In the Beginning ... God Created

By Henry DuBose

This book on the first chapters of Genesis is not concerning the literal creation of the universe. There is more than an ample supply of commentaries on how God created the earth and the heavens. Genesis is the book of beginnings. The first chapter of Genesis is about the mystical creation of the Body of Christ. In what way was Jesus the Beginning of the creation of God? Enjoy the study.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387128020

Book preview

In the Beginning ... God Created

In the Beginning … God Created

Henry DuBose

Copyright

Copyright © 2008 by Henry DuBose

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2008

ISBN: 978-1-387-12802-0

Open Heavens Ministries

928 Double L Trail

Jamestown, South Carolina 29453

www.openheavensministries.org

Preface

This book on the first chapter of Genesis is not concerning the literal creation of the universe. There are more than an ample supply of commentaries and other writings on how God created the earth and the heavens. Much of what is written, though, is mere speculation. The Bible gives very little information about such things. God doesn’t seem to be very interested in explaining how He created the universe. He just says that He did and leaves it at that. God is more interested in us learning how to live with Him in His world than explaining our world to us. So, in this study we trust in the Holy Spirit to reveal unto us some aspects of God’s world.

In Revelation 3:14 Jesus refers to Himself as the Beginning of the creation of God. We know that Jesus was not created, for He is eternal. And Colossians 1:6 says that all things in heaven and in earth, both visible and invisible, were created by Him. So the question arises: In what way was Jesus the Beginning of the creation of God? The answer, of course, is: Jesus is the Beginning of the creation of the many-membered Christ. It becomes very obvious that the creation account in Genesis chapter one is mystically speaking of the creation of the Body of Christ. Enjoy the study.

Notes on Genesis Chapter 1

These notes on the first chapter of Genesis are not concerning the literal creation of the universe. There are more than an ample supply of commentaries and other writings on how God created the earth and the heavens. Much of what is written, though, is mere speculation. The Bible gives very little information about such things. God doesn’t seem to be very interested in explaining how He created the universe. He just says that He did and leaves it at that. God is more interested in us learning how to live with Him in His world than explaining our world to us. So, in this study we are trusting in the Holy Spirit to reveal unto us some aspects of God’s world. But before we begin, let’s look at a few Scriptures that will give us a basis for our particular study.

John 5:39-40 Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. 40 And you will not come to Me, that you might have life.

The Pharisees studied the historical element of the Scriptures. They believed that eternal life would be theirs by adhering to the letter of the Scriptures. However, they missed the mystical element that revealed the Lord. They missed God’s world because they only related to the Scriptures according to their own world. They missed the Christ that was hidden in them.

John 5:45-47 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For had you believed Moses, you would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. 47 But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe My words?

The Jews were adamant in their dedication to the Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They confessed their belief in his writings. To them, Moses wrote about the creation of heaven and earth, the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, the flood, the Patriarchs, the Egyptian slavery, the birth of the Israeli nation, the Tabernacle, the various offerings and sacrifices, the priesthood, etc. But Jesus said that Moses wrote of Him, and because they didn't find Christ in the writings of Moses, they didn’t really believe Moses. Do you understand what Jesus was saying? Believing the Scriptures is not merely believing the historical content. If you don’t reach into His Spirit and life hidden behind the historical content, you don’t really believe the Scriptures. Real believing takes you into His life.

Matthew 13:44 Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

The Kingdom of heaven is God’s world; it is the realm of Spirit. The Scriptures are likened unto the field, and the treasure within the field is the life and Spirit of the Lord God. That treasure is the hidden manna that Jesus promised the overcomer (Revelation 2:17), and the overcomer is the one who learns how to penetrate the Scriptures so that he may partake of the divine nature. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature. II Peter 1:4. Now, let’s see if we can find some of that divine treasure below the historical content in the first chapter of Genesis. According to Jesus, it is not just talking about the creation of our world. It is talking about Him and His world.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

God created the heavens and the earth. That indicates an earthly work and a heavenly work, a historical work and a mystical work. If you view this chapter on the earthly realm, then your perception of it will be on a historical plane. But if you view it in the heavenly realm, then you will discover the spiritual truths and principles that reveal the life and Spirit of the Lord.

In the beginning: The Hebrew word for beginning is bereshith. Bereshith means first in place, time, order, or rank. It is translated beginning, 16 times; firstfruits, 12 times; first, 9 times; chief, 8 times; chiefest, once; first part, once; first time, once; and principle thing, once. Since we are not concerned with the historical, which would be in the time realm, we can eliminate the time and order concept of the word beginning, and view it as the first in rank or place. We also understand that Jesus Christ has been given a name above all names, placing all things under His feet. Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church. Ephesians 1:20-22. All authority in heaven and in earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). Thus, we understand that the Beginning is referring spiritually to the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, He calls Himself the Beginning in Revelation 3:14: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. So, the word beginning could be correctly written with a capital B. In the Beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Paul speaks of this in the first chapter of his epistle to the Colossians. For in 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 through Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Colossians 1:16-17.

In the Beginning God: The Hebrew word for God is Elohim. Elohim is the plural for El (the Almighty), as cherubim is the plural for cherub, and seraphim is the plural for seraph. Some have mistakenly assumed that the word Elohim refers to three Gods, but the Lord our God is one Lord (Mark 12:29). The word Elohim is used in the Scriptures for God and for false gods. When it is referring to false gods, it is always connected to a plural verb. When it is referring to God, it is always connected to a singular verb, giving a singular sense. It is not unusual to find plural of quality or of excellence in Hebrew where the reference is obviously singular in number.

In the Beginning God created: God created the literal heavens and earth, and having finished His work He rested (Genesis 2:2). Yet, we understand that there is a way in which God is still working. But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work. John 5:17. God is still creating! And, ultimately, this chapter is mystically speaking of the creative work that God is involved in at the present time. Jesus calls Himself the Beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14). He is not speaking of the literal heavens and earth. He is speaking of the Body of Christ. The Lord Jesus as the Head of the many-membered Body of Christ is the Beginning of its creation. This creation of the Body of Christ is spoken of in Psalm 102:18. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. Under the creative hand of God, the many-membered Body of Christ is becoming a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). This is what Genesis 1:27 is referring to: So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

The fact that the verb created is written in the past tense should not stumble us. This is prophetic perfect. Do you understand prophetic perfect? The Hebrew language does not have past, present, and future tenses as does our English language. It has perfect and imperfect. If an action is perfect then it is a completed work. If an action is imperfect, it is an uncompleted work. The verb created as is used in verse 27 is called prophetic perfect or perfect of assurance. What God says is not yet manifested in the natural, but it is a reality because He spoke it. Paul explained it this way: God, who calls those things which be not as though they were. Romans 4:17. A good example of prophetic perfect is Isaiah 9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given….