Chapter One
The Opening Line
The first sentence of every book is always extremely important. If it doesn’t catch the interest of the reader, the book may not get read. We also have a tendency to remember the more effective opening lines, do you remember the opening line of “A Tale of Two Cities”? The same is true about historic events. People usually remember important words spoken by their heroes, such as Neil Armstrong’s famous line as he stepped onto the surface of the moon. While the Bible does not disappoint in that regard, the first verse provides a lot more than a memorable or catchy first sentence.
1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
The Bible begins with the words, “In the beginning, God…” (Hebrew “b’ rē(‘)·šîṯ’ ‘ělō·hîm’”), these words become the ultimate introduction of all introductions as it not only introduces the main character of the Bible, namely God, but it forces the reader to make a decision on whether or not to accept the premise that there is a God and continue reading, or to stop and deny what God is offering us. Even though it will be a few more chapters before we begin to see, let alone understand, what God is offering, we can see clearly that God is at least offering an explanation on how everything began. Since God is outside of time (being the creator of time He is not influenced by time), He is able to accurately take us back to the beginning of the universe (earth, stars, planets, etc.) and, of course, the beginning of time.
In this verse we read a general rendition of what took place with a more detailed account of the creation process to follow. We will learn that the Bible employs a number of figures of speech and literary techniques. Here at the beginning this literary device might be best categorized as a generalization followed by a more comprehensive description (similar to an inset of a large city on a state map). We hear a brief overview or summary of creation that will be followed by a more detailed account. This technique will actually be employed twice in the creation story.
In the beginning…in the beginning of what? It is the beginning when all of that which we call ‘reality’ began to exist, including the beginning of time. The Greek equivalent to the Hebrew ‘bereshith’[1] (according to the Septuagint, see below) is ‘en archē',[2] which is used to open John’s gospel, “In the beginning was the Word…” (John 1:1) Using words that mirror the opening line of the Bible, John adds that even though the universe had a beginning, the Word preexisted.
This word, ‘God’, is the Hebrew word ‘Ělō·hîm’[3] (pronounced “el-o-heem”), a term when referring to the One true God will reflect His divine nature (we might think of them as omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, but there is a lot more). This is the word He uses to refer to Himself in this book and is used throughout Scripture. The “îm” (or ‘iym’) ending in Hebrew makes the word plural like the letter ‘s’ is used in the English language. Elohim can therefore be translated as ‘Gods’ and can be found in several passages in the Bible. The word is not always used in reference to God, we also see that the word can refer to several pagan false ‘gods’ (for example see Psalm 95:3; 96:4-5). However, in context, it is used here as a singular, a reference to “God the Creator.” Elohim is a plural name with a singular meaning, a ‘uni-plural’ noun, suggesting the uni-plurality of the Godhead. God is one, yet more than one. Christians typically do not have a problem with this concept as they understand that the One true God has been manifested (made known) in three different persons, also known as the Trinity.
The word ‘bā·rā(‘)’, translated here as ‘creation’ can be found 48 times in the Old Testament and is always used of the work of God. Which should not surprise us since God is the only One who can create something out of nothing or call into existence that which didn’t previously exist (see also Romans 4:17; 1 Corinthians 1:28 and Hebrews 11:3). The word can also refer to concepts such as righteousness and salvation (see Isaiah 45:8), a clean heart (see Psalm 51:10-11), and directions such as north and south (see Psalm 89:12-13). God literally created everything we know that exists including our ability to rationalize and, of course, think, allowing us to create as well, although on a much smaller scale with materials He provided.
The Hebrew word ‘šā·mǎ’·yim’,[4] which like Elohim, is a plural noun, and can be translated either “heaven” or “heavens,” depending on the context and on whether it is associated with a singular or plural verb. The essential meaning of the word corresponds to our modern term ‘space.’ Many ancient writings often considered the first heaven to be where we reside (our atmosphere, where we find air to breathe), the second heaven to be where the Sun, Moon, stars, etc. reside (we call it space) and then the third heaven to be where God resides (see how the Apostle Paul used the Greek equivalent ‘ouranou’[5] in 2 Corinthians 12:2).
The word ‘’ā’·rěṣ’[6] (translated here as ‘earth’) may be easier to understand to refer to all things physical (often translated in the Bible as ‘ground’ or ‘land’), perhaps just the raw materials. At the time of the initial creation, there were no other planets, stars, or other material bodies in the universe (not until the fourth day). The earth had no form to it (as described in the next verse); so, this verse may refer to the creation of the basic elements of matter to be later organized, or just a generalization as discussed above.
Considerations
The Bible was not written as a ‘science paper’ to explain in detail the process of creation. God gave us what we needed to know about the beginning so that we could understand that life was initially created without imperfection and without sin.
God has always existed and will always exist, while this concept is very difficult for humans to understand (we have always been taught that everything has a beginning and an end); there is no naturalistic (non-God) explanation for life. Mankind has struggled throughout its existence to figure out the meaning of life. If we are a product of chance, as many people think today, it doesn’t take much imagination to see why so many are looking for some greater purpose. But if we are indeed the ‘product’ of creation which was done deliberately by some greater entity, then perhaps we can get to know that entity better and learn about the real purpose and priorities of life. That greater entity is God and He definitely wants us to know Him. The Word of God, the book we call the Bible, is that with which He chose to reveal Himself to us and to provide us answers about life, not just life in general but for each of our lives specifically.
Some might ask if God has always existed and He resides in heaven, then where was He before creating heaven? The word for heaven in this text would be best understood to include what we might call ‘space’ today, the place where the stars and other celestial objects exist. Both the Hebrew (the original language of most of the Old Testament) word for heavens (‘šā·mǎ’·yim’) and the Greek (the original language of the New Testament) word for heaven (‘ouranos’) can be used to describe the sky (our atmosphere), space (stars, etc.) as well as the abode of God (although not necessarily a single location).
Scientific discoveries and rational thinking helped mankind enter what has been named the Modern Age. Since then, people have learned to rely on advancements in nearly every field of science and technology. As a result, many believe that there must be a scientific or naturalistic explanation of how life began and how it became so diverse. This quest has led many scientists and philosophers to develop a wide range of potential explanations. They see the concept of creation as an easy answer to a complex question and will not accept the premise, even if the evidence clearly supports creation. Some call this phenomenon, “science’s blind spot.”
In most cases many completely reject the idea of creation, calling into question the existence of God. Others will try to ‘blend’ the Biblical account with science and say God used a form of evolution for creation. Both perspectives are clearly non-Biblical, manmade compromises. If God created everything, which includes words and language, we should understand that His Word, the Bible, is to be read as He intended. As pointed out earlier the Bible employs several literary devices, but we should always seek first a literal interpretation (see Appendix 1).
Today, there are four major views of creation:
1) Creationism: That which interprets the Biblical account of creation literally. Simple and straightforward, God created the universe in six days, and He created man on the sixth day.
2) Progressive Creationism: A variation of Creationism where God created the whole universe, however it was performed over an extended period.
3) Theistic Evolution: God created the universe and all life using the process of evolution over a very long period of time.
4) Historic Creationism: God created the universe, however, the period referred to as “the beginning,” was a point in time, not the beginning of time. Allowing much of the universe in place already before Genesis 1:1. Some suggest using Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity” to explain this phenomenon, that since time is relative to ‘mass’, combined with the fact that God has no mass to speak of God’s concept of time would be radically different than ours. Thus, hypothesizing that where only a few days that may pass by for Him, would be billions of years to us. This may sound intriguing to some, but that is not what God is saying.
Even though it is highly flawed, the most popular explanation of life today, is the Theory of Evolution. While this theory has several variants, it does not offer any explanations for how life began. In a nutshell, it claims that life as we know it was the result of natural selection, not created by someone who, we will discover, loves us beyond our ability to understand. All that we have, including our ability to love, reason, and choose, came from God. Since we did not ‘evolve’ or just “happen by chance” to exist, we should always consider our Creator in all that we do.
