“The Creation of the World: Five Amazing Truths”
The creation of the world is described in 34 verses (Gen.
1:1-2:3) and approximately 900 words, fewer words than the Declaration
of Independence (1,458 words). One reason for such a brief outline of creation
is that people in ancient times depended on the oral transmission of
information. Each generation passed on to the next generation by retelling
their stories. Here in Genesis 1 is our story and it is what
God wants us to know, about Him, our world, and ourselves.
Here are five amazing truths from the story of the creation
of the world.
1. Before anything
else existed, there was God
“In the beginning God”
(1:1).
When is the beginning? Go back as far as you can imagine, put your finger on
that, God was before that. God doesn’t have a birth date! “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the
earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Ps.
90:2). God is both infinite and eternal. To say He is infinite is to
say that He is unlimited, measureless, boundless. To say God is eternal is to
say that He has no beginning and no end, He is Lord over time, He has no past,
no future, God is unchanging throughout all time. He has always been what He
has always been and will always be.
2. God has created all
that exists
“God created the
heavens and the earth” (1:1). The word for “created” is the word (“bara”) that is
only used of God creating. What is unique about the creation story is that God
did not use pre-existing materials, He created “out of nothing” (“creation
ex-nihilo”). The writer of Hebrews explains it like this. “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of
God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Heb.
11:3).
God created by the power of His Word. Repeatedly in Genesis
1, it is God who speaks and it is so (cf. 1:6-7, 9, 11, 14-15, 24).
Isaiah’s poetic testimony about God as the creator of all things is moving. “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who
created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by
name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one
is missing” (Isa. 40:26). In Isaiah’s time there would have been about 5,000
stars visible at night. Astronomers today estimate that there are more than 400
billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy and that there are 125 billion galaxies
in the universe. And the God who created each of them calls them by name.
3. What God has created
is good
In every act of creation what God creates He calls good (cf.
1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). Creation is good because a good and
gracious God created it. We need a biblical worldview that affirms the goodness
of God’s world and the proper way to enjoy it. If the world seems evil, it only
appears that way at times because sinful people have corrupted what God called “good.”
God created a good world that is to be enjoyed but not
worshiped. We can only enjoy God’s good world when we set God’s creation in the
proper order. Worshiping God’s creation by making idols of sex, pleasure, other
people, material stuff, etc. will never satisfy. Only when we are properly
related to our creator and redeemer can we truly enjoy God’s good creation.
4. People are the
crowning achievement of God’s creation
All people are made in the image of God (1:26-27)!
All people are created as spiritual beings, capable of relating to God, all
people possess a moral nature. All people are made in the image of God!
Grasping that truth alone would eliminate racism, it would give us a profound
respect for the sanctity of all human life, born and unborn, and would end
strife, bring peace and godliness, and change our world!
5. Human beings have
been given the stewardship of God’s good creation
All that God did in creation, he did for you (cf.
1:29, 30). The Father created a good world for us to enjoy, there is
just one stipulation, we are caretakers, stewards (managers) of God’s good
creation. The first command in the Bible is found in 1:28. We show gratitude
to God our creator by caring for what he’s given us in a way that brings honor
to God.
How are you managing God’s creation? Closer to home, how are
you doing in your corner of the universe? Even believers have to resist
indifference and the desire for self-interest. We have to care about God’s
creation, it’s a part of who we are. Knowing these amazing truths about
creation, let’s seek to live in the light of them, teaching them to our children
and grandchildren, and let’s show people in our world who are filling
themselves with empty idols and building their lives on false hopes the better
way, God’s way, the way of life!
Amazed By God’s Good Creation!
Pastor Joe
