“In the beginning God…” The Bible reveals that before anything else existed there was God (Psalm 90:2), who “…created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) What follows in Genesis 1:2 through Genesis 2:25 is the historical account of God speaking into existence the heavens (universe) and the earth which would be the theater – the stage in which God would begin to reveal His glory; His infinite beauty, wisdom, power and grace. (Proverbs 3:19) (Psalm 19:1-6)
He fills the earth with awesome wonders – majestic mountains – pristine rivers – colorful forests and gardens filled with unique forms of animal and plant life – vast oceans teaming with innumerable forms of sea life – starlit skies proclaiming the vastness of the universe, filled throughout the day with light from the closest star and with colorful birds of all sorts. All of this is proclaimed by God to be good; fully capable of providing for the ever increasing joy and pleasure and delight of beings He will subsequently create in His image and likeness ((Genesis 1:27-28). They are created not as divine equals, but as beloved children, blessed with God’s righteous nature and character, and thus able to intimately participate in His glorious existence, delighting in His infinite goodness.
Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, were created as immortal souls/spirits residing in a physical body in which they would image the beauty and excellencies of God and through which they would interact with and enjoy one another, as well as the world of nature God created and called good. As image bearers of God, mankind would be rational-relational-emotional-communicative-volitional (having a will) – creative and active beings.
God institutes marriage between a man and a woman as the relationship through which they would experience great joy and delight in one another, just as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have experienced infinite joy and delight in one another throughout eternity. Adam and Eve will enjoy emotional and physical intimacy with one another through which they would bring forth children, filling the earth with image bearers of God of one race (the human race) (Acts 17:26), each displaying in their appearance and personality unique and varying aspects of God’s beauty, goodness and excellence.
Adam and Eve are given rule and dominion over all of God’s good and perfect creation to freely enjoy and care for it under God’s loving rule and authority over their lives.
God would then reveal Himself as holy and just, requiring an unfailing trust in His goodness and grace by Adam and Eve, and subsequently all who would live in His presence; trust that would be displayed in perfect submission to His authority over their lives as their infinitely glorious creator. Rejection of that authority would result in the forfeiture of the life with God for which they and all who would proceed from them were created.
In Genesis 3 we see Adam and Eve’s failure to trust God displayed in their disobedience to the one command God gives them. In their one act of disobedience they plunge all of nature and the whole human race into a state of ruin, resulting in all of the pain and sorrow and misery and futility and death that dominates this world today, a world in which the knowledge of God in the creation is suppressed and each man and women pursue their own joy and pleasure and satisfaction; their ultimate happiness and well being in the ruined and corrupted creation rather than in intimate relationship with the glorious creator. (Romans 1:18-24)
And though God in Genesis 3 reveals himself as holy and just, He also reveals Himself as rich in mercy and abundant in lovingkindness as He promises to provide a means by which fallen mankind and the ruined creation can and will be restored to where it once again manifests the knowledge of the Glory of God, as they were created to do “In the beginning.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Grace and Peace x
Whenever I look at a tree or almost any of God’s creation. I wonder how I denied his existence for so long . Creation cries out there is a God while my sin nature demands that self is the most important thing to live for and you create your own world alone with no need for God. Thank you Jesus for opening my blinded eyes.
Amen Terry.