IN THE BEGINNING - GOD

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1 NKJV).

What a superb and splendid introduction to the inspired Scriptures! We do know not when this universe came into existence. Scientists differ by millions, and even billions, of years when they attempt to fix the age of the world. Yet, if we go back as far as the human mind can think, we come right up against God.

The universe is not the result of blind chance or of certain unexplained laws of nature. It is the product of a Master mind. A personal God brought it into existence. In Psalm 33:9 we read “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” And this God has been revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. His power is unlimited, His wisdom is infinite, and all His resources are at the disposal of His saints as they cry to Him in faith.

So…

In the beginning of the world’s history - God. In the beginning of all true science - God.

In the beginning of all right philosophy - God. In the beginning of all right thinking - God. In the beginning of all right living - God. In the beginning of every day - God.

In the beginning of every night - God.

To put God first is to have our priorities right. It is God’s rightful place, therefore we do right to place Him first. To put God second is rebellion, a challenge to His Sovereignty and Scepter. He is first, therefore He will be first, He shall be first. He must be first in my life. “In the beginning God.” As we begin the New Year let’s remember to begin with God. It was Ian Paisley who said, “There can be no true beginning but by the Unbeginning Beginning.”

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Instead of making a New Year’s resolution, consider committing to a Biblical solution!”

Mary Fairchild

Word Study

Created

In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth!” (NKJV)

Created is the Hebrew word bara (‏בָּרָא‎ = baw-raw). The word means to create, to fatten oneself, to cut down. In the Biblical Hebrew text, the majority of the occurrences of bara are not in Genesis, as one might first guess, but in Isaiah, who often makes reference to God as “Creator” or “the one who created earth” (cf. Isa. 42:5; 43:15). God is the only subject of this verb which has the connotation of creating out of nothing. God created heaven and earth (Gen 1:1); humankind (1:27); Israel as a nation (Isa. 43:15) and the wind (Amos 4:13). Bara can also refer to such things as salvation and righteousness (Isa. 45:8) or of transformations such as a new heart (Ps. 51:10).

Theologically, bara is a very significant word. The action involved with the word is the first activity of Biblical history. Bara is used exclusively to refer to God’s creative work; it refers to creating things ex nihilo, i.e. out of nothing. As a special theological term, bara is used to express the incomparability of the creative work of God in contrast to all secondary products and likenesses make from already existing material by man. It has been said that God’s creative work is so profound that even this special word bara cannot totally express the true significance of it.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – That He would be from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10)

New Testament Fulfillment – Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5

Bible Facts

The earth free floats in space, affected only by gravity. While other sources declared

the earth sat on the back of an elephant or turtle, or was held up by Atlas, the Bible alone states what we now know to be true – “He hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7).

Bible Quiz

According to Genesis 1, what comprises a “day?”

**Answer to last week’s trivia: The Lord Jesus was named by God Himself. When did the naming take place? “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21 NKJV).

That’s in the Bible

“There’s a time for everything”

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven!” (Ecc. 3:1 NKJV).

We hear people say, ‘There’s a time for everything,’ yet they don’t realize where this statement originates. King Solomon penned these words in Ecclesiastes long before anyone started singing them. Solomon says there are appropriate times for many things: a “time to love, and a time to hate;” a “time to kill, and a time to heal.” However, hating and killing will not be well received with the ‘I don’t hate anyone or kill anything’ crowd. Logically thinking, it is impossible to love everybody and everything. True love hates evil; it hates everything that destroys true love. It is impossible to love the truth and love a lie at the same time.

Did You Know – Christian History

Johann Arndt was born December 27, 1555 in Edderitz near Ballenstedt, Germany. He was a German Lutheran theologian who wrote several influential books of devotional Christianity. Because his parents were dissatisfied with the church school, they taught him themselves, especially emphasizing the life of Christ in the believer.

While in school, Johann became quite sick. His physicians gave him no hope for recovery. At this point he vowed that if God would heal him, he’d devote his life to the Lord’s service. He recovered and kept his word. After completing his education, Johann accepted a couple of pastorates. He was however concerned that theologians were teaching Christians to put too much emphasis on the legal achievement of Christ on the cross while neglecting the necessary heart change which alone could make a true Christian. Consequently, he encouraged his contemporaries to worship from the heart. They must have a “practical Christianity.” There must be an inward emotional component to true Christianity. Although he preached much about sin so as to awaken men to their need for a savior, Johann was also a dedicated pastor, resolving enmities, visiting the sick, and doing good wherever he could.

Because of this emphasis, Johann is sometimes considered the first of the Pietists. His big book of meditations and prayers, Sechs Böcher vom Wahren Christentum, (Four Books Concerning True Christianity) was widely read. Among the Mennonites, Johann’s writing was a frequently used devotional book for two centuries or more. His writings also influenced John Wesley.

A Little Humor

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him. The scientist walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost.” God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, “Very well, how about this? Let’s say we have a man-making contest.” To which the scientist replied, “Okay, great!” But God added, “Now, we’re going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam.” The scientist said, “Sure, no problem” and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt. God looked at him and said, “No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“There is a time to be born and a time to die. Where we spend eternity depends on the interval between these times!”