January 15 – Genesis 1:1-2
Main focus: Our most fundamental way of relating to the Triune God is as creatures with our Creator.
This week we continue our study of the Trinity, focusing on the Triune God as Creator. Opening our Bibles to the first page, in Genesis 1:1-2, we see the prominent words “in the beginning…” Now, it’s worth pointing out that Genesis 1-2 are often forced into the mold of being a scientific explanation for the origins of our reality and this world. But this was not the intention of the book of Genesis or the creation story. First and foremost, Genesis 1 is about God’s work in creation, and he tells the story that fits his priorities, not our own. Now it’s not exactly methodical or complete on its own, but even in the first two verses, we can see the start of a theology of how God appears in more than one person. More specifically, we see God as a creative being, bringing order out of chaos and fabricating a new reality and world from nothing.
When reading this passage, we often see it as a precursor for the rest of the creation story, but a concentrated look at Genesis 1:1-2 tells us several things about God. He precedes time, is creative, and is one God in multiple persons. In Genesis 1, we also see glimpses of God the Father and God the Spirit. What we want to focus on is God as a creative being. We see through Scripture that God is innovative and imaginative, from fabricating the heavens and the earth to orchestrating a story of redemption for all humanity.
These truths taught in the opening verses of Genesis are the framework with which we learn about and relate to God. He is our Creator, and this is our most basic and beautiful way of relating to him. David writes of this over and over in the Psalms. Turning quickly to Psalm 139:13-14, we see a message of worship to God. “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” As we see in David’s writing, the natural response of a person made by God is to praise him.
The theologian A.W. Tozer beautifully expands on this, saying,
“Everything in God’s creation has its purpose. God created the silkworm to make silk; the bird was created to sing; the sheep for their wool. Throughout the Bible, the prophets and apostles all testify that God made us for a purpose and that purpose is to sing His praises before the hushed audience of all creation.”
Everything in creation was made with a purpose and that is to worship the Creator. In discussion we’ll turn to Colossians to be sure we capture the full role of creation belonging not merely to God the Father but to the Son and Spirit as well. “All things were created through [Jesus] and for him” (Col. 1:16b). By the Father we have our existence through the Son by the Spirit, all in whom we have our being and purpose. Humankind’s greatest function and highest calling is to worship this Triune God, with whom our primary and most primal way of functioning in relationship is as creation with Creator.
In discussion, we’ll talk about what it means to be intentionally created. He knew us before our days began and loves us dearly. If you briefly turn back to Psalm 139, you’ll see in verse 16 David writing that God saw him and all his days were written and planned before he was even formed. How glorious is it that we worship a God who formed us cell by cell and atom by atom? The Creator sees us for all that we are because he made us all that we are. How can we not turn to worship him for his magnificence?
• Could someone read Genesis 1:1-2 for us?
• Why do you think God begins the Bible with creation?
• What do you think are some of the implications of God being uncreated?
• Could someone read Colossians 1:15-17?
• How does this passage plus Genesis 1 help us see the work of the Trinity in creation? (see also John 1:3, Heb 1:2, and Job 33:4)
• How does it make you feel to consider that you are a part of God’s creation?
• How can knowing God as Creator help you obey and worship him?
• Finish your time by reading Psalm 8.