Page 20 - Advanced Genesis - Creationism - Student Textbook

than man could. However, the work of creation is uniquely a work of God. The work of making and
forming consists of organizing already existing material into a more complex system whereas the act of
creation is that of speaking into existence something whose materials had no previous existence, except
in the mind and power of God.

The use of the word bara (created) in Genesis 1:1 lets us know that the physical universe was spoken
into existence by God. It had no prior existence to this creative act of God. Although it is impossible to
fully understand an eternal transcended God, the only alternative is an eternal self-existing universe.
This is equally incomprehensible. These are our only choices – Eternal God or eternal matter – that’s it.

However, the second choice cannot exist within the constraints of the present scientific law of cause and
effect, since random particles of matter could not, by themselves, generate a complex, orderly,
intelligible universe, not to mention living persons capable of applying intelligence to the understanding
of the complex order of the universe. A personal God is the only adequate Cause to produce such
effects.

3. Heaven – This word in Hebrew is shamayim, which is also a plural noun. It can be translated,
“heaven” or “heavens”, depending on the context and whether it is used with a singular or plural verb.
It does not mean stars of heaven which were created on day 4. The word could be a derivative of the
words sham (there) and mayim (waters) referring to waters interacting with the upper reaches of the
atmosphere.

However the essential translation corresponds to our word space, such as when we speak of our
universe of space and time. There is apparently no other Hebrew word used in this sense in the Bible,
whereas the use of “heaven” is everywhere consistent with this concept. When we understand it this
way, it can refer to space in general or particular such as outer space, inner space, atmospheric space,
etc. In Genesis 1:1 the term refers to the components of space in the basic space-mass-time universe.

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4. Earth – This word in Hebrew is erets and is often translated ground or land. In the context of Genesis
1:1 it will refer to all the components of matter in the universe since there was no other existence in
creation except for the matter that constituted the earth we have today. There were no stars, planets,
etc. The word erets can mean a particular portion of ground (such as “the land of Canaan” – Genesis
12:5) or the earth material in general (“Let the earth bring forth grass” Genesis 1:11).

5. In the beginning – Not only does Genesis 1:1 speak of the creation of space and matter but it also
notes the beginning of time. The Hebrew word here is bereshith, which can accurately be translated –
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the beginning of all things. In the Greek Septuagint it is translated in the Greek to en arche which is the
same word we find in John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word.” Although the universe had a
beginning, the Word (Jesus Christ) was already there and thus transcends the universe. Some scholars
try to ascribe a lighter meaning to the word by saying that it means, “when God began creating” or “In
the beginning of God’s creating”. While both of these are grammatically correct the most accurate
interpretation from the context seems to be not when God was beginning to create things, but rather,
the beginning of all things.

Liberal scholars often try to use the softer translation to promote and evolutionary gap between verses
1 and 2 because this liberal interpretation they say allows for the creative process to take time.

8 https://biblehub.com/hebrew/776.htm
9 https://patternsofcreation.com/2012/11/bereshith/
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