Creation Ex Nihilo...Genesis 1 pt 2

http://billrandles.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/creation-ex-nihilo-genesis-1-pt-2/ ^ | 05-26-13 | Bill Randles

[pastorbillrandles]

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.(Genesis 1:1-3)

The first verse of the Bible,is a summation of all that exists, for there is only Creator and creation. The infinite, personal, almighty, and Holy God made the heavens, (Space) and the Earth, (Matter) in the beginning, (Time).

…and the earth was formless and void...

But at Creation, the earth was yet formless and void. It existed as a watery, shapeless mass, and would not be complete until the Creator gave form to it and mage it habitable. The text did not say that the earth “…became formless and void”, as those who hold to variations of the “gap theory” hold, as if there were some catastrophe between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.

The text simply tells us that when God created matter, it was originally in a formless state, waiting for his creative hand to give shape to it. Our physical world was created first in a formless state, and also in a state of darkness, for it pleased God to shape , and energize the world in later stages of Creation.

And darkness was upon the face of the deep…

The darkness is an amoral reference, God “forms the light and creates darkness“, (Isaiah 45:7). The deep refers to the unformed waters. Proverbs 8 tells us that God’s wisdom ”set a compass upon the deep” to give form to the waters that He had created.

And the Spirit of God moved upon the waters…

The name for God used in Genesis 1 is Elohim, a plural word suggesting that God is a unity yet in some sense a plurality. We will see that He uses the expression, “Let us make man in our image…”on the sixth day of Creation. Thus the mystery of God’s being is intimated from the beginning of the Divine revelation.

Here we are told the Spirit of God, that is the Ruach of God, (same word as for breath or wind), but this is more than wind, because this Spirit is creative and moves to accomplish a design, He has a part in the creative process as he moves, back and forth over the waters.

The word for “move” is translated “shake” in Jeremiah 23:9 and “flutters” in Deuteronomy 32:11. Morris in his commentary ,”The Genesis Record”makes an interesting observation on this point,

“In modern scientific terminology, the best translation would probably be “Vibrated”. If the universe is to be energized, there must be an Energizer.If it is to be set in motion, there must be a Prime Mover…It is significant that the transmission of energy in the operations in the Cosmos is in the form of waves – light waves, heat waves, sound waves and s forth….Waves are typically rapid back and forth movements and they are normally produced by the vibratory motion of a wave generator of some kind. Energy cannot create itself. It is most appropriate that the first impartation of energy to the universe is described as the “vibrating” movement of the Spirit of God himself.”(Morris, The Genesis Record, Baker pg 23)

And God said, Let there be light; and there was light…

Several things stand out about this verse. This is the first record of God speaking in the Bible. God speaks, and when He speaks, His very Word brings to pass His will. Centuries later the Psalmist would celebrate the creative power of God’s Word,

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.(Psalm 33:6-9)The Apostle would compare the Lux Fiat, that is the “Let there be Light” of God in creation, with the work of the Word of God in the heart of fallen man in the new creation,

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 4:6)

The theme of Light comes to prominence in the account of the New Creation also in the Gospel of John, for we are told,

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. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.(John 1:1-9)

It should also be noted that the speaking forth of light, precedes the creation of sun and stars. For the Sun is not the true light, rather the SON is the true light of the world.

[ealgeone]

I like how Genesis also notes that He made the stars also....it was almost as an afterthought the author included this fact of creation.

I teach a class on Sunday mornings and it really amazes me the influence of culture on the creation account. Many folks just can’t see to come to grips that God is capable of creating the entire universe in just a few spoken words.

I ask them if He can’t do creation in six days, or six minutes or whatever measure of time you want, then how can He raise someone from the dead?

Why is the creation account so hard to believe for many Christians?

[muawiyah]

Depends on the interpetation ~ God can do anything. Most hard-core interpretations of Genesis ask us to LIMIT GOD.

[mitch5501]

"Why is the creation account so hard to believe for many Christians?"

Because faith cometh by hearing.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I like how Genesis also notes that He made the stars also....it was almost as an afterthought the author included this fact of creation.

Actually, that is not true. Not true, that is, in the sequence of events of Creation, nor the implication of the stars being an “afterthought.” The true story of the stars is actually much more elegant, much more faith-inspiring. But only if you understand the physics and biology required.

The miracle of Creation (as described in Genesis) is not so much that it is accurate with respect to the nuclear physics of the Big Bang, stellar evolution, planetary formation and continental drift/plate tectonics, but that every step of every “scientific theory” that we now know IS exactly described already in Genesis. Before writing, before anything resembling arithmetic (much less computers, mathematics, powers-of-ten, logarithms or even the number zero) were invented.

When you state “made the stars” you're actually describing how the stars (and moon) were “set in the heavens” to “rule the sky”. These had already been created “in the beginning” but were revealed (to someone on earth) only AFTER the plants grew enough to produce enough oxygen to clear the skies and allow them to be seen. Before that period, before the atmosphere changed, the stars and moon were hidden: just like Venus and Saturn's atmospheres are opaque.

