Genesis Chapter 1 ~ In the Beginning

Genesis Chapter 1

This is a beautiful chapter of the Bible. The first words! Here is the first account of God’s speech that we have any knowledge of. And through His speaking He created everything out of nothing. Here is what He created:

Day 1: Light/Day/Morning, separated from the darkness/Night/Evening. (He called the light good)

Day 2: Waters separated by an expanse called heaven.

Day 3: Dry Land/earth separated from the waters/seas. (God saw that it was good). Vegetation yielding seed. (God saw that it was good)

Day 4: Lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate day from night, to be signs for seasons, and for days and years. The greater light (the sun) to rule the day, and the lesser light (the moon and stars) to rule the night. (God saw that it was good)

Day 5: The waters swarmed with living creatures, birds to fly in the expanse of the heavens. The great sea creatures, every winged bird. He blessed the creatures and told them to be fruitful and multiply. (God saw that it was good)

Day 6: All the creatures on the dry land. (God saw that it was good) Then God created man and commanded him (man and woman) to rule over the creation. (And God saw all that He made and it was very good)

These can easily be put into pairs: Day 1 and 4 correspond, God created day and night on day 1 and on day 4 God created the bodies that set apart day and night. Day 2 and 5 correspond, God created the waters and the sky on day 2 and on day 5 God filled the waters and the sky with creatures. Day 3 and 6 correspond; God created the dry land on day 3 and on day 6 He filled it with animals and people. On each corresponding day God made something and then he filled it.

A few last things to note is how God is described in this chapter. This is a God who has no beginning. The word to describe Him is a general word for God, Elohim, not His personal divine name. Also, notice that this God describes Himself in the third person plural, “Us,” and “Our.” (Gen. 1:26) This God also has no beginning. In the beginning He simply was! We also see that God exists in the form of a spirit (Gen. 1:2).

We know from Colossians 1:15 that Jesus was present in this creation, and that it was through Jesus that all things were created. The Trinity, One-God in three persons is all over this passage: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Further, this God put His image in the people He created (Gen. 1:26, 27). This is an incredible thing that God would begin to reveal His nature and character in comparison to His creation, which is entirely dependent upon Him for existence, and it appears for sustenance as well. This is the beginning of the work of God and the existence of man. This is the beginning of all things that are created. God’s speaking flings all existence into being. This is the grand scene, the canvass, upon which God will paint the story that shows Him to be glorious through the cross of Christ. We must perk our ears to hear from this God in the Word to see what is next.