Go Back To The Beginning

Nov. 26, 2008

Go Back to the Beginning

Kathleen Maples

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

As I come to the Word of the Lord this morning, I want to do so with a reverence and careful determination. I must always remember this Word is pure, it is holy, and it is for me-for my benefit and yours, and I do very well not to come before this Holy Word casually or irreverently. For those who are struggling with confusion, who are going through a trial they don't understand, I believe these Scriptures will strengthen and encourage us as the Holy Spirit reminds us of some very basic, but vital facts. He wants us to understand His Word, and understand what it means to our lives and it is to this end I bow my heart grateful before His Word, and come to sit at His feet, and learn of Him. I am so thankful this entrance has been grantedand that He would want to spend time with me, and teach me. In the beginning, before anything was, before there was an earth, before there were people and problems and devils, and temptations, and pain, and death and sin and suffering, there was God. There was Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We know the Bible says the Lord dwells in unapproachable light. 1 That light is inaccessible. No man can approach this light-it's so pure it would consume flesh. He truly is a consuming fire 2. He is the High and Lofty One who dwells in eternity.3 Before the mountains were made, before the earth was made, He was there-inconceivably almighty, and magnificently pure. 4 He sits high and lifted up on the throne of all Creation, including every single universe that exists or ever has existed. He sits surrounded by creatures endued with power inconceivable to the human mind, yet these creatures worship and hide their faces and feet from Him in reverence, and all they can cry is "Holy, Holy, Holy" 5 . They are so overwhelmed by His presence and holiness. 6 Isaiah calls them seraphim, John calls them beasts 7. Isaiah says they have 6 wings and with two of them they hide their faces in awe of Him. They cover their feet-this tells me they won't go anywhere or do anything unless He tells them to. How my spirit hungers to reach that place in God where every step, every word, every thought is guided by His Holy Spirit. Before there was anything, there was this Great God. There is no place for human pride here. Man can never make something out of nothing. No place for human effort-just surrender. He created the heavens-a magnificent place where there were celestial bodies, stars, the sky, and all that is in them-all made by Him and 11Ti_6:16 2Heb_12:29 3Isa_57:15 4Psa_90:1-2 5Isa_37:16 Isa_6:3 6Rev_5:14 7Isa_6:2 Rev_4:8

for Him and He calls them all by name. 8 Just pause a moment and consider that. We are talking about Someone who loves to create and what He creates is beautiful and good. He stretched the waters of the heavens and equalized and arranged them in the heavens with the spread of His fingers, like a span. 9 There was no one teaching or directing Him. No one counseled Him or instructed Him. He is the Source of all wisdom and understanding and life. In this huge expanse of space, He created planets, stars and moons and suns and hung them out there on nothing but His Word. Heb_1:3 says He upholds all things by the power of His Word. That includes us, folks. I know His Word in me is what holds me up, keeps me going, and prevents me from giving up and going back to darkness and death. The Holy Spirit uses the power of that Word in my heart and life and it pulls, draws, as He quickens, and keeps me. Now would be a good time to say hallelujah-for this same God holds us (and our problems) in His mighty hands. Remember thy Creator-and be encouraged. Meditate on His greatness and power and what everything you know He has done and said reveals about who He is and His heart for humanity and be encouraged. God created the earth-He shaped it, fashioned it as it pleased Him, and He alone was qualified to create the earth. But something happened between verse one and verse two. I never realized this until I began to pick apart these verses and examine the original meaning in the Hebrew. Verse 2 says the earth was a formless, empty place. Everything God created, as you can see when you read the account of creation in Genesis 1 He saw it and pronounced it good. He created the heavens, and the earth. Think about it-there is nothing good about being dark, void, and empty. This word formless means a place of unreality, emptiness, confusion, desolation, a wasted place. Void means it is a great empty ruined place. It was dark-there was no light. This was the condition of the earth in the beginning after God created it. This is also the condition people are in before they meet the Master and are saved. They live lives enslaved to self, trying to please a nature that is never satisfied regardless of what is accomplished. They are bound by sin, ensnared by the darkness of this world-and completely dead to God; blind to His glorious Truth. Every human being born was created with a God-shaped void inside. In His mercy, He put that there-an empty place only He could fill. I became aware of this emptiness when I was still a child. But as I grew older, I tried all the wrong things to fill up that emptiness, vainly striving to satisfy something I didn't understand. But when God moves into that void He brings with Him lightrevelation, understanding, and peace. Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Something happened after God created the earth that changed the condition of the earth. Something bad. Since everything God creates is good and right how could the earth be without form and dark and empty? Something happened to cause this. But we can see at the end of verse two the response of God. The Spirit of God, seeing the darkness, the emptiness, hovered over this, completely aware of what had occurred, and completely able to restore what had been ruined. I know this