Re-read Genesis: Notice now that the "waters below" were gathered into "one ocean"? (A true scientifically accurate statement in Genesis, since there was only one continent before they broke up as plate tectonics moved them around)? However, when Genesis was finally written down from its oral tradition, did not the writers KNOW absolutely that there were many seas and many lands? Would that conflict not prevent a "faith" in the accuracy of the Story from ever being accepted in the first place?

Plants - as we now know - were created first, then life in the sea, then "birds" (dinosaurs - as we just now figured out these past 20 years!), and only afterwards were land animals formed, with domesticated mammals last. Again, as we just now know.

Snakes, as you may not know, were a very, very recent development, not being formed (evolved as some call it) until after the continents and islands broke up less than 30 million years ago.

If you wish, we can also go into the nuclear physics Genesis describes just as accurately.

[Excellence]

Without light, there is no E = MC squared. Think about it.

[papertyger]

Stick to your day job.

I noticed you breezily dismiss “the gap theory” with “The text did not say,” then almost immediately cite Morris for alternative translation.

Missing such a contradiction could be simple over site; defending it would be intellectual dishonesty.

[ealgeone]

It's interesting that as we discuss this there is a very bright full moon tonight!

I was not implying that God made the stars as an afterthought as in “oh, there's some leftover stuff, so I'll throw the stars in also. Rather I think it speaks of the majesty of God's creation.

I use the NASB translation which records Gen 1:4 as follows:

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; [He made] the stars also.

The majority of the translations record this verse this way. Now, what's interesting is that “He made” is not found in the original Hebrew in this statement. I think our translators have presumed to include this statement “He made” and were probably right in doing so. The Hebrew simply has this as “the stars.”

So if we read this with the He made it goes something like this

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; the stars.

Notice the semi-colon. If this is being used to join two independent clauses then your point of the stars serving as light sources fits perfectly here as the stars do aid for light at night.

The word “also” is interesting. It is not included in the Hebrew either.

Maybe I was more appropriately viewing this with an eye towards the majesty of God. I guess when I say afterthought that may be a poor choice of words.

I find it very humbling to consider that in addition to creating the sun and moon, God made the stars also. Implication: He made the universe as well. All of the billions and billions of stars we see at night and God made them. We're talking the universe here and God made it. Wow, what a concept that is. How it speaks to the awesomeness of God.

These are the very stars Abraham was called to look upon when God established His covenant with him later in Genesis 12. These are the very stars we can see at night as well. The universe is a very humbling place.

I think this also reflects the amount of light pollution we have in our cities. I live close to a metro area so my star field is somewhat limited. My memory of the brightness of the stars from my younger days in a rural area has been dimmed somewhat. You are right in the light given off by the stars. Under the right circumstances the light they give off is amazing.

Good discussion! We do serve an awesome God.

[pastorbillrandles]

What contradiction? I didn’t “beezily dismiss the gap” I simply cited one of the reasons why I don’t accept it/ Furthermore I cited Morris , not for an alternative translation but because his discussion of the Spirit moving was interesting to me, and to other readers I am sure.

[papertyger]

Reminds me of an argument I had with a dear friend; despite his command of the trivial math needed, he refused to accept “without mass, there is no time” until I cited an encyclopedia source.

People are funny....

[papertyger]

Furthermore I cited Morris , not for an alternative translation but because his discussion of the Spirit moving was interesting to me

Distinction without difference.

[pastorbillrandles]

paper, I honestly don’t understand what you are trying to say. I didn’t look for any alternate translation, I am not trying to hone a particular axe-

[papertyger]

The word for “move” is translated “shake” in Jeremiah 23:9 and “flutters” in Deuteronomy 32:11. Morris in his commentary ,”The Genesis Record”makes an interesting observation on this point, “In modern scientific terminology, the best translation would probably be “Vibrated”

You talk about alternative translations just before the segue into Morris' quote that "vibrated" would probably be the most appropriate translation, but presumably dismiss the gap theory on the basis of the English "text" as the original language does allow for it.

Looks like unvarnished "special pleading" to me.....

Not a good way to demonstrate 1Thess 5:21 if you ask me.

[BikerTrash]

notes on Isaiah 45:18
This Is From The Companion Bible.

Isaiah 45:18

   18.  For thus saith  ¹ the LORD °That created the heavens; God Himself  °That formed the earth and °made it; he hath established it, °He created it not °in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: " I am  ¹ the LORD;
and there is none else.

   That created = the Creator of.   Note how these expressions are heaped together to impress us with the fact that the One Who created all ought to be able to tell us, better than ignorant man, how He created it.
   That formed = The Former of.      Hebrew yazar = to fashion.
   made = the Maker of.      He created. It did not come of itself by evolution (see Appendix 5 and 8). Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:1)
   in vain = tohu. The same word as in Genesis 1:2 ("without form"). Therefore it must have become tohu: which is exactly what Genesis 1:2 declares (See Below). In Genesis 1:1 we have "the world that then was" (compare 2Peter 3:6); and in verse 2 we have ruin into which it fell.

