Christ in the Beginning: Genesis 1:2

Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.



We've been talking about the immense importance of the first day of creation, where fanciful and imaginary inferences have been made by many who claim strange things like there had to be a pre-Adamic race (Adam wasn't the first man, and Adam and Eve were the first people made by God).

This all comes from the false assumption that God couldn't have created the earth "without form and void," and also because the earth lay in darkness. Since God is light and no darkness dwells within Him, it would be impossible for the darkness of Genesis 2 to be from Him, according to this idea.

All of this nonsense is easy to disprove Biblically, and we'll get into that in a moment.

First, it must be understood that this isn't just some teaching to titillate our curiosity and interest. If we don't correctly understand what happened in the beginning, the rest that follows will be distorted as well. And it has been.

Because the creation of the earth at the beginning was a representation of who Christ is, it is vital that we understand what it was He was trying to teach us by revealing Himself in that manner.

In the previous two articles we got into that, but I'll repeat it again. As far as the phrase "without form and void" as to the condition of the earth, all that had to do with was the fact that this was the first step by God in creation. He wasn't through yet.

Some people make up entire scenarios from this condition of the earth, saying it was impossible for God to create something like this. Not only is it possible - He did it!

The assumption that He wouldn't do it is based upon human reasoning, not fact. To say something had to have happened for it to be "without form and void" means an entire scenario has to be created in regard to this as well to support that fallacy.

Those that assert this say Satan probably rebelled in the heavenly realms and brought the battle down to earth, and thus the devastation.

The problem with that made up story is we have no proof that Satan was even created at this moment. It must be assumed to support the proposed narrative. But even if he was created, there are many more problems that must be dealt with to force this tale to work.

One of those is the fact that there was nothing but the heavens and the earth present at this moment in time. That means if there was actually another race of men that inhabited the earth before this time, that Satan and his minions would have had to have deconstructed the entire universe God created in order to bring it down to only the earth and the heavens being all that was left. That's a stretch to be sure.

When talking about this, the earth is what is usually focused on, making the rest of what had to have happened to have them alone in the physically created world ignored. It strains credibility to believe there have been entire systems of stars, planets and galaxies that had been destroyed completely by Satan. Poor God. He lost everything and had to start all over.

At least that's what those making up these fanciful stories want us to believe.

Why is this so important to understand? It's because there was something of Jesus Christ revealed in the actual events that occurred, which we miss if we believe there was this rebellion and destruction which resulted in the universe and alleged previous creation to be completed disintegrated. There is no proof that Satan even has that type of power to do that.

This doesn't even deal with other facts. Such as the fact that the Holy Scriptures reveal to us that Adam was the first mankind, while Jesus was the last one. Period. You can't escape that fact and truth.

So if there was another race of men before Adam, it would contradict that Biblical record. That alone confirms and proves there was no such thing as a race of men before Adam was created. And if some want to get cute and say there were some type of life forms created which weren't men, but a race that predated men, then there is no real hope for those believing that fantasy. As they'll keep on rewriting the entire story until if fits their wild imaginations in order that they may be respected by those opposing the Biblical account.

When reading the phrase "without form" in Genesis 2, it must be understood that they are only one Hebrew word. Here are the meanings associated with that word in the Scriptures.

(without form) =

formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness, formlessness, nothingness, empty space,
that which is empty or unreal (of idols) (fig), wasteland, wilderness (of solitary places),
and place of chaos.


In the King James version "without form" is written using these words in the Old Testament text:

Without form, empty place, wilderness, vain, vanity, confusion, nought, nothing and waste.

The term void simply means "empty."


As for the word "darkness" following those words and meanings, it can mean, among other things - ignorance, death, dark place and secret place.

So when people say things like there is no way there could be darkness because God is light, and so darkness couldn't have been created by Him, they're limiting the meaning of the word, and are unfamiliar with Biblical text which contradict those assumptions.

For example, Isaiah 45:7 says this, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things."

In Psalm 18:11 this is declared, "He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies."

Both of these words used for darkness are the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 1:2.

Not only can God create darkness, He did create darkness. The problem people have is they always tend to associate darkness with sin or evil, and miss out on the other meanings the word have, as well as the usage they convey.

There is no doubt that Jesus Christ created the earth in the beginning to reveal something of Himself. The first thing He revealed is alluded to in Job. It says:

Job (NAS) 12:22, “He reveals mysteries from the darkness. And brings the deep darkness into light.

What this tells us is that God does include darkness as part of Himself and creation in order from that darkness to being things to light. Creation was, is and remains a mystery, and as Christ continues to give us understanding of it, the mystery is lessened, as is the darkness surrounding and shrouding it.

Why did Jesus Christ create the darkness? In order to bring the mystery of Himself out into the light. It was for the sake of man these things are written. It is from the darkness that mysteries are revealed. If they weren't, they wouldn't be considered mysteries. This is part

of the secret of the darkness that existed at the beginning of creation. It covered up an extraordinary mystery that had been hidden in God and Christ from before creation.

This is why it says of the Spirit that it hovered or brooded over the waters. He was poised to begin the revelation of the mystery hidden in Christ, even though the existence of the water-covered earth already revealed one of the most important revelations of Jesus Christ there ever has been or will be.

That revelation was that the waters covering the earth pointed to the reality that Jesus Christ completely was dead to Himself as creation began. Waters refer to the cross or baptism, which both signify death. This earth was created dead, or if you will: crucified.