Why the diversity in viewpoints? Some say if Scriptural text is interpreted literally, the universe would be quite young, approximately six to ten thousand years old. This is a problem for those that have been taught that the scientific explanations of the age of the earth is viewed through the notion of ‘uniformitarianism’, the idea that all physical processes have always operated at a uniform rate. For example, according to most scientists, the Grand Canyon would have taken hundreds of thousands of years to form, believing it has been eroding at the same rate which it experiences today. Creationists, on the other hand, believe the Grand Canyon is the result of the receding floodwaters in Noah’s day, and could have been formed in a matter of weeks or months as demonstrated in a smaller scale during the months that followed the relatively recent eruption of Mount Saint Helens.
Creation itself is strong evidence supporting the existence of God and the Biblical account (this was the apostle Paul’s premise in Romans 1:19-20). Perhaps one of the more compelling arguments of creation is the uniqueness of our planet. The search for other planets like Earth has so far befuddled astronomers and physicists. Many have studied the behind-the-scenes balance of physical properties to make earth suitable for life. How did this extreme ‘fine tuning’ that was necessary for life occur? The delicate balance of the design of Earth, and its position in the universe, can be seen in over 40 factors necessary for life. Here are a few examples that, if different, would be fatal to life on our planet: the speed of Earth’s rotation; the diameter of Earth; the Moon’s diameter; less than 5% tolerance for distance from the Sun; less than 1% tolerance of intensity of Sunlight; oxygen to nitrogen ratio; ozone level; more than one moon; Earth’s crust thickness; etc.
How much proof is really enough proof? If someone told you they could pick the winning lottery number, and then did, you might be impressed, okay, really impressed. Odds are, maybe, one in ten million (1 in 10 to the 7th power), but does that ‘prove’ the person has a divine connection or divine knowledge? Maybe, but probably not. We humans are skeptical by nature and probably would look for some other explanation. Now suppose they did that twice in a row. (Now we see one chance in a hundred thousand billion or 1 in 10 to the 14th power) It suddenly seems obvious they had ‘special’ information. From a practical standpoint, scientists and mathematicians have determined that anything beyond one chance in 10 to the 50th power is beyond reason, essentially impossible or absurd (like someone correctly picking the lottery seven times in a row), unless they had ‘special’ insider knowledge. Statistically speaking, we will find odds far more staggering than this as we discover God’s ‘fingerprints’ in the Bible.
Many are quick to point out that the age of the world is clear evidence of a long-term creation process through various scientific evidence such as radiological dating. Science often uses mathematics to determine and explain certain phenomena and many of these mathematical equations use known constants (such as the speed of light, rate of radioactive decay, permittivity of free space, proton mass, etc.) and work with great accuracy when explaining our present-day interactions. There have been several studies that have been ongoing for many years that have demonstrated that the speed of light has indeed slowed down. But if entropy exists (all evidence seems to support that it does), how can we apply today’s constants to understand the past? If radiological dating of rocks, etc. requires knowing the rate of radioactive decay (the rate of a parent isotope decaying into a daughter isotope), how can we calibrate (use the correct scale to test) to account for the differences due to entropy? Short answer, we can’t. Radioactive decay rates would also be affected by the laws of entropy. To measure accurately, we would need to know what the decay rates were in the past and we have no way to know or measure that. This is only one of several concerns regarding radiological dating.[7]
Geology is one of those sciences that have ignored entropy. A British lawyer and geologist named Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875) was a pioneer in modern geology and he wrote a three-volume book titled “Principles of Geology,[8]”(1830-1833) in which he promoted the idea of “uniformitarianism” and made popular the phrase, “the present is the key to the past.” His ideas supported the idea that even though the earth may have experienced some abrupt changes, it was mostly formed through gradual change. He later made it clear that he was motivated to “free the science from Moses” (written in a letter by Lyell to a colleague)[9].
The concept of using the present (rates of deposition, rates of erosion, etc.) to explain the past requires the belief that everything has remained the same from day one. That is not true. There have been many catastrophic events (volcanic, earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear events, etc.) that have indeed changed the world as we know it. This concept is Biblical, and it is most often referred to as “catastrophism.” Peter prophesied this denial of evidence in our time in his second epistle, “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 2:3-7)
If it doesn’t fit, you must be willing to split!
Please excuse the pun. Some believe that the creation referenced in this verse took place billions of years ago, allowing the geological ages to be inserted in a potentially huge gap between the first and second verses. They say that verse two describes the condition of earth after a great cataclysm that terminated the geological ages. This cataclysm which left the earth in darkness and covered with water, is then explained as a divine judgment because of the sin of Satan in rebelling against God (Note: The rebellion of Satan and his fellow dark angels does not appear in Genesis. We only know about the fall of Lucifer, who later became Satan in Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, and Revelation 12). The theory then states that God ‘re-created’ the world in the six literal days as described in Genesis 1:3-31. This is one of many “Gap Theories” that are promoted by both the secular world and within Christendom. Since the popular beliefs of evolution and uniformitarianism both require vast amounts of time, scholars who wish to conform to the world’s standards, instead of complying and believing what is written in God’s Word, try to find a place to insert a gap. Since there are no good places to insert a long gap of time in the Bible, a split is made here before the fall of man occurred, as recorded in Genesis 3. Which brings us to another point to remember, the Bible says that death began as the result of Adam’s sin (see Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21). If evolution operates as a form of survival of the fittest, then that means death would have existed many years prior to Adam. This is only one of many “gap theories,” being foisted today; the details may vary, but the theme of attempting to marry modern science to the Word of God remains.
Perhaps the quickest way to introduce the Septuagint would be to call it a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. The name is derived from the Latin word for the number 70, as it is believed to have been translated by a team of seventy Jewish scholars (there are some references that suggest that the number was possibly 72) that were assembled and hired by King Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 BC) to translate the Hebrew Old Testament to Greek. It is often referenced with the Roman numerals LXX.
The Septuagint certainly qualifies as being “Scripture” as it is the source of most, if not all, New Testament quotations from the Old Testament, however it is not free of controversy. First of all, the history of the document is not consistent, and what we call the Septuagint today may not be the original work, as today’s version contains what scholars refer to as Apocryphal (questionable origin) and Pseudepigraphal (the claimed author is not the true author) books that are not considered part of the accepted Biblical canon (the word ‘canon’ refers to a ‘rule’ or standard). Secondly, if we disregard the extra books, we can see that the text of many Hebrew manuscripts vary slightly from the Greek text in the Septuagint. Some of these differences could be considered significant.
While the Greek translation is dependent and subservient to its Hebrew parent, these differences indicate that there has been some change in either the Septuagint Greek or the Hebrew canon. Since the Septuagint may represent, in some cases, an earlier version of the original text, it should not be automatically rejected when a variance is found. As it is always necessary to examine Scripture in context, one should include the Septuagint version to: 1) aid in understanding difficult Hebrew words and phrases; 2) compare Greek New Testament words to those used in the Old Testament and vice versa; and 3) examine any textual variances; they often provide additional insight to a verse’s context. Since most English Bible translations and versions incorporate the use of Hebrew manuscripts or canon, a copy of the Septuagint would be a good addition to any person studying the Bible.
The First Day of Creation
1:2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
The stage is set and so creation begins. The first aspect to emerge may be best described as a large ‘blob’, an undefined gathering of raw materials topped with a vast ocean of water. Something that came from nothing, not with a “big bang” but something that was intentional, like dough in the hands of a baker or a boulder standing in front of a sculptor; a place to start a wonderful masterpiece. The stage is still dark and then the curtain opens, and we see the maestro, the Holy Spirit, begin an amazing orchestration of what is known as creation.
It is significant that every verse in this chapter of Genesis, with the exception of verse one, begins with the conjunction ‘and’ (the Hebrew word or letter ‘wǎ’, pronounced like the letter ‘v’).[10] This clearly indicates that each verse is sequentially and chronologically connected to the previous verse.