   We are not told how, when, or why, or how long it lasted. When geologists have settled how many years they require, they may place them between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis 1.

   In Genesis 1:2-2:4, we have "the heavens and the earth which are now" of 2Peter 3:7. Both are set in contrast with the "new heavens and the new earth" of 2Peter 3:13.

   ¹The Lord  =  Hebrew; Yehovah

---

notes on Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
This Is From The Companion Bible.

1.  IN the beginning °God °created °the heaven and the earth.
2.  °And °the earth °was °without form, and void; and darkness °was upon the °face of the deep.
And °the Spirit of God moved upon the °face of the waters.

   1.  "THE WORLD THAT THEN WAS" (2Peter 3:5,6). See Structure, page 1. Creation in eternity past, to which all Fossils and "Remains" belongs.

   God. Hebrew Elohim, plural. First occurence connects it with creation, and denotes, by usage, the Creator in relation to His creatures. See Appendix 4. The Hebrew accent Athnach places the emphasis, and gives pause, on "God" as being Himself the great worker, separating the Worker from His work.

   created (sing.). Occurs 6 times in this Introduction. Other acts 46 times. See Appendix 5. Perfection implied. Deuteronomy 32:4. 2Samuel 22:31. Job 38:7. Pslams 111; 147:3-5. Proverbs 3:19. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14. [Even the Greek Cosmos = ornament. Exodus 33:4-6. Isaiah 49:18. Jeremiah 4:30. Ezekiel 7:20. 1Peter 3:3]

   the heaven and the earth. With Hebrew Particle 'eth before each, emphasising the Article "the", and thus distinguishing both from 2:1. "Heavens" in Hebrew always in plural. See note on Deuteronomy 4:26.

---

   2.  And. Note the Figure of Speech Polysyndeton (See appendix 6), by which, in the 34 verses of this Introduction, each one of 102 separate acts are emphasised; and the important word "God" in verse 1 is carried like a lamp through the whole of this Introduction (1:1 - 2:3).

   the earth. Figure of Speech Anadiplosis. See appendix 6.

   was = become. See Genesis 2:7; 4:3; 9:15; 19:26. Exodus 32:1. Deuteronomy 27:9. 2Samuel 7:24, etc. Also rendered came to pass, Genesis 4:14; 22:1; 23:1; 27:1. Joshua 4:1; 5:1. 1Kings 13:32. Isaiah 14:24 etc. Also rendered be (in the sense of become), verse 3 etc., and where the verb "to be" is not in italic type. Hence, Exodus 3:1, kept=became keeper, quit = become men, etc. See Appendix 7.

   without form = waste. Hebrew tohu va bohu. Figure of Speech Paronomasia See appendix 6. Not created tohu (Isaiah 45:18 See Above), but became tohu (Genesis 1:2. 2Peter 3:5,6). "An enemy hath done this" (Matthew 13:25,28,39. compare 1Corithians 14:33). See Appendix 8.

   was. This is the italic type, because no verb "to be" in Hebrew (see Appendix 7). In like manner man became a ruin (Genesis 3. Psalms 14:1-3; 51:5; 53:1-3. Ecclesiastes 7:20. Romans 7:18).

   face. Figure of Speech Pleonasm. See appendix 6.

   the Spirit of God moved (see Appendix 9) = The beginning of "the heavens and the earth which are now" (2Peter 3:7). It is even so in the New Creation. The Spirit moves (John 3:3-8. Romans 8:5,9,14. Galatians 4:29. 2Corinthians 5:17,18).

Appendix List

therain.org 1999.

[pastorbillrandles]

There are reasons why I dimiss the gap theory, but I didn’t write this as a polemic against it. Morrises quote about the movement of the Spirit across the waters, possibly meaning “Vibrating” doesn’t seem to do any damage to the text seeing that the same word is rendered shaKe and flutter.

[Just mythoughts]

Then we could go to Paul explaining ‘when’ the saints/elect were chosen, ‘before’ the casting down - overthrow of that first heaven/earth that was. Eph. 1-4. But as Peter says in IIPeter about the state of mind...

Curious isn't it there was a ‘flood’ before this earth was cleaned up, described right there in Genesis 1:2?

[papertyger]

There are reasons why I dimiss the gap theory, but I didn’t write this as a polemic against it.

Then you would probably be best served by not mentioning it.

If you're going to use a particular wrench to remove one spark plug, mentioning you won't use it on another plug without an adequate "why" ALWAYS makes a critical thinker suspicious.

[BikerTrash]

Yeah, the three earth ages, while a simple concept, took some searching to become a reality in my mind.

I enjoyed the journey, though.

[Just mythoughts]

Yeah, the three earth ages, while a simple concept, took some searching to become a reality in my mind. I enjoyed the journey, though.

I had given up on 'religion' and decided too many fingers had their way with the WORD down through all these years for it to still be in tact as was given from the Heavenly Father. The crazy conflict with young earth and old earth surely had to have a Godly answer... and it does.

[BikerTrash]

religion = stumbling block

You found the way around it, I'm happy for you.