Study 0: In the beginning...

Present Truth: Gensis 1:1-5 study (download)

Genesis 1:1 (Scope: day 1 to day 7)

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

● The scope of the CREATION of "the heaven" includes the following:

Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. {Nehemiah 9:6}
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: {Colossians 1:16}
Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. {Psalm 148:1-5}

Genesis 1:2 (Scope: beginning of day 1)

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.

At the beginning of the first day of creation, the earth had no foundation. "It was without form and void". For the foundation of the earth took its form on the third day of creation.
The foundation of the earth was formed AFTER the heavens were made:
- “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.” “For He spake, and it was;” “He commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalm 33:6, 9. He “laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever.” Psalm 104:5. {Patriarchs and Prophets 44.1}
- Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? {Job 38:4-7}
- As the earth came forth from the hand of its Maker, it was exceedingly beautiful. Its surface was diversified with mountains, hills, and plains, interspersed with noble rivers and lovely lakes; but the hills and mountains were not abrupt and rugged, abounding in terrific steeps and frightful chasms, as they now do; the sharp, ragged edges of earth's rocky framework were buried beneath the fruitful soil, which everywhere produced a luxuriant growth of verdure. There were no loathsome swamps or barren deserts. Graceful shrubs and delicate flowers greeted the eye at every turn. The heights were crowned with trees more majestic than any that now exist. The air, untainted by foul miasma, was clear and healthful. The entire landscape outvied in beauty the decorated grounds of the proudest palace. The angelic host viewed the scene with delight, and rejoiced at the wonderful works of God. {Patriarchs and Prophets 44.2}
God is light, and He precedes creation. In other words, light was already in existence before other forms of lights were created. In addition, the darkness of God apart from His creation and apart from the Night precedes His work of creation. "Night" came into existence only after the creation of light on the first day. The darkness of God is said to be His dwelling place:

Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. {1 Kings 8:12}
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. {Psalm 18:11}
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. {Psalm 97:2}. The darkness that is round about God is synonymous with his unsearchable judgment. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" {Romans 11:33}
Although God surrounds Himself with darkness, there is no darkness in Him. For it is written: "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." {1 John 1:5}

● The darkness of God is incomprehensible to His creation. He chooses what to reveal and what to conceal. No one should have a problem with that. "Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it." {Job 40:2}

● "darkness was upon the face of the deep" - God dwells in thick darkness according to 1 Kings 8:12.

● "the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." - Unlike the darkness, the spirit of God was moving upon the face of the waters. Christ the Son of the Living God, in His pre-incarnate form was that spirit of God.

"Now the Lord is that Spirit..." {2 Corinthians 3:17}
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." {Romans 8:9-10} Christ is that spirit of God.
"But when they saw him walking upon the seas, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out" {Mark 6:49}
"In the beginning, God was revealed in all the works of creation. It was Christ that spread the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. It was His hand that hung the worlds in space, and fashioned the flowers of the field. “His strength setteth fast the mountains.” “The sea is His, and He made it.” Psalm 65:6; 95:5. It was He that filled the earth with beauty, and the air with song. And upon all things in earth, and air, and sky, He wrote the message of the Father's love." {Desire of Ages 20.1}
- Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. {Job 9:8}
“When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13. Only by the aid of that Spirit who in the beginning “was brooding upon the face of the waters;” of that Word by whom “all things were made;” of that “true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” can the testimony of science be rightly interpreted. Only by their guidance can its deepest truths be discerned. (ED 134.4)
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. {Deuteronomy 32:39-40}
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. {Daniel 12:7} This man is Jesus, see point number 6.
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer {Revelation 10:5-6} This angel is Jesus, see point 6.

Genesis 1:3 (Scope: day 1)

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

When “the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep,” “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.” Genesis 1:2, 3. So in the NIGHT OF SPIRITUAL DARKNESS, God's word goes forth, “Let there be light.” {Christ Object Lessons Page 415.1, emphasis added}

● The light created by God on the first day was not PHYSICAL in nature such as the lights emitted by the Sun, Moon, or stars. PHYSICAL lights were created on the fourth day when God said: "Let there be lights..." {Genesis 1:14}

● This light created by God on the first day was SPIRITUAL in nature. Such was the angelic hosts that were created. Consider the following verses:

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. {2 Corinthians 11:14}
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations. {Isaiah 14:12]
Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. {Psalm 148:1-5}
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. {Hebrews 1:7}

● SPIRITUAL light (angelic hosts) precedes PHYSICAL light (Sun, Moon & Stars) in the order of creation.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels... {Hebrews 2:6-7}. Just as angels precedes men in their order of creation and stature.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. {Matthew 6:33]. Just as spiritual kingdom of God precedes the physical kingdom of God.

Genesis 1:4-5 (Scope: day 1)

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

The spiritual darkness that came after the creation of heavenly hosts, God calls Night. Although God surrounds Himself with darkness, His darkness is not Night. But if the same darkness finds itself in His creation then that He calls Night.
Some may ask why the Creator surrounds Himself with darkness and yet does not allow His creatures to do the same? The answer to such a question is simple. Does God have the knowledge of good and evil? Was it not wickedness for Adam and Eve to obtain the same knowledge of good and evil that God has?
When God shall fully eradicate the heaven and the earth from sin, there shall be no more Night, both physical and spiritual!

And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. {Revelation 21:25}
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. {Revelation 22:5}

Examples of spiritual darkness, spiritual night, spiritual light and spiritual day from the bible:

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. {1 Thessalonians 5:5}
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. {Romans 13:12}

Genesis 1:4 (Scope: day 1)

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness

God called the light good. He gave the knowledge of good to His creation. He did not call the darkness anything because he did not want His creatures to have the knowledge of evil. He forbade His creatures to obtain a knowledge of evil. (Genesis 2:17). Through disobedience, His creatures obtained the knowledge of evil. (Genesis 3:7). By turning away from light, which is good, God's creatures receive darkness which is evil.
In what way is the spiritual light divided from the spiritual darkness? In what way is the spiritual Day divided from the spiritual Night? Consider the following examples:

In surprise and confusion at the exposure of his purpose, Judas rose hastily to leave the room. “Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.... He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.” Night it was to the traitor as he turned away from Christ into the outer darkness. {Desire of Ages 654.3}
Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul. {Desire of Ages 322.2}
Leaving his place in the immediate presence of the Father, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. He worked with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealed his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God. {Patriarchs and Prophets 37.1}
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. {Genesis 3:8}
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. {Isaiah 59:2}
Turning to the priests and elders, Christ fixed upon them His searching glance. The words He spoke they would never forget as long as life should last. They were as the sharp arrows of the Almighty. With dignity He said: You come out against Me with swords and staves as you would against a thief or a robber. Day by day I sat teaching in the temple. You had every opportunity of laying hands upon Me, and you did nothing. The night is better suited to your work. “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.” {Desire of Ages 697.1}. Satan works in the night.
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. {John 11:9} The sons of Light walk in the day.

Judas, the son of perdition left the presence of Christ following the example of Lucifer, the original son of perdition, who 4,033.5 years before left the presence of God the Father into the darkness of spiritual Night on the first day of creation. It is in this way, God divided the light from darkness.

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