by Samuel A. Matthews

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 KJV).

Loved ones, the first verse in the Bible accounts for the existence of the created universe in a way with which no alternative, God-hating, human evolution theory, denominational, or world religion can begin to compare.

Time, force, energy, space, and matter are the foundational categories used to describe and measure the physical universe. Together, they define how the cosmos is structured, how objects behave, and how events unfold across history.

Notice Genesis 1:1:

• In the beginning – Time;
• God – Force;
• created – Energy;
• the heavens – Space;
• and the earth – Matter.

Genesis 1:1 conveys several key aspects of God’s creative work:

Absolute Beginning of Time and the Universe

The phrase “in the beginning” marks the start of time and the cosmos as we know it. It signifies that creation is not eternal in the sense of existing before time, but was initiated by God’s sovereign will at a specific point.

God as the Sole Creator

The Hebrew word Elohim (plural form used as singular) emphasizes God’s fullness, majesty, and sovereignty. It underscores that one God created all things, and that nothing else is the source of creation.

Creation

The verb bara (“created”) is used exclusively for God’s activity and means “to bring into existence from nothing.” This affirms that God is the source of all that exists, and nothing in creation is independent of Him for its origin.

Totality of Creation

The phrase “the heavens and the earth” encompasses both the physical and spiritual realms — the sky, celestial bodies, and the land. It indicates that God’s creative act includes the entire universe, setting the stage for the detailed account in Genesis 1–2.

Theological and Cosmic Significance

Genesis 1:1 establishes God’s authority over all creation, foreshadows the Trinity (through the plural form Elohim), and frames the rest of Scripture as part of God’s redemptive plan. It also serves as a prologue to history, inaugurating the biblical narrative of God’s purpose for humanity and the world.

In summary, Genesis 1:1 presents creation as a unique, sovereign, and total act of God — the starting point of time, the foundation of all existence, and the basis for God’s ongoing relationship with His creation.

Other Passages

The Genesis 1:1 explanation for the existence of all that is, consistently populates the Bible throughout:

“And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein…” (Revelation 10:6).

“Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee” (Nehemiah 9:6).

“By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the deeps in store-houses. Let all the earth fear Jehovah: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:6-9).

“And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands” (Hebrews 1:10).

“By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear” (Hebrews 11:3).

“…In six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested…” (Exodus 20:11; 31:17; cf. Psalms 115:15).

“The heavens are the works of God’s hands” (Psalms 8:3; 102:25; cf. Jeremiah 51:15).

“Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created” (Revelation 4:11)

Hebrews 3:4 reads, “For every house is builded by someone; but he that built all things is God.” It is logical or reasonable to conclude that this earth and the universe were created by someone superior to the inhabitants of this planet. It is illogical, unreasonable, and unscientific to conclude that life sprang from lifeless matter and that the intricate design evident in all of creation haplessly occurred without a Master Designer.

The divinely inspired Apostle Paul affirmed in his Letter to the Roman Christians that mankind cannot excuse itself from acknowledging the existence of God because the evidence of God is everywhere.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves” (Romans 1:18-24).

Notice that God refers to His creation of the universe as well as the creation of mankind as the basis of the authority by which He gives humans divine instruction (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Acts 4:24; 14:15, 17), and the authority by which He will punish disobedience.

There is one God, but three persons who share the attribute of being God, designated in Scripture as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Just as there are five fingers or digits on one hand, and it is still one hand, there are three persons that possess the quality of being God (divine), but there is still only one God or Godhead (Acts 17:29). All three of these divine persons participated in creation (Genesis 1:26), but creation is especially attributed to the Son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9-10; Hebrews 1:2-3).

The same power that created the universe is the same power that sustains it (Nehemiah 9:6; Hebrews 1:2-3; II Peter 3:7; Revelation 4:11). “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).

God is the first cause by which the entire universe with its intricate design came into being. He is eternal, meaning He had no beginning. God is not subject to the laws of nature or science, but He is responsible for the existence of what mankind calls the laws of nature, and He makes true scientific rules possible, by which the universe works in harmony with itself. God is to be awed, heeded, worshipped, and served.

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24).

A Book of Divine Instructions

The great Creator-God did not leave mankind without guidance for properly interacting with each other and properly interacting with Him. By dictating His will to about 40 humans over approximately 1,600 years (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21), God gave mankind an instruction manual: the Bible. It contains 66 books, divided into two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

About 2,500 years after creation, God inspired Moses to write the first five books of the Bible, and in Genesis, the first of those books, God gave details about the creation of everything, including mankind (Genesis 1-3). The first man was named Adam, and the first woman was named Eve; all humanity descended from this first couple.

