Jump Start # 133

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

  In the ancient Hebrew Bible the opening words of a book became the title. Genesis was called, “In the beginning.” Later it was shortened to “Beginnings,” which is the definition of the word “Genesis.”

  This is how it all started. The beginnings of life, mankind, relationship, marriage, family, God’s will, man’s disobedience, God’s redemptive plan and hope. There are several interesting things to note about this first sentence in God’s book.

  Nothing is said to prove God. It is assumed and understood that the reader knows God. Many in the scientific word have taken away that assumption. They can’t begin at this point. They must understand that God is. There are ways to show that. The evidence abounds.

  Also, we note that this is not a science book. The how-did-God-do-it are not detailed. The only thing we see is that God said and it came to be. The power, wisdom, planning and force belong to God. Hebrews 11 says, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” How do we know this? By faith. Not a blind faith. But a faith first in the word of God and beyond that a faith in God Himself. The word of God stands true, honest and right. What God says about nations, medical practices, astronomy and many other things are right, years and years before man knew these things. God’s fulfillment of prophecy is 100%. So when God said He created, by faith we believe that.

  The word “created” means out of nothing. The process God used was His will and His mind. Evolution was not the process God used. God created in 6 days. Some ask, “How do you know it was 6 literal days?” Or, “if a 1,000 years is a day to God, maybe each day represented millions of years.” First, God said. Second, God identified. He said there was evening, there was morning, one day. Third, God distinguished. After God made the solar system He said, “let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” God saw a difference between a day, days, seasons and years. Fourth, in Exodus 20, when God establishes the Sabbath day, he identified what a week was—seven days. He used the creation account as an example. God worked six days and rested on the seventh.

  But within the creation account, there are many things God made but didn’t identify. Nothing is said about DNA, atoms, electrons, chemical compounds and all the “invisible” things of our world. Also, nothing is said about color, sound, smell or taste. Have you ever thought about that? What if our world was black and white? We could function and probably not know any difference, but look at all the colors today, the greens of summer, the color of birds, the color of dirt. Listen to the sounds of nature—rain, thunder, birds, wind. Consider what you taste today—hot coffee, cold water, breakfast, lunch, dinner. All these wonderful things given as a gift by God.

  We sing a song, ‘This is my Father’s world’ and thus it is. Louie Armstrong sang, “What a wonderful world.” Amen to that. Look about at what God made. Enjoy. Be thankful. Consider. And then realize you are part of that creation, too. Special. Unique. And made by God!

Roger