GENESIS CHAPTER 1
OUTLINE
1. Original creation vs 1
2. Judgment vs 2a
3. Tohu repaired. vs 2b-13
4. Bohu repaired. vs14-31
GEN. 1:1 IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH (pref.
B + f.s.n. tuwXr derived from rosh, head. used 50X and = first or
beginning of a series, foundation--,ihlX emphasizes Godhead 3 in number
one in essence--Qal pf 3ms XrB 54X, to create something new, we know
that here in original creation it means to create ex nihilo, to make
something out of nothing. Heb. 11:3--s.d.o tX--m.dual n. +d.a. ,ymw the
heavens, in original creation refers to stellar space and the third
Heaven--v +s.d.o. + f.s.n + d.a. /rX the earth. One particular place is
singled out. Why?? The rest of the passage focuses only on the earth
as the scene of God's activity)
SUMMARY VS 1
1. To the untrained or casual reader, this verse appears to detail the
beginning of the Plan of God.
2. Actually this beginning was predated by two previous beginnings, the
beginning of Jn. 1:1, and the day of Ezek. 28:15.
3. This beginning occurred before time, and is therefore not able to be
fixed by time.
4. This verse states very tersely that God brought the heavens and the
earth into existence.
5. This verse acknowledges the fact that God predated the creation.
6. This verse answers the ultimate question, which all thinking people
eventually ask, "where did the earth come from?"
7. The answer is simply stated, God created it.
8. This verse does not attempt to argue for the existence of God, it
states His preexistence in relation to the physical creation.
9. This particular creative act includes the heavens and the earth, and
the natural reading indicates that their creation was coincident.
10. The heavens encompass the third Heaven where God resides and all of
stellar space.
11. Whether there was a first heaven or atmosphere around the earth is
not revealed in the WOG.
12. As massive as stellar space is, it is not infinite, the third
Heaven lies beyond the light years of space which surround us.
13. In the tremendous expanse of space, one planet is singled out by
Moses in the narrative.
14. This small planet is to become the focal point for the plan of God.
15. The question arises as to how God created the heavens and the
earth.
16. This is answered by considering other passages which shed light on
vs 1. Ps. 33:6-9, 148:5; Heb. 11:3
17. All the physical creation was spoken into existence by the second
person of the Godhead, the preincarnate Christ. Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16;
Heb. 11:2
18. This did not take a lengthy period of time, but omnipotence spoke
the entire creation into existence from nothing. Heb. 11:3
19. We call this creation ex nihilo, or creation from nothing.
20. This teaches at least three great truths:
a. God preexisted His creation, and is not dependant upon the
physical for His existence or well being.
b. The physical universe owes its existence to God, and is totally
dependant upon Him for its continued existence. Col. 1:17
c. God and the creation are not identical. (Pantheism--The
doctrine that the universe as a whole is God, that there is no
God but the combined forces and laws of the material universe)
21. The physical creation is a graphic demonstration of the attributes
of the invisible God. Rom. 1:20
22. This includes His power, intelligence, eternal existence, and
sovereignty.
23. At the point when the physical creation was spoken into existence,
the angels, including Satan, were joyous worshiping spectators. Job
38:7 (Sons of God is only used for angels 5X in Heb. Gen 6, Job 1)
24. They witnessed the instantaneous generation of the physical
universe as the Son spoke it into existence.
25. Like anything else which originates from the essence of God, the
original creation was perfect in every way.
26. To take the position that God created the universe or even the
earth in the condition of vs 2 demonstrates a total lack of
understanding of the essence of God, as well as the Word of God.
