So we've established that God exists and that he must be understood on his own terms as described in the Bible. He has shown us what he is like in his word and our attempts to understand him on our own apart from his word result in some very distorted ideas of what he is like. So what is he like? Who is this God? Who does God reveal himself to be in the Bible? This month we'll be looking at a several truths about God that we need to reckon with if we are to understand who he truly is.
The Bible presents God as the creator and former of the world. Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This seems to anticipate what God is described as doing in the rest of the chapter and, therefore, functions as a summary statement of sorts served up on the front end instead of coming last. The Bible asserts that God made everything that exists and then goes on to describe exactly how that happened.
Or this could set up God's work as creator in a series of stages because the text goes on to say that, "the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2). Sounds like a scary place. Doesn't seem like a very nice place to call home. I think that's the point. God takes this dark, formless, empty, and chaotic place and gets to work on making it habitable. He makes light as a barrier from the darkness; sky as a barrier between the waters; and land as a safe place from the chaotic seas. He then works on filling these new spaces up with stars, plants, birds, sea creatures, land creatures, and finally, mankind.
So why does the Bible begin here, with creation? It seems like a logical place to start. Most stories are told from the beginning so why would this be any different? But there's more going on here than just logic. By beginning with God as Creator, the Hebrews have an answer to the question, "Who made you?" The nations that surrounded the little nation of Israel since their inception all had little gods of their own that they worshipped as their creators. Nowadays, the gods of random chance, natural selection, and a looonnnngg time are placarded through our schools and universities. But God set the record straight and gave Abraham and his descendants the truth about who created everything. The gods of the nations, the gods hewn from trees and fastened with gold and silver (and worshipped in our textbooks and museums), are impotent to create and will be long forgotten (Jeremiah 10).
The creation account also determines the Creator/creation distinction. There is one Creator. There are many creations. Everything owes its existence to God and God alone. We are created and, therefore, dependent beings. This also means that we belong to him. He made us in his image and he owns us. He's got the copyright. We'll talk about how sin has complicated this relationship and leads us to turn away from the Creator another time.
We also see the absolute power and control God has in and over his creation. God creates ex nihilo, out of nothing, with nothing but his powerful word. "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. . . For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm" (Psalm 32:6, 9). Since God made everything he can have his way with everything. "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases" (Psalm 115:3). This, in short, is the Creator God. He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power, for he created all things and by his will they exist (Rev. 4:11).
Starting in the middle of September at ECC we'll begin looking at the most important message of the Bible, the gospel. Please feel free to join us on Sundays at 10:30 as we seek to understand the message about God's salvation. If you would like to interact some more on these articles then send an email to elkcommunitychurch@gmail.com.
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