives that were lost without allowing fear to overwhelm us.

We can grieve with hope and still worship God because he gives us hope. Our memories of fear and grief – from 9/11, and from other challenges we’ve gone through – all can draw us closer to the God who is near to the brokenhearted.

In conclusion, while remembering 9/11 is painful, it’s also meaningful.

It can remind us to use our time wisely, walk humbly with God, show kindness, value every person, and bring our fear and grief to God.

Let’s honor those who survived, were wounded, passed away on that historic day by living, loving our own days with greater faithfulness, as God leads us!

Isaiah 11:6-10 The Message

A Living Knowledge of God

6-9 The wolf will romp with the lamb,
    the leopard sleep with the kid.
Calf and lion will eat from the same trough,
    and a little child will tend them.
Cow and bear will graze the same pasture,
    their calves and cubs grow up together,
    and the lion eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child will crawl over rattlesnake dens,
    the toddler stick his hand down the hole of a serpent.
Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill
    on my holy mountain.
The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive,
    a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide.

* * *

10 On that day, Jesse’s Root will be raised high, posted as a rallying banner for the peoples. The nations will all come to him. His headquarters will be glorious.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Psalm 46 The Message

46 1-3 God is a safe place to hide,
    ready to help when we need him.
We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
    courageous in sea storm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans,
    the tremors that shift mountains.

    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God’s city,
    this sacred haunt of the Most High.
God lives here, the streets are safe,
    God at your service from crack of dawn.
Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
    but Earth does anything he says.

7     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
    He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
Bans war from pole to pole,
    breaks all the weapons across his knee.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
    loving look at me, your High God,
    above politics, above everything.”

11     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
    God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Realizing from the very beginning of everything: it has always been about God’s loving God’s creative Presence. Genesis 1:1-5

Genesis 1:1-5 Complete Jewish Bible

Parashah 1: B’resheet (In the beginning) 1:1–6:8

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was unformed and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So there was evening, and there was morning, one day.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Have you ever stood on top of a cliff, have you ever watched a seagull or a tern that seems to just hang in the air over the waters? The wind may be blustering waves and waters roaring, but the bird still soars calmly over the rough ocean.

That image of hovering over turbulent waters is how the Bible first describes the Spirit of God. The word for “hovering” indicates a high degree of care, even concern, in its action, and it is unmistakably linked to the behavior of protective birds that brood over their nests, guarding and keeping their clutch warm and safe as it develops. From the beginning the Holy Spirit, in his protective love, hovered over the surface of the unformed deep and even now, continues to care.

The story of creation in Genesis was given to God’s people at a time when other stories about the beginning of the world were filled with themes of violence and chaos. Into that unsettled situation, the Genesis story came as a blessed gift revealed God’s purposeful, loving intention to make all things good, beautiful.

At the time, it would have sounded far different from the other creation stories.

And because love and goodness are at the center of this story, it continues to invite people to know God as the loving, protective Creator that he is. As we’ll explore, discover, many other passages in the Bible also teach us something about “in the beginning God ….” through the imagery of the creation story.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 19 Complete Jewish Bible

19 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:

2 (1) The heavens declare the glory of God,
the dome of the sky speaks the work of his hands.
3 (2) Every day it utters speech,
every night it reveals knowledge.
4 (3) Without speech, without a word,
without their voices being heard,
5 (4) their line goes out through all the earth
and their words to the end of the world.

In them he places a tent for the sun,
6 (5) which comes out like a bridegroom from the bridal chamber,
with delight like an athlete to run his race.
7 (6) It rises at one side of the sky,
circles around to the other side,
and nothing escapes its heat.

8 (7) The Torah of Adonai is perfect,
restoring the inner person.
The instruction of Adonai is sure,
making wise the thoughtless.
9 (8) The precepts of Adonai are right,
rejoicing the heart.
The mitzvah of Adonai is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
10 (9) The fear of Adonai is clean,
enduring forever.
The rulings of Adonai are true,
they are righteous altogether,
11 (10) more desirable than gold,
than much fine gold,
also sweeter than honey
or drippings from the honeycomb.
12 (11) Through them your servant is warned;
in obeying them there is great reward.

