In the Beginning
By Fikayo Adeyemo
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In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 |
These divine words of Genesis 1:1 have held men and angels alike in awe for millennia since they were caused to be written by the Spirit of God. Just ten words. Just one sentence. Yet, in it we have the foundation of all that now is, and all that will ever be. In this teaching, we begin to take a closer look at the message of God to us and His purpose in making these particular words the beginning of the Scripture.
What is the Beginning?
The expression “the beginning” is an interesting one in the Scriptures. While a proper understanding of its meaning is necessary for one to progress in the knowledge of God, the various ways in which it is employed may not make that understanding come easily. For example, we read about God creating in the beginning; the devil sinning from the beginning; certain events constituting the beginning of sorrows; and even Rueben being the beginning of Jacob’s strength. There are still many more but what is clear is that all these passages do not refer to the same “beginning”. So, what are we to make of all these? What does God want us to know? What is He saying?
When we follow His command to study the Scriptures, we discover by the Holy Spirit and by diligence that there are basically two senses in which “the beginning” is used the Scriptures. The first is the time-based literal sense and the second is the figurative sense.
Literal Sense
In both the Hebrew (reshith) and the Greek (arche), the primary sense of the word is with respect to time. The idea is that of the starting point of a time-measured period or existence.
This is, no doubt, the sense in which it is used in our text above. Significantly, it is also the sense in which it is used in John 1: 1-3, a text which, on account of the issue of the deity of Christ, has assumed a place of unusual prominence in theological disputations. So, let us look at it in some more detail.
The Word at the Beginning
Genesis 1: 1 declares, “In the beginning, God created…”. It is interesting to note that practically every human being who has read this verse has interpreted it in the same way regardless of the religious persuasion of such a person. We are not saying that everybody agrees with the Scripture, but that everybody understands what the Scripture is declaring which is that “In the beginning, God, who had been in existence outside of the beginning, created…” This is as it should be because common sense (which we all possess) dictates that God could not have created, or in fact done anything in the beginning if He Himself had not existed outside of (or, if you prefer, before) that beginning. Indeed, it is this type of explicit declaration of the existence and works of God without any prior introduction or accompanying physical evidence that atheists frown at. Theists also could frown at it if the god they have credited with the work of creation is not the Elohim mentioned here.
Now, on coming to John 1: 1-3, we find exactly the same message as in Genesis 1:1 albeit declared with the introduction of some details not available in Genesis 1:1.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him, nothing was made that was made.
John 1:1-3
Here, we are told the following:
• The God who existed in Genesis 1:1 was not just a solitary Person
• That there was a second Person with Him in that existence, going by the name “The Word”
• Being there at the beginning with the first Person, the Word is God as well
• The work of creation was effected by the Word.
This is to say that Genesis 1: 1 could be paraphrased as: “In the beginning, God, the Word being with Him in that beginning also as God, created the heavens and the earth”
Of course, we may not agree with the truth of this declaration, but we cannot deny that this is what the Bible has said in these two verses. It is therefore very inconsistent for any person to claim to accept the declaration of the Scripture and at the same time refuse to see in it the declaration of the deity of the Word – even if the portion that says “…and the Word was God” were not included, since the very attribute of pre-creation existence already defines deity. The point is that what shows God as God was not because He was called God (there are thousands of beings who are called God), neither is it because He created but because He had been outside (before) creation in an uncreated existence. God was fully God before He created and even if He never created, He would still be God. We now see that the meaning of The Beginning in these verses was that moment when God decided to create. And the Word was with God and was God in that pre-creation, self-existent mode. This was the absolute beginning before which there was nothing except God as the absolute mystery that He is. But He has faintly, yet adequately revealed Himself to us creatures as One God in Three Persons. (We shall see the revelation concerning the third Person, the Holy Spirit in a later teaching). God at this beginning created Time, Space and Substance. Thus, the Beginning was Time zero, Space nothing and substance nothing.
