Creation: From Nothing to Something

Genesis 1:1-5 tells us about the very beginning of the beginning:

1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.  (Genesis 1:1-5)

Like I wrote about last month, my oldest daughter often asked me very deep questions about the creation of the world when she was very little. When she asked me what was in the beginning before God created the world, I answered, “Nothing was made before it was made.” But honestly, that concept is very difficult to imagine.

Our world is full of “something-ness” so it is impossibly difficult to wrap our minds around “nothingness.”

But that’s how it was in the beginning. There was nothing. Then there was something.

I think that simple (yet mind boggling) concept tells us much about God’s character. He is the Creator that needs no materials to start His design with. He is the Builder that crafts His projects from nothingness.

The First Day

It’s God’s business to go about creating something from nothing, isn’t it? And I love the fact that the initial few verses of Genesis explain that He first created the heavens and the earth, and then light. It was only when He pulled the good light away from the darkness that the dawning of a new day could begin.

The whole concept of creation is a little like what happens inside of us when we become believers in Jesus, isn’t it?

Prior to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, we are a bit like a dark, formless world. Without the Son (the Light of the World, see John 1:5-13), there can be no life or growth. So, we exist in a state of spiritual darkness— spiritual nothingness. (See 1 Peter 2:9, John 8:12)

But when the Light dawns in our hearts, something happens. A new day comes and a new creation is born. (2 Cor 5:17) The light is separated from the darkness. And our creator God molds us into the image of His son and we learn to walk in the eternal light of His glorious being. (1 John 2:6)

We pass from nothing to something… from death into life.

He created the world to show His glory. And He offers us the free gift of spiritual birth to glorify His son, Jesus.

Oh, thank you, Father Creator-God, for crafting this beautiful world around me, and thank you for creating newness in my heart through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son, Jesus!

How do you see God’s character revealed in creating something from nothing? Tell us in the comments or on our Facebook page!

Ali

Additional Study Steps:

1. Read Genesis 1:1-5. Note every action God did and every word He spoke.
2. Copy Genesis 1:4. Journal through your thoughts on this verse and how it relates to spiritual birth.
3. Read John 1:5-13 and John 8:12. Think about the sun. As light, how does Jesus give life and growth, similar to how the sun gives life and growth to the world?
4. Who do you know that needs to know the Creator God? Pray that they would receive Jesus as their light and salvation. Pray about how you could witness to this person.