Genesis is the first book of the Bible. The word Genesis is
derived from the Greek and means beginning or origin. Thus, as we are to
expect, it speaks of the beginning of earth, of all life. Yet the subject of
book of Genesis, indeed the whole Bible is God Almighty. Genesis speaks of
Almighty God’s work of creation, of the beginning life. It also speaks of the
beginning of the human race as well as the origin of sin. And most importantly
Genesis speaks of the beginning of God’s work of redemption in which He called
one race of people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to bring
salvation to all mankind. This He would do this through the God-man, Jesus
Christ.
Most scientists and educators have come up with various
theses to explain the origin of all things and of all life but these are all
theories, opinions, not truth or fact. The only one who can tell us for sure
how life began would be one who was there. This is what we find in Genesis, an
account of what took place by the only One who was there: Almighty God. What
follows is His word revealed to men He chose to speak to and through.
Genesis assumes that God is. His existence need not be
proven: it is a given, assumed without question. He existed in eternity, but at
some point in eternity He decided to create. The first thing He created was the
heavens and the earth, but they were without form, shapeless, empty, lifeless,
dark like one big wet lump of clay.
The Lord God approached this formless mess like an artist,
potter or sculptor would. The artist sees in the mess a vision of what he wants
to design and goes about to shape that clay to conform to that vision. God then
is an artist who worked deliberately and systematically to form a work of
beauty and order which reflects His vision of it. Out of this formless mess He
created the stars, planets, the sun, moon, the earth, trees, flowers, insects,
fish, birds, animals, and human beings. It would seem that what He created
first all led up to, sustained, and enhanced what He created last: us. We
humans are the high point of creation, the vision that God had in mind from the
beginning. When he finished it all, He said “It is very good!” Then He rested
for He was finished.