13 (12) Who can discern unintentional sins?
Cleanse me from hidden faults.
14 (13) Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins,
so that they won’t control me.
Then I will be blameless
and free of great offense.

15 (14) May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Out Of The Darkness: “God Said” Let There Be Light, Let There Be Day One. Genesis 1:3-5

In the beginning, there was God.

And God spoke all of creation into being.

God created ex nihilo (God created out of nothing).

God spoke, and light appeared.

By the power of His Word, land, air, and sea were formed out of nothing.
There is power, wonder-working power in the wonderful Word of God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

He created all things and the Word was light.

He was the light that lightens every man that comes into the world.

There is light and life and power, wonder-working light and life and power in the wonderful Word of God.

Genesis 1:1-5 Amplified Bible

The Creation

1 In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was [c]formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, [d]“Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and [e] He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness. 5 And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was [f]evening and there was [g] morning, one day.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

“I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,”

The first verse of Genesis begins with the greatest observable fact known to man: the existence of the universe, the heavens and the earth, (Genesis 1:1b); and it links to that the greatest fact made known by revelation:

“I Believe in the existence of a God who creates.”

There is thus brought together in this simple verse at the beginning of the Bible the recognition of the two great sources of human knowledge:

nature, which is discoverable by the five senses of our physical life; and revelation, which is discoverable only by a mind and heart illuminated and taught by the Spirit of God.

These things “are spiritually discerned,” says the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 2:14 Amplified).

14 But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].

Both of these sources of knowledge are from God, and each of them is a means of knowing something about God.

The scientist who studies nature is searching ultimately for God.

One Christian scientist declared, “I am thinking the thoughts of God after him.”

That is an excellent way to describe what science basically is doing.

Also, those who seek to understand the Bible, to grasp its great themes and to understand the depths that are revealed there, are likewise in search of God.

Nature is designed to educate and teach humanity certain facts, truths, about God, but revelation is designed to lead us to the God about whom nature speaks.

So the two are ultimately complementary.

They are not contradictory in any sense, but definitively complete one another.

Genesis 1:3-5 – The First Day: “And God Said …”

Repeatedly throughout Genesis 1 we read those words, “God said,” followed by an act of creation.

God speaks and it is there.

God creates by speaking.

What does this mean?

In seeking an answer, we must be governed by what Scripture tells us.

Several passages come to mind.

One can think of Psalm 33:8 and 9. “By the word of the LORD, the heavens were made and all their host by the breath of His mouth … He spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood forth” 

(compare also Psalm 148:5b, “…He commanded and they [His created works] were created”).

God created by His word.

What was involved with the creation by the Word is made clearer as we go to the New Testament.

As the reader of Scripture knows, “the Word” is a name for the Son who was involved in the work of creation! 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (John 1:1-3, 14; cf. 1 John 1:1-3; 5:1; Revelation 19:13).

The reference to the Word in creating is further also illuminated by 1 Corinthians 8:8, 

“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” 

One can also think of Colossians 1:17 and 18, “For in Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (cf. Revelation 3:14).

If we read the words “and God said” in Genesis 1, in the light of Scripture, then what is not immediately obvious in Genesis 1, becomes more clear elsewhere.

God’s creating by the word involved the Son.

The word that God spoke was not without content.

It was a powerful and living word.

The word by which He called into being things from nothing was powerful for it was spoken in and through the Son. 

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

“‘Let there be Light’ and there was Light”

After God’s creation of heaven and earth, His first work of creation was light.

Light as we know it is part of creation. It was made. God spoke and it was there.

The importance of light is evident, not only from its place in God’s work of creation, but also from our own experience.

Who can imagine the possibility of life without light?

It is significant that light was created independently of the sun, moon, and stars which were created on the fourth day.

Although I hope to be coming back to this in a future devotion, suffice it for now to note that I would have thought there was a time when men said that this was a scientific error, but I guess men do not, would not, speak like that anymore.

