Alpha and Omega, Part 2
“Let there be space …”
Genesis 1:6-8
Introduction
- We’ve begun the year with “one purpose”: Knowing there is a God!
-- Just as a building requires a builder, a creation must have a Creator
- There is an irrational logic trying to prove something happened from nothing
-- Even scientists will tell us to follow the science, but ignore their own rules
- Remember last week, scientist & philosopher Herbert Spencer: Everything that exists, exists in one of these five categories: time, force, action, space, and matter. (key scientific phrase) Nothing exists outside of those categories.”
-- However, everything we have seen falls into one of these five categories!
-- Simple: “Even if it all started with a bang, what created the bang’s elements?”
- This truth, that there IS a God, will frame our year around the word: GROW
-- It will be our fuel to dive deeper, and explore opportunities to mature in faith
- Continue our series, “Alpha and Omega”; examine beginning to end
-- Study two critical questions: How did we get here? How does it end?
- Last week’s big ideas:
1. Understanding creation IS critical for all of us
-- God created, based on His power and authority, and set our foundations in place
-- IMP: If we have no Creator, we have no Redeemer – only Creator can redeem!
-- To redeem means to “restore to something’s original condition” …
2. Creation causes us to marvel at who God is; to see His authority
3. When we recognize what God has done, we must stand in AWE of who He is
-- He did not overcomplicate this, in order that you and I could comprehend this!
-- God has a mind, a will, and emotions -- He communicates and reveals Himself
-- Psalm 33:8 encourages our response, “Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.”
- Let’s look at our passage for today (v6-8 specifically); Read Genesis 1:1-8 / Pray
Point 1 – God said, “Let there be a space between the waters”
- At the beginning of Day 2, bible reports the Earth is covered in water (the deep)
-- The Earth, in the very beginning, was nothing; even without form / shape
- Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters”
-- Don’t miss the obvious: He speaks, and the universe responds, ultimate authority
-- Space, vault, or firmament in Hebrew: “raqia”; extended surface; an expanse
- Remember from last week the foundation is water (ref Genesis 1:2)
-- Hebrew phrase “tohu wa boho”; tohu wa is wasteland; boho is empty
-- And by His word, he removes all things between to create a place for creation
-- Consider this: What was only water, is now a space to thrive
- By His design, there is an area created between two things we know existed:
-- 1. The water (or seas) below (the foundation of the Earth)
-- 2. The water above (refers to the clouds, the atmosphere, etc.)
- IMP: This is what we know as Earth’s breathable atmosphere
-- But don’t miss this: God hasn’t created land yet! Just a space, a blank canvas
We need to chat here …
- We saw in Genesis 1:1 that God created the “Heavens” and the “Earth”
-- So, first He created the heavens and the Earth
-- Hebrew: shamayim; heaven or sky Hebrew: erets; earth or land
- Question: What was there before there was a Heaven and an Earth?
-- Answer: John 1:1 says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
- HUGE: If we don’t put this at forefront, we miss the purpose of Jesus Christ
-- Jesus did not die just to save you from your sins; but to redeem God’s creation
- There was a time when there was perfection, and a Savior wasn’t needed; Gen 1
-- IMP: Today, we live in the time when a Savior is required because of OUR sin
- On Day 1 when God engaged His Spirit it moved upon the void (v2)
-- And now, He has formed the foundation for the space that we inhabit
-- Must settle this: This is not an evolutionary process -- one word spoke it all
- So what? Why have we drawn this out for us to see?
-- Simple, so that when we defend the faith, we will be able to answer clearly
- Romans 1:20, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. (Here’s the why) So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
-- APP: When we speak of our faith, we use what He has done to amplify it!
-- EX: Only reason I am here is because God rescued me, and this was His plan
- TR: Now, let’s draw our attention to something plain; yet easily overlooked
Point 2 – See this: God said it, and then God made it!