8Isa_40:26 Col_1:16 Rev_4:11 9Isa_40:12

isn't preached in pulpits-not that I have heard but bear with me, because Scripture proves this. Gen 1:2 The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. (Amp BBL) This word 'deep' means an abyss, a subterranean water supply. It was a surging mass of water according to Strong's Hebrew. That implies everything was flooded with dark waters. One translation says the Spirit of God moved gently on the face of the waters. The KJV and the NASB use the word "moved or moving" 10 and it translates to brood, but with an implication of being relaxed-and that implies confidence-He knew He could fix the situation. He had created something and it had been ruined. By what? By who? He alone could restore. The word brood means to hover or hang over something-as a hen broods over her chicks, as a mother her small children. So as I considered various translations, I found most of them to be accurate when you consider the original Hebrew from which they were all translated. He saw His creation become formless and empty and dark. Yet He was over it all and knew His Word was all it took to restore divine order and revelation. Illumination. A precious friend of mine sent me the Expositors' Study Bible Jimmy Swaggart put out. I have been studying these Scriptures in Genesis and I realized I had read these without really understanding or considering them many, many times. I opened this Expositor's Bible for the first time, and because I have been studying in Genesis 1, that is where I turned, just out of curiosity, to see what his commentary said, though consulting commentaries is something I rarely do. I was very much surprised, and amazed. Let me share-and I quote from his commentary on Gen_1:2:"God did not originally create the Earth without form and void. It became this way after a cataclysmic happening; this happening was the revolt of Lucifer against God, which took place some time in the dateless past." End quote. (Underlines mine). I can't find one single instance in the Bible where God created anything dark, empty and void. Isa_14:11-13 says that Lucifer's arrogance and music 11 were destroyed-brought down. He is as one eat up with maggots and worms. We have a visible illustration of this in Act_12:23 when Herod exalted himself as God. Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him and he was eaten alive by worms that came out form within. The original Hebrew says it this way: "becoming food for the worms, he gives up his soul." Josephus wrote that Herod lingered for five days as the worms eat him up alive. When I checked this out here is how Josephus described Herod's condition:

10 H7363 Strong's Hebrew Definitions: rachaph: to brood; by implication to be relaxed: -

flutter, move, shake 11 Isaiah 14:11 in the KJV 'viols'. Brown-Driver-Briggs Heb. Definitions: harp, lute, guitar, musical instrument

5. After this, the distemper seized upon his whole body, and greatly disordered all its parts with various symptoms; for there was a gentle fever upon him, and an intolerable itching over all the surface of his body, and continual pains in his colon, and dropsical turnouts about his feet, and an inflammation of the abdomen, and a putrefaction of his privy member, that produced worms. Besides which he had a difficulty of breathing upon him, and could not breathe but when he sat upright, and had a convulsion of all his members, insomuch that the diviners said those diseases were a punishment upon him for what he had done to the Rabbins. 12

The Rabbis mentioned here were ordered slain by Herod. Rumors were swirling that he was dying and two educated men in Jerusalem, one Judas, son of Sepphoris, and Mattbias, son of Margalus, had caused a sedition. They were learned in the laws of God and offended by the fact that Herod had a great golden image of an eagle, the symbol of Rome and Rome's power erected over one of the gates leading into the Temple at Jerusalem, and thought now an opportune time to have it cut down. These Rabbins mentioned were just included by Herod in his death decree for these men in an attempt to get all the responsible parties. God creates and sets things up and in order as it pleases Him. He puts down what He wishes to put down. In light of what Isaiah is saying, 13 Lucifer is one with a rage against anyone who stands up for the Word and truth of God, anyone who would defy evil to stand for good. He is as one inflamed, full of evil corruption, which contaminates and breeds corruption in others. Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Only God is qualified and able to create life, to create something out of nothing. Something that is created is something new that has been birthed. He shaped and fashioned, framed the earth with His Word. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Heb_11:3) The word for worlds there in the Greek is aion 14 (ever heard the phrase 'eons ago?') That word means eternity-the longest time period in geology; the age, course, without end. The age we live in, in time, is like a blip on the screen of eternity. So we are talking about an age here that has been perpetuated by the Word of God-it continues on course because His life sustains it. The word for framed in the Greek means to complete thoroughly, that is to repair or mend, restore. That surprised me. We've already seen in Gen_1:1-2 when God created this 12 Wars of the Jews, Book 1, Chapter 33: verse 5

