Genesis

Lesson 2 w/AnswersGenesis 1:1-2

Beginnings

We continue our study of Genesis with a look at Chapter 1 and the very beginnings of all of creation. We will consider what it must have been like at the very beginning of creation and truly see God as the God of all creation. We’ll look at Christ’s role and the role of the Holy Spirit, as God’s plan for mankind begins to take shape as He creates the heavens and the earth.

Let’s first read Genesis 1:1-2, and then consider the following:

  1. Summarize what the "Gap Theory" says about these first two verses in Genesis.
    1. ANSWER: According to ChristianAnswers.net, "Many people have tried to place a gap of indeterminate time between the first two verses of Genesis Chapter 1. There are many different versions regarding what supposedly happened in this ‘gap’ of time. Most versions of the Gap Theory place millions of years of geologic time (including billions of fossil animals) in between these two first verses of Genesis. This is the ‘ruin-reconstruction’ version of the gap theory. However, this undermines the gospel, as it allows for death, bloodshed, disease, and suffering before Adam’s sin. Because most ‘ruin-reconstruction’ theorists have accepted the millions of years dating for the fossil record, they have thus allowed the fallible theories of scientists to determine the meaning of Scripture. Some put the fall of Satan in this supposed period. But any rebellion of Satan during this gap of time contradicts God’s description of His completed creation on day six as all being ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31)."
  2. What does the term "uniformitarianism" refer to?
    1. ANSWER: Henry H. Morris in his book, The Genesis Record, states "Uniformitarianism is the belief that physical processes have always functioned in the past essentially as they do at present, which of course precludes any worldwide cataclysm."
  3. According to scripture, when did death enter the world? See Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21.
    1. ANSWER: According to these scriptures, death entered the world when Adam brought sin into the world. Therefore, the Gap Theory is again in conflict with scripture since fossils represent death, something that could not have taken place between verses 1 and 3 in Genesis Chapter 1.
  4. In Genesis 1:1-2, we read that the earth was "without form and void". What is another word that we could use for void? What does it mean to say that the earth was "void"?
    1. ANSWER: Henry Morris points out that another correct interpretation of void is "empty".
  5. We can observe from both creation itself and from scripture, that God is a God of order and not chaos. Consider for a moment that you are getting ready to create something, e.g., a painting, a piece of pottery, or something like a house. First, you would plan out how you would accomplish this, just as God planned creation. What then would be the very next step that you would take before actually creating or building your project? What would you need to do next, once you had the plan? How does this next step compare with Genesis 1:1-2?
    1. ANSWER 1: Once you had a plan, the next step would be to gather, or in God’s case create, the materials that you would need in order to actually build or create your project.
    2. ANSWER 2: In Genesis 1:1-2, we see God creating the elements that He will use to actually create the earth. Thus, in the beginning the earth was without form and "void", or empty. The elements all existed at this stage and were ready to be put into the form we call creation. Until that point, the earth was "void" and without form.
  6. In Genesis 1:2, we read, "Darkness was upon the face of the deep". Some will interpret this to mean that since God is light, this reference to darkness equates Satan’s presence or influence over creation to "darkness7quot;, and that God himself would not have a creation with darkness over the face of the deep. What does scripture say about darkness and God? See Isaiah 45:7.
    1. ANSWER: Scripture says that God creates both light and darkness. In Genesis 1:1-2, this reference to darkness is actually a reference to the lack of energy. Energy is light. So, in the beginning God created the elements, but through verse 2 no energy existed, just the elements. Thus "darkness" is explaining the lack of energy (which would produce light) at this point in time.
  7. What activating power would God use to set creation in motion? See Isaiah 55:11, John 1:1-5, and Colossians 1:15-17.
    1. ANSWER 1: God’s Holy Word was the power that activated creation through Jesus the Christ. Christ was the creator of the universe.
    2. ANSWER 2: Isaiah 55:11 tells us "so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it".
  8. The elements now exist as a result of Genesis 1:1-2. God’s Word through Christ will cause creation. What will energize it? (See Genesis 1:2.) And what happens when it does? (See Genesis 1:3.)
    1. ANSWER 1: The Holy Spirit energizes creation when He moves across the waters
    2. ANSWER 2: Henry Morris writes: "It is significant that the transmission of energy in the operations of the cosmos is in the form of waves-light waves, heat waves, sound waves, and so forth. In fact (except for the nuclear forces which are involved in the structure of matter itself), there are only two fundamental types of forces that operate on matter-the gravitational forces and the forces of the electromagnetic spectrum. All are associated with ‘fields’ of activity and with transmission by wave motion.

      "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.

      "As the out flowing energy from God’s omnipresent Spirit began to flow outward and to permeate the cosmos, gravitational forces were activated and water and earth particles came together to form a great sphere moving through space. Other such particles would soon come together also to form sun, moon, and stars throughout the universe. There was now a ‘compass’ on the face of the deep, and the formless earth had assumed the beautiful form of a perfect sphere. It was now ready for light and heat and other forms of enlivening energy."

In our next lesson, we will explore the point in time that light enters creation. What an awesome thing it is to consider all that was happening during the very beginning of God’s creative work! The creation of the elements and the energizing of these elements, as God’s plan for mankind begins. Light will enter creation as His Holy Spirit brings energy and life to creation through Christ and God’s spoken word.

Isaiah 55:11 tells us "so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it". In our next lesson, we will see His Word in action.

Thanks for studying with us.

Yours in Christ,

Wes

[2010]

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