Village Christian Fellowship

"Let Scripture interpret Scripture.  Let the Bible be the first to offer comment on the Bible."

Thus the First Week never passes out of sight in the rear-view mirror of biblical history. To discover how this happens requires no strange and secret numeric code. (Forget the History Channel.) Simply examine the obvious language of Genesis One and then take the time to identify those same or similar phrases/words/allusions recorded throughout the rest of the Word. Genesis One is meant to be read then with the rest of the Bible. Succinctly stated, “Let Scripture interpret Scripture.” Let the Bible be the first to offer comment on the Bible.

This morning we’ll make reference to the Week of Weeks again. We certainly need to understand what Genesis One presents as factual concerning creation. We focused on that last week. This week we’ll view three occasions when the original and natural creation served as a picture, as a “flannel graph”, for God’s later spiritual designs in: (1) the Exodus Generation; (2) the coming of Jesus Christ and the Redemption of Christians; and (3) the creation of a New Heaven and New Earth. 

In applying to the present a small portion of this chapter, Genesis 1:2, “without form and empty,” we’ll conclude by discussing how we all experience our own version of emptiness. The good news is that the Holy Spirit of God still hovers over us to banish the darkness and fill our empty lives with more of Christ Himself.

The First Week foreshadows God’s work in the Exodus Generation.

It is to this generation that the Scriptures were first given! Note that all the people of Israel were held captive in the spiritually darkened land of Egypt. They were, we could easily say, “without form” as well. It was clearly God’s plan to give the Israelites the Light of His Word – “Let my people go!” It was God’s purpose to form His covenant people into a true nation that could represent Him to the rest of the world:

·         in their possession of the truth (Lifeview)

·         in their standards of holiness (Lifestyle)

·         in their manner of worship

·         From whom eventually the True Representative (i.e., the Messiah) would come

It was also God’s plan to carry them through an empty wilderness to Canaan, the land of abundance that “flowed with milk and honey.” In the meantime He used their sojourn in the wilderness to demonstrate that He was their ultimate and as well as their day-to-day Provider. As Deuteronomy explained:  

But the LORD's portion is His people, Jacob His allotted heritage. He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; He encircled him, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. (32:9-10)

God took them from darkness and gave them Light. The Lord took them from formless disorganization to covenantal order. His purpose was to bring them from emptiness to fullness. Finally, their possession of Canaan was to become a place of true rest. 

The account of creation in Chapter One steeled them with faith in God for their own present need. It confirmed to them that the Lord, who created all and governed all things everywhere from the beginning, was certainly able to free them now, reform them and bring them forward to a new and better place.   

On the other hand, there is another and more dire use of the First Week. On occasions God explained that those who turned from Him and walked back toward their old ways would experience decline. If Israel rebelled they’d increasingly grow to resemble the very condition out of which God had brought them. Despite times of real progress and episodic triumph the nation eventually did go into captivity. Note how Jeremiah, the prophet, described their state at that sad point. Can you identify the uncanny resemblances to Genesis One?     

For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are 'wise'- in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.

I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.

I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger. 

For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back." (4:22-28)

Even at that the prophets always pointed to the reality of faith in a remnant that God had kept for Himself.

 The First Week also foreshadows God’s great work: (a) in sending Jesus Christ into the world and (b) afterward in accomplishing salvation in the New Covenant. 

We who have the whole Bible cannot take up Genesis One without seeing there, especially in the activities of the first day, a forecast of Christ’s coming. This leads us to an incredible thought. Even before sin had entered the equation God already had fashioned His work of creation to project our lost condition and His own redemptive action in Jesus.     

