We have been covering the key verses in a chapter and all that is reveals. In Part 1 we looked at three small words from Gen.1:1 "IN BEGINNING, GOD." Then in Part 2 we looked at another key word in Gen.1:1 "CREATED."

In continuing investigation of the word CREATION, I want to show that there were only three acts of creation instead of the six days of creation that we have been taught in Sunday School or from a Church service. We saw in Part 2 that the word for CREATION is not the same as the word for MAKE. To make is to form out of pre-existing material and to create is to bring forth something from nothing. In Gen.1:1 was the first act of CREATION.

Genesis 1:1 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Before getting into the creation of time, space, and matter I would like to share sometime else about the word "God" in Gen.1:1. This is because of the questions coming from those with an unbelieving heart. Questions like, "Where did God come from?"

In Part 1, I shared that the word for God in this verse is ELOHIM, and means The All Powerful One, or the Almighty One. It is important to know that the name ELOHIM is singular in Person but plurality in Godhead. In other words there is only ONE God and He is seen and manifested as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All of this is wrapped up in one word...ELOHIM.

Moses, under the leadership of the Person of the Holy Spirit penned Gen.1:1. In it God allows the reader to assume the existence of God by faith, for He alone is in the beginning of creation and He alone can create.

The Bible assumes His eternity, for He is before all things, the Alpha and Omega, He always was. That is why He is God and we are not. We had a beginning in time and space. There was never a time that God was not and because of this He does not own His creation an explanation of what He was doing for trillions of years before He started His creation processes.  

For those who deny the existence of God, must understand that we cannot have something coming forth from nothing. He Himself must have always been, therefore something can come forth from someone who can create. Gen.1:1 starts out with the knowledge of God's omnipotence for He creates the universe and all the things needed within it.

In Gen.1:1 we see God's absolute freedom of righteous choice. This means that He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and it will always be righteous and line up with His perfect nature. Gen.1:1 does not reveal what God was doing in eternity past, it starts out with (according to our limited understanding), His new course of action. Which is not new because it was always in His heart to create the heavens and earth and create man in His image.

Gen.1:1 not only implies that God is All-Powerful but implies that He is All-knowing and displays infinite wisdom. When one studies the nature of the cosmos one can see perfect order of matter, space and time, and a complete harmonious system that relate and need one another. This could only come from a being of absolute intelligence. 

Gen.1:1 implies God to be beyond all limit of time and space, since He is before time and space. He created time and space in Gen.1:1, therefore before that act there was no time and space, there was only God. The reason we call the past and future with God "eternity past" and "eternity future" is because both transcend our concept of time.

Gen,1:1 implies that everything existed within God the Father. In one decision He spoke forth existence in the natural of that which only existed within His mind. Gen.1:1 asserts the creation of the heavens and the earth which means all that composes the natural place of time, space and matter was also created. 

This one verse reveals the act of creating by an Omnipotent God in giving existence to things which before had no existence.  Science of today can only observe things as they are in their existence and attempt to find some origin outside of God. They cannot explain things before their existence. No matter how hard science tries and how many great "breakthroughs they accomplish," they will never be able to touch the beginning or the end. Only God experiences both at the same time.

Therefore, we have the first act of creation. 

Revelation 1:8 ESV "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

I love the key verses in Bible Book chapters. One of the insights I see is the key verses in each chapter that seem to "set the stage" for the chapter. Such as Jn.3:16 sets the stage for not only John chapter 3 but also for the complete Book of John. I would like to share some insights from GENESIS 1 from the key passages.

Genesis 1:1 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

In part 1 we looked at "In beginning, God". Now for the rest of the verse.

Many believers embrace a teaching that there were 6 days of creation and then 1 day of rest. However that would be incorrect according to the Hebrew language and the Word of God.  There is a BIG difference between something being CREATED and something being MADE. To create something means to call it forth from nothing. To make something means to fashion from pre-existing material. Let's explore these two words, create versus made.

We know that the word in Gen.1:1 is created. In the Hebrew the word is "bara" pronounced "baw-raw" and is used 56 times in the Old Testament. The context of its use declares its meaning. In Gen.1:1 it means "to create," or call something forth from nothing.  

To create means that it is not formed out of something already in existence but the coming forth of something new that never existed. It is to give being to something new. It is a point in time when something that did not exist come forth into existence.

The act of creation always has God as its subject because only God can create or call into existence that which never existed except for being inside the mind and heart of God.

The 6 days of what we call creation was actually 6 days of things being made.

The Hebrew word is "asah" and is pronounced "aw-saw" and means to make from pre-existing material. In other words, God created or spoke into existence time, space and matter in Gen.1:1 and then in the 6th day took that which He created in Gen.1:1 and made what we know today.

More later as we look at the three acts of CREATION.

In reading the Word for over 40 years now I am still amazed at the new things I see each time I read no matter how many times I read over it before. One of the insights I see is the key verses in each chapter that seem to "set the stage" for the chapter. I would like to share some insights from GENESIS 1 from the key passages.

Genesis 1:1 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

I mean who don't just love Gen.1:1 and the total awesomeness of the passage? In the original language there was no use of the definite article "the". The Hebrew language did not have the definite article therefore the actual start of our Bible in the original language would be "In beginning, God." What a great way to start.

In the New Testament the Greek language has the definite article "the" however there are times it was placed in Scriptures that was not in the original. One just verse is the New Testament version of Gen.1:1, which would be Jn.1:1. Although the definite article is not in the original it does not change or take away from by including it.

John 1:1 ESV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (In the Greek this would be "In beginning was").

The same was done in 1 Jn.1:1 & Mk.10:6 with the adding of the definite article.

1 John 1:1 ESV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— (In the Greek this would be "That which was from beginning").

Mark 10:6 ESV But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' (In the Greek this would be "But from beginning").

The Hebrew word for beginning is "reshiyth" pronounced "ray-sheeth". It means the first, in place, time, order or rank. It is the firstfruit. It is the principal thing.

Now we come to one of the greatest words known to mankind, "God".

In this first mention of God in the Bible we should know the Hebrew meaning. The word is "elohiym" and is pronounced "el-o-heem".  The word ELOHIM means "the All-Powerful One." "The One who is Mighty."

Our God is a great God and He carries many names within the Scriptures whereby He identifies Himself. We do not have the right to attribute names or titles to God that are not identified within Scriptures. I have heard Christians try to assign names of the gods of other religions to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is not to be done. There is only One True God and He has given us names whereby we are to know Him. One of those names is ELOHIM.

It is important to know that the name ELOHIM is singular in Person but relates plurality in Godhead. In other words there is only ONE God and He is seen and manifested as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All of this is wrapped up in one word...ELOHIM.

All of this from "In beginning, God!"

We are looking at those key verses in Genesis 1 which reach out and speak to us. I shared in the first three studies on Gen.1:1. We saw that it was the first of three acts of creation. We saw that the Hebrew word for creation is "bara" and means to call forth something from nothing. Today we will look at the second act of creation as we study another key verse in Genesis 1. Today we will look at Gen.1:21.

The creation of water and sky life:
Genesis 1:21 ESV So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

The animal kingdom is divided into three parts in reference to the regions to be inhabited, the water, the sky, and the land. Notice that the word "created" (bara) is used and not the word "made" (asah). God created the fish for the water, and the birds for the air. However He did not create the animals for the land but made them. 

The land animals were made, means that God formed them from pre-existing material:
Genesis 1:25 ESV And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Notice when God created the creatures of the sea and the creatures of the air He did so "after its kind". Notice also when God made the creatures of the land that He did so "after its kind."

There is a Kingdom principle established in Genesis 1 that flows throughout the Scriptures of "like kind" and is worthy of your own investigation. 

Genesis 1:11 ESV And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth." And it was so.

Genesis 1:24 ESV And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so.

Gardening season is here. Those who desired a garden has already plowed and seeded and watered and weeded.  We garden because we like to enjoy the fruit of our labor. No one sows just to let the weeds take over. It’s a lot of work, but it is well worth the wait.

When we think of a garden, we think of the reproducing of the fruit. How you can take a seed that is so small, and with the proper care, it becomes a full grown fruit. The bible teaches us that sowing and reaping is a law that has been from the beginning, and will continue throughout the ages. Everything reproduces after its own kind.

God told Noah, that as long as the earth exists, there will always be seed time and harvest. This is a law from God, that he promises us will never fail. As long as the world turns, men will be sowing, and men will be reaping.

Genesis 8:22 ESV While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."