Rather than my trying to ridicule or dismiss this order, or try to explain it, or put it on “social media” trial we should carefully try, consider the implications of this sequence of God’s first creating light and later the sun, moon and stars.

This order of God’s creation work reveals to us that all light comes from God.

God spoke into the prevailing darkness, light was revealed, the light – made it.

Light does not come in the first instance from the sun, the moon or the stars.

Light is a gift of God, not of the sun!

What a tremendous revelation!

What a tremendous gospel revelation this is for our naturalistic age in which people speak so freely and so scientifically of the sun, moon stars, as if alone, in the absence or dismissal or ridicule of their Creator, makes all of life possible.

For this reason people can even fret about the future horror of a spent sun.

For Israel this order of God’s creating activity was also of great comfort over against the host of pagan religions which regularly worshipped the sun.

It is not the sun, which is a part of creation, but the Creator, the Creator’s Son, who alone gives light, who alone is the Light (John 8:12) who is to be adored.

Jesus Is the Light of the World

12 Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “[a]I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

“And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:4).

God’s work was pleasing in His eyes.

It was as He wanted it to be so that the light could serve the purpose for which it was made.

Notice that the phrase “God saw that… (it) was good” was not used with verse 2 where we read: 

“The earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” 

God’s creation was not yet as He wanted it.

The earth was not yet suitable for the purpose for which God had summoned it away from the prevailing darkness of chaos, ultimately then called it into being.

The fact the created light was pleasing to God doesn’t mean an end to darkness.

No. God makes a separation between light and darkness.

Each gets its proper place in the Created order.

God had made both (Psalm 104:20 Amplified; Isaiah 45:7 Amplified).

20 
You [O Lord] make darkness and it becomes night,
In which prowls about every wild beast of the forest.

7 
The One forming light and creating darkness,
Causing peace and creating disaster;
I am the Lord who does all these things.

Both are absolutely needed.

Both are absolutely required.

Think, for instance, of how darkness helps in sleeping!

What the place of light and darkness is, is clear from verse 5.

“God called the light Day and the darkness He called Night” (Genesis 1:5a).

It appears from this verse that the light which God had made functioned in a way similar to the sun; that is, it was not always going, required to be daytime.

Also nighttime was to have its regular place.

It has been suggested that this could point to a light source outside and beyond the world with the earth rotating.

In any case, the fact that God assigned names to the periods of light and periods of darkness is significant.

This reveals God’s power and sovereignty.

Think of Psalm 74:18a, “Thine is the day; Thine also the night.” 

God made the separation between light and darkness and God gave each their name and God made known to man of these names through His spoken Word.

“And there was evening and there was morning, the first day” (Genesis 1:5b); that is nighttime and daytime making one day.

From Exodus 20:11 Amplified we know God created heaven and earth in six days.

11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].

We may therefore probably assume that the first day began in darkness with God’s work of creation in the beginning (vv. 1, 2).

This darkness was followed by the creation of light.

The first day ended with the coming of evening, which was counted with the following day (Genesis 1:8; similarly with the other days, vv. 13, 18, 23, 31).

In view of the way the first day was made, it is understandable the Bible reckons a day from evening to evening (e.g., Leviticus 23:32; Psalm 55:17; Luke 23:53-54).

32 It is to be to you a Sabbath of complete rest, and you shall humble yourselves. On the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your Sabbath.” (Amplified)

17 
Evening and morning and at noon I will complain and murmur,
And He will hear my voice. (Amplified)

53 And [after receiving permission] he took it down and wrapped it in a linen [burial] cloth and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid. 54 It was the day of preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning. (Amplified)

There was a Day When Everything Was New

Genesis 1:1-5 The Message
Heaven and Earth

1 1-2 First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

3-5 God spoke: “Light!”
    And light appeared.
God saw that light was good
    and separated light from dark.
God named the light Day,
    he named the dark Night.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day One.

Once, the whole world was new.

Out of nothing, God spoke, God created the heavens and the earth.

The Bible describes the process of creation:

God spoke, and the world came into being.

And what God made was good.

