“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 ESV)
Yes, I’m pursuing a Master’s degree.
If you want to know more about that, I might just have to write another post or converse with you via FB, snail mail, or at a coffee shop.
The following block quote is just a brief snippet from an assignment I turned in last week. (I plan on posting more of my course musings on the blog as I progress. Kill two birds with one stone. I’m still at the very beginning. I can’t wait to see where this will lead me. So much learning ahead.)
I have also included a few comments from a recent FB conversation I observed.
If you have any thoughts, feel free to leave me a comment below. 
In the Bible, how did God choose to define and introduce Himself to the reader?
God chose to reveal Himself in the book of Genesis. The first verse says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 ESV) God is sole Creator. He existed before His creation and outside of measured time, as implied by the statement, “In the beginning….”
In my current homework for a separate program, Men of the Word, I am learning about Genesis through Leviticus, authorship, & the canon of Scripture. Interesting timing for all of these paths to collide. Must be important for me to understand these things, right?
About that FB conversation….
Context:
“This opening verse of the Bible is unique, the foundation of foundations, probably the first words, ever written down, either revealed to Adam, or even written directly by God Himself. One who really believes Genesis 1:1 will have no difficulty believing the rest of Scripture. God (Elohim) is eternal, existing before the universe, and is omnipotent, having created the universe. Therefore, nothing is impossible with God, and He alone gives meaning to everything. No attempt is made in this verse to prove God; it was recorded in the beginning when no one doubted God.” (Henry Morris)
Commenter:
“I am struggling with this quote. First of all, does YOM hold a view that Adam wrote Gen 1? [Traditionally], Genesis was written by Moses far after the creation of the world. Written language was not yet created during the lifetime of Adam. Moses wrote an account of what was orally passed down to him through the generations. Additionally, at the time [Genesis] was written, contrary to this quote…this verse was initially viewed as a way to refute polytheistic religions and point towards Yahweh. People did doubt God.”
Response:
“It is reasonable that Adam and his descendants all knew how to write and, therefore, kept records of their own times (note the mention of ‘the book of the generations of Adam’ in Genesis 5:1). These records (probably kept on stone or clay tablets) were possibly handed down from father to son in the line of the God-fearing patriarchs until they finally were acquired by Moses when he led the children of Israel out of Egypt. During the wilderness wanderings, Moses compiled them into the book of Genesis, adding his own explanatory editorial comments where needed. Genesis is still properly considered as one of the books of Moses, since its present form is due to him, but it really records the eye-witness records of these primeval histories, as written originally by Adam, Noah, Shem, Isaac, Jacob and other ancient patriarchs.” (Henry Morris Study Bible)
One uniting them woven throughout each element above: God created and He chose to tell sinful man about His person and work in His perfect word, the Bible.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 ESV)
It almost sounds shallow to say I’m thankful. But I truly am! Don’t be careless with God’s word. Treasure it!
Later, y’all.
- Mike
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