The Book of Beginning

Genesis

Genesis 1:1-31

Genesis is written with the presuppositions that God exists and that He has revealed Himself in word and deed to Israel's ancestors. The book does not argue for the existence of God; it simply asserts that" everything exists because of God.

(Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament.)

The Existence of God

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

God never gives an apologetic for His existence.Ps 14:1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God.“Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies

proclaim the work of his hands.Rom 1:18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from

heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

In the Beginning God

The Truth; Either God exists, or God does not exist

Two ways to live; Live as if God exists, or Live as if God does not exist

Pascal’s Wager

God does not exist

God does exist

Live as if God does not exist

Lose nothing (AIDS)

Lose everything

Live as if God does exist

Lose nothing Lose nothing, gain everything

Dr. Henry M. Morris, Ph.D., L.L.D., Litt.D., The Defenders Study Bible, notes, Gen. 1:1, Pg.3

Cosmology/Cosmogony

There are 5 elements/aspects that a proper Cosmology/Cosmogony should address;

#1 Space#2 Time#3 Matter#4 Motion#5 Forces (Energy)

Cosmology/Cosmogony

These 5 elements/aspects are addressed in Gen. 1:1-2;#1 Space#2 Time#3 Matter#4 Motion#5 Forces (Energy) Gen 1:1-2 In the beginning (#2 Time) God (#5 Forces

(Energy) created the heavens (#1 Space ) and the earth (#3 Matter). 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering (#4 Motion) over the waters.

Cosmology/Cosmogony

If anything exists (and it does);Why does it exist;I only know of 4 possibilities;#1 Illusion#2 Eternally existent#3 Self existent#4 Created by Someone who is Eternally

existent, Self existent, not part of creation, greater than creation.

Cosmology/Cosmogony

Larry Vardiman, PhD. says regarding Gen. 1:1, “The transcendent, omnipotent Godhead called into existence the mass-space-time universe.”

Cosmology/Cosmogony

If you believe this you should not have any trouble with a floating ax head.

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

Bereshith (beginning)Bara (Latin, Ex-Nihilo)Elohim (God)Shamayim (Plural/Dual, 1st. & 2nd. Heavens)Erets (earth)

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

Bereshith (beginning)Time had a beginning2 Tim 1:9…This grace was given us in Christ

Jesus before the beginning of time…Titus 1:2 a faith and knowledge resting on the

hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,

Time had a beginning, so it will endMatt 13:39…The harvest is the end of the age…Matt 13:49…This is how it will be at the end of

the age…

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

TimeTime itself is a variable propertyAffected by mass, acceleration, and gravity

Gen 1:1-4 In the beginning God created the heavens

and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

Gap Theory

Many have backed up their theological dump trucks up to that gap.

Dinosaurs, fossils, Neanderthal man, Pre-Adamic hominids, fall of Satan

Gap Theory

Genesis 1:1-2 Some have seen a middle stage of Creation here, that is, an unfinished work

of Creation (v. 2) that was later developed (vv. 3-25) into the present form. But this cannot be sustained by the syntax or the vocabulary.

Others have seen a "gap" between the first two verses, allowing for the fall of Satan and entrance of sin into the world that caused the chaos. It is more likely that verse 1 refers to a relative beginning rather than the absolute beginning (Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament. 2 vols. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981, 1:5). The chapter would then be accounting for the Creation of the universe as man knows it, not the beginning of everything, and verses 1-2 would provide the introduction to it. The fall of Satan and entrance of sin into God's original Creation would precede this.

It was by the Spirit that the Lord God sovereignly created everything that exists (v. Genesis 1:2 b). In the darkness of the chaos the Spirit of God moved to prepare for the effectual creative word of God…..

Gap Theory, Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament

There is No Gap in the Gap Theory

Deut 32:11like an eagle that stirs up its nestand hovers over its young,that spreads its wings to catch themand carries them on its pinions.

Genesis 1:1-2, Hovers

2 Peter 3:3-7 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Genesis 1:1-2, Waters

Gen 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heavens

and the earth. [This is the broad overview, now we are going to be given the details] 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

Broad Overview To Specifics

Isa 45:7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. NIV

Read the email/urban legend;“…Darkness is not something; it is the absence

of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

Genesis 1:3, Light