Our speaker today, Dr Stephen McAuley, focused our attention on Genesis 1: 1-27 and specifically on verse 1 – God the Creator.
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.
Many people think that this is the most important verse in the Bible.
Challenge:
Empty your mind of everything you have heard about God and look at this verse.
In the beginning before God created, He Himself obviously existed.
We conclude that:
- God is eternal.
- God had no start and has no end.
- Time started at creation, so God existed before time began.
- God exists outside of time.
These are facts that our minds are incapable of understanding and we simply have to take God at His word.
1. God is forever
WITH THE LORD A DAY IS LIKE A THOUSAND YEARS AND A THOUSAND YEARS ARE LIKE A DAY.
2. God needs nothing
If God existed forever without the existence of the universe, then we conclude that God didn’t need anything from His creation. He didn’t create because He was lonely, bored or needy. God is independent of creation so we can’t do anything for Him.
3. God has no limits
Even the intricate laws of physics, such as gravity, relativity, quantum mechanics – beyond the minds of many – do not apply to God. There is nowhere He cannot go.
“AM I ONLY A GOD NEARBY”, DECLARES THE LORD, “AND NOT A GOD FARAWAY? CAN ANYONE HIDE IN SECRET PLACES SO THAT I CANNOT SEE HIM?” DECLARES THE LORD. “DO NOT I FILL HEAVEN AND EARTH?” DECLARES THE LORD.
4. God is all powerful
In the beginning when God created, there was nothing to use in this act of creation. If God made everything out of nothing, we know that God is never short of anything.
5. God is unimaginably rich
It is this God who can supply all our needs.
6. God knows everything
God has perfect knowledge of the whole universe, from the largest to the smallest of His creation. He knows everything and He knows what is best.
7. God can do anything
He can fix it, change it – there is nothing He cannot do.
Recap:
So far from verse 1 we can say:
- God is forever
- God needs nothing
- God has no limits
- God is all powerful
- God is unimaginably rich
- God knows everything
- God can do anything
In our lives here and now we can tell something about an artist by examining his work. When we look at God’s creation it tells us what God is like. When God created there was nothing in existence to influence His work, so all of creation reflects His character.
In creation there is order, variety, extravagance and beauty. We see order in the laws of nature which work consistently. It is a creation for us to enjoy – beauty from one end of creation to the other. All existed in God’s mind for eternity. He spoke and it came into being.
What a God! There are no words we can use to understand such a God.
MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS.
CAN YOU FATHOM THE MYSTERIES OF GOD? CAN YOU PROBE THE LIMITS OF THE ALMIGHTY?
SUCH KNOWLEDGE IS TOO WONDERFUL FOR ME, TOO LOFTY FOR ME TO ATTAIN.
Such a God is beyond our understanding – there is only one response, to worship Him. Worship is:
- To fear and tremble at His power.
- To hope that God is concerned about me.
- Humble submission – to listen and obey.
When we start with such a God as in Genesis 1:1, we can’t read the rest of the Bible and say “I know a better way”.
This God says that you need to be saved. No arguing, no excuse. There is a cost and a lot that can’t be understood, but God says you need to be saved.
Come to Him and submit to Him and He will save you.
