October 18, Genesis 1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1:1
Genesis is the ultimate answer to the question of origins. The writer, holding the first copy of his first book, wonders at the physical thing in his hands, the end product of a chain of actions and events that began with an idea in his head. We ask authors, "Where did you get the idea for this book?" Sometimes an author or inventor or an entrepreneur may honestly say they're not sure where the idea came from that led to their finished product.
Friends and spouses enjoy reminiscing about the beginnings of their relationships. As we get older, it's not uncommon to develop new interest in genealogy, wanting to know more about the people and places that shaped our family before we were born into it.
So the Bible begins at the beginning. It offers a succinct summary of how all that is came to be in the world we know. Some people believe it; some reject it. But the Bible explains how we and our world came to be in a process that began before anyone was around to record it.
The first verse affirms that before we or anything we know came to be, there was God. He created everything, bringing it all into existence from nothing. Whether you and I believe the Biblical account of Creation or not (I do, by the way), we put our faith in some version or model of our origin. We use it to make sense of who we are and to make meaning of our lives.
So the first big idea in the Bible is that God has always been, and he is the sole creator of all that is. The second concept I want you to ponder from Genesis 1 is the power of God's word. The text conveys this idea in two ways. First, It says that God spoke the Creation into existence. The second way Genesis shows the power of God's words is conveyed in a trio of phrases that occur over and over. I am referring to "God said...and it was so...and it was good." It might help you to highlight those words as they occur over and over in the chapter. The trio conveys the certainty of God's word ("and it was so") as well as the character and nature of God and his work ("and it was good"). These ideas will prove invaluable to us as we go on reading our Bible. When God promises a thing, the promise will be kept. If he warns you about some activity, the consequences of failing to heed his warming will not be pleasant. His word is trustworthy as it reveals his character and nature as well as our own.
I'm sure there are many other fundamental concepts that are rooted in the opening words of the Bible. But the last one I want to stress today is that human life is sacred. It was created and designed by God. We are of a dual nature--we are body and spirit. We are different from other living creatures. We are of a higher order. These basic concepts about human life should shape our understanding of ourselves and others. We should have a high regard not only for ourselves, but for one another as fellow creatures of the same Creator. The distinctive and unique nature of human beings made in the image of God is the basis for many of the laws and concepts God will reveal as we read on in his word.
God is due our reverence because he is the First Cause of us all. By virtue of his office as Creator, he knows what is best for us, and the true purpose for our lives. He has the sovereign right to command and demand our obedience. He is good, and his creation bears the stamp of his goodness. These principles will help us understand what we read in the Bible. They should motivate us to trust and obey God, for his glory and our good.
Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—October 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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