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Genesis 1.1-2 | God Who Creates

Introduction | Down to BEDROCK (GENESIS IS MISSIONAL) The Book of Genesis is probably the most important book ever written. In it, God sets the stage for the play known as reality. He provides a setting; He foreshadows the rising action; He even has a hero with a twist ending. Ignoring the importance of Genesis would be akin to skipping the first chapters of a great novel and expecting to understand how the story got to where it is. Genesis is a beginning. In many ways, it is the beginning of everything we know—the BEDROCK of our faith.

Our culture desperately needs Genesis. Our world is struggling with truths once held as absolute. We’ve transitioned from questions like: What is life about to what is a life? From who should I marry to what is a marriage? From how I can mature as a man or woman, to do I want to be a man or a woman. We could preach countless topical sermons to address these kinds of topics. Or, we could go back to the book of beginnings. Genesis is a missional book—it has answers for the many of today’s most difficult questions.

The first 11 chapters give us more than answers, it gives us definitions and directions in all areas of life. Without a foundation like Genesis we have confusion; without Genesis we have pain without reason; weakness without help, chaos without hope. We have no context to understand who we are, why we are here, and where we are going. The book of Genesis provides vital information for the ORIGIN of all things and therefore the MEANING of all things. In the first 11 chapters especially, we learn God’s definitions and designs for: life, marriage, gender, sexuality, family relationships, etc.

In Proverbs 22.28, King Solomon writes: Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set. Today, the chaos in and around creation is evidence that mankind has foolishly done just. As a result, things are not as they should be—Genesis reveals what is broken. Men have rejected God’s Word as their foundation. Instead of embracing God’s design for life, they created their own. Without Genesis we have confusion; without Genesis we have pain without reason; without Genesis we have no hope. Genesis reveal’s God’s building plans to help us restore the original boundaries of His creation. Like Bedrock, Genesis gives us a sure foundation to return to in order to build our lives and bring hope to the world. Genesis is missional, historical, theological, anthropological, and Christological.

IN THE BEGINNING… | When Did God Create (GENESIS IS HISTORICAL)

BEFORE THE BEGINNING GOD PLANNED. Genesis does not record what happened before the beginning. Later Scripture in the Old Testament reveal some details about the fall of angels in heaven, but Genesis is the explanation of creation that was made for human life. The New Testament reveals that “before the foundation of the world” God existed as a community known as the trinity. God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit dwelt together in a perfect communal relationship known as the trinity. In other words, God did not create out of need or obligation…but choice.

AFTER THE BEGINNING GOD REVEALED HIS PLAN. Time began when the triune God “created” the world and everything in it. The Bible teaches that the Father Created AND the Son created AND the Spirit Created. Genesis has often been dismissed as myth, poetry, anything but history. But we take it literally. A real God created a real world with a real tree and real people. No one was there to observe it, but we believe God told His history to his people, and eventually revealed it to His people. There has been a lively debate about who wrote Genesis. Historically, Moses is identified as the writer of the first five books (Penteteuch). Some have challenged this claim because of the quality of all and nature of some of 2 the content. As a Hebrew who was afforded the best Egyptian education the Pharaoh could buy, and because Jesus affirmed His authorship, without giving you a full academic argument, we believe that Moses wrote Genesis which most likely began as an oral tradition but then was reveal to Him directly by the Holy Spirit as with the other books of the Bible.

GOD | Who is this God who Creates (GENESIS IS THEOLOGICAL) That said, the book of Genesis is historical in nature but largely theological in purpose. Genesis means “beginning”. And the book of beginnings begins with God. In the first chapters we are introduced to creation, but more so to the Creator. We usually come to the Bible wanting to learn about what we have to do—Genesis forces us to think about Him first. We read His first Words. We see His first acts. We learn His plan. Genesis reveals a God THAT IS THERE, and then proceeds to reveal WHO THIS GOD IS.

FIRST, GOD REVEALS THAT HE IS The first verse of the Bible make a bold assumption – God exists, and he made everything. More people have probably read the first verse of Genesis more than any other verse in the Bible. Unfortunately, most men have not believed it. Men refuse to believe in their hearts what they can read and see with their eyes. Psalm 14 declares: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good not even one. It has been said that, “If a person really believes Genesis 1.1, he will not find it difficult to believe anything else recorded in the Bible.” If you believe these first seven words (Hebrew) then you refuse to believe:

 Atheism – There is no God - universe created by God  Pantheism – God is the world - God is transcendent, outside/above, what he created  Polytheism – There are lots of gods - One God created all things  Materialism – The stuff of creation always existed - Matter had a beginning  Dualism – Creation was a result of good and evil - God was alone when he created  Humanism – Creation is about Man - God, not man, is the ultimate reality  Evolutionism – God began all thigns - God created all things…he did not start a process.