27. God's work was perfect and complete at the point it came into
existence. (note the reaction of the angels in Job 38:7)
VS 2 AND THE EARTH BECAME FORMLESS AND VOID (OF POPULATION) AND
DARKNESS WAS OVER THE SURFACE OF THE DEEP; (v + f.s.n +d.a. /rX--Qal pf
3f.s. hyh to be or become something, we correctly translate it became,
for reasons which will follow--m.s.n. Vht 20X, a waste place, a formless
desert, useless, vain.--v + m.s.n. VhB, 3X, Isa. 34:11, Jere. 4:23 the
root means to be void or empty. Both passages are in a context of
Divine judgment. Empty = void of inhabitants or population--v + m.s.n.
fwx some 80X, used in both a figurative sense, Eccles. 2:14, and in a
literal sense, Ex. 10:21. Of the 10X in the Penta. all appear to be
literal, Moses does not seem to use this word for anything but the
opposite of light.--prep. li on, upon, or over--m.p.n. hnP faces or
surfaces of--f.s.n. ,vhT not just waters, but massive quantities of
waters, very deep waters) AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS MOVING OVER THE
SURFACE OF THE WATERS (v+ f.s.n const. xVr +m.p.n ,yhlX spirit of
Elohiym, the third person of the Godhead--Piel ptc. [xr 3X, to brood
over as a bird does its chicks or eggs, to nourish, incubate, to warm--
prep. li on, upon or over--faces of the waters)
SUMMARY VS 2
1. Two questions immediately arise as we consider vs 2:
a. why are the heavens not mentioned, only the earth?
b. was this the original state of the earth or something which was
subsequent to the creation of vs 1?
2. The earth is singled out from all the creation of the massive
regions of space, called the heavens.
3. This certainly implies that no other aspect of the heavens was
formless or void, but just the earth.
4. If the earth was formless and void at the point of original
creation, why not the heavens??
5. If one understands the essence of God, the idea of any creation
which is not perfect proceeding from His essence is not satisfactory.
6. The question then arises as to why the earth fell into this state.
7. The answer is found in the fall of Satan, his rebellion, and the
ensuing angelic conflict.
8. Satan was created perfect, as is everything which proceeds from the
essence of God. Ezek. 28:12,15
9. Out of his own volition, he manufactured the sin of pride or
arrogance, and revolted against the Most High. Isa. 14:13-14
10. He lost his position as the anointed covering cherub, who occupied
the most favored position in the universe. Ezek. 28:14
11. It appears that for some reason, Satan's base of operations was
planet earth, and from there he formed his plans. Ezek. 28:13, Isa.
14:13
12. He persuaded one third of the angels to align themselves with him,
and seek to overthrow God Himself. Rev. 12:3-4a, Isa. 14:14
13. Due to the nature of angels, and to the nature of their sin, they
are not candidates for grace, or salvation. Heb. 2:16
14. Their fate has already been fixed. Matt. 25:41, Rev. 20:10
15. The state in which we find the earth in vs 2 is the result of
Divine judgment upon the headquarters of Satan.
16. Isa. 45:18 states specifically that God did not create (XrB) the
earth a desolation VhT + neg Xl.
17. This accurately answers all the questions as to how the earth came
to be formless and void. Tohu wa bohu
18. Two specific things are mentioned concerning the new state of the
earth:
a. without form indicates that everywhere you looked there were no
features, it all looked the same.
b. void indicates that all population was vanquished from the
planet.
19. This was accomplished via a watery cataclysm which enveloped the
entire planet. (called the deep in vs 2)
20. The occupants, Satan and his followers were vanquished, along
with any other life which may have existed, and the planet was flooded.
IIPet. 3:5
21. Another part of the judgment on the planet, which is often
overlooked, is the fact that light was removed.
22. This was a physical representation of the spiritual darkness which
had come as a result of Satan's sins. Darkness is used throughout the
WOG as a representation of that which is opposed to God. IJn. 1:5-6,
2:11
23. So the earth was reduced to a watery mass, totally enveloped in
darkness, and void of inhabitants.
24. The situation is one of impossible hopelessness from the viewpoint
of the earth.
25. We are introduced to one of the members of the Godhead in vs 2, the
Spirit of God.
the Hebrew Elohiym is a plural, and more than one member is
envisioned in the statement of vs 26. The us is the three members of
the Godhead, not angels. see vs 27, God created man.
26. Very early in the process of revelation, God reveals the fact that
He exists in more than one person.
27. God is one in essence, but three in number. Identical in essence
and attributes, but three in person.