13 Isa_14:11

14 G165 From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare G5550.

earth, something happened between verse 1 and verse 2 that reduced it to a chaotic mass of dark confusion. There was a world full of darkness and waters that drowned everything. I know that is not preached in pulpits, but all you need is a Concordance, with the Greek and Hebrew definitions, and a prayerful hunger to understand, and the Lord will show you, too. This world was in need of repair and restoration. Even now, once again, it is in need. I have given careful consideration to what Jimmy Swaggart wrote in his Expositor's Bible about Gen_1:2. It rang true to my spirit. I'm not one to ever just blindly accept even my own apparent understanding of the Word of God, much less any one else's, so here I am studying these further, and here I am finding another verse of Scripture that confirms the earth God created was in need of restoration. When you examine this Scripture in Hebrews 11, it is saying the age we live in was in need of repair-it needed to be restored by God. Nothing needs restoration that has not been damaged. We know the Scripture says in Rev 12 there was a war in heaven. Satan persuaded one third of heaven's angels to join his revolt against God. Evidence of this war's continuation down here, in the heavenlies is also referred to in Dan_10:13. Rev_12:15 says that the devil sent a flood out of his mouth to try to overwhelm and carry away those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ-and that is they have died to themselves and this world, and live only for His purposes. It is a testimony of martyrdom-spiritually, and sometimes physically. They live only to fulfill His will and purpose. These are really the saints that the devil goes after. Much of what Christians call temptations and trials and attacks of the devil is in reality, I think, their own carnal nature warring against them. When you break this verse down and pull it apart and examine it carefully, Paul is telling the Hebrews "I am persuaded and understand the this age was repaired and restored by the command of God so don't think what you see is all there is. What you see is not how it was meant to be. What you see is not how God created it to be. Neither was what you see made from what you think. What is seen was made by what is Unseen." When you read the direct word for word translation of Gen_1:1-2 (and I was surprised by this) from the original Hebrew, here is what it says: Gen 1:1 Created by the Elohim were the heavens and the earth. Gen 1:2 Yet the earth became a chaos and vacant, and darkness was on the surface of the submerged chaos. Yet the spirit of the Elohim is vibrating over the surface of the water.15

He brings order out of chaos with His Word. Where there is darkness, and emptiness and chaos, His Spirit hovers over this, brooding. As I look closely at these Scriptures, carefully, prayerfully examine them, I see HIM, hovering over this dark, empty place where there is only confusion, nothing is in right order. God created men and women in His image, but Satan corrupted that image and caused a division between man and God. People end up making their own decisions, living life for self, bound and deceived by the evil one, and their lives end up lived in darkness, ruined, and wasted. But He-God's Holy Spirit, hangs over this and speaks, and at His Word, the darkness is gone. He says "Let there be LIGHT." 15 Concordant Literal Version

Light is required here. He speaks,16 and it is done. Light means illumination. Things are clear now, in every sense. He speaks, darkness and confusion are gone. Oh, Hallelujah!! After God created the earth, it took His Word to bring light and order to it. How powerful His Word is. Then He divides light from darkness. He is showing us, teaching us with every thing He does how it is to be. What fellowship has light with darkness? 17 The two can NOT co-exist in the same place. His Word will divide. Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged

sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

His Word is alive, and actively operating, sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating so deep it separates the soul-which is carnal, and in need of redemption and spirit-which God revives and these two war against each other. The soulish nature of man is carnal and bent on rebellion against God. But when that man or woman's spirit is quickened, made alive, by the Word and power of God, there is a warfare that breaks out. This Word of God judges us-it is a discerner18 it judges our thoughts and understanding and intent in the depths of our mind. His Word divides between the good and the bad. It separates what is darkness from what is light. He divides the old nature from the new. He divides light from darkness and He says it is good. Then He begins to speak other things into existence. A separation of the waters, dry land, seas, grass, fruit trees, animals, life in the waters. His Word speaks these things. Likewise, when we are born again, and we eat His Word, it comes in to our vessel and produces in us something that is not of ourselves, and not of this world. That which is spiritual produces spiritual fruit. But if we feed on dead things of this world, it will produce death and destruction in our lives, our families, relationships, and it will cut us off from God.

Now, let us consider this: this awesome God brought order and understanding on a massive scale to this planet-with His Word. Let there Be Light! He said it. If you are struggling, if you have failed Him and feel you aren't accepted by Him, but you want Him then come. If your life feels like chaos, if it is desolate, and barren, and empty and everywhere you look everything looks dark, come. When everything feels like it has spun out of control, and nothing makes sense anymore, come. If you are fighting depression and all you want to do is sleep to escape, get up, and come. If the pain is bad, the emotional hurt you can't deny or escape, come. Whatever the problem, it is not too big for this awesome God. Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We don't minister ourselves, but HIM, His promises, His life is the answer. He 16Psa_33:9 17 2Co_6:14

18 (kritikos G2924) From G2923; decisive (“critical”), that is, discriminative: - discerner.

commanded the light to shine out of darkness so we could see in our minds the understanding that the glory of God is Jesus Christ, our hope of glory. He puts this treasure of Himself in our earthen vessels, in our human bodies, made from dust of the earth, sustained by His life, naturally and spiritually. Like Paul, we can be troubled on every side, but we are not hemmed in. When it looks like there is no way out, He is the way. He is the Waymaker! When we are persecuted, pressed, and pursued by the powers of darkness that would love to flood our minds with despair and hopelessness, HE lifts up the standard. He will not let us drown. We can look to Him, even if we are so weak we are barely hanging on and He will reach down and save us when we cry out to Him. He will never leave us or forsake us. Hallelujah! Look up, Beloved, He has not left you alone. He has been there all along. Just call out to Him, He will rescue you, and bring you through victorious! There is no darkness too powerful for the light of His Truth. He is the First and the Last, He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End of everything. It all started with HIM and it ends up with Him.