Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
What a wonderful and beautiful creation it was! So much so, that the angels (sons of God) shouted for joy!
Job 38:7 “When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.”
Then there was chaos….and darkness.
Genesis 1:2 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
Notice the punctuation….
…”the earth was without form,” That beautiful earth was now a waste…without form and purpose.
…”and void;” Whatever had been created on earth…was gone.
semicolon….which means a pause before considering the next important feature….
…and “darkness was upon the face of the deep”. Where once the light of God shone….now there was darkness.
We believe this chaos and darkness was brought about by the rebellion of Lucifer, the highest of the angels…when he and one third of the angels fell with him. We believe that he was fully in charge of the earth, under God…by a special creation.
Pride entered him…and he rose up against God’s Purpose and his place in it.
But when he fell, he became our Adversary the devil….determined to ruin all of God’s plans and purposes…and he started with the earth.
This fall is set forth in Isaiah:
Isaiah 14:12-14 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend unto heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
This fall was over pride. (Ezekiel 28:14-17) “I will” the devil said….and many angels believed him…to their doom.
Being cast out of his heavenly position….he wrought chaos on the earth….trying to destroy God’s purpose for the earth….and wrapped the earth in darkness.
But, God was not done with His creation. He does not forget His Purpose….HIs Will is established.
Isaiah 45:18 “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.”
And so….”And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
There are some Hebrew scholars that believe that instead of…”moved upon”, it should read,… “brooded over” the face of the waters.
And so the Son of God spoke (John 1:3-4, Hebrews 1:2)…..
Genesis 1:3 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
He did not need to speak….but by doing so, He manifested the means of bringing His Will to pass….HIs Word, and His light.
[We believe that the Adversary the devil believes that if he can defeat the purposes of God for this old earth enough….which includes the Purpose of God for each one of us….he will come to some better end, then that which was prepared for him now.
Matthew 25:41 “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
Prepared for the devil and his angels….not for any man.
For a man to end up in the Lake of Fire there must be a direct act of the will.
Whosoever will may come.
But if you refuse…if you won’t come, you won’t. And that is your will, choosing.]
As Christians, we know that on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.”
It was not just our penalty for sin, He finished….but the salvation…from sin’s bondage…for all who believe on Him….and for the earth. (Romans 8:21-22)
It is true, that these are not all seen yet….but they are finished.
The Spirit of God is still “brooding over” the darkness within the sinner….and giving him conviction of the sin.
Christ is still speaking to the hearts of man….bringing light.
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
And God’s Purpose is still being worked out….within us, and through us…to bring His kingdom, within us, now….and His everlasting kingdom, soon.
Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
In the beginning, God….and in the middle, God….and in the end, God. He has, is and will see His Purpose accomplished!
The question for today is…..will we yield to Him, and stand with Him…against the wiles of the devil….being an obedient servant of God…and receive all the blessing He has for us?
Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIs might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
“Wrestle” here is to endure the hard battles….against our pride, plans, and reasons…and surrendering to the Lord’s Purpose and place for us.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 