Scripture: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth. The 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.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God 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 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Moving Forward: To my faithful readers, thank you for encouraging me through our journey of the Promised Land:
- Its inauguration in Israel: Genesis through Joshua
- Its transformation in Christ: Matthew through Acts
- Its consummation in Christ: Revelation
The journey took two-plus years to complete. The early days covered highlights, skipping significant sections of Scripture. Later, I added a recap of the previous day’s reading and expanded to include historical and theological information. I also correct typos with feedback from two ministry partners who generously give of their time. Desiring to fill in the gaps in the biblical passages and expand all devotions to the present format, I have decided to lead us through the journey one more time. I trust that you, like me, will benefit from a revisit. So, let’s begin with a recap of the end of our God story and start anew.
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, Jesus informs John that he sent an angel to John to provide testimony to the churches and adds that he (Christ) is the prophetic root of Jesse (see Isaiah 11:10), David’s descendant (2 Samuel 7:12-13), and the bright morning star (confer 2 Peter 1:19 and Revelation 2:28). In response, John speaks in the Spirit and invites all those who hear with understanding and those who thirst for the free water of life to come. After inserting a stern warning for any who would dare add or subtract from his revelation, John closes with a liturgical response to Jesus’ words, “Surely I am coming soon,” with “Amen, Come Lord Jesus!” and offers a benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”
Today’s reading takes us back to the beginning of our divine meta-narrative, where Moses (the presumed author of Genesis) centers Creation at its source: God. In all his grandeur, the Lord creates the heavens and the Earth (all known spheres of reality at that time). Moses tells us that water and darkness first encompassed the world, safeguarded by the Spirit of God. Together, the Triune God speaks light and its associated elements of time and space into existence, establishing a life rhythm of “Day” and “Night” on the Earth.
Of note: This first book of five, called the Pentateuch in Greek (meaning “five books”) and Torah in Hebrew (meaning “law”), provides the backstory to God rescuing and leading his people to his Promised Land. Chapters 1-11 introduce us to the patriarchs and the Sinai covenant. The remaining chapters trace the Patriarchs’ journeys that lead to Israel’s exile in Egypt with an eye on the Promised Land.
Takeaway: The Hebrew word ʾereṣ (vv.1-2) may translate as “earth” (as it is in the ESV version above) or “land.” Most likely, Moses had in mind land to formulate his theme of land and blessing as further developed through the Torah, while reaching its covenantal promise in the book of Joshua. The Hebrew word translated as “God” is ʾelōhîm (Elohim), referring to Israel’s monotheistic Creator God, who called Abraham (12:1) and Moses (Exodus 3:15) to lead his people to the Promised Land. Thus, Moses wants his readers to know that their God, who created the universe, called their Fathers into his good “land.” As the Creation account unfolds, we see God’s first step in preparing the land for his ultimate work of creation: humankind made in his image. So the Lord separates the waters and darkness that covered the land, shaping an environment that will serve human habitation well—while introducing us to the “now but not yet” thread of the entire biblical narrative.
The text also introduces us to a recurring aspect of our salvation story: the wilderness waits for its restoration. Indeed, the land waits for redemption (confer Romans 8:19-22), whether the formless land of our passage, Israel waiting to enter their Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, or all God’s people waiting in the wilds of our sin-marred world for Jesus to return—where the desert will flower (Isaiah 35:1-2). And light is an essential element. But what do we make of light appearing before the creation of the sun and moon (1:16)? The phrase “heavens,” used through our biblical narrative, includes the sun, moon, and stars. Thus, the creation of light refers to all celestial bodies that produce light and pierce through the atmospheric darkness that initially clouded the Earth. Meanwhile, the later reference to creating the sun and moon is not chronological but thematic (more said in a later devotion).
Our takeaway? The picture of the land covered in water and darkness is one of chaos that our gracious Lord brings to order. Unfortunately, when God later created the first humans and gifted them with free will, and they chose autonomy over their Creator, chaos returned to the land with reckless abandon. Thus, as Paul continues his train of thought regarding the redemption of Creation, he turns to God’s people, saying: “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:23-25 ESV).
Our Part? As we witness the chaos around us in our sin-marred world, if we want to find some semblance of order, as Paul urges, we must resist the pull toward autonomy and patiently lean on the hope of our redemption in Christ, who overcame chaos and ushered in a new world order. How do we rest in this hope of Christ’s redemption? By resisting the chaotic patterns of this world and renewing our minds in God’s pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). How do we renew our minds? By praying from our hearts, by trusting in the sanctifying work of the Spirit who intercedes for us (8:26-27), and by trusting that our loving God works all things together for our best interests (8:28). When we do, we grow in confidence that nothing can separate us from the love of God (8:38-39), which inspires us to obey his commands and resultantly brings blessings of order to our anxious minds amid the chaos.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who, with you, brought order to the land and its inhabitants amid the chaos through his life, death, and resurrection. We also thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who hovers over the turbulent waters that wash over us at times and sets us on high and dry land. So, please help us resist sorting things out based on the world’s and our understanding of order. Instead, help us cooperate with your Holy Spirit to prayerfully grow in our love for and obedience to you. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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