The words “without form” is one short Hebrew word ‘ṯō’·hû’,[11] which is translated a variety of ways in most English Bibles. The word conveys something being empty or perhaps a form of ‘nothingness.’ In context here, the word is appropriately translated, “without form.” Then with a similar-sounding Hebrew word translated here as ‘void’, is the word ‘ḇō·hû’,[12] which also conveys a void or emptiness. This word is only found three times in the Bible, with the other two occasions depicting the state of the land after God’s judgment. Interestingly, all three times this word is used, it is used in combination with ‘ṯō’·hû’. Here, the words are describing an unformed and uninhabitable ‘blob’; all the raw materials present and ready to be shaped.
The Bible uses the term ‘darkness’ in many ways, both spiritually and physically. However, here it might be best for us to simply refer to the absence of light. True, God is often considered to be light, but we read in Isaiah 45:7, God said “I form light and create darkness.” One way of looking at this is to view the physical universe, though created, was not yet formed, or energized, and light is a form of energy. No evil or spiritual darkness is implied at all.
The ‘deep’ (Hebrew ‘ṯehôm’’) means just as it is translated, something really deep. The word is found 36 times in the Old Testament, often referring to a deep body of water. In his second epistle, Peter refers to the story of creation by saying the world was formed out of water (see 2 Peter 3:5) and that makes sense since we also read that the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. The word ‘Spirit’ is the Hebrew word ‘Rûªh’ (or ‘Ruach’),[13] which is also the word for ‘wind’ and ‘breath’. The context is obvious; here there is no doubt that the creative activity requires not a wind but the person of God Himself. But what was He doing hovering? The Hebrew word translated as ‘hovering’ is ‘merǎ·ḥě’·pěṯ’,[14] meaning to move, hover, tremble, or flutter. Although the universe had been called into existence by God it still needed energy, it had not yet been infused with energy and set into motion. That is what the Holy Spirit was up to, imparting the activating power of the Word of God. This activity of the Holy Spirit was called ‘hovering’ or ‘moving’ over the face of the waters. Some commentators relate the word particularly to the hovering of a mother hen over her chicks. In any case, this idea seems to be mainly that of a rapid back and forth motion.
Now let’s fast forward to our current way of thinking, this ‘fluttering’ (as the word is translated in Deuteronomy 32:11), may also be considered some form of vibration or wave action. Since there are two fundamental forms of energy: 1) gravitational forces and 2) electromagnetic forces, and that those electromagnetic forces are understood today as actually being oscillations (from rapid fluttering), and depending on the oscillatory rate, can be light, heat, sound, or radio waves. Therefore, we might want to consider that this activity with which the Holy Spirit is involved, is the first impartation of energy to the universe. Was that what the Holy Spirit was really doing? As pointed out earlier, the Bible is not a science book, we really don’t know, since that is all we were told.
Considerations
The Bible attributes the action of creation to all three members of the Godhead, God the Father (see Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 42:5; Psalm 33:6), His Son, Jesus (see John 1:1-3; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15-17) and the Holy Spirit; all three were intimately involved. Scholars call this three-person phenomenon, the Trinity. While the word is not found in Scripture, the concept of the Trinity is clearly taught throughout the Bible.
As humans we cannot understand how something can come from nothing and it should be comforting to know that our God, who is infinitely greater than us, can intelligently make something from nothing. If we could understand all aspects of God, He simply would not be big enough to be our Lord and God.
Before we can continue, we come face to face with another controversial issue particularly among Christian believers. We must first decide whether the term ‘days’ in Genesis chapter one is to be understood as 24-hour days or as symbolic terms for long ages. Many sincere and competent Bible scholars have felt it necessary to accept the long “geological age” system and they have settled on the “day-age theory” as the recommended interpretation of Genesis chapter one. The theory tries to equate the days of creation with the ages of geology. The theory has several concerns, some we already covered above, however something that most Christians fail to recognize is that this theory requires the existence of death before sin. (This is not consistent with Old and New Testament teachings, for example see Genesis 3:6-24; Romans 5:12-21; 6:23; 8:18-21; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26). This theory uses the argument that that the Hebrew word “yôm” can mean an undetermined period of time. While that is one way the word can be translated, the context of its use here in this chapter prevents that interpretation. If the writer truly wanted to relate the concept of some form of an otherwise undefined period (such as what we call an ‘era’ in English), then the author could have chosen other Hebrew words that would have been provided greater clarification, such as the Hebrew word ‘ô·lām’.[15] The writer chose these words to be understood the way it is supposed to be understood. Let’s take a closer look.
The Hebrew word for day is ‘yôm’ and it is used in the same manner as the English word ‘day’ is used. We can say, “back in the day,” or “in his day” referring to a general period of time or we can say. “it is going to happen on this day,” meaning a 24-hour day. Just like how the word ‘day’ is used in English, we need to note the context of the use of the Hebrew word ‘yôm’.[16] Many evolutionists are quick to point out that ‘yôm’ can be an undetermined period and therefore creation may have taken much longer than seven 24-hour days. The context is clear that the author is referring to a 24-hour day plus, since the text includes a specific beginning and an ending, we find that every time the word ‘yôm’ is used in the Old Testament in that manner, it never refers to a general period of time.
Some people say the word ‘day’ in Genesis may have been used symbolically and therefore cannot be considered literally. However, an important point that many fail to consider is that the word can never be symbolic the first time it is used. A word can only be used symbolically when it has first had a literal meaning. In the New Testament we are told that Jesus is the ‘door’. We know what this means because we know what the word ‘door’ means. Because we understand its literal meaning, we can apply the word in a symbolic sense to Jesus; we certainly don’t believe Jesus is literally a door. The word ‘door’ could not be used in this manner unless it first had the literal meaning we understand it to have. Therefore, the word ‘day’ cannot be used symbolically the first time it is used in the book of Genesis, as this is where God not only introduced the word ‘day’ into the narrative, but also defined it as He invented it.
This is why the author of Genesis has gone to great lengths to carefully define the word “day” the first time it appears. In Genesis 1:4 (NIV) we read, “God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness He called ‘night.” In other words, the terms were being carefully defined. The first time the word “day” is used it is defined as “the light” to distinguish it from “the darkness” called “night.” Genesis 1:5 (NIV) then finishes with “And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” This is the same phrase used for each of the other five days and shows there was a clearly established cycle of days and night.
A Day is Like a Thousand Years
In Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8, they both tell us that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord. Neither verse refers to the days of creation in Genesis, for they are dealing with God not being bound by time. In 2 Peter 3, the context is in relation to Christ’s second coming, pointing out the fact that with God a day is just like a thousand years. He created time. He is outside of time. Since God does not experience time like we do, a day is to Him no different than a thousand years. These verses have nothing to do with the definition of a day, about the days of creation, nor are they equations to be used for interpreting prophecy.
The proper way to interpret Genesis chapter one would probably be best to not try to “interpret” or make something special out of these words at all. We should accept the fact that it was meant to say exactly what the text says. The days are literal days and the events happened in just the way God described (He was the only eyewitness). The Bible itself tells us this again in Exodus 20:11, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments: “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (NIV) Here it is very clear that God is referring to literal days since He is referring to a literal 24-hour Sabbath day. He set up the model of a seven-day week, seen in nearly every culture; the same seven-day week we are familiar with today.
Warning: Avoid Hyper-Literalism
At this point it should be clear that God used a significant number of literary devices in His Word, and that no single mode of interpretation should be used throughout the text. Sadly, there are some believers that heavily lean on the concept of literal interpretation, as they perceive many of the other methods as being potentially deceptive, concluding that God would never state something other than with straightforward language. While there will always be differences in opinion amongst Christians on subjects like the age of the earth, insisting on a strict literal interpretation may lead away from God’s message rather than towards the truth.
