Creation Series, Part 1b
Genesis 1:1-5
Introduction
- From last message:
- As a building requires a builder, creation must have a creator
- Even the energy in the universe requires a source, it requires a creator
- There is an irrational logic proving that something popped up from nothing
- We have a Creator, and this study will give us all opportunity to delve into this
- APP: What we find ourselves in is a situation what separates all of us
-- If you do not believe this account, you fall into one of these two categories:
1. Theistic Evolutionist: Believes that God is real, yet He used evolution to evolve all things in this world to include the creation of mankind
2. Naturalistic Evolutionist (which most non-believers are): Believes that everything evolved by accident, and that there is no God nor Creator
-- Claims to have the solution: “Nobody times Nothing equals Everything!”
-- This is absolutely the wrong angle for us and is at the heart of our beliefs
- There is no middle ground on this issue and it is where we must answer for ourselves
- Before we can even see the Redeemer who is Jesus, we must see the workmanship
- We must see the Glory of a Creator who specifically put each thing into place
- Stand and read Genesis 1:1-5
- Pray
Point 1 – The Age of the Earth
- Many want to debate the timeline of the creation and we must be able to answer this
- The bible records that God created the Earth in 6 days, period! This is the truth!
- Scientists want to use something called “the gap theory” to explain between v1 and v2
-- What scientists want to do is tell us that between verse 1 and 2 there is lots missing
- This is at the root of unexplainable things that science wants to gloss over
- Many of these theories want to stuff in thousands/millions of years that don’t exist
- But, the writer of Genesis defines the times of the Patriarchs who were actually born
-- The birth of these men clearly shows us the timeline, and we can put down theories
- Genesis 5 gives ages of dates when sons were born … and how old Patriarchs were
- This allows us to do the math, working back, from the time of Christ
- We know the timeline between Christ and us, this is clear (2000 + years)
- Well, when we apply the timeline of before Christ to creation (approx. 4000 years)
- APP: One thing becomes obvious here: The Earth is only approx. 6,000 years old!
- The reason we need to know is simply is: So others cannot violate God’s truth
- One quick thought to give you to shoot things down quickly in this debate:
- Some ask, “How do we explain fossils? How do we explain the dating of fossils?”
- OK, let’s do this simple: What are fossils? Bones of things that have died!
- Romans 5:12 says, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”
- APP: Death came because of sin; well … we have no sin until Genesis Chapter 3!
So, how can we have bones of dead things before there is even sin
- So, once you know the age of the Earth, we can then explain how it was created
Point 2 – Starting at the Beginning
- God spoke all these things into existence, and because of this we have a clear account
- In the beginning, there was clear and unmistakable darkness in the universe
- We see v2 giving us a clear description of the Earth: “void and without form”
-- There was “darkness on the face of the deep” and God’s “Spirit was hovering”
- At the beginning of Day 1, we have nothing except for God, and His Spirit (IMP)
- The Hebrew word use here is “tohu wa boho”; tohu is wasteland; boho is empty
- The Earth, in the very beginning, was an empty wasteland; a bleak place
- But it is here, that we see the VERY purpose of God’s intended creation; the Earth
- In the very beginning we see that the Earth was simply a vast expanse of water
- The word “deep” used in the scripture refers to the “sea”, or to the waters covering
-- Water is the central element of life; and thus the beginning of everything is water
-- Psa 104:5-6, “He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.”
- The Spirit of the Lord hovered over the water just as He hovers over each of us today
-- God is invested in each portion of this Earth, and at the very start He’s there
-- Consider the vast expanse of the sea, and God is involved in even the water
- He sends His Spirit to move across the water …
- Now, watch the miraculous aspect of verse 3 … God said, “Let there be light”
-- IMP: The sun, moon, stars, etc, were not created until Day 4
-- So, this light that was created separated from day from night immediately
- Without light, life is impossible – all life dies without light to sustain it
- Plants cannot live, oxygen is not produced, light gives off heat and energy
- This critical observation is that God knew this, and spoke light into existence
- In v4 He saw the light, and said that “it was good”
-- This word good is not what we’d say when we enjoy dinner; or saw a nice movie
-- This word represents how God feels about what He has just created
-- It is good or “towb” (pronounced “tobe”) which is “beautiful or best”
- Upon seeing that this light was beautiful and separated the darkness, we see in verse 5 where the first day is named – this is the basis for days today
- Verse 5 concludes something very interesting as written by Rev John Macarthur, “And there was evening and there was morning, one day. That’s a literal translation of the Hebrew word order. It doesn’t describe a billion-year long process; it describes one day – one cycle of light and dark – evening and morning.”
Conclusion
- It’s the basis of our faith … if you cannot trust the creation, what can you believe?
- When we consider the marvelous process of creation, how can we not marvel at God?
- How can we not come to a place of utter amazement and glorify Him in everything?
- Psalm 14:1, “Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”
- When we consider the entire creation, one verse becomes very obvious and clear:
-- Psalm 33:8 says, “Let all the earth fear the Lord.”
- Pray