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [no v. 6-8]

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 9-14)

Stop and consider for a moment the condition of our soul B.C. and pre-salvation. Are there indicators in the Word that we were sitting in “darkness”? Were we “without form” in regards to conforming to His Lordship and commandments? Were we convinced that our own way was best? Were we “empty” as well? Did the Spirit of God “hover” above us and bring us to Christ to make us new creations? Those answers are obvious. Paul likens our becoming Christians as akin to that marvelous first day of creation:     

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

Next give some thought to the condition of our soul A.D. and after-salvation. After God spoke light into existence on the first day what’s the next thing that He did? The Lord divided the light from the darkness. And that’s exactly what Christ is about in our lives now – separating that which is His light in our life from that which remains of darkness.

John 8:12. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

Ephesians 5:8-11. for at one time you were darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Romans 13:12-14. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

God’s longsuffering, His incredibly magnanimous kindness to both the “just and the unjust,” His continuing purpose of grace and the keeping power of the Holy Spirit make this present era appear so much better than its spiritual condition would indicate or deserve. In God’s eyes, the darkness is marked -- the ungodly chaos is pronounced – the emptiness is apparent. The Lord knows what it would all be like should He remove those gracious breezes. 

Thus Christ is not satisfied nor will He become satisfied with the old creation. He came to replace it. We, the church, are merely the first installment in that process. His first coming inaugurated a mind-blowing new work that is not yet completed. But He’s described for our sake what will happen: 

Isaiah 65:17-19. For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.

We’re under a gracious obligation to live not for the old but for the new – to remain committed in heart and purity in respect to Christ. Would the originally ordered creation deign to return to its former condition of chaos, darkness and emptiness? Would newly freed Israel want to remain focused and attached to Egypt? (Actually, some of the carnal members did!) So the question becomes, why would Christians purpose to return to their former habits or even settle for life in this world? The best is yet to be.

God assigns us to consider His future promised work as a fundamental part of our life of faith. The New Heaven and New Earth define our hope and expectation. This contemplation in the present regarding the certain future enables us to clarify what’s ultimately valuable and what’s not. You’ve heard the phrase, “He’s so heavenly minded that he’s no earthly good.” Though that might be the case for some, it’s much more typical that we’re so “this-world minded” that we succumb to what it values.       

A careful reading of the far distant past (Genesis One) should motivate us to consider the far reaching future (try Revelation 22). Then in light of Christ’s yet-to-be actions, we’re to return to our moment in time with godly concerns filling our heart. The grand plan is detailed for us by Peter (2 Peter 3:10-14): 

Recall, God started the creation with a condition described in part as empty. The Lord certainly knows our own experiences with the many forms of human emptiness. Everyone encounters something along this line.  Emptiness can be defined in dozens of ways, some of which include: simple loneliness that accentuates our lack. We may have expectations that don’t get met. We may be let down through a set of circumstances, by self or by others. 

Perhaps the emptiness is more than a passing circumstance or emotion. We may be left with the absence of a parent through divorce, sickness, neglect or even death. Someone may lack a spouse because they’ve been divorced or widowed. Or perhaps they want to be married but it’s just never happened.

Maybe we’ve become much more aware of our deficiencies – for example, the lack of personal discipline or self-denial. We may see ourselves as empty of drive and motivation or of a real directing purpose in life. Some are empty of patience for people and circumstances. Others are empty of joy, faith, good judgment, holiness or some other godly quality.

We may experience a financial need and have an essentially empty bank account. Others have a home that is sorely lacking in peace. Some have a job atmosphere that’s quite empty of rest through constant controversy or contention. 

The truth is that as long as these pages in the Bible are filled with words, then your life and my life can be full through the Holy Spirit -- filled with holiness – filled with faith – filled with joy – filled with hope – filled with character – filled with direction – filled with companionship – filled with good fruits and good initiatives.

In stark contrast, for those to whom the pages of Scripture are empty of meaning, their lives will remain empty. All they live for will turn out to be empty as well.

In all these and in countless other cases, it’s important that emptiness NOT become a permanent and defining fixture. And the good news is that God has done something significant about all of this in Christ – promising life and life more abundant. The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not lack . . . We’re blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . . And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.