Bible Study Tip No. 1
Above we saw several Hebrew words and you may have asked yourself “is this really something important for us to know?” Since God is the inventor of language, He would be the ultimate author, making the Bible the ultimate book. As the greatest author, we know that God would not select words and phrases in the Bible randomly or casually, therefore each word is important to understand. Scholars have long recognized that the Bible uses what is called “expositional constancy” where the meaning of the word is generally defined by its first use in the Bible and that definition remains consistent throughout the Bible. If we understand how a word was first used (in proper context) and understand how that word is applied in that verse (definition), then we will know what that same word means when we see it later in the Bible (even between Hebrew and Greek equivalents in both the Old and New Testaments).
Since it is not always practical to learn Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek to study the original texts, we can learn how to use some practical tools. One of the best tools for that task is an Exhaustive Concordance. Not that little brief concordance in the back of many Bibles, but an exhaustive concordance. In these books you will find a complete list of the words found in the Bible and a listing where that word is used. A cross-reference number is given for each word allowing you to look that word up in a dictionary; some concordances offer a small dictionary for convenience. Many exhaustive concordances even have a lexicon that allows you to see how that word is translated in different parts of the Bible. Bear in mind, if you plan on purchasing an exhaustive concordance, make sure you get one to match the translation or version of the Bible you are using. For example, the popular Strong’s Concordance was written for readers of the King James Version.
Quick Exercise: Using your exhaustive concordance look up a word and follow how the definition is used consistently throughout the Bible. Go to the first use of that word (not the English word; use the first time that Hebrew or Greek word was used). Read the verses in which it first appeared and then read the other locations where it also appears. Some words to try are rock, shoe/sandals, loved, covenant, church, hyssop, sin, water, and oil.
The First Day of Creation Continued
1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
In verse three, we see the first record of God speaking in the Bible. The Word of God brings into existence light! In verse one the Father was recognized as the source of all things. In verse two the Holy Spirit was identified as energizer of all things. And now, the Word of God is the revealer of all things. Does that sound familiar? This should remind us of how the apostle John opened his gospel account about the life of Jesus; John even began by using the same words (see John 1:1-14, see also John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 John 1:5-7). The Word of God is Jesus, the Christ. Scripture informs us that the trinity of the Godhead is involved in every major work of God including creation, the incarnation of Jesus, the baptism and ministry of Jesus, the death and resurrection of Jesus and, of course, salvation for all believers.
Having separated the day and night, God had completed His first day’s work. This same approach is used at the conclusion of each of the six days; so, it would seem that the duration of each of the days, including the first, was identical. The day was the time of ‘light,’ when God did His work and ’night’ was during darkness, when God did no work.
Remember, God is One, but we read that all three persons of the Godhead participated in creation and continue to function in its maintenance. God also set into motion all the necessary physical laws required to operate the universe (even though some of those laws will be, let’s just say, ‘modified’ after the fall of man recorded in Genesis chapter three). All of this was accomplished on the first day of creation. The physical universe had been created and energized and was now ready for further shaping and furnishing in preparation for whom it was created and designed for, that would be us!
The terms ‘evening’ (Hebrew ‘ě’·rěḇ’)[18] and ‘morning’ (Hebrew ‘ḇō·qěr’)[19] each occur more than one hundred times in the Old Testament, and always have the literal meaning of morning (the arrival of a new day) and evening (the close of the day).
Considerations
It might be hard to imagine light without a light source but that is exactly what is going on. We need to remember that God is not limited to the physical world; He created it. Much later, at the end of the Bible, we will be presented with the ultimate source of light, Jesus Himself (see Revelation 21:23-24), where once again we will no longer need a sun, moon, or any star for light. Here in these verses, in the absence of a sun, God establishes the concepts of day and night, as well as morning and evening. The fundamentals of time measurement literally begin on the first day. Does that mean that the Earth is rotating giving this cyclic day and night appearance? More than likely, yes, but as pointed out earlier, we are only given the information we need, not all the details.
God saw that the light was good. In this first record of God speaking, we might want to jump in and say, “of course it’s good, God created it!” While that is true, what is good from God’s perspective would be perfect (without flaws or corruption). This will be an important fact to remember as we approach the third chapter when things change as a result of disobedience.
The theme of light versus darkness occurs often in the Bible. Light refers to the greatness and purity of God and darkness refers to those things that oppose God. It may be hard to understand how someone might want to oppose God, but that understanding gives us a glimpse of how people throughout history can become so depraved and think of themselves as the center of the world.
Some may ask, why would God need to separate the light from the darkness, isn’t the absence of light already darkness? James, the epistle writer, referred to God as the ‘father of lights’ (James 1:17) and the apostle John referred to God as ‘light’ (1 John 1:5). We also read that David in the Psalms said, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalms 27:1a) and another Psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105)
From the beginning, when God said, “Let there be light,” and God separated the light from the darkness, to the last references to light in Revelation: “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there…And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 21:22-25 and 22:5), it appears that the term ‘light’ in the Bible describes more than just light. We see that the term ‘light’ can refer to purity (absence of corruption or sin) as well as divine guidance and perfect wisdom. We also read how Jesus calls Christians to be light as God should be shining through us for others to see (see Matthew 5:15-16).
So, is there something more going on here in Genesis, than just separating the physical properties of light from darkness? From the context of the verse, probably not. However, it is interesting to note that the two primary purposes of the written Word of God are:
1) To show mankind the serious problem of sin and then;
2) To present the solution to that problem, namely Jesus.
This dichotomy, also known as the Law and Gospel, can also be represented by concepts of darkness and light. Without God and His plan for our salvation through our accepting Jesus (the Light of the world, see John 8:12) as our Savior, we would otherwise be forever in darkness.
The Second Day of Creation
1:6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
The word ‘expanse’ is the Hebrew word ‘rā·q[20] (pronounced raw-kee-ah), meaning “extended surface,” considered by many to be essentially the same as what we described above for one of the three uses of the word ‘heaven’, except more specifically referring to just the atmosphere[21].
Considerations
Waters below the expanse would likely be the ocean. The “waters that were above the expanse” could simply be a reference to clouds. However, many believe that the “waters above the expanse” could have been a vast blanket or canopy of water vapor above the troposphere and possibly above the stratosphere as well, in the high-temperature region now known as the ionosphere, and perhaps even extend into space. Clouds, as we know them today, may not have existed as this verse points out that the waters were “above the expanse” plus, since “the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth” (Genesis 2:5, NIV), before God set His “rainbow in the clouds” (Genesis 9:13, NIV). This could have been some form of vapor canopy since it would have been transparent in order for the light of the Sun, moon, and stars to heavenly bodies to “give light upon the earth,” (Genesis 1:15). This all could have changed after the flood in Noah’s time (see Genesis chapters 6-9) when “the windows of the heavens were opened,” (Genesis 7:11), providing for the clouds and conditions we now see and experience today.
Proponents of this theory also believe that this may also potentially explain the longer human lifespan as recorded in the genealogy before the flood (see Genesis chapter 5), as this ‘canopy’ could have provided protection from damaging UV and other forms of radiation. Plus, the climate would have been very different prior to the flood with unified temperatures across the face of the earth, which would then in turn mean there was also no wind, no rain, no barren deserts, nor any ice caps.
Did You Notice Something Missing on the Second Day?
There is no “it was good” statement on Day Two! The Third Day is often referred to as the day of the “Double Blessing.” It is still considered, as the third day of the week (Tuesday), to be a day of double blessing. Many couples plan their weddings for Tuesday hoping for a double blessing on their marriage.
The Third Day of Creation
1:9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Prior to the third day, the “waters under the heavens” would still essentially be a shore-less ocean. Then on the third day, God accomplished the third act of division. First, the light had been divided from the darkness, then secondly, the waters above the expanse were divided from the waters below the expanse, and now the dry land is being divided from the lower waters on the third day. The NLT renders the verse “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” (NIV has similar wording).