28. The Spirit of God is seen as moving onto the scene of catastrophe
and judgment and initiating action.
29. Apart from God's initiation and intervention, the earth would have
remained in that condition forever.
30. The action of the Holy Spirit is described by a word which is used
to describe the action of a brooding hen.
31. The fact that the Spirit is brooding and warming the waters
indicate that the deep is frozen.
32. There is a possible reference to this in Job 38:30, which is the
only other place in the WOG that the phrase surface of the deep is used.
33. As the Spirit of God warms the waters, the ice pack which is around
the earth begins to thaw.
34. This explains the change from surface of the deep, to the surface
of the waters.
35. Ignorance of the history of the planet and failure to believe the
Divine record has led mankind to buy into the evolutionary darkness
which Satan has propagated.
36. The condition of the earth has not been uniform, and that is the
basic presupposition of evolutionary thinkers. IIPet. 3:3-5
37. The history of this planet includes:
a. original creation
b. population by angels.
c. judgment and instantaneous watery cataclysm.
d. ice pack for unknown period
e. restoration
f. vapor canopy
g. dissolution of the canopy and universal flood
h. various catastrophes in diverse places throughout history, like
volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, drought, etc.
38. What is here revealed concerning the planet earth, is a perfect
parallel to the history of man.
a. Created perfect.
b. used by Satan
c. judged by God
d. hopeless situation which he cannot redeem.
e. God intervenes
f. restoration by God.
g. new life in Christ
VS 3 THEN GOD SAID "LET THERE BE LIGHT" AND THERE WAS LIGHT. (Elohiym--
Waw consec. +Qal impf. rmX this word is the general word for speaking.--
Qal impf 3ms hyh jussive= let become, where the regular imperfect would
be translated will become, This also points out the fact that
hayah means to become something different than what was
previously--m.s.n rvX light or illumination--w.c. + Qal impf. hyh and
light became--light 'or)
VS 4 AND GOD SAW THAT THE LIGHT WAS GOOD (ELOHIYM--waw con. +Qal impf.
hXr to see, observe, view or notice--s.d.o +d.a. +m.s.n. rvX, the light-
supply it was--conj. yK that (it was)--adj.m.s. bvu good, useful,
appropriate, beneficial, etc.) AND GOD SEPARATED THE LIGHT FROM THE
DARKNESS (ELOHIYM--w.c. +Hiph impf ldB to separate, to divide, to
distinguish, caused to divide, the nature of light is such that it is
not and can never be compatible with darkness--prep. ]yB =between--d.a.
+rvX--v ]yB + d.a. + m.s.n fwx)
VS 5 AND GOD CALLED THE LIGHT DAY, AND THE DARKNESS HE CALLED NIGHT.
(ELOHIYM--w.c. +Qal impf Xrq to name, or give a name, designate--pref. l
+ d.a. rvX for the light--m.s.n. ,vy--AND ELOHIYM GAVE A NAME TO THE
LIGHT, NAMELY DAY--pref. l +d.a.+ fwx--Qal pf. Xrq he named--m.s.n lyl
night, a period of time when there is no light, when darkness rules)
AND THERE WAS EVENING AND THERE WAS MORNING, ONE DAY (w.c. +Qal impf
hyh and it became--m.s.n bri evening, the time when light is fading and
darkness is approaching, never used figuratively in the WOG, always lit.
-AND IT BECAME--m.s.n. rqB morning, dawn, daybreak, the breaking of
light--,vy adj. num. s. dxX one, can legit. be translated first Gen. 8:5
SUMMARY VS 3-5
1. In the first two verses of Genesis, things have progressed from
original perfect creation, to a judgment which reduced the earth to a
watery mass, void of population.
2. vs 3-13 contain the Divine remedies for tohu, without form.
3. Some would reduce the Spirit of God, and even God Himself to mere
forces which operate in the universe.
4. Some see God as no more than natural laws which govern the planet.
5. vs 3-5 clearly demonstrate that God is no mere force, but a person,
as seen in the facts that:
a. He speaks