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Bereishit : In the Beginning God

Bereishit : In the Beginning God

Last updated on: August 23, 2023 at 11:11 am by Martin Thomas Johnson

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Bereishit : In the Beginning God 2023-08-23T11:11:21-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Again, this week has been inundated with another natural tragedy and Americans have to pick up the pieces and start a new life. This time historic floods have destroyed Southern California.

California Floods

Image by Pixaby

The spiritual analogy is clear; before the new can come, the old must pass away. We see it time and again in nature.

Seasons of the year
Childbirth
Mother nature

With each passing year, science and nature further verify creationism. The original scientific belief was mankind evolved from previous living organisms, thus humans aren’t really new; they are a continuation of older life.

However, the biblical view is in the beginning, God created everything just by speaking it into existence. Often science is presented as logical and faith as illogical. Either way, neither was around in the beginning.

In the Beginning

Christianity has always taken the view of creationism, because, God spoke everything into creation. God was the only being around in the beginning of time. God is the source of all life.

Evolution

Image by Pixaby

I can still remember learning about evolution in school and being confused. Why do we still have monkeys and why hasn’t mankind evolved into the next organism?

Evolution should still be continuing today, if it was that way in the beginning—unless, there really wasn’t anything around in the beginning other than God.

Bereishit

The Torah calls the beginning of everything Bereishit. John the Apostle begins his letter to the church with the Jewish phrase, “In the beginning,” and then he continues to quote the Jewish prophet Moses about creation. John knew the Jewish teachings about how God spoke everything into existence.

Judaism actually goes a little deeper in the creation account; each day of the week had a specific name for what God was doing in the beginning.

Sunday: Rishon (first)
Monday: Sheni (second)
Tuesday: Shlishi (third)
Wednesday: Revi’I (fourth)
Thursday: Chamishi (fifth)
Friday: Shishi (sixth)
Saturday: Shabbat (seventh)

On the seventh day, nothing new is done because that is when God rested from His creation. Like Christianity, Judaism teaches that one day to God is 1000 years to man (Psalm 90:1-6).

We often forget that God works on His timetable, not ours. Jesus warned His followers to be ready for His return because no one knows the time He will come and usher in a new life in His kingdom (though 12:45-46).

Universe

Image by Pixaby

We cannot make the mistake of not being prepared. And we cannot cling to the old if we are expecting the new. God doesn’t need our help in saving the planet Earth, because make no mistake; He is doing something new just like He promised our Jewish stepfathers (Isaiah 43:19).

Mistakes

Everything that happens in this life is part of God’s divine plan, He is the Creator of the universe and He knows how it will end. Even our mistakes work together for God’s purposes (Romans 8:28).

Potter

Image by Pixaby

God calls us His masterpieces because we are made “new” through Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). God doesn’t make mistakes in His creation, His creation does! In the beginning, creation rebelled against God.

Satan fell
Adam and Eve sinned
Israel rebelled

The creation turned on its Maker and God has been slow to anger and merciful (Exodus 34:6, Psalm 86:15). God loves the world and wants none of His creation to perish (2 Peter 3:19). However, God does hate evil and one day God will destroy it for good.

Then He will start a new and the old shall pass away (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:22-24, 2 Peter 3:1-18) to make room for the new, just like in the beginning!

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