1:11 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. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
Not only had all the rocks and minerals been formed, but also fertile soil. God spoke again, this time bringing the inert to life. There are three main orders of plant life mentioned here: vegetation (such as grasses), plants yielding seeds (like herbs) and fruit bearing trees. These plants were created fully mature, not as seeds, but as full-grown plants with their seeds in them. Their appearance of age was not to suggest some form of divine deception, but necessary for genuine creation. The whole universe was made as a fully functional entity, complete and fully developed from the beginning. This of course answers the age-old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”
We see in verse eleven the first reference to both ‘seed’ (Hebrew ‘zě’·rǎ’’)[22] and ‘kind’ (Hebrew ‘mîn’)[23]. Since these were fully developed plants, each one contained a seed, able to replicate itself. The phrase “according to its kind” (or “after their kind”) occurs ten times in the first chapter of Genesis. This means that each organism will reproduce only its own kind, not after some other kind. Negating the concept of one species “changing into” another as promoted by some evolutionists. While the Hebrew word ‘mîn’ closely follows the definition of what we call ‘species’ today, the term is not an exact replacement to the modern scientific definition of the word.
Verse twelve introduces us to the Hebrew word ‘tô·ṣē(‘)’’[24], depending on context, it can either be a noun (typically translated as ‘captivity’) or a verb (essentially to “go out” or to “come in”). Here in this verse, it indicates bringing forth plants from the ground. Plants produce seeds that go into the ground and the earth then brings forth another of its kind and they will bring forth another, and so forth; the cycle began here on the third day of creation.
God proclaimed, “that it was good” twice once for the separation of the land and water and again for the plant life.
Considerations
The modern understanding of the extreme complexities of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule and the genetic code contained in it, has reinforced the Biblical teaching of the nature of kinds. Each type of organism has its own unique structure of the DNA and can only specify reproduction of that same kind. There is a tremendous amount of variational potential within each kind, facilitating the generation of distinct individuals and even of many varieties within the kind.
Notice that the formation of plants, even what we might call “complex forms,” such as fruit trees, occurred before the creation of any form of animal life. This clearly contradicts most evolutionary models being presented today where some lower forms of life (marine animals and some invertebrates and vertebrates), evolved hundreds of millions of years before the evolution of fruit trees and other higher plants.
Speaking of evolution, what about plants that require pollination by insects? Or if insects were not created until the sixth day, how could the days of creation be long ages? How would those plants that need pollination survive such a long period? The idea of theistic evolution is truly counter to the Biblical record of creation in practically every passage.
The Fourth Day of Creation
1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
On the fourth day God made the the planets, along with their moons, the stars, and all other celestial objects, each providing light for Earth. This is odd since earlier on the first day, God called light (Hebrew ‘ôr’)[25] into existence and now on the fourth day, He said, “Let there be lights” (Hebrew ‘mā·’ôr’).[26] Odd only because as far as we can understand, the light-givers, or the source of light, would seem to be needed before the existence of light. But there are two things we should always remember: Nothing is impossible for God to do and, secondly, He is a lot smarter than we are! All we need to know is that light was illuminating earth during the day (as though from the Sun) and during the night (as though from the moon and the stars), even though they had not yet been made.
So why was it necessary to create the lights themselves? They are part of God’s timepiece, “for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” God gives us another hint in verses 16 and 18, “the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night and “to rule over the day and over the night.” To rule what? Both Hebrew words ‘měm·šě’·lěṯ’[27] (verse 16) and ‘mešōl’[28] refers to having authority, the Sun has ‘authority’ during the day and the moon has authority at night. Which in turn, combined with the understanding of seasons, governs when people plant crops, work the fields, sleep, etc.
The fact that both sun and moon are called “light-givers” does not mean that they are of the same type of light source or that they are made with the same substance. The Sun generates extremely powerful light, and the moon only reflects light; but both indeed “give light” to the earth. In a fashion that might be described as either an almost-forgotten notion or some form of a backhanded remark, the stars are barely mentioned (even though not bright in comparison, they are invaluable or navigation).
Considerations
Let them be for signs and for seasons…
A sign is something that might be best described as something arbitrarily selected and appointed to represent something else. The letters of the alphabet, for example, represent sounds and meaning. There is no relation between these representations or ‘signs’ and the things they signify, except that people have agreed to employ them for these purposes. As proven by the fact that you can read this text. This is essentially true with all forms of ‘signs’, including stop signs, traffic signals, price tags, all the way to those funny little icons on your car’s dashboard. Typically, you have to know what the sign means before you can determine what it’s trying to tell you.
When Moses said that the swarm of flies should be a ‘sign’ to the Egyptians (see Exodus 8:23), there was nothing in the nature of the swarm to show what was signified, except that it was supernatural. Isaiah’s walking barefoot had no natural connection with the Syrian conquest of Egypt (see Isaiah 20:3), and yet this was to be “a sign” of that fact. And here in verse 14, God said of these celestial lights, “and let them be for signs and for seasons.” Is this a reference to daily occurrences, such as the beginning and ending of a day? Or is there something else attached to the meaning? If so, what? Remembering, of course, a sign is only a sign if it is understood. This is the subject of an ongoing debate between many groups.
What the lights in the sky (sun, moon, stars) were meant to signify, over and above what is evidenced by their own nature, interpreters have been unable to demonstrate, although that has not resulted in any less speculation or discussion. There are a few Hebrew scholars that believe that the stars once told the story of man’s redemption and were used to teach God’s plan from generation to generation prior to the flood, and perhaps for generations beyond Noah long before the Word of God was readily available. The early Hebrews called the star positions ‘mazzārôt’,[29] a Hebrew word that is most often translated, “the constellations” or simply just transliterated as Mazzaroth (see Job 38:31-33).
The Mazzaroth is said to tell the story of creation, man’s fall, God’s redemption through Jesus, the Messiah, and Jesus’ return. Consider these examples: The virgin who is a mother (Mary the mother of Jesus), the lion (the Savior from the tribe of Judah), the Southern Cross (the Crucifixion), the serpent (the Devil in the garden), etc. The Bible often refers to the heavens declaring the glory of God (see Psalm 19, 50 and 97), could those be references to the Mazzaroth?
The constellations, the twelve signs of the Zodiac (from the word zoad meaning “a walk, way, or going by steps” like those described on Jacob’s ladder), the “mansions of the moon” (or Lunar Zodiac), and the “thirty-six decans” and other astrological concepts all have their beginnings with the Mazzaroth. So, what went wrong? Satan, just like what he has done in many arenas, imitates and then corrupts what God has done, this time by distorting the truth through the practice of astrology, fortune telling, etc. All practices forbidden for believers (see Deuteronomy 18:9-13).
If you are interested in reading more about the Mazzaroth, there are many good books available on the subject,[30] however, understand that no one has all the answers. Sadly, that doesn’t mean people can’t speculate or theorize as there are literally hundreds of theories being bantered around regarding the Mazzaroth (just try doing an internet search) so proceed cautiously.
So, what about the “sign in the heavens?” What do we really need to know? The quick answer is that we now have the written Word of God, we no longer need celestial “bullet points” in the sky to teach the gospel message. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from the many glorious signs in the heavens and stand at awe at His Majesty!
The Fifth Day of Creation
1:20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 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. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
The Hebrew verb ‘yiš·reṣû’’,[31] translated here as ‘swarm’, or the noun ‘šeres’,[32] refers to a creature that crawls, creep, teems (NASB95) or swarms. It can refer to insects or nearly any small animal in large numbers. We see in verse 20 the first time the Hebrew word for ‘life’ (or ‘living’), ‘ně·pěš’[33] appears in the Bible (referring to having ‘breath’, found 475 times in the Old Testament). The word can also be translated ‘soul’ and ‘person’.[34]
The Hebrew words translated ‘open’ in the KJV and NASB95 or ‘face’ in the NKJV, are ‘ǎl penê’’,[35] meaning “in front of” the expanse (translated here in the ESV as ‘across’). What is in front of the expanse? We might call it today, our atmosphere.
