 Genesis 1:1, Part i
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
  Many children have asked their parents, “was there anything before God?” or “was there anything before the beginning?” Scripture is quite clear in that it informs us that — YES — there was something before the beginning, and —YES — there was someone before the beginning. I speak now of this beginning that we find in Genesis 1:1, before time (as we know it) and space (as we occupy it). This will not be a discourse on “time and space,” even though I will frequently refer to the time-space-history of man, nor will this be a rebuttal to the atheist, or even an argument to counter the theory of evolution. This, I hope, will be a verse by verse, or chapter by chapter presentation of this extremely exciting and energizing book called simply, ‘Genesis,’ or ‘the beginning,’ or ‘origin.’
  There are some verses that I believe will prepare us in the correct mind-set or Spirit-set before we plunge ahead.
  When the Lord Jesus was conversing with Nicodemus and revealing to this aged scholar, the reality of “being born again,” Nicodemus could not understand what these words meant.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:3-13)
  Yes, I understand what you are thinking – you are saying to yourself – ‘I want to learn or to be more informed about Genesis and now I am being taken forward in time to read about what Jesus said?’
  The sections in bold type are of my doing, it is not like this in Scripture. First, Nicodemus was not merely knowledgeable of Jewish writings, but he was a scholar of the Scriptures that we call, the Old Testament, or Old Covenant.
  Next, the reply of the Lord Jesus Christ, He uses the words we and our, stating that we know, we have seen, and we witness to you. Then I will skip to the last verse, Christ states that He is Omnipresent — He came down from heaven and He is in heaven. That is a sure and clear statement of being Omnipresent. Now to the verse that will connect us to Genesis. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? Do you believe that you are able to understand heavenly things? I doubt it, because I do not understand, nor can I comprehend the depth of heavenly things.
  I am taking this time before we get into Genesis to show you that Genesis is not a book written for the curious, nor does it aid in finding scientific evidence of how this world, or how this universe was formed. God doesn’t attempt to connect His mind to your mind. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. (Isaiah 64:4) There is no way mankind will be able to understand, by his intelligence, what God has prepared around him and for him. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. (Isaiah 48:16, 17) I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. (Isaiah 45:19)
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. (Isaiah 40:28)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8,9)
  Nowhere in the entire Bible will we find an almost detailed description of creation, except in the Book of Job, although this book of Job was written approximately around 1520 B.C., it records events at an earlier period of time, and from chapters 38 to 41 we find an interesting description of creation. Now, don’t panic, I am not going to write these chapters out, but if you are really interested in Genesis, it would benefit you to read these chapters. Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention that I use the King James Bible (KJB). If you want to know why — I’ll address that further on, but for now, I will only say that this is the only Bible that I can understand.
The Events Before the Beginning
The creation of Angels
  Scripture reveals that there were a number of events that transpired before what we term as “the beginning.” Angels were created separately from men, and they were created in an eternity that we call eternity past. Our minds are so limited by the concept of time that we use terms, such as ‘eternity past,’ and ‘eternity future” from where we believe that we are in the timeline of eternity — but maybe eternity should not be described as a horizontal line without depth. Let us accept our limitation of terms of space, and time, and continue on. Angels are more powerful, quicker, able to move through dimensions (again, I use another term – not fully understanding the term that I use) and they cannot die. The first mention of angels came in Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. We understand from Scripture that there is an entire ranking of created ones who serve God in various duties, and responsibilities – Cherubims, Seraphims, Angels, and spirits. There is also a category that we can place with the seraphims, in the Old Testament in Isaiah 6:1, 2, 3, we see seraphims; however, in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ these very same seraphims are referred to as ‘beasts.’.
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1)
Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. (Isaiah 6:2)
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:3)
And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. (Revelation 4:6)
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8)
  This is not a study of angels, that will also come at a later time. Please always keep in mind that God’s purpose is to reveal Himself to man. The mysteries of creation, angels, the war in heaven, and other mysteries are not primary to us, nor should they be. Do not allow your focus to be on things that God does not fully reveal to us — yes, He does show us glimpses of these things, but they should not dominate, nor control our energies where the Word of God is concerned. God’s silences are important, and sometimes we need to be silent on things that God has not thought important for our salvation, and for our understanding and knowledge of the Holy.
The Rebellion of Lucifer and his Angels
  God only gives us enough of a view of this rebellion to help us understand that sin was in the universe before the creation of man, and that sin has its roots in pride. Only a very small portion of Scripture deals with this rebellion. Throughout all of God’s Word the fruit of sin, and the purposes and plan of Lucifer (now called Satan) is interwoven through this supernatural tapestry revealing that all the evil plans and actions of the first rebel can never undermine the foundations of God. It was preordained before the foundation of the world, that Jesus Christ would be sent to fulfill the righteousness, and promises of God the Father. That in Him (Christ Jesus) all the guile and evilness that His adversary, Lucifer, would employ in his rebellion against God, against His angels, against His creation, and against mankind would come to a destructive end. No — sin did not take the Creator of All by surprise. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (1 Peter 1:20)
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
  We will again deal with Satan and how Scripture records his rebellion later on in our study in Genesis.
The ‘Who’ Before the Beginning
 The Pre-existence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  Twice in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ, said he was not of this world. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.(John 17:16) And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.(John 8:23) Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (1 Peter 1:20) And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.(John 17:5) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3)
  Yes, there was something, and someone before the beginning; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit unified as One in the Godhead communicating, sharing knowledge, acting together in counsel and creation; equal and co-existent in all.
  No study of Scripture should ever start without some very important doctrines brought into view first. The most important theme you will see in Scripture is the Oneness of God, and that the Lord Jesus Christ is the express image of God revealed to the world.
[Note: the bold letters are of my doing, they are not bold in Scripture.]
  [Note: I find it necessary to quote full Scripture passages, not merely just a few words or lines. I find it almost insulting when I read articles or essays when just a few words are quoted. That is how error becomes pervasive. It is too easy to pull words out of context and confuse or deliberately change the meaning of a verse and chapter. Do not accept or allow this to happen to you — don’t be lazy— read the entire passage — read for yourself — demand documentation “what saith scripture?” Think for yourself and know that the Holy Spirit of God is given to all Christians to direct and guide into all truth.] Genesis 1:1 continues in next article, to follow soon, titled Genesis 1:1, Part II.
© Copyright 2015, Mary Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. “Freely ye have received, freely give.”
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV).