Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The word “beginning” is first seen in the very first verse of the Bible and is most familiar to everyone. How it is used elsewhere in the Scriptures may not be so familiar. The Hebrew word translated “beginning” is bereshith. It is translated “beginning,” 16 times; “firstfruits,” 12 times; “first,” 9 times; “chief,” 8 times; “chiefest,” once; “first part,” once; “first time,” once; and “principle thing,” once. Of the 50 times bereshith is found in the Scriptures it is only translated “beginning” 16 times, which is less than a third of its usage. How it is used in the Scriptures determines the best translation.
The word “beginning” in Genesis 1:1 is usually understood as the beginning of the world or the beginning of time. It cannot mean the beginning of the eternal world of God because God’s world has no beginning or end. Some think of eternity as time without end; time just goes on and on without ever ending. That is an incorrect concept. There is no time in eternity. You might say that eternity is the absence of time, though that does not describe it completely. God is eternity and eternity is God; that is, eternity is found in Him.
Since Genesis 1:1 says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, you might say that God created the heavens and the earth in the realm of time. That is true but it only speaks of the natural heavens and earth. He also creates heavens and earth in the realm of eternity, and that creation takes place in the Beginning. You may have noticed that I spelled “Beginning” with a capital “B”. Now let me give you a verse of Scripture to show why. This portion of Scripture is taken from the letter to the Laodiceans in the book of Revelation. These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. Revelation 3:14. This is obviously not speaking of the natural heavens and earth, yet it is one that is created. Also, we know that the Amen, the faithful and true Witness is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is the Beginning of an eternal creation of God, and that creation is the spiritual creation of the many-membered Christ; He is the “Beginning” of it, the “Firstfruits” of it, the “first” of it, the “chief” of it, and the “Principle thing” of it.
There is a creation of God in the natural realm and there is a creation of God in the spirit realm. There is a church in the natural realm and there is a Church in the spirit realm, which is eternal. The Church of the spirit realm is the many-membered Christ, which is a creation of God and Jesus Christ is the Beginning of it. This shall be written for the generation to come; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. Psalm 102:18. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10.
We will begin a daily Bible study on Sunday starting with Genesis. Please join us each day.
Copyright © 2006 by Henry DuBose