The first animals specifically mentioned are the great sea creatures (Hebrew ‘tǎn·nî·nim’), this word can also be translated ‘serpent’, ‘monster’ or ‘dragon’ in the Bible. The term includes all large sea-creatures, even the monsters (or use the modern term ‘dinosaurs’) of the past that are now extinct. Many believe that the frequent reference to these ‘creatures’ in Scripture may give credibility to the many stories of dragons found in the traditions of many ancient civilizations.
It is interesting to note that God truly loves animals. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded us that not even a sparrow would ever fall to the ground without His Father noticing and caring (see Matthew 6:25-26 and 10:29). God blesses them with a command for them to be fruitful and multiply, something He will repeat after the flood (see Genesis 8:17).
Considerations
We are introduced to the Hebrew word ‘ně·pěš’ (also spelled ‘nephesh’), meaning primarily life. However, the word essentially means ‘breath’. How are the concepts of breathing and life connected? While we might have other ways to determine if someone is alive today (such as a heartbeat or pulse), the ancient world could only tell if someone was still alive was through the animation of the act of breathing. This also helps us understand how both the Hebrew word (‘rǔªḥ’ or ‘ruach’) and the Greek word (‘pneuma’) for ‘spirit’, can both be translated breath or wind. Breathing gives external evidence of life inside.
Some of the more frequently asked questions about the story of Creation and Noah’s Ark, are about dinosaurs. Sir Richard Owen invented the term ‘dinosauria’ in 1841, by combining two Greek words together (‘deinos’, meaning terrible, great, fierce and ‘sauros’, meaning lizard), now we know it simply as ‘dinosaur’. So it is understandable why we don’t see the word in any of the early English Bibles. As pointed out above, we do see the word ‘dragon’ in the KJV and other Bibles, and while that word may set our imaginations free to think up a variety of fanciful creatures, the word ‘dragon’, prior to 1841, was used in English literature to describe what we now categorize as dinosaurs.
The Sixth Day of Creation
1:24 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. 25 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.
We see once again the Hebrew word,’tô·ṣē(‘)’’ (here as ‘bring forth’, seen previously in verse 12), the cycle of life begins for the land animals, namely livestock (Hebrew word ‘behē·mā(h)’’,[36] can also be translated animal, beast, or cattle) typically referring to domestic animals; then “creeping things” (Hebrew word ‘rě·měś’,[37] can also be translated as crawling), refer to those animals that crawl or creep close to the ground (not real specific as it could be insects but typically is a reference to reptiles, amphibians, and smaller mammals); and then beasts of the earth (Hebrew word ‘ḥǎ·yeṯô’,[38] can also be translated as ‘animals’, ‘life’ or ‘living creatures’). None of these words really narrow down the specific types of animals, other than perhaps they are all land animals. Planet Earth is now ready for human beings, who will ultimately be given dominion over it and all the animals.
1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
In this verse God speaks, as it were, to Himself. We know He is not speaking to the angels, since human beings were not going to be created in the image of angels but in the likeness of God. God could only have been speaking to Himself. Okay let’s be fair, one member of the holy Trinity (or Godhead) was talking to one or both of the other two. This interaction is not unusual as we see this type of exchange between members of of the Trinity recorded in several locations in the Bible (including Psalm 2:7; 45:7; 110:1; Isaiah 48:16).
The concept of mankind being the highest and most complex of all creatures created, came into being, not because some wildly-egotistical-human dreamt it up; the idea came from God! Sure, man will be formed in a similar manner to the animals, and we see in the text that both the animals and man were given ‘ně·pěš’ (translated as ‘living’ in verses 20, 21, 24 and ‘breath’ in verse 30) and ‘niš·mǎṯ’ (also translated as breath in Genesis 2:7). Both words are often translated in the Septuagint as ‘psychē’, which is generally rendered as ‘soul’. However, if we read further in Genesis, we will also see that both humans and animals have received ‘rǔªh’ from God (also translated as ‘breath’, see Genesis 6:17 and 7:15) but it is more commonly referred to as ‘spirit’.[39]
So, is man just another animal? No, while we might have the “breath of life” like animals and have a “living soul” (as used in the KJV) like them too, God did not stop there. One of the more incredible aspects of creation is that God made man in His own image (Hebrew word ‘ṣě·lěm’).[40] When we think of an image we usually think of a photo, drawing, or some form of art. That idea is further supported in this text with the word ‘likeness’ (Hebrew word ‘ḏemûṯ’).[41] However, from Jesus we know that “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (referring to His Father, John 4:24). Does a ‘spirit’ have a physical body? Even though we do not know a lot about ‘spirits’, we can probably safely say, no, to that question. So, in whose image were we made? Before we get into that, let’s first examine what the word ‘image’ means. First of all, does the word image apply only to a visual likeness? No, it can also refer to something’s or someone’s essence; things unseen, such as purpose, knowledge, internal workings, personality, design, composition, motivation, ethics, priorities, interests, etc. So, the image of God may not have anything to do with appearance. In either case, it is an extreme privilege and responsibility to be created in the image of our Creator. Having any similarities with God is truly amazing! Of course we need to remember that everything, including man, was created perfectly. But due to the fall into sin (see Genesis chapter three) everything changed. Our current bodies are the result of that fall, so we cannot relate to what humans were like at the time of creation.
God also hands over the reins of all the animals He created over to man. The Hebrew word ‘yir·dû’’[42] is a verb that refers to ruling over, to exercise dominion, having authority over, in this case, the entire animal kingdom. This control was ordained by God Himself and it has never been rescinded. God created some to be male and some to be female, this was (and still is) God’s design for procreation, each to their own kind. God also created man and woman, and we will see more detail regarding how that was done in the next chapter.
1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
The word ‘blessed’ (Hebrew word used here is ‘yeḇā’rěḵ’,[43] first seen in verse 22) or ‘blessing’ seems to be defined by most people as protection or favor from one who can provide those things, namely God. While that is true and that certainly applies here in this verse, the word is derived from a verb referring to bending a knee, thereby acknowledging, and respecting the other person. We also see throughout the Bible humans blessing God (such as Genesis 9:26), which begs the question, “How can we bless God?” Thinking that a blessing can only come from God, we miss an important part of our worship. We can bless God through our obedience and offering of praise (see Romans 12:1-2). The blessing here includes both instruction and a commission.
That commission might also be described as the first command given, “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Fill the earth? This is certainly in contrast with today’s thinking as many believe our planet is already overpopulated. Since God gave the command, the earth certainly had ability to support a large population. Some might think that earth lost the ability to provide for such a large number of people after the fall of man (Genesis chapter three), however we see that the command was repeated after the flood in Noah’s time (Genesis 9:1, 7) and we also see that it was never rescinded.
God also instructed man to ’subdue’ the earth (Hebrew word ‘ḵiḇ·šǔ’’),[44] which means to bring into subjection or to enslave it. God is not asking mankind to conquer the animal kingdom, since at this point everything is still ‘good’ (Hebrew word ‘ṯôḇ’’, meaning proper, correct, or agreeable). Subduing and having dominion over the animal kingdom does not imply conflict nor does it give mankind a license to abuse, it simply states that man is of a higher order and that man should learn all they can about them, establishing man as stewards over all things created. King David understood this when he wrote, “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.” (Psalms 8:4-8) Sadly, man has essentially failed in being a good steward. The writer of the book of Hebrews, after quoting this passage from the Psalms, says this, “At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” (Hebrews 2:8b) Mankind, for the most part, has denied God and abused this God-given oversight.
God also provided a source of food that would replenish itself; they were to eat plants. That’s right, they were vegetarians! The eating of meat comes later, but for now only fruits and vegetables. God told them to eat of every plant yielding seed that is on the face of ‘all’ the earth, since there probably were no deserts or climatically undesirable locations on earth at this time, they could go and eat nearly anywhere they wanted.