Foundation of the World
This is another expression used in the Scriptures to denote the beginning. Hence, we see the following events being dated with reference to the foundation of the world:
• Heaven and earth were created (Psalm 102: 25)
• Names of the Elect were written in the Book of Life (Rev. 17: 8)
• Christ was slain (in the spiritual) Revelation 13: 8 and hence, the work of redemption completed in reality (Hebrews 4:3)
Other Literal Beginnings
In the Scriptures, we also see numerous other events all of which happened after the original Beginning, but described with the same expression:
• The beginning of sin by Satan (1John 3:8; John 8: 44)
• The beginning of the Jewish calendar (Exodus 12: 2)
• The beginning of Jesus earthly ministry (John 8: 25)
• The beginning of sorrows before the end of the present world (Matthew 24: 7-8)
Figurative Sense
The second sense in which we encounter the beginning in the Scripture is the figurative sense where it refers to a person or a thing rather than a point in time or event. In this sense, it describes someone or something that stands in one of the following three positions:
• The Author of something is the beginning of that thing. For example, Christ is the Author of creation (John 1: 3, Colossians 1: 16; Hebrews 1: 2). Hence, He is described as the Beginning of creation in Revelation 3: 14. Secularly, Michael Jackson was the beginning of the moonwalk dance step.
• The most important or most excellent aspect of an issue is the beginning of such an issue. Thus, the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1: 7).
• The most eminent person or thing in a group, body, organ or community. Also the flagship. Christ is the beginning of the Church (Colossians 1: 18); in Nigeria, F R A Williams used to be the beginning of Law.
Please take time to prayerfully meditate on this teaching and the relevant scriptures. We shall continue in the next issue. God bless you.
What is the Beginning?
The expression “the beginning” is an interesting one in the Scriptures. While a proper understanding of its meaning is necessary for one to progress in the knowledge of God, the various ways in which it is employed may not make that understanding come easily. For example, we read about God creating in the beginning; the devil sinning from the beginning; certain events constituting the beginning of sorrows; and even Rueben being the beginning of Jacob’s strength. There are still many more but what is clear is that all these passages do not refer to the same “beginning”. So, what are we to make of all these? What does God want us to know? What is He saying?
When we follow His command to study the Scriptures, we discover by the Holy Spirit and by diligence that there are basically two senses in which “the beginning” is used the Scriptures. The first is the time-based literal sense and the second is the figurative sense.
Literal Sense
In both the Hebrew (reshith) and the Greek (arche), the primary sense of the word is with respect to time. The idea is that of the starting point of a time-measured period or existence.
This is, no doubt, the sense in which it is used in our text above. Significantly, it is also the sense in which it is used in John 1: 1-3, a text which, on account of the issue of the deity of Christ, has assumed a place of unusual prominence in theological disputations. So, let us look at it in some more detail.
The Word at the Beginning
Genesis 1: 1 declares, “In the beginning, God created…”. It is interesting to note that practically every human being who has read this verse has interpreted it in the same way regardless of the religious persuasion of such a person. We are not saying that everybody agrees with the Scripture, but that everybody understands what the Scripture is declaring which is that “In the beginning, God, who had been in existence outside of the beginning, created…” This is as it should be because common sense (which we all possess) dictates that God could not have created, or in fact done anything in the beginning if He Himself had not existed outside of (or, if you prefer, before) that beginning. Indeed, it is this type of explicit declaration of the existence and works of God without any prior introduction or accompanying physical evidence that atheists frown at. Theists also could frown at it if the god they have credited with the work of creation is not the Elohim mentioned here.
Now, on coming to John 1: 1-3, we find exactly the same message as in Genesis 1:1 albeit declared with the introduction of some details not available in Genesis 1:1.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him, nothing was made that was made.
