God, the Holy Spirit
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. (Genesis 1:2)
  This very first description of a place called ‘earth’ is a scene of chaos, ruin, and formless spinning of a shapeless dark matter. A revolving globe in a glistening sea of blue is the image we have in our contemporary minds of our planet — Genesis does not begin with this image. In Jeremiah 4:23 we see the same description of the birthing state of our earth, I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I have often wondered why God chose to describe earth in this stage and not in the beauty that we have seen from photographs taken from space. Would you not want to show man the exquisite beauty of his planet in its beautiful prime stage? No, God wants man to know and to understand the ugliness of an earth in its state of ruin and chaos because darkness and chaos is always the result of sin. This ruin was in eternity past. The problem of rebellion and sin was on God’s hands long before the human race was created.
  When people read Genesis, they read it verse after verse, and assume that it is in chronological order, but that is not always the case. As we read further on, we will see that God returns to the creation of man further on in Genesis in what we term a flash back. God also reveals to us in the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel a developing epic of pre-time-space, and pre-man. The perfect Teacher slowly begins line upon line, and precept upon precept. God teaches us by gently guiding us from concept to concept, and from basics to foundational truths.
  There may very well have been a time span between verses 1 and 2 and 3 of Genesis. We have no idea how long the world lay in ruin before God in His merciful plan acted through the Spirit of God. God’s silences are just as important as His words. Let us return to our verse.
  Genesis 1:1 stands alone in eternity past as one supreme act of God. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Then in Genesis 1:2 we see an earth in the throes of total convulsion. God uses words that all men throughout all ages can comprehend. We are shown “the face of the deep,” darkness, a depth without measure. Next, we read “face of the waters,” a fluid state of movement. Do I understand all of this? Are you kidding me? Of course not!
  An event of rebellion and sin plunged God’s creation into chaos. We do not know with any certainty what this event was; however, Scripture gives us certain indications that it involved the rebellion of Lucifer and his angels against God. Here are some verses to chew on, not to choke on, Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-18. We will again return to the subject of the rebellion of Lucifer when we get to Genesis, Chapter 3.
The Spirit of God
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters
  God introduces the Spirit of God to us, not a static God, but a God of action and movement. It is the Spirit of God who removes the darkness, it is He who renews and refreshes a devastated planet. We must see God through the actions of His Spirit not only as He is introduced to us in Genesis, but as He will act in the coming revelation of the renewed man. The New Testament opens to us more about the Spirit of God concerning His work and purpose in and with man.
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. (John 3:5-8)
  It is the Spirit of God who gives us new life, a life from above. It is He who broods over the sinful souls of men and takes them through the act of birth, from darkness to light. As He is first revealed to us in Genesis 1:2, Christ also reveals more about Him in John 3. Put these 2 distinct actions and birthing processes together from Genesis 1:2, the rebirth and regeneration of a lost and dark solar system to the rebirth and regeneration of a lost soul in John 3.
The Spirit Sent
  In Genesis, it is the Spirit of God that moves over the waters. In Isaiah, it is the Spirit of God that moves men of God with the message from God. In the Gospel of John, it is the Spirit of God who draw man and acts in the salvation of man. In the Gospel of John, it is the Spirit of God who will be sent by God the Son to Comfort His people. He is called both Comforter and the Spirit of truth. He is the unseen active force of God’s heart and mind, fulfilling the wishes of God the Father, and fulfilling the will of God the Son.
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. (Isaiah 48:16)
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 48:17)
But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)
But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)
  It is He, the Holy Spirit of God who prepares the way for the light, the true Light, the only Light to come into the world.
© Copyright 2016, Mary Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Kings James Bible. (KJB)