Title: The God Of Creation
Bible Book: Genesis 1
Author: Roger D. Willmore
Subject: Creation; God, Creator
Objective:
[Editor's Note: This is 2 of 8 messages on Genesis by Dr. Willmore.]
Introduction
Dr. John Phillips says that the first chapter of Genesis is one of the most God-centered chapters in the Bible. God is mentioned by name thirty-two times in thirty-one verses.4 This God-centered chapter makes no attempt to explain God's existence. It simply declares that eternal God stepped onto the stage of time and spoke and something came from nothing. Let us consider some vital aspects of Creation as seen in Genesis 1:1-31.
I. The Fact of Creation (v. 1-2)
The opening verses of Genesis are a statement of origins. God created. The Hebrew word for created carries the idea of an instantaneous, miraculous creation. God created the heavens and the earth. Before God spoke there was nothing." In the beginning" is a key phrase. It lets us know that prior to Genesis 1:1 there was nothing. In timeless eternity past immeasurable, incomprehensible there was nothing, only God and God alone. In the beginning is the commencement of God's creative works as we know them. In the beginning marks the commencement of time, of the physical world and life.
II. The Process of Creation v. (3-25)
"Peter Stoner, a mathematician, lists thirteen steps of creation in Genesis 1. He tabulates those as the creation of the universe (v.1), light (v. 3), darkness dispelled from the earth (v. 4), the atmosphere established (v.6), the seas appointed their boundaries (v. 9), the continents raised (v.10), plant life formed, namely grasses, herbs, and fruit trees (v. 11), the sun, moon and stars appointed to function (v.14), marine life created (v. 20), fowls created (v. 21), the age of the monsters decreed (v. 21), and man created (v. 26). Those things are not only correctly named and listed in their proper order, but also Moses' chance of writing Genesis 1 in that way by accident would amount to one chance in 31 sextillion (31 followed by 21 zeroes)."
Consider the process recorded in the Genesis account: The first day (vv.1-5) heaven and earth were created without form, uninhabited, and in darkness and covered by water. God spoke light into existence and divided the light from darkness and called the light day and the darkness night.
The second day (vv. 6-8) God divided the waters by a firmament, which he called Heaven.
The third day (vv. 9-13) God gathered the waters on the earth into one place and allowed dry land to emerge. He called the dry land earth and the waters seas. God also created vegetation on the third day. From the dry land grew grass, herbs and fruit trees.
The fourth day (vv. 14-19) God created the sun, moon and stars. He made the sun to rule the day and the moon and stars to rule the night. This was also the beginning of days, years and seasons.
The fifth day (vv. 20-23) God created the sea creatures and the birds of the air and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the sea and the earth.
The sixth day (vv. 24-35) God created the creatures of the earth: beast, cattle and creeping things.
III. The Crown of Creation (v. 26-30)
The creation of man was the crown of God's creative process. Man is God's crown jewel in creation because he is made in the image of God. God gave man dominion over every living creature.
IV. The Completion of Creation (v. 1:31-2:1)
When God created man His creation work was complete. We are told in 2:1 that the creative process was finished. We are told in 1:31 that God looked at what He had created and said it was very good.
The creative work of God declares His Sovereign rule over all that He has made. It reveals His power and His purpose. God has the power to speak and bring cosmos out of chaos, and light out of darkness, and life out of death. His purpose is for His creation to reveal His character and His glory.
