The Beginning
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16
Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end, and the Bible is no exception. The only difference is that with the Bible, the story starts at the very beginning—with the creation of the world. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). These opening words reveal there is only one creator God who is eternally existent. In other words, while the story has a starting point, the One behind it does not. “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” He says of Himself (Revelation 1:8). God has always been and always will be.
Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets acknowledged that God was the only source of all existence. “The Lord, the Maker of all things,” Isaiah wrote, “stretches out the heavens . . . spreads out the earth by [Himself]” (44:24). The prophets understood that everything God made was completely dependent on Him for its survival. They also recognized that He alone was the sovereign Lord of the universe. Unlike the other people of their time, they never entertained the thought there could be more than one God.
Yet while the Bible makes it clear that God alone created the earth, nowhere are we told its exact age. This has led scholars to hold differing views on the subject. Some believe the world was created in seven literal days. Using the genealogy tables in Genesis as a guide, they propose a “young earth” theory that states the world has only been around for 10,000 to 20,000 years. Other scholars understand “day” to mean “age.” They believe the earth to be much older—possibly millions of years older. However, whenever the Hebrew word “day” is used elsewhere in the Bible with a number (as it is throughout Genesis 1), it always refers to a 24-hour period of time.
Another possibility is that a gap of time exists between the first and second verses in Genesis. Genesis 1:2 reads, “The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Based on this theory, God could have created the earth thousands or millions of years before the events that occurred in the Garden of Eden. What we find in Genesis 1 would thus be a re-creation (or restoration) of the earth. This would account for the appearance of Satan in the Garden. God had previously created him, and he had subsequently rebelled and been cast out of heaven.
It is interesting to note that “in the beginning” literally means “by way of beginning.” The creation narrative is therefore the starting point of history as we know it—but not necessarily the absolute start to creation. What the story does is set the stage for the creation of humanity and the unfolding drama of sin and redemption. It reveals the type of relationship that we were supposed to have with our Creator and what our purpose is for being here. Genesis 1–3, which depicts the creation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent fall, provides the backdrop that sets the stage for the rest of Scripture.
a few questions to consider:
What do the opening words of the Bible reveal about God?
What did the Old Testament prophets believe about God?
Do the events in Genesis 1 depict the absolute beginning of creation? Why or why not?
What does the creation account reveal about our intended relationship with God?
How does knowing that God is sovereign and in control of His creation affect the way you conduct your life?
questions to consider:
Why was Adam significant? What assignment did God give to him?
How does the sense of safety, significance and security that was evident in the Garden differ from what we see in the world today? What changed?
What was the purpose for humanity, whom God had created in His image and likeness?
What does it mean to you to fix your eyes “not on what is seen, but on what is unseen”?
Do you personally feel safe? Secure? Significant? Why or why not?
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.