|
Plainly Speaking
with Karl J. Forehand
The
Creator is Worthy
(Genesis 1:1)
by Karl J. Forehand
In the
beginning…
You may ask, “In the beginning of
what?” Time did not begin until the
things that measure time were created (light, darkness, etc.) We are bound by history; but God is
not. God once said to Abraham, “I am”
(meaning I exist). Jesus said a
similar thing to the people of His day when He said, “Before Abraham was
born, I am.”
We respond to history and trends. We avoid the past. We try to change the future. Most of our existence is based on timed
events. But, only the God that exists
outside of time has enough perspective to guide our life as He orders
creation. He doesn’t look at history
and decide what will work – He has an eternal perspective. Only the God that preexisted all this can
tell us what the intention of it is.
Only the God outside time can tell us how it will turn out.
…God…
The Bible uses the plural name, Elohim,
for God in this passage. God was in
the beginning; but also there was Jesus (John 1:1). The Spirit was also there.
The trinity wasn’t created later.
God existed, in all His fullness, before time starting rolling
along. Three times in the first
eleven chapters, God says, “Let us…”
A lot of my preaching focuses on application. Eventually, we become weary if we don’t
take some time to understand who God is.
We have to meditate at times and consider a God that can speak things
into existence. Understanding the
eternal qualities of God may be just as important as recognizing what He
does. What God is impacts who we are
and what we can become in Him.
…created…
Only God can create. We may manipulate and construct things out
of God’s creation; but only God creates.
What we actually do is use up the elements of creation. We may carve a two-by-four board from a
tree and construct a building from it; but only God makes a tree. What are some things that God created?
-
He creates clean
hearts in men (Psalms 51:10)
-
He created the
North and the South (Psalms 89:12)
-
He created a
cloud of smoke (Isaiah 4:5)
-
He created the
stars (Isaiah 40:26)
-
He forms our
inward parts / weaves us in our mother’s womb (Psalms 139:13)
-
He forms
mountains and makes wind (Amos 4:13)
When God does something, it is not a
“band-aid” solution (or just a restoration of past things) – God creates new
things. We tend to pray, “God help me
to be able to do the things I have always done; but just a little
better.” We should pray, “Make my
heart new.” Another thing God
created…
…the heavens and the earth…
Matthew Henry describes this as “the whole
frame and furniture of the world and all the things therein (Acts
17:24). The world is a great house
consisting of upper and lower stories, the structure stately and magnificent,
uniform and convenient, and every room well and wisely furnished.”
What we notice about creation:
-
There is great
variety
-
There is great
beauty
-
There is great
exactness and accuracy
-
There is great
power
-
There is great
order
-
There is great
mystery
Why does creation matter? What should we deduce from this
understanding?
1. To deny God is
foolish (He is worthy of our belief)
Christians are accused of being
closed-minded. But to deny creation
and it’s majesty is to totally close your eyes. You have to fake yourself out to deny creation. The faith part for us is to try to
comprehend a creator that exists outside the time dimension.
2. The Creator has
sovereign rights to creation (He is
worthy of our obedience and respect)
If He owns heaven and eternity; then He is
in control of our destiny. If He
created the earth; He is best qualified to lead us while we exist here. If He formed man, then He is best to
instruct man. The creator best knows
the purpose of what He creates.
3. The Creator
deserves our praise (He is worthy of our worship)
He shouldn’t have to do anything to
receive our worship – He is worthy to receive it!
This truth was not just initiated in
Genesis but also proclaimed in the last book of the Bible, Revelation. John gives us a glimpse of heaven:
(of the living creatures) “Day and night
do not cease to say ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ is the Lord God, the Almighty. Who was
and is and is to come.’”
(the 24 elders lay crowns before Him
saying) “Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor
and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they
existed and were created.”
|