- God makes a wonderful assertion of finality as He creates
-- His declaration is found in the words “It was so” in many descriptions
-- NLT uses words, “… and that is what happened” – He spoke universe responded
- Don’t miss the subtly of what has happened here (admit, this is easy to do)
-- In v6 He we see words – “God said” (plans to design)
-- Hebrew: amar; to utter or say
-- In v7 we see the reaction – “God made” (action that His word creates)
-- Hebrew: asah; do or make
- But what is so special about this?
-- God’s specificity shows nothing is by accident - but deliberate & planned
-- So what? Why is this important to us? Because His Word is our support!
- For example:
• 2 Thess 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.”
- APP: Do we not lean on God for protection during the toughest times?
• 1 Peter 1:5, “And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.”
- APP: Do we not confess that one day we shall see Him and be redeemed?
- End of the day: All we have is the promise that God will do what He said
-- If we cannot stand on that it means we have Creator, and we have no Redeemer
-- Bottom line (tune in here): If we cannot trust His word, we have no HOPE!
- Everyone wants to have hope – belief something good will happen, eventually
-- No one enjoys living in misery all the time … FACT: His Word gives us hope
-- His Word (also) demonstrates the authority (or power) of the One who spoke it
-- APP: Means if we trust in His hope, we must trust in His description also
- TR: Let’s finish our exploration today by looking upwards and seeing …
Point 3 – God’s splendor is on display in the Heavens
- Day 2: God has created the atmosphere and the air that surrounds the Earth
-- He did not have to create “space” – that already existed (where “deep” existed)
- No, He had to create a space that His creation could reside on
-- Saw earlier in point 1: Hebrew word shamayim; heaven or sky
- (clarify words) However, sometimes we can get lost on the word use
-- In many translations, the word “heavens” is used to describe this created space
-- They are not wrong, but instead, the same word can have multiple meanings
-- God refers to them as heavens, but it is the context that gives us the locale
- For clarity sake:
• First heaven – the atmosphere and the air that circles the Earth
• Second heaven – outer space where the heavenly bodies are (sun, stars, etc.)
• Third heaven – the place where God resides; or the spiritual world
- Significant: God, not man, named this part of the creation (vault, firmament)
-- God, being sovereign over all of this, gave it a name for us to know
-- But, to know what? That His authority is what put these things in place!!
- KEY: God is before, above, and over all of creation and speaks for/to all of it
- Again, consider the revelation of v5, and now of v8:
-- The only way to outline and define time (naming the days) is to be outside of it
- What we see of God, esp. on a clear starlit night are His revelation to us
-- Big question: What does this reveal about God? Many words come to mind:
• He is Eternal: consider this: can anyone find “the end” of the sky?
• He is Infinite: see the never-ending expanse of stars and beauty
• He is Majestic: consider how small we are compared to the expanse
• He is Glorious: how wonderful is our God to put this in place for us to see?
- Ecclesiastes 3:11 sums this up perfectly, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
Big Idea
- So, let’s get to our two big ideas for today so we can draw this to a close:
1. The heavens and the Earth initially consisted of water
-- God’s Spirit moved across the deep and He engaged the waters
-- This action began the formation of what we see and know
2. God physically performed surgery and cut an expanse between the waters
-- Paraphrase “Let there be a space between these two things”
-- Simply: Some water went up and some water stayed down
- Look … don’t overcomplicate this or you’ll drive yourself insane!!
-- This gives “fools” a chance to argue every little thing … that’s not our job!
-- We don’t have to be God’s defense attorney, merely, ones who know Him!
- Take a look at how prophet Jude sums up the glory of God: Jude 25, “All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.”
- If we consider what we have unpacked today, he created this space!
-- Truly, what more do we need to stand on for this week?
- Pray for:
• Clarity in revelation of who God is
• Understanding that God’s spoken word is firm foundation
• Knowledge that His promise to redeem is proven by His creation