The Old Testament contains 39 books and covers two related but distinctly different and successive systems of God-given religion: Patriarchy and Judaism. The New Testament contains 27 books and covers the transition from Judaism to the Christian faith, this latter God-given religion to which every person living today is obligated to obey. Not only that, but every spiritual blessing for this life and eternally that are available to people living today can be found in the New Testament portion of the Bible (John 10:10; Ephesians 1:3).

Every religion practiced today besides Patriarchy, Judaism, and the Christian faith is younger than these God-given religions, and only the Christian faith remains as a valid, God-given religion today. Everything else is either a hollow, manmade religion (Matthew 15:9) or a form of something once implemented by God but is no longer authorized by Him (Romans 7:1-7; II Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:14-16; Colossian 2:14; Hebrews 8:6-13; 10:9). The one true, biblical Christian faith (Ephesians 4:5; Romans 10:17) is the only valid religion today, but not everything that represents itself to be the Christian faith abides by the divine instruction in the New Testament; there are many counterfeits (Matthew 15:13).

Patriarchy

The word "Patriarchy" means father rule and represents well the system of religion that God initially gave to humanity. God spoke to certain fathers of families, who were expected to convey God's instructions to their families and the families of others. Some of the prominent fathers to whom God imparted divine instruction were Adam, Noah, and Abraham. This was a family-type of religion, and it continued for about 2,500 years before God gave another, successive religion to one family and its descendants.

Part of the patriarchal religion involved sacrificing animals in worship of God. God Himself sacrificed the first animals to make clothes for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). The first pair were created naked (Genesis 2:25); just as babies are born naked, and as babies are innocent and unaware in many respects, Adam and Eve were created innocent and unaware of the full consequences of disobeying God. However, when our first parents ate fruit from a tree that they were forbidden to eat (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:3), they disobeyed God, or sinned (I John 3:4). In addition to being guilty of sin, by which they displeased God, Adam and Eve became aware that they were naked.

Afterward, throughout the time of Patriarchy, mankind worshipped God, including through animal sacrifices. The animal sacrifices were unable to compensate for the sin that occurred (Hebrews 10:4) and stood between mankind and God (Isaiah 59:1-2), but the animal sacrifices prepared the thinking of mankind (Galatians 3:23-4:5; Hebrews 10:1-4) for the perfect sacrifice (Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:26; 10:11-12) that could remove the barrier of sin between mankind and God (I John 3:5).

Judaism

About 3,500 years ago, God chose a man named Moses, a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (also called Israel), and Levi to inaugurate the next God-given religion, Judaism. Jacob's family grew into a nation. Judaism was instituted at Mt. Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula at the head of the Red Sea (just west of Egypt and east of the Arabian Peninsula). Whereas Patriarchy was a family-type religion, Judaism was a national-type religion for what became known as the Israelites.

Judaism also included animal sacrifices in its worship, which could not remove the barrier of sin between mankind and God, but did prepare the mind of mankind for the perfect sacrifice that would come later (Hebrews 9:22-24). This God-given religion continued for about 1,500 years before God inaugurated the third and final God-given religion, the Christian faith. Divine instruction for Patriarchy and Judaism, along with historical information from those periods, make up the 39 books of the Old Testament.

The Christian Faith

Through the God-given Christian faith, God provided for the true removal of the barrier of sin between mankind and Himself through a perfect sacrifice. The second person of the Godhead, whom we know as Jesus Christ, or the Son, was born of a virgin about 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, five miles south of Jerusalem (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-26). He who participated in creation took on the fleshly form of the creation, man (John 1:14; I Timothy 3:16). The first four books of the New Testament are a biography of Jesus during His earthly life and ministry.

At the conclusion of three years of ministry, Jesus permitted Himself to be taken by wicked Jewish rulers who persuaded the Roman authorities to crucify our Lord on a cross. Thus, Jesus Christ became the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) for the removal of sins, which all the sacrifices of animals under the Patriarchy and Judaism could not accomplish (Hebrews 10:1-4). Rather than remain in the grave, Jesus Christ rose from the grave after three days (I Corinthians 15:1-4). After encouraging His apostles and disciples for 40 days (Acts 1:3), Jesus Christ ascended into the sky and back to heaven, where God is (Luke 24:51).

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11).

Worship

For more than 2,000 years, the Christian faith has been and remains the only God-given religion authorized for mankind to practice. Animal sacrifices are no longer performed after the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ, has come. Each first day of the week, Christians worship God in His own appointed way as recorded in the books of the New Testament (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2). This worship involves five activities: singing worshipful songs (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), teaching or preaching the saving gospel of Christ (Acts 20:7; Romans 1:16), observing a memorial of the death of Jesus Christ in eating unleavened bread (symbolizing the body of Christ) and drinking grape juice (symbolizing the blood of Christ) (I Corinthians 11:23-29), prayer (I Corinthians 14:15) and a contribution of the increase of one's wealth (I Corinthians 16:1-2). These are performed in no particular order.