It shone with delightful diversity, reflecting the richness of God’s character.

We do not always see the goodness and brilliance of God’s creation because sin and brokenness obscure our vision, bring decay to what was once brand-new.

Every day, our complete delight in the newness of God’s work just wears off.

So, daily, we need our attention called back to the character of the Creator.

Genesis tells us that God can and does bring goodness and light out of chaos, and in this way God blessedly assures us that the world is firmly in his control.

In all of the coming coming days and years ahead of us, we will all, without any exceptions, face times when the newness of our abundant blessings wears off, when the brokenness of our lives keeps us from receiving each day as a new gift.

When that happens, let’s remember that God spoke, God made all things good, and let’s just trust that He has the power to make all things new and good again.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Creator God,

As we are made in Your image, we give You thanks for the seed of creativity You planted within each person. We praise You for the clean lines of the sculpture, the complexity of the musical concerto, beauty, eloquence of the poet’s spoken words.

Grant us, we pray, the greater capacity to more fully appreciate creativity where we don’t always notice it: the perfectly clean and useful lines of a row of coat hangers with our wardrobes of praise hanging up neatly and orderly in our closets, say, or the complexity of a computer that brings the world to our doorsteps, crashes (some days) but most days does not, or the beauty in a text message carrying everyday news.

Forgive, us we pray, for those times when we have sadly squandered with aimless disregard our capacity to create, and for those times we have used our creativity as a force for destruction rather than reconciliation and reparation. Help us truly to live in deep appreciative awe of the creativity that you’ve already planted within each of us.

Give us the patience and courage to nourish that creativity, and the strength and truest persistence to express it, witness to it, everyday. In Your name we pray.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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Pondering: “In The Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth.” Genesis 1:1-2

I love how the Bible never seeks to prove the existence of God.

It never tries to explain him or try to classify or try to categorize Him.

It isn’t a study on Him.

It is a revelation.

Simply, “In the beginning God.”

In what beginning?

Throughout the Bible we see God as the beginning and the end.

He is the Alpha and the Omega (He’s A through Z).

He is the first and the last.

We know that God is eternal.

We know that he has always been and always will be.

That is how he reveals himself to us.

So what does the Word of God for His Children mean when it says,

“In the beginning God?”

Genesis 1:1-5 Names of God Bible

The Creation

1 In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth.

2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Ruach Elohim was hovering over the water.

3 Then Elohim said, “Let there be light!” So there was light. 4 Elohim saw the light was good. So Elohim separated the light from the darkness. 5 Elohim named the light day, and the darkness he named night. There was evening, then morning—the first day.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Each of us has exactly one thing in common, we all began life as a baby, and we were all unaware of what was going on around us or what the world was like.

But as we grew older, we started to take note of the world—the sky, the sea, the winds, the birds, the flowers, the animals, the trees, and all of life around us.

As we became aware of the world, we inevitably asked some questions about it.

Just a few weeks ago, our Pastor began a lengthy study on the Apostle’s Creed.

The first line of the Apostle’s Creed is;

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty …”

In my own short 20+ years of Christian experience, this is the very first time I actually sat down and considered the enormous brevity and depths of the Creed.

“All Christians believe more than is contained in the Apostles Creed, but no one can believe anything less.” writes the Rev. Dr. Albert Mohler the studies author.

“What is this all of this about?

“Who is it all about?”

“When did it all begin?”

“Where did it all begin?

“How did it all begin?

“Who started it all?”

“Who is all of this for?”

Those questions, undoubtedly more will come to mind, are the ones answered for us in the brief compass here in the opening verse of the Book of Genesis.

Genesis 1:1 Amplified Bible

The Creation

1 In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.

Again, what are the questions we are asking of this opening verse of the bible?

First, we ask ourselves, 

“What is all this?” 

Driven by an insatiable curiosity to know, humans have been attempting to answer that most basic of questions ever since they first appeared on earth.

Driven forward, they seek to push themselves into great, greater and greatest boundaries and limits, to explore the universe and the world in which they live.

Another question, we ask, “How did it begin?” 

