COMMENTS ON GENESIS CHAPTER ONE

The creation of the heavens and the earth

      Verse 1 is a summary of what we get in the following six days. This is really proved by the statement in Exodus 31:17 which reads: "for [in] six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth". Genesis 1:1 therefore cannot mean that God made the heavens and the earth at the beginning of the first day, on the eve of the first day or umpteen years before that. The beginning in the first verse refers to the six day period in the first chapter and not just to the beginning of the first day. If it is argued that the heavens and earth were in fact created at the beginning of the first day the question arises as to how they were created as no speaking of God is connected with the first verse of the chapter. Further, the question also arises as to what the heavens consisted of. Heavenly bodies do not appear to have been created until the fourth day, so saying that heavens were created at the beginning of the first day seems to mean that only space of some sort was created then.

      When we come to chapter 2 verse 1 we have the statement: "And the heavens and the earth and all their host were finished" and in Exodus 20: 11 we have: "For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them". These statements expand on the bald statements in Genesis 1:1 & Exodus 31:17 quoted above and cover more specifically the other things created on the earth and in the heavens. It is rather like what we mean when we say we have bought a computer and a printer, that is, we have not only bought a processor and a printer, but also a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse and maybe other hardware, as well as at least some programs such as Windows; or as the last two passages we have quoted would say regarding creation: "All their host" and "All that is in them".

      The thought that Genesis 1:1 covers all that was created in the following verses is supported by the note to verse 1 in the RSV Oxford Annotated Bible which reads: " Probably a preface to the whole account". David C. C. Watson's book reads: " Probably this verse is a kind of heading to the whole chapter" (Myths and Miracles page 2), though on page 8 he says: "It is reasonable to suppose that the water-covered globe had been in existence for 6 hours before God created light". All these statements do not really go beyond saying that certain things are probabilities and are not dogmatic pronouncements on the basis of convincing evidence. The MacArthur Study Bible comments are more definite and read: "the heavens and the earth. All of God's creation is incorporated into this summary statement which includes all six consecutive days of creation."

State of the earth in Genesis one verse two

      This is often said to be one of chaos. For instance, the first note in the RSV Oxford Annotated Bible reads: "Out of primordial chaos God created an orderly world". However, the actual statement in verse 2 is: "The earth was without form and void" or more literally: "The earth was waste and empty". Chaos and emptiness are clearly not the same thing. An empty room and a chaotic one are not the same. For the earth to have been in a chaotic state it would have had to have been the subject of some kind of adverse activity which would have produced it. There is no evidence that there had been any such activity. God's judgment could have produced chaos, but to bring the idea of judgment into Genesis 1 would be to confuse this passage with the Noachic flood, something which appears to be quite often done.

Creation out of what ?

      It is often said that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing. However, it is very difficult to find anything to support this view in Genesis 1 or 2. This idea is more in line with the views of the evolutionist than with what we find in Scripture. The word create used in Genesis 1 does not necessarily mean made out of nothing, though it appears to point to something original and not something that is just a copy of a thing previously made.

      If the view that the initial statement that God created the heavens and the earth is simply a summary of what we get in the rest of the chapter and that the earth's condition in verse two is akin to that of a newly born child we cannot use what is found in that verse to support the idea that the heavens and the earth were made out of nothing. There was no speaking of God in verses one or two, so the thought that the planet earth came into being as the result of a divine command does not find support in these verses.

      The introduction of light in day one does not definitely mean that the light was created then. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:6 refers to what happened then to give a comparison with what happens when a person is converted. Paul no doubt had his own experience in mind. However, it is clear that, certainly in the case of the antitype, light is not created when it shines in our hearts, but simply breaks through the barrier of unbelief. This could be the way to understand Genesis 1. John 1 verses 4 and 5 are similar.

      Strictly, there was nothing created on day two but simply a division of the waters into two parts, one above and one below the expanse.

      On day three there was similarly a division made; in this case between the waters and the dry land. Further, vegetation came into existence. However, it is difficult to maintain that it came from nowhere, for the Scripture says that the earth brought it forth as a result of God's command. Vegetation is clearly made from the materials found in earth the same as air breathing creatures including mankind.

      On day four the Sun, moon and stars were brought into existence. They could well have been made from the break up of the source of the light which shone in day one. Scripture speaks of the spreading out of the heavens on quite a number of occasions and this suggests that the original source of light could well have been small. As we know from other sources God is not shut up to one way of doing things. He can use what exists and multiply it as Christ did with the loaves and fishes. God always works economically, that is, using wisdom. He does not create something anew when what he needs is already to hand.

      On day five the birds and sea creatures were brought into being. It does not say what from, but we know that they as well as land animals are made of the materials that we find on this planet.

      On day six land animals were brought into being as a result of God's command: "Let the earth bring forth". They are clearly made of the materials of which this planet is composed as is also mankind. The name man means adam (earthy) and points to his origin in the earth. This is also in accord with what we get in Genesis 2:7 where we get Man made from the dust of the ground.

      The last passage that occurs to one as being relevant is Hebrews 11: 3 where it says: "By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by [the] word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear". This passage simply says that things did not originate from things which appear: It does not say they originated from nothing. The power to bring them into existence was God's word, and God's mind was also expressed in his word. The ultimate origin of all things must therefore be from what exists in the unseen world and not what is apparent to natural sight, though God may adapt what exits for his purposes when he chooses to do so (this is not the ACCIDENTAL adaptations of which evolutionists speak).

What was created in Genesis one ?

      The simple answer is the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them (Exodus 20:11). Though, all this clearly covers the material creation that we see around us, it does not necessarily cover everything. John1:3 on the other hand is undoubtedly all embracing and covers everything that has ever been created. All that is left out is what is uncreated. Colossians 1:16 is similar and specifically includes not only the visible creation but invisible things as well. Genesis 1 however says nothing about the creation of angels or other unseen beings. Some have thought that they were created on the second day so that they were able to shout for joy when the foundations of the earth were laid (Job 38:7) on the third day. However, this is at best only a possibility and the foundations of the earth would appear to have been actually already in place (Genesis 1:2).

      As is often the case, the New Testament goes further than the Old (see for example, Christ is said to be as a lamb without blemish and without SPOT (1Peter 1:19), whereas the Old Testament only speaks of a lamb without blemish (Exodus 12:5). The type does not come up to the antitype. Thus I think the Genesis account of creation should not be driven too far and assumed to cover everything that was ever created.

18 January 1999