1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
God was now finished with creation. After surveying what was done, He pronounced that everything was very good. Unlike all of the previous times He proclaimed something was ‘good’, this time He says it was “very good.” The Hebrew word ‘me’ōḏ’,[45] as an adverb, implies something to be exceptional. God only has one standard and that would be perfection. Everything created was perfect.
Since the first three verses of chapter two pertain to the seventh day, the day of rest, they should have probably been included in chapter one. The second chapter, beginning with verse four, describes in greater detail the events of the sixth day, events that are only briefly outlined in the first chapter. Chapter two will shift gears and become more ‘anthropomorphic’, focusing on mankind, beginning the narrative about Adam and Eve. The creation text in chapter two does not contradict the creation account in chapter one, however it will not duplicate all the events found in chapter one. The Bible often uses this style of giving the reader a general rendition of a story, followed by a more detailed view that focuses on a specific topic or theme. One can use the example of an inset of a major city on a state map, providing detail where it is needed.
Considerations
But didn’t they exist long before humans? No, they were created on the same day as man. As pointed out earlier, much of today’s beliefs are based on uniformitarianism for both geological and biological development. We also saw that each of the various radiological methods of measuring the age of objects is flawed. Dinosaurs did not pre-date man by billions, millions, or even thousands of years. What evidence do we have to support a claim like that? First, there are number of fossils that contain both a human footprint and a dinosaur’s footprint, plus soft tissue has been discovered in several dinosaur bones (if they were as old as everyone claims, then the tissue would have long-since deteriorated).
Speaking of fossils, these ‘snapshots’ of life from the past, give us a picture of a world of disease, violence and of course, death. That means that fossils came after death, something that could not have happened until after the fall of man (Genesis chapter 3). In his epistle to the church at Rome, the apostle Paul wrote: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Fossils could not have existed before or during the ‘days’ of creation, as many gap theorists and evolutionists proclaim. Could God look at a world of strife and death and proclaim it is being very good? Some believe that such a suggestion would make God out to be a monster.
The Bible teaches there are at least two parts to life, the physical and, for the lack of a better term right now, the spiritual or non-corporeal. The body is the physical component; through it breath is drawn and released, food is converted into energy and it provides any necessary movement. The body is a fully operational containment device. When an animal or person is seen, the body is what is seen. Since the body is seen and heard, it is straightforward to explain. This, however, is not the case with the soul or spirit.
Please use your imagination and picture in your mind a brand-new computer with no operating system or software in it. Okay, good. Now picture that same computer with an operating system and fully loaded with software. What do you mean, it looks the same? Of course it does! Since software has no mass or any other physical feature, it cannot be seen by itself. Like the computer, the real essence of an animal or person is not the body, it is the digital code that is operating the body. One advantage of living in the “computer age,” is that this concept would have been very difficult to understand otherwise. However, the next question is not as simple to answer. Is this ‘software’ the ‘soul’ or the ‘spirit’? Or perhaps both?
The theological question has two main approaches, either as a ‘Dichotomy’ (a body portion and a “not body” portion) or as a ‘Trichotomy’ (with a body, soul, and spirit). It may be easier to say, “not body” at this point only because this raises the big question of what is the difference between a ‘soul’ and a ‘spirit’? Let’s look at each one of these approaches, but first we should look at the words we find in the Bible[46] that form the basis of these ideas. In this review we will leave out any words that relate to the body since they are fairly straightforward, plus we should already have a good grasp as to what the body is all about.
Hebrew
Niš·mǎṯ’, or nešā·mā(h), Strong’s number H5397, found 24 times in the Old Testament. Translations include (in alphabetical order): alive, blast, breath, breathed, life, souls, and spirit. Considered by some linguists and theologians as being parallel to ně·pěš and rǔªḥ;[47] Most often translated in the Septuagint as ‘pnoē’.
Nephesh (or ně·pěš, Strong’s number H5315, found 754 times in the Old Testament. Translations include (in alphabetical order): anyone, breathe, creature, creatures, life, living, mind, people, persons, soul, and souls. Most often translated in the Septuagint as ‘psychē’.
Ruwach (or rǔªḥ, ruach), Strong’s number H7307, found 378 times in the Old Testament. This word is often used in conjunction with the Hebrew word ‘ělō·hîm’ (God), referring to the Spirit of God, namely, the Holy Spirit. Translations include (in alphabetical order): blast, breath, cool, spirit, Spirit, and wind; usually translated in the Septuagint as ‘pneuma’.
Greek
Pneō, Strong’s number G4154, appears seven times in the New Testament. Translations include (in alphabetical order): blew, blow, blowing, and wind.
Pneuma, from the word pneō (above), Strong’s number G4151, appears 379 times in the New Testament. Translations include (in alphabetical order): breath, breathe, Ghost, spirit, Spirit, spirits, and wind. This word is often used in conjunction with the Greek words ‘christos’ (Christ), ‘hagios’ (Holy), ‘iēsous’ (Jesus) and ‘kyrios’ (Lord), each referring to the Spirit of God.
Pnoē, from the word pneō (above), Strong’s number G4157, appears twice in the New Testament. Translations include (in alphabetical order): breath and wind.
Psychē (or psuchē), Strong’s number G5590, appears 102 times in the New Testament. Translations include (in alphabetical order): being, life, lives, living, mind, person, persons, and soul.
There are a few quick observations we can make after reviewing some of these words, first it seems like many of them could be used as synonyms for each other, and thus secondly, we see that the two immaterial concepts of ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are indeed closely related. Even though there are several verses that use these terms interchangeably (for example: Matthew 10:28; Luke 1:46–47; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 7:34), it also appears that there is some distinction between them (for example: Romans 8:16; Hebrews 4:12). Perhaps the best example is, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit [pneuma] and soul [psychē] and body [sōma] be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, the underlining emphasis and addition of the Greek words in brackets were added). So how do scholars approach these similar, but different concepts? In quick terms, most scholars would agree that the word ‘spirit’ (pneuma) would be the source and maintainer of life. As we discussed in the Considerations section for the Fifth Day of Creation above, breath equals life, simply put ‘pneuma’ gives us, and all breathing animals, life. Using the computer analogy from above, ‘psychē’ (soul) is the software that makes us who we are, our personalities, knowledge, memories, etc.
Now, let’s review the two approaches, bearing in mind that the following are only cursory reviews and not exhaustive in any way. These two approaches have been debated and bantered back and forth for many centuries; we certainly will not be able to provide any decisive guidance here.
Dichotomy
This is the idea that life has two primary components, body, and soul. The proponents of this concept believe that the spirit is simply a part of the soul, the entire immaterial (non-corporeal) component of life.
This view may have been heavily influenced by the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato. He taught that the ‘body’ was only a temporary ‘shell’, and the ‘soul’ existed in a place that might be best described as the “heavenly world.” Before it became flesh in a body, it existed only as a form of pure thought. The soul was therefore uncreated and immortal; Plato even considered this ‘soul’ as perhaps being part deity. The body, therefore, became like a prison of the soul, being locked in the body with no escape until death. At which point the soul would leave the body to return to the “heavenly world” or perhaps to be reincarnated in some other body. Aristotle later adapted Plato’s concept of dichotomy by dividing the soul into its animal (the breathing, organic aspect of man’s being) and rational elements (the intellectual aspect), which was later further modified by Thomas Aquinas, whose work influenced much of Roman Catholic doctrine. Aquinas taught that the soul was created in heaven and placed in the forming body, possibly at the time of ‘quickening’ in the mother’s womb.