John 1:1-3
Here, we are told the following:
• The God who existed in Genesis 1:1 was not just a solitary Person
• That there was a second Person with Him in that existence, going by the name “The Word”
• Being there at the beginning with the first Person, the Word is God as well
• The work of creation was effected by the Word.
This is to say that Genesis 1: 1 could be paraphrased as: “In the beginning, God, the Word being with Him in that beginning also as God, created the heavens and the earth”
Of course, we may not agree with the truth of this declaration, but we cannot deny that this is what the Bible has said in these two verses. It is therefore very inconsistent for any person to claim to accept the declaration of the Scripture and at the same time refuse to see in it the declaration of the deity of the Word – even if the portion that says “…and the Word was God” were not included, since the very attribute of pre-creation existence already defines deity. The point is that what shows God as God was not because He was called God (there are thousands of beings who are called God), neither is it because He created but because He had been outside (before) creation in an uncreated existence. God was fully God before He created and even if He never created, He would still be God. We now see that the meaning of The Beginning in these verses was that moment when God decided to create. And the Word was with God and was God in that pre-creation, self-existent mode. This was the absolute beginning before which there was nothing except God as the absolute mystery that He is. But He has faintly, yet adequately revealed Himself to us creatures as One God in Three Persons. (We shall see the revelation concerning the third Person, the Holy Spirit in a later teaching). God at this beginning created Time, Space and Substance. Thus, the Beginning was Time zero, Space nothing and substance nothing.
Foundation of the World
This is another expression used in the Scriptures to denote the beginning. Hence, we see the following events being dated with reference to the foundation of the world:
• Heaven and earth were created (Psalm 102: 25)
• Names of the Elect were written in the Book of Life (Rev. 17: 8)
• Christ was slain (in the spiritual) Revelation 13: 8 and hence, the work of redemption completed in reality (Hebrews 4:3)
Other Literal Beginnings
In the Scriptures, we also see numerous other events all of which happened after the original Beginning, but described with the same expression:
• The beginning of sin by Satan (1John 3:8; John 8: 44)
• The beginning of the Jewish calendar (Exodus 12: 2)
• The beginning of Jesus earthly ministry (John 8: 25)
• The beginning of sorrows before the end of the present world (Matthew 24: 7-8)
Figurative Sense
The second sense in which we encounter the beginning in the Scripture is the figurative sense where it refers to a person or a thing rather than a point in time or event. In this sense, it describes someone or something that stands in one of the following three positions:
• The Author of something is the beginning of that thing. For example, Christ is the Author of creation (John 1: 3, Colossians 1: 16; Hebrews 1: 2). Hence, He is described as the Beginning of creation in Revelation 3: 14. Secularly, Michael Jackson was the beginning of the moonwalk dance step.
• The most important or most excellent aspect of an issue is the beginning of such an issue. Thus, the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1: 7).
• The most eminent person or thing in a group, body, organ or community. Also the flagship. Christ is the beginning of the Church (Colossians 1: 18); in Nigeria, F R A Williams used to be the beginning of Law.
Please take time to prayerfully meditate on this teaching and the relevant scriptures. We shall continue in the next issue. God bless you.
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| Hey! Jesus calls you, NOW! Have you ever accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? We were all born with the sinful nature of Adam which God cannot fellowship with. The Good News is that God therefore gave Jesus to us to redeem the situation. It is only by receiving this provision of God that you can have spiritual salvation and enjoy eternity in heaven with God. I implore you to allow Jesus into your life now. Yield yourself to Him. Stop the struggle and religious debates. While he who is spiritually saved will enter into the Kingdom of God (which is commonly seen as the Christian faith), this is not a call to the Christian “religion”, but a call to the salvation of your soul. For no religion can save – not even Christianity as a religion. So, being born into a Christian family or going to church or mosque, or trying to live a devout life will not save you. Whatever your religion, whatever moral standing you have, you must repent of your sins and personally receive Jesus into your life. So, now, Jesus is calling you one more time. What shall your response be? |