Salvation

The New Testament teaches salvation from past sins, with the promise of eternity in heaven for the faithful. One can only know what God expects of him or her and what God promises by reading or hearing God's Word read to him or her in the New Testament. Faith that Jesus is the Son of God develops from trusting the revealed, Word of God (Romans 10:17; John 8:24). Repentance is the realization that there is sin in our lives that separates us from fellowship with God and the determination to turn from committing sin to obeying God (Luke 13:3; Romans 6:17). Anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God ought to be willing to acknowledge that faith to Christian witnesses, as anciently the Ethiopian treasurer of Acts 8:37 did. Then, a person desiring to be saved from his or her sins must submit obediently to our Lord's command to be immersed in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12). Finally, after baptism, a Christian must try to live faithfully as long as he or she lives. However, when Christians sin, they can repent and pray, and their sins can be forgiven (Acts 8:22; I John 1:9).

Christian Living

The New Testament contains instructions on how Christians are supposed to conduct themselves as Christians in general, as parents (Ephesians 6:4), as children (Ephesians 6:1), and as citizens (Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:17), regardless of the nation in which they reside.

God has always designated differing roles for men and women in the family and in religion (I Timothy 2:8-15), and the same is true for the Christian faith. In addition, the New Testament calls upon Christians to be morally pure (Titus 2:12), honest (Romans 12:17; II Corinthians 8:21; I Peter 2:12), charitable, hard workers (Ephesians 4:28; Colossians 3:22-24), and obedient citizens. New Testament-guided Christian living makes Christians the best possible people on earth and prepares them for an eternity where God resides, in heaven.

Christian Service

Conscientious Christians happily serve a risen Savior, Jesus Christ. At the same time, we serve the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. The only way that a Christian can serve God acceptably is to serve God in the ways that He designates in the New Testament. Christian service includes practicing benevolence toward both Christians and non-Christians (II Corinthians 9:13; Galatians 6:10), as well as teaching or edifying both Christians and non-Christians (II Timothy 2:2; I Corinthians 14:12). However, the primary area of Christian service is to share the good news about the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16), which highlights the death of Jesus for our sins, and His burial, resurrection, and ascension of the Savior.

Only in compliance with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the inspired writers of the New Testament can anyone have confidence that his or her sins have been forgiven and that heaven with God forever awaits. A Christian's purpose in life, as under Patriarchy and Judaism, too, is to prepare to spend eternity with God in heaven (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; II Corinthians 5:10-11).

Christian Doctrine

In addition to instructions about Christian living and service, the New Testament contains Christian doctrine, or teaching, on a number of subjects. Complying with whatever God has caused to be penned in the New Testament amounts to obedience. Our lives on earth will not only be happier and more pleasant, but we prepare for Final Judgment and eternity with God by complying with Christian doctrine. It is written of Jesus, our example, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

Obedience is not the same as perfection, but when we do the best one possibly can do to obey God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as well as through divine grace (Ephesians 2:8) and mercy (Titus 3:5), God will make up what we lack in perfection so that we can enjoy the rewards and blessings that He has reserved for His children (John 14:1-3).

Proof

Two broad areas of proof support the existence of God and the Bible He has given us, by which we are to live, serve, worship, and prepare for eternity. First, the created universe around us, with its intricate design, testifies that a great Designer, God, is responsible for everything that exists. Second, the Bible itself provides sufficient internal evidence to verify the existence of God and His book.

The Bible is filled with ancient prophecies that were made hundreds of years before their fulfillment, all of which were fulfilled in every detail. These prophecies include references to the establishment of the spiritual kingdom, or the church, by the Son of God, our Savior (Isaiah 2:2-3; Daniel 2:31-45). Approximately 332 prophecies about Jesus Christ appear in the Bible, many of which were made 700 years before they were fulfilled (Isaiah 7:14). No merely mortal predictions so ancient and so many come true, and exactly true. This indicates that the Bible is divine in origin, given by God. Therefore, the very existence of the Bible verifies the existence of God who gave it.

Since God exists, and He has given us divine instructions through the Bible about salvation, Christian worship, Christian living, Christian service, and Christian doctrine, we are obligated to comply with all that God in the New Testament has instructed us to do. God has reserved wondrous blessings for those who become His children, including forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) and valid hope of an eternity in heaven with Him.

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14).

The God of Heaven and Earth is so good, and His love reaches all. We love you with the love of the Lord (John 13:34-35)