Trichotomy
This is the idea that life has three primary components: body, soul, and spirit. The early Bible commentator and theologian, Origen took the Greek words sōma, psychē, and pneuma from the Bible, as clues to the proper method of interpreting all of Scripture, suggesting that each verse should be interpreted in its natural or somatic meaning (as it relates to the body), its symbolic or psychical meaning (application to the human mind) and in its spiritual meaning. However, this method does not follow sound hermeneutical methods for proper Biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics is the study of textual interpretation, applied to the Word of God, and it provides essential guidelines and procedures for correct interpretation.[48]
Trichotomy Revisited
Many believe that every animal has a body and a spirit (source and maintainer of life), that when death occurs, the spirit, as the source of life vanishes leaving a dead body. Humans, however, also possess an eternal soul (being the ’software’ that contains their identity, etc.), that when the body dies, the spirit remains with the soul and continues to live. Perhaps best illustrated with three circles that overlap, where the body (sōma), soul (psychē), and spirit (pneuma) join in the center representing the person.
One question that is often asked is about carnivorous animals and their desire for meat. This was a later development. The desire to eat meat undoubtedly came as the result of the fall, since we read later that the need for meat and the hostility between animals will one day cease after Jesus has returned and restored creation to pre-curse conditions (see Isaiah 11:6-9 and Hosea 2:18). The idea that fangs and claws indicate some form of blood-thirsty aggression and these features later evolved to what they are today, is based on un-based speculation and does not reflect reality. Each of those animals can, and often do, survive on a “vegetarian diet” if they need to.
We possess something very different than all other life forms on earth: We are made in the image of God. There is a lot of speculation and debate as to what that means. We know God is a spirit (see verse from John 4:24), but we also know that Jesus was the very image of His Father (see 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3 ). Even though man’s originally created body is undoubtedly different than what we now know as our post-fall body, we still retain His image (see Genesis 9:6). We may never fully comprehend what this simple phrase means, but more than likely, it is more internal than external. Some of the more obvious differences between man and the animal kingdom include the ability to think abstractly, to appreciate art and beauty, to eloquently communicate, to understand emotion, to understand morals, to create everything from art to complex structures, etc. Another point to consider is that man is the only created being that is held responsible for their decisions (see Genesis 2:16-17) and the only being that was designed to fellowship with God. But perhaps more importantly, we understand and have the capacity to worship (see Revelation 4:11). However, our worship can get misguided and end up worshiping something in creation instead of the Creator (see Romans 8:5; Philippians 3:19; Colossians 3:2). Perhaps another aspect of being made in the image of God is our eternal nature. While this is another highly debated subject in Christendom, the Bible teaches that when a believer dies they go to heaven in the presence of Jesus, and when a non-believer dies that they are not annihilated, but will spend eternity away from God. Since everything we know that exists is God’s, being away from Him is certainly not appealing.
Many people believe and teach that verses like, “let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26b), give mankind the responsibility to save the planet. While it is true that Christians should be good stewards of all things created, this should not be our priority. Today, there are a great number of churches that have embraced what is often referred to as the “Social Gospel.” Their priority emphasis is placed on physical needs and human strife such as poverty, poor nutrition, alcoholism, drug abuse, crime, social injustice, human rights, war, etc. In recent years many churches have added environmental concerns, global warming, and ecological issues to the list. Many even believe that the second coming of Jesus cannot happen until mankind has disposed of all social ills. That would be called bad theology as that takes our eyes off Jesus and places our focus on man’s efforts; plus, it is not Biblical. Just like most church movements, the Social Gospel movement has no specific direction or any one leader, as most of its leadership comes from a widely diverse mixture of popular authors. You might be asking yourself, what’s wrong with eradicating suffering or saving the world? As Christians we absolutely need to be concerned over the physical needs and wellbeing of others (Jesus had compassion for others and taught compassion in several of His parables), but physical issues should never be the top priority of the church. We are here to teach the gospel message; the Word of God must always be taught, and this is the priority that Jesus gave each of us. We should never forget the Great Commission: “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
The biggest difference between Christians and non-believers is not who we are today, it’s where we are going to be after death. God wants all to come to repentance (see 1 Timothy 2:3-7; 2 Peter 3:9) and our job is to be ambassadors to an unsaved world (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). The whole purpose of life on earth for Christians is to help others find salvation through Jesus Christ; it is not about this world, but the next. We must remember that this planet is only temporary. We read in the book of Revelation, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” (Revelation 21:1) We know this world will end, but the love of God does not, eternal life with Him should be our priority. Not just for us, but for all who believe.
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[1] Considered a composition of two Hebrew elements b’ rē(‘)·šîṯ’ is most often depicted as one Hebrew word, bereshith (or bereishit). The first word is the Hebrew letter ‘bet’ which represents the preposition translated here as ‘in’, there is no Strong’s number assigned for this word, followed by rē(‘)·šîṯ’, meaning the beginning, the first or the best (Strong’s Hebrew 7225).
[2] Strong’s Greek 1722 and 746.
[3] Strong’s Hebrew 430.
[4] Strong’s Hebrew 8064.
[5] Strong’s Greek 3772.
[6] Strong’s Hebrew 776.
[7] See Appendix 5 “Radiological Dating” for further review.
[8] Snelling, Dr. Andrew A. (2009). Earth’s Catastrophic Past: Geology, Creation and The Flood (pp. 478-480). Institute for Creation Research.
[9] Mortenson, T. (2004), The Great Turning Point: The Church’s Catastrophic Mistake on Geology—Before Darwin, (pp. 226–227) Master Books, Inc.
[10] No Strong’s number assigned, see commentary under Exodus 24:12.
[11] Strong’s Hebrew 8414.
[12] Strong’s Hebrew 922.
[13] Strong’s Hebrew 7307.
[14] Strong’s Hebrew 7363.
[15] Strong’s Hebrew 5769.
[16] Strong’s Hebrew 3117.
[18] Strong’s Hebrew 6153.
[19] Strong’s Hebrew 1242.
[20] Strong’s Hebrew 7549.
[21] See Considerations under verse one regarding the word ‘heaven’.
[22] Strong’s Hebrew 2233.
[23] Strong’s Hebrew 4327.
[24] Strong’s Hebrew 3318.
[25] Strong’s Hebrew 216.
[26] Strong’s Hebrew 3974.
[27] Strong’s Hebrew 4475.
[28] Strong’s Hebrew 4910
[29] Strong’s Hebrew 4216.
[30] The available books include “The Gospel in the Stars,” by Dr. Joseph A. Seiss, a 19th Century Lutheran pastor; “The Witness of the Stars,” by Ethelbert William Bullinger (best known as E.W. Bullinger), he was an Anglican clergyman and a prolific author (this 1893 classic work is often quoted as the basis of many other works on the Mazzaroth); and “Mazzaroth,” by Frances Rolleston, she was an English linguist who spent a lifetime researching this subject, this book was originally published in 1862.
[31] Strong’s Hebrew 8317.
[32] Strong’s Hebrew 8318.
[33] Strong’s Hebrew 5315.
[34] See also commentary under Genesis 1:26-27 and Considerations under Genesis 1:31.
[35] Strong’s Hebrew 5921 and 3942.
[36] Strong’s Hebrew 929.
[37] Strong’s Hebrew 7431.
[38] Strong’s Hebrew 2416.
[39] See Considerations below regarding Body, Soul and Spirit.
[40] Strong’s Hebrew 6754.
[41] Strong’s Hebrew 1823.
[42] Strong’s Hebrew 7287.
[43] Root is ‘bāraḵ’, Strong’s Hebrew 1288.
[44] Strong’s Hebrew 3533.
[45] Strong’s Hebrew 3966.
[46] The counts are based on the number of times these words appear in the ESV, 2016 edition. According to their preface, the ESV is based on the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible as found in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (5th ed., 1997), and on the Greek text in the 2014 editions of the Greek New Testament (5th corrected ed.), published by the United Bible Societies (UBS), and Novum Testamentum Graece (28th ed., 2012), edited by Nestle and Aland.
[47] Baker, W., & Carpenter, E. E. (2003). The complete word study dictionary: Old Testament (p. 758). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.
[48] See Bible Study Tip No. 2 at the beginning of Genesis chapter six regarding hermeneutics.