OUR CREATOR GOD
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1 NKJV).
The simple statement that God created the heavens and the earth is one of the most challenging concepts confronting the modern mind. The vast galaxy we live in is spinning at the incredible speed of 490,000 miles an hour. But even at this breakneck speed, our galaxy still needs 200 million years to make one rotation. And there are over one billion other galaxies just like ours in the universe.
God has created an incredible universe. Some scientists say that the number of stars in creation is equal to all the grains of all the sands on all the beaches of the world. Yet this complex sea of spinning stars functions with remarkable order and efficiency. To say that the universe ‘just happened’ or ‘evolved’ requires more faith than to believe that God is behind these amazing statistics. God truly did create a wonderful universe.
God created the universe out of love. Almost every ancient religion has its own story to explain how the earth came to be. And almost every scientist has an opinion on the origin of the universe. But only the Bible shows one supreme God creating the earth out of His great love and giving all people a special place in it. We will never know all the answers to how God created the earth, but the Bible tells us that God did create it. That fact alone gives worth and dignity to all people.
Therefore, creation teaches us that God is Supreme. He is the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, Builder of everything, the King of heaven, God of all mankind, and the Eternal King. He is the only God, the Eternal God, the Everlasting God, and Maker of all things. He is able to do more things than we can ask or even imagine. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed and miracles that cannot be counted. God’s power is unlimited. He can do anything He wants, whenever He wants. Furthermore, He answers to no one as to His plans and purposes.
Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)
Quotation of the Week
“Nature is but a name for an effect whose cause is God!”
Anonymous
Word Study
God
In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth!” (NKJV)
God is the Hebrew word Elohim (אֱלֹהִים = el-o-heem). This is the generic Hebrew word for God, occurring over 2500 times. Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures the two main names used for the one true divine Being are Elohim, commonly translated God and Jehovah, translated Lord. Elohim is used as a personal name for God or when referring to God as the true God in order to make a distinction from false gods. The etymology (origin) of Elohim is uncertain, but scholars generally agreed that the primary idea is that of strength, power of effect. The word properly describes God as the Creator, Sustainer and Supreme Governor of the world.
The plural form of Elohim has given rise to much discussion. There is no clear explanation why the plural form is used for the One True God (as it is in Gen. 1:1). However, scholars from the times of the Church Fathers have suggested that the plural form suggests the mystery of the Trinity which was hidden in the Old Testament to be revealed in the New. Other scholars have suggested that that it refers to a plural of majesty, or it denotes the fullness of divine strength, the sum of the powers displayed by God.
Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus
Old Testament Prophecy – That He would be from the house of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13)
New Testament Fulfillment – Luke 1:31-33; Rom. 1:3
Bible Facts
Creation is made of particles, indiscernible to our eyes – “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Heb. 11:3). It was not until the 19th Century that it was discovered that all visible matter consists of invisible elements.
Bible Quiz
According to Genesis 1, what was the purpose of the heavenly bodies (lights in the firmament)?
**Answer to last week’s trivia: According to Genesis 1, what comprises a “day?” “The evening and the morning” (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 NKJV).
That’s in the Bible
“Thorn in my side”
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure!” (Ecc. 3:1 NKJV).
The commonly spoken phrase ‘thorn in my side’ refers to a constant irritant that could be mental, emotional, or physical. Each of us usually has something that we can point to as a ‘thorn in our side.’ The apostle Paul mentioned that God gave him a “thorn” in order for him not to be “exalted above measure,” in other words, to humble him. Paul’s thorn was a big one – “a messenger of Satan” to “buffet” him. Who this “messenger of Satan” was the Scriptures do not say. Most of us should be thankful that our thorns aren’t as sharp as Paul’s ‘thorn in the side.’
Did You Know – Christian History
William Alfred Passavant was born October 9, 1821 in Zelienople, PA. He was a Lutheran minister noted for bringing the Lutheran Deaconess movement to the United States. William Passavant studied at Jefferson College before training for the ministry at Gettysburg Seminary.
William was a man who took to heart Christ’s teachings and commands. Even with no money, he still cared many sick people. Whenever he saw a desperate need, he tried to meet it. Eventually, with no money, William opened Sunday schools, hospitals, orphanages, immigrant stations, libraries and colleges. He did so without fund-raising appeals or financial gimmicks. He believed that all such methods dishonored God. He would labor all day and late into the night. Then, while others slept, he knelt praying. To William, “the church is not merely a sheepfold, but a workshop.”
In spite of all he had done, William was harassed and resented, even by people who called themselves Christians; nevertheless he persevered. God rewarded his bold and loving faith with success time after time. After his death on January 3, 1894, people looked back with amazement at all that he had accomplished. The many institutions that he opened became foundational to the Lutheran Services Organization, the largest church social program in the nation. He also helped found the Pittsburgh Synod. But in spite of all his work, William is almost unknown in the nation to which he contributed so much. He is commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on November 24 with Justus Falckner and Jehu Jones. He is also honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America on January 3.
A Little Humor
As the storm raged, the captain realized his ship was sinking fast. He called out, “Anyone here know how to pray?” One man stepped forward. “Aye, Captain, I know how to pray.” “Good,” said the captain, “you pray while the rest of us put on our life jackets – we’re one short.”
Thought Provoking Church Sign
“Many who are well prepared for a rainy day are not prepared for eternity!”
