Genesis 1:1-23 (Please turn to page 1 of your pew bible)

I.   Overall Structure of Genesis 1:1-2:3 (prologue)

1. 1. “Prose-poem” with a highly stylized structure
      1. Structure in the use of days
      2. Repeating phrases (God saw that it was good)
   2. Not scientific organization but poetic structure
      1. However- the general order fits scientific theory in a way most other creation stories do not (light created first; humans created last)
      2. Main point: God did it beautifully and neatly

II.   Before: formless and void

1. 1. Original Hebrew: 2 words are not adjectives but nouns: could be translated “desert and a wasteland”
   2. Hendiasys- 2 words connected by a single concept (like nice and warm); Tohu Wabohu

III.   Spirit of God

1. 1. Ruah- means spirit or wind
   2. Is this an early preview of the Holy Spirit of the Trinity?
      1. Answer: possibly; but cannot be more than speculated
      2. It’s dangerous to superimpose our Christian understanding on the original meaning of the text; The New Testament does not directly state this is the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:2
   3. Earliest Israelites would have likely understand this phrase representing an extension of God’s power—like his hand or breath; therefore the mention of the spirit of God is recognition of God’s sovereignty over his creation

IV.   Created

1. 1. Emphasis is not so much on creating matter out of nothing (ex nihilo) but rather giving form and purpose- God gave roles and functions to creation
   2. This goes into how the 6 days of creation is presented—there is order
      1. Day 1 to Day 4; Day 2 to Day 5; Day 3 to Day 6
         1. Day 1—focus on God creating time
         2. Day 2—focus on God creating space
         3. Day 3—2 works: creation of dry land and ornamentation of the land with vegetation; God creates vegetation to be self producing
         4. Day 4—specifies lights from day 1; text does not use terms for sun and moon because these were terms of deities in ancient world; emphasis there is only one God
         5. Day 5— note common pattern of God’s work: he blessed them, then gave them a command (vs. 22)
      2. Analogous to creating a work of art
      3. All creation was created with purpose

V.    And he saw that it was good

1. 1. This contrasts common ancient view that the material world was evil
   2. We are not to worship nature; but we should have a real reverence for it
   3. Take time to be in awe of God’s creation