The Bible is not like any other book. All other books are written by men, and some of them are true, but many others are not. However, the Bible is God’s Word, and although God used men to write it, they did not write just what they wanted to, but wrote exactly what God told them. “The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:2121For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:21)). Men have written many books about how this world began, but they only suppose things. These are called theories. What God has told us in the Bible is true, and we must, therefore, believe it. As we grow older, we find there are many things we cannot understand. God has given us the answer to some of these questions in His word, and we can thank Him for it. Other things God has not told us because it is not good for us to know. “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever” (Deuteronomy 29:2929The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)).
Creation of Heaven and Earth
The first verse tells us how the Heaven and the Earth began. “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth.” God is the only One who can create anything, that is, make things out of nothing, and Ephesians 3:99And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9) tells us that God created all things by the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, in John 1:33All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3), “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.”
Both the Heaven and the Earth were created perfect, for God always makes things perfect, until sin spoils them. Now in verse 2 we read, “The earth was without form and void.” It had been spoiled. Perhaps many, many thousands of years had rolled by since God created it, and somehow it had been spoiled. God has not told us how, for it is one of His secrets. What God has told us in the rest of the chapter is how in six days He made everything necessary and beautiful, and then created Adam to live on the earth and enjoy it.
Light
On the first day, “God said, Let there be light and there was light” (verse 3). “God is Light,” but the sad thing is that since sin has come into the world, “Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:1919And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)). When the light from God shines into our hearts, it first shows us how sinful we are in His presence. Then God also tells us the way we can be made the children of Light, being made perfectly suitable for His presence by “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son (which) cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Have you taken the Lord Jesus as your own personal Saviour? If so, you are one of the “children of light.”
Further Meditation
1. How is the Bible different from all other books?
2. Why is light a good way to describe God’s holy character?
3. A readable commentary that presents many of the figures of Christ found in Genesis is Genesis: The Book of Beginnings by G. C. Willis.