SECOND, GOD REVEALS WHO HE IS These verses, and all of Genesis 1, give us some insight into WHO God is. Genesis is, above all else, the foundation of God’s revelation of himself to mankind. Deuteronomy 29.29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

1. God is real and living. – He exists as the source of life is assumed. 2. God is eternal – He was not made. 3. God is independent He is separate from creation 4. God is powerful –He makes creation out of nothing 5. God is sovereign – He creates whatever wants 6. God is personal – He is involved and engaged with His creation 7. God is beautiful – He is creative 8. God is orderly –He designs the world intentionally. 9. God is good – Everything he makes is good. 10. God is gracious He blesses and loves what He makes 3

It has been said that Genesis, and specifically, the story of Creation is a sermon preached by God to us about his attributes and nature. According to Romans 1, God has not stopped preaching his sermon. It is unfortunate that both unbelievers and believers often miss the point of these first chapters. As they quarrel over the age of rocks and completeness of genealogies, they ignore many of the fingerprints of God that reveal to us His character. GENESIS IS ABOUT GOD. The first verses of the Bible reveal God to be the creator AND the rest of the Bible reveals His glory to be the purpose of all History.

GOD CREATED | GENESIS IS ANTHROPOLOGICAL)

GOD REVEALS WHO WE ARE Genesis not only reveals WHO GOD IS, but WHO WE ARE. Even though we are creative creators of all kinds of creations, we are not THE CREATOR. We are creatures—Genesis reveals our origins. Through the prophet Isaiah God says: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55.8-9). Genesis is an opportunity to learn our place in the world. Contrary to how we live, we are not the center of God’s universe any more than a flea is the center of ours. But the analogy is even more extreme. When Job (38.1ff) cried out to the Lord for an explanation of His suffering, God responds: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? God instructs Job to consider the enormity of Creation, shut up, and learn His place.

GOD REVEALS HOW WE LIVE We are CREATION. Even though we are the pinnacle of God’s creation, Genesis reveals how we must live:

1. Creation is governed through Him | everything he made is under His control 2. Creation is dependent on Him | everything we have (visible and invisible) is made by Him 3. Creation is accountable to Him | everything he made is under His authority 4. Creation is designed by Him | everything that is made is good when it functions His way

Without God, we have only our own strength, our own wisdom, and our own moment in time. But with God, we have help, hope, and a path for healing now and in the future.

THE HEAVENS AND EARTH| Why did God Create (GENESIS IS CHRISTOLOGICAL) In other words, Creation is by Him, for Him, and about Him. Creation is the beginning of God’s self- revelation that climaxes in the Creator lovingly becoming like His creation so that he might save it from His own wrath. God created the universe to display his glory. Psalm 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. According to Scripture, God made the world for Hi glory, heals a broken world for His glory, made mankind for His glory, saves men for His glory, shows mercy and grace for his glory, judges for His glory, and calls us to do everything for His glory (Psalm 19.1, Isaiah 35.2, 43.7, Ephesians 1.12, Exodus 14.4, Isaiah 48.11, 1Corinth 10.31). 4

It is natural to ask: “Why would God do that?” “Why would God need to create people to praise him all the time? It seems so egotistical to me!” He doesn’t need worship. He doesn’t need love. The trinity, by nature, provides perfect eternal loving community. So God doesn’t need, He desires. He desires to call us into relationship. This type of understanding moves beyond a general belief in God to knowing his glory and glorifying God becomes an invitation to enjoy Him.

Why did God create? GOD IS AN ARTIST. Perhaps it is better to say that His creation of the world is the natural expression of who He His. And it is through creation that we see that.

CONCLUSION: JESUS | GENESIS IS CHRISTOLOGICAL But it’s only when we see that the Creator entered into His creation, that we truly understand what God is trying to reveal. The God who made the universe and the billions galaxies within that universe…with a Word….out of nothing. The God who named each of the 400 billions of stars and numbered the grains of sand on the earth. The God who told the ocean waves where to stop and the land to rise. The God who makes sure the 5,000 species of mammals, 10,000 bird species 30,000 fish species, and the 10 quintillion insects all get something to eat. The God who makes sure the earth continues rotates so that sun rises and falls, who causes the wind to blow, the rain to fall, and the oxygen to flow… This God…became a man…and died for His creation.

Colossians 1.15-23 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Everything is about the glorious grace of our God.