IN THE BEGINNING OF WHAT?
Genesis 1:1 (NKJV) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Our world has a connection with God because it was made at a point in time by God the Creator. The Bible started off with this phrase �In the Beginning� (Genesis 1:1). It might be simple in its wording, but full of in-depth revelations. The Hebrew word is Bereshith, from the same root as�ro'sh; the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a first fruit) -- beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing. The first book of the Bible is the foundation of our relationship with God.� �In the beginning� (Bereshith) is the first word the Hebrew text of Genesis and hence the Hebrew name for the book.� �In the beginning� as an event consists of the start of something happening for the very first time. It explains how our universe first started. �In the beginning� entails the origin of something and the time of something. �The beginning� is the starting point, origin or source. It refers to the time of or before the creation of the world.
So now, the first question is what took place �in the beginning�? It was the creation of the heavens and earth. The phrase; the heavens and earth which were created in the beginning refers to the entirety and general aspect of all creation that are both in the heavens and on earth. All things that are above the earth and under the earth had a beginning. Nothing above and under the earth existed from eternity. The universe was established by the creative power of God�s Word. The universe was created from none existence materials initially. The Bible does not provide a detailed description of the complexities of the elements, things and beings that were created. However, the Bible provides us the source of the universe as God and how God first created it through His spoken Word. Science has studied the substances and materials that are in creation and what things are made out from it, and even explains in natural means how things where formed by the Divine Creator. Time, space, matter, energy, land, humans, animals, plants, and other elements all had a starting point in time, and were all created in the beginning by a Creator called God.
The next question, is it a �who� or a �what� that established the beginning? Our universe was not created by a mere �what� but by a personal being the �who� called God. As humans, we can�t go beyond what was before �the beginning�. All that we know is that in the beginning God created not that God was created. He is the I AM as the Dutch theologian, Herman Bavinck (1854-1921) captures who God is: God is who he is; God is eternal and unchangeable in his divine being; he has no past or future, just an eternal present and God is self-existent. God is the omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. There are many ancient origin stories that attest of the universe being created by God rather than a mere explosion of energy into complexities and the emergence of chemicals and elements to create stars, our solar systems and other bodies in the universe. God is described as the �who� began the beginning of the world. The Creator has no beginning. He is the self-preexisting, eternal and self-creator. It was the creation of the heavens and earth which comprises the entire universe in simple terms that had a starting point. God is the master-mind and architect behind this amazing universe. He initiated, planned, and carried out the process of creating our world. Nothing above and under the earth existed from eternity. Neither did anything originated by chance. Everything above and under the earth had a divine intelligent and master-class designer and sustainer involved in it.
In conclusion, the first book of the Bible provides us with a solid foundation for our belief that there is a Creator who created the universe we live in. This universe did not originate from a big bang explosion as the world believes. The Creation of our world had a starting point but the Creator did not. As Christians, our worldview is one of belief in the existence of a Creator. Our Creator is not a separate entity called energy or force. Our Creator is personal supernatural being who established the universe. If we don�t believe in the account of Genesis, then chances are we can compromise the rest of the Bible. The beginning of creation is not what started it but rather who started it. That should be the question and Genesis 1:1 attests and confirms such truth. The first book of the Bible (Genesis) provides us the time and the source of creation directed to God as the creator of both the heavens and the earth and all that is in it. Our God possesses the power, wisdom, know-how, design and creative skills necessary for the creation of this massive and complex universe. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all partook in the creation process of the universe and they said to themselves, �let us make humans in our image and likeness.� The one who created this complex universe also created you intricately and magnificently.
By Brahim M.Kallon
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