This question is the emphasis of science.

Then we ask, “When did it all start?”

How long has ‘Creation’ been going on like this?”

How long has the world been going on like this? 

Finally, we come to the great philosophical question, “Who is behind it?”

“Who is back of these indescribably mysterious and remarkable processes?“

These questions are answered in the first verse, and thus it serves for us as a tremendous introduction to the great themes weaved in and through the Bible.

Take the first question,

the one most obvious to us—the wonder of the universe itself. 

In the beginning, we read, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

Someone has said that this phrase is the beginning of true science, because a fundamental part of the task of science is to observe and classify all that can be observed in the makeup of the world of nature.

Here is an early and primitive attempt at classification.

What do you see around you?

You see two great classes of things—the heavens and the earth.

One of the marvels of the Bible is that it uses language that communicates with people of the most primitive and limited understanding, while at the same time it still has significance and inexhaustible meaning for the most erudite and too, learned scholars and addresses itself with equal ease to all classes of humanity.

That is the beauty of Bible language.

The Bible avoids the philosophies of some of the early myths about creation found in other religions.

It was the Bible that first said the number of the stars is beyond computation.

It declares that God stretched out the heavens (Isaiah 51:13) into limitless expanse that can never be measured and God filled it with stars that are as numerous as the uncountable grains of sand upon the seashore (Genesis 22:17).

15 The [a]Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “By Myself (on the basis of Who I Am) I have sworn [an oath], declares the Lord, that since you have done this thing and have not withheld [from Me] your son, your only son [of promise], 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies [as conquerors]. (Genesis 22:15-17)

Modern science has now established this to be true.

It is also the Bible that says the earth is suspended over nothing (Job 26:7).

7 “He stretches out his heavens[a] over empty space.
    He hangs the earth on nothing whatsoever.

In that eloquently poetic way it describes the mysterious force of gravity that no one even yet completely understands.

It was the Bible that said that what is seen was not made out of what was visible (Hebrews 11:3 Amplified), thus predating by many centuries the discoveries of science that finally recognized that all matter is made up of invisible energy and that matter and energy are interchangeable.

3 By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, and wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Why Ponder “In the Beginning, God” Today?

Matthew 1:1 English Standard Version
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Luke 3:23-38 New King James Version
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

The opening words of Mat­thew’s Gospel narrative presents us with a list of historical names in the family line of Jesus to the Patriarch Abraham.

Some readers skip over such lists, seeing them as boring or only filled with names that are hard to pronounce, and mostly not mentioned anywhere else.

The Gospel Narrative account of Dr. Luke has a long list of names like this too.

These lists are selective genealogies of Jesus—and in them, God is saying,

“See, I have kept my word; the promised Messiah and Savior has come through my chosen people.”

The list in Luke’s gospel includes many names different from those in Matthew, possibly because Luke lists the ancestors of Mary, the mother of Jesus and also goes back to Adam the first human – “The son of God.”

The list in Luke’s Gospel Narrative is also longer than the one in Matthew’s, going back all the way to the beginning, to connect Jesus with God himself.

This helps us see that the story of salvation—indeed, the story of the whole world—is really all about God.

God created a good, amazingly complex perfect world, only to have it scarred by sin because our very first human parents disobeyed God’s command (Genesis 3).

But God did not sit idly by.

In the beginning, from the beginning, God got personally, intimately involved.

He immediately set out to redeem and restore His Creation – including us!

From the beginning, God planned to renew us through his Son, Jesus. And when Jesus, the Savior, was born in Bethlehem, God’s plan took a major step forward.

So as we look ahead to pondering God and Jesus, let us join with the angels who announced Jesus’ birth, singing out, “Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14)!

In the name of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let Us Pray,

Lord, I praise You as the Creator and Sustainer of all things. From the very beginning of time, You have not changed, and I am grateful to know You as the One who has made all things. Creator God, thank you for your true and everlasting faithfulness unto all future generations in sending your Son, our Savior, Christ the Lord! Amen.

Adeste Fideles! Laeti Triumphantes! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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