Beginning by Dr. Abidan Shah

BEGINNING by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: The year was 1993 when the sci-fi action film “Jurassic Park” hit the movie theaters. It was based on a novel by the famous writer Michael Crichton and directed by the famous Stephen Spielberg. I remember it very vividly because I was a broadcast journalism major, and we had to analyze it as one of our projects. It became the highest grossing film released worldwide up to that point. It had many famous lines, but the one that stands out the most was “Life finds a way.” The movie was a hit. Most everybody loved it, from children to adults. But it had a fundamental problem – “life doesn’t just find a way. It is God who gives life.” As you know, we’re in our series on Apologetics called “Contend” and we’re camping in Genesis for a while because many of the questions came from here. One of them was – “I’ve heard that there may have been a gap of millions of years between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2?” “Was there a pre-Adamic race?” Here’s the main point: God is the author of life. He gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. Not only the heavens and the earth testify to his power to give life, but also every lost soul dead in trespasses and sins that finds salvation through his Son Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1      1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Context: I write a lot, academically and popularly. One thing I learned a long time ago was that you must grip your reader in the first few sentences of your writing. If not, they may lose interest and stop reading. Of all the books ever written, this is the most powerful and engaging opening – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Of course, it is God’s word and he is the greatest writer of all! There are 3 things that stand out about the beginning from this passage (H. Morris, Douglas Kelley, & Sarfati) that will answer the questions raised and much more:

1. Every false belief and worldly philosophy are rejected.

• Atheism (there is no god) – There is a God.
• Agnosticism (we can’t know for sure if there is a god) – Look at the heavens and the earth.
• Evolution (nothing times nobody equals everything) – Sorry, God created everything.
• Humanism (human being is the center of the universe) – Sorry, God is the ultimate reality.
• Materialism (matter is the only reality) – Nope, God made matter.
• Pantheism (god is creation and creation is god) – Nope, God created the world.

To use a different analogy, Genesis 1:1 is the train junction of the entire Bible. You get this right and you will be on the right track. You get this wrong and it will be a bumpy ride. You may even get derailed down the track.

Application: Our world is derailed right now because we are getting Genesis 1:1 wrong. What do you think about the beginning? Are you living by Genesis 1:1?

2. Creation out of nothing is crucial.

Before God started creating, there was nothing, except himself. The Hebrew word is “bara” which when used in the Qal stem of the verb refers to God as the creator and it emphasizes an “absolute creation.” We use the Latin phrase “ex nihilo” meaning “out of nothing.” By the way, when we say “nothing,” we mean “not anything.” Richard Dawkins loves the idea of “nothing,” but he means something else by it. Here are some verses:

• Psalm 33 6 “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth…9 For He spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.”
• Hebrews 11:3 “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
• Romans 4:17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.”

Matter and all beings (material or spiritual) in the universe are not eternal and should not be worshipped. Only God is worthy to be worshipped.

Application: When Paul says in Romans, “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did,” it is to remind us that we are justified by faith. What part do you think you play in your salvation? Only faith.

3. There is no “recycled” or “hand-me-down” in creation.

Genesis 1:2 “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep…” Some have claimed here that this was result of a catastrophe, a destruction of the creation. The gap theories were popular among conservatives in the last part of the nineteenth and the first part of the twentieth centuries. It claimed that between Genesis 1:1and 1:2, there could have been a gap of millions of years. There are various types of gap theories but basically the same suggestion. It was conjured up to deal with the fossil record. I’m not going to deal with the fossil question in this message. I just want to focus on the fact that God did not have a false start with the creation. Other than being a mess grammatically and theologically, it also overlooks a key doctrine.

The Hebrew words are “tohu waw bohu” mean “formless” and “empty.” It is an image of matter that hasn’t taken shape yet. “And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The word for waters is “tehom” which later is used for ocean. Bottom line: It is a watery matrix in total darkness. It means that all the building materials are there but there is no design or purpose. The Holy Spirit is hovering (rachaph) meaning shaking and fluttering. He is ready to impart energy to the creation. All this is very importand and special because the creation was not only made by the son Jesus, but it was also a gift to the Son.

• Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
• Romans 11:36 “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
• Hebrews 1 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Why did God the Father create the world for the Son? To provide for him a beautiful spiritual bride. We are the bride of Christ. Hence, it had to be a new and perfect gift. Is it any wonder that the angels rejoiced at the creation! Job 38        4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” They were probably created right before the earth was created. They immediately did what they were created to do – glorify God! Genesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.” I believe this must have been the moment when the angels sang together and shouted for joy! 4 “And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.”

Also, the Father was going to receive spiritual children through the Son – Hebrews 2      10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings…13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

Application: Do you understand this great mystery? Do you know that everything is for Jesus to the glory of the Father?

We are celebrating communion this weekend. It may seem that this is so unrelated, but that’s not true. The Communion reminds us that we are connected to Jesus along with other brothers and sisters in Christ. 1 Corinthians 11      23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” The Communion has all the markings of the Passover Meal. In verse 25 it says, “In the same manner He also took the cup after supper. . .” What is the cup after supper? There were 4 cups at the Passover Meal: 1. The first cup was poured as the Father recited his blessing over the wine and over the day. 2. The second cup was poured and the son asked questions about the special food of the meal. 3. The third cup was poured after the supper as the Father recited grace after the meal. 4 The fourth cup was poured and the Father recited the Hallel and the blessing over the song. Guess which cup is being referred to in I Corinthians 11:25? The third cup. This was the Cup of Blessing, which Jesus recast as the Cup of the New Covenant in his blood. Can you imagine how this must have puzzled the disciples? Jesus did not drink the final fourth cup with them. Listen to Matthew 26    29“ ‘But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’  Why did he not drink the 4^thcup? Two reasons: First, he still had to shed his blood as the Passover Lamb; Second, he wanted all of us to join him around the table in his Father’s Kingdom. Revelation 19:9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

Are you saved? Will you be there to celebrate at the marriage supper of the Lamb? Do you know that it is the Father’s will that everything be about the Son? Do you know the Son?