But not only that. The waters covered the entirety of the heavens as well, which is why they had to be separated as creation continued to be developed by the Lord Jesus Christ. So even the heavens speak of the total disregard of the self of Jesus Christ as the work started and continued on. The cross and baptism speak to that completely. In other words, the cross was part of the very nature of Jesus Christ and the Godhead before sin ever entered the world.

It was simply manifested in time when Jesus came into space and time and died for the sins of the world. But that death or inherent characteristic of the cross had always been part of Him, and always will be. This is how the world began, and why it probably cost Him much more

than we know to bring it into being for Himself, and on our behalf (everything was created for Him).

When the Scriptures say He was crucified from the foundation of the world, it's probably related to what we're talking about here. There's more to that, but in order to not get too far off of what we're talking about, we'll leave it there.

Let's look at another confirmation of what darkness in this instance meant.


Deut: 5:22 These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness (6205), with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness (2822) (obscurity, darkness, secret place - from The Hebrew lexicon is Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon), (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

5:24 And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.


I included the numbering of the words darkness here from Strong's Concordance in order to let you know that they were two different words. The word darkness used in Genesis 1:2 was the one numbered '2822' in Deuteronomy 5:23.

First of all it reveals that there were two ways of viewing darkness. The first (6205) is a reference to it simply being literally a "thick darkness." The second use of the word darkness in the phrase "midst of the darkness," speaks of a mystery, or secret place, an obscure place. This is what the darkness in Genesis 1:2 undoubtedly refers to.

Listen again to how it is said, " ...when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness." If that isn't a way God moves and acts, then we have to pretend it doesn't exist. God speaks out of darkness, or from an obscure, secret place we aren't aware of in order to bring light and understanding to a situation. After all, He is light, and when He speaks and moves, those mysteries, for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see, are made known.

In the case of creation, the mystery was there from the beginning, and from the earth covered and hidden in the waters of baptism, or the place of the cross, the Spirit of God stood ready to respond to the command of "let there be light." This is a reference to speaking forth in order to reveal a mystery hidden within the Godhead when nothing but they existed.

This is all extremely important because it reveals where it is that God works from for our benefit.

Only those that learn to die in Christ truly live. There is no resurrection without death. Resurrection can only come if we die. This is where the creation story begins. It doesn't end there, and it would truly be desolate if all there was was the cross and baptism.

But we must begin there. Only the dead rise, and that death must be embraced by all believers to fully reach all that God has for us in Christ.

If we don't realize and see this is how everything began outside of and from God, we'll remain in confusion as to what it is Christ did and who He is.

Let's look at a portion of Scripture to get more understanding of this.

Jeremiah 4:18-28 (KJV)
 

18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart. 19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace , because thou hast heard , O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. 20 Destruction upon destruction is cried ; for the whole land is spoiled : suddenly are my tents spoiled , and my curtains in a moment. 21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding : they are wise to do evil , but to do good they have no knowledge . 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled , and all the hills moved lightly . 25 I beheld , and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled . 26 I beheld , and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. 27 For thus hath the LORD said , The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. 28 For this shall the earth mourn , and the heavens above be black : because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent , neither will I turn back from it.


What Jeremiah sees, as culminating in verse 23 where he says, "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light," is this. He is making the point that because of wickedness, when God gets through with judgement, it'll be as if there had been no creation; it'll be as if there was only the cross without resurrection. It'll be as if there were no hope, as resurrection is our blessed hope. That's what God was revealing through Jeremiah in this instance.

My reason for bringing this up is from what was mentioned above before listing the verses from Jeremiah, and also at the beginning of the article. First, God wasn't through when things were without form and void, he was just beginning. The condition of the earth is one that awaited His life to be revealed. That's a reference to life, and by extension, to resurrection. After all, His life is the light of men.

In Jeremiah here, he says it's because of the fierce anger of God that He was basically going to de-create His creation. He views creation has having never went beyond being without form and void. God views it as if there never was a creation, as if there never was anything besides the death of the cross or rising up after entering the waters of baptism.

Again, it's where everything within God and Jesus Christ begins, but it's far from being the place where He wants to end.

The mystery of the early part of creation is that Jesus Christ was revealing to us that everything begins at the cross, everything must and has been crucified ... even creation from the beginning.

Being without form and void means that this is far from where God wants things to end. But to go on, we must be covered in the waters of baptismal death in the reality of what that represents, in order to be brought forth out of the waters by first seeing that we need light to comprehend this extraordinary mystery of the person of Jesus Christ and the Godhead.

The condition of creation wasn't from some cataclysmic event coming about from the rebellion of Satan, rather a glimpse into the nature of Jesus Christ, showing us where everything must begin and why we must walk in the light and resurrection life in order to escape being and remaining without form and void. Instead, we must conform to the image of Jesus Christ, as the earth and heavens did by type through the creation account.

Even so, there is no escaping the cross and its work in our lives. If there is no death to self and a dying to ourselves daily, there will never be resurrection life working in us either. The more we die to ourselves, the more of Jesus Christ will be revealed and seen within us. That's the mystery unveiled in the very beginning of the Creation account.

To relegate it to some old wives fable about fantasy races and fallen angels destroying some previous universe causes us to miss all that it is Christ has for us in this world, and the world to come.