Genesis 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
That's enough. Shut the book, right? I mean, isn't that enough of an introduction
into the book that begets, or in the mind of atheists, agnostics, and other skeptics, attempts to beget the beginning of all
creation.
Doesn't the statement of Genesis 1:1 sum it all up? Nothing else is needed
really. No other explanation, no extenuating story. All that is needed is that very statement.
Though that is true, this is all that is needed, it is not all that we
are given in this single verse. The verse not only speaks for itself and is true, but the verse speaks more than what we actually
read.
Before I continue, let me digress for one moment. I am not implying that I
am going to introduce some theoretical theology, nor will I bow down at the altar of ego and suggest that I know more than
what the author of the text knew and therefore add anything to this text. No, what I am suggesting is that we should go more
in depth and discover all that this text has for us. This is not done through imposing opinions, views, or twisting the context
of Scripture to bring about a new belief. The education of Scripture is contained within Scripture; that is we study the language
used, the historical purposes, the archaeological finds, any means that we can to utilize and understand the truthfulness
in Scripture and evidence of Scripture. In the case of Genesis 1:1, we must primarily use the language that it was written
in to understand the true meaning and all that this verse contains.
Why? Why should we study this verse in great detail? Why pay such close attention
to this verse? Well, the answer is found in various reasons:
1) As John MacArthur Jr., adequately states in his book "Battle for the Beginning",
the truth and fight of Christianity does not begin in Matthew 1:1, but in Genesis 1:1.
2) Various Teachers have come and taught falsely on this topic, and this verse.
3) Because Genesis is the book of beginnings. It explains where we came from,
as well as the true nature of God. All this is introduced in Genesis. That is why we need to go in depth on this single verse
before we delve into further understanding of the deity of God, the godhead, the fall of man, the sanctification, or any other
aspect of the Bible.
This is where it all begins, right here with this very verse.
We are going to examine five major aspects of this verse, and we will use the
original Hebrew language and other Scripture to understand the truth of the verse and how it relates to us. Then we will see
the applications of this Scripture for our personal daily lives.
The first point that needs to be made is the Beginning. That is the first phrase
of the verse; the first phrase in Scripture: In the beginning.
Many people have attempted to state that this is the beginning of deity, the
beginning of God, but that is not so. No where in the Bible, this verse included, is it ever stated that God had a beginning.
No one, at any time can draw the beginning of God. This verse is not time refrained to God. God is not refrained to
time. God is out of time. He created time, and we will soon see that. So this beginning is not referring to the beginning
of time, or the beginning of eternity, for eternity is not time.
The word for beginning in this text is bereshit in the Hebrew language. In
fact, in the Torah, Genesis is known by this name Bereshit. It means beginnings. It is time, it is the beginning. And it is
referring to creation.
Bereshit is not referring to deity, it is referring to a physical time, a physical
beginning.
This is important. Why? Why is it important that we realize, that we understand
that this is referring to a physical beginning? Because it shows us that if there is a beginning physically, then there is
a physical end as well. Why is that important? Because if we do not believe that there is a physical beginning, as God's Word
states, then we can not believe that He can bring about a physical end. We can not believe that there is an eternity. I'm
getting ahead of myself, so let me digress for a moment.
There is a physical beginning, and various Scripture attests to the fact of
this time. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses1-8 prove the various times of this earth, the various times known in human life.
Psalm 102:25 is a good example of how God works through eternity. Job 14:1-5 also shows that man's time is limited, it is
under the constraints of this physical time. Common sense alone tells us that if you are born, you will die. There is a physical
time and Scripture confirms this physical time, and it begins here. We have to believe that there is a physical time, a physical
beginning, because it helps us to see that we are under the operation of this time.
If we do not believe that there is a physical time, a physical beginning, then
we can not believe that there is an end. If we do not believe that God Almighty created the beginning, then we can not believe
that the new heaven and the new earth in which is mentioned in Revelation chapter 21 will come to pass. If there is not a
beginning created then there really is no hope for the end. If we do not believe in a literal beginning, then what is the
purpose for living right now?
Bereshit. Beginning. "In the beginning". In the time that God, who has always
existed created. He created it for a purpose. Do you see it? Do you understand? We must believe that there is a beginning,
for if there is not a beginning, how can there be an end.
The argument for this may be considered weak by some, but what is the alternative?
If there is no real beginning that God created, then what purpose would we have to come to Christ? What purpose do we have
to believe in the necessity to come to Christ? After all, if there is no real beginning, then anything that we do at this
point in time is irrelevant for eternity, because there is no evidence for eternity.
But there was a beginning. There was a start initiated and set forth by God.
Do we believe it? If we do not then we can not believe that there will be an end in which God will judge those who are not
His. If we do not believe in the beginning then we can not believe that Christ has any power, we would be more apt to believe
that His blood was spilled in vain.
Consequently, God never left the idea to a literal beginning open for debate.
Scripture states that there undoubtedly was a beginning. We either believe it, or we call God a liar. We either believe it,
or we accept the eternal consequences for our belief. We either believe that God created the time, and everything in the time
frame that He stated it occurred in, or we will not accept the fact that He, and He alone, can end the time as He sees fit.
In other words we either believe in the beginning, or we suffer the end.
We do believe, we can believe. Bereshit means an absolute beginning. Before
there was no time, no sin, no transgression, there was just God and eternity, then God created a beginning.
