Ramblings from a Young Christian - Genesis 1:2

As you can see, this study is taking some time.  In two days I've done 2 verses.  Although I will be impressed at this depth when it comes to genealogies - I'm going to need a lot of grace from God to read through those thoroughly, let alone study them in depth.  

These are the notes I took down after reading Genesis 1:2.  Forgive me if they're confusing.  My brain is sometimes like a huge bowl of spaghetti, each thought linked to several others and untangling them is quite a task. 

Day 2 - Genesis 1:2

2 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.

Before creation Earth was formless and empty,  much in the same way that we are before being reborn in Christ.  The Bible continuously teaches us that outside of Christ, or before we meet God, we are "dead" (Ephesians 2:4-5 for example).  We are, just like Earth, without any form and void, and darkness too covers us.  

I cannot help but wonder if the spirit of God hovers over our waters in the same way as Gen 1:2.  Did the Holy Spirit linger over this empty case and see a creation within?  I have heard, or read, of the Spirit softening our hearts, wooing us before we come to know Christ.  Perhaps that is much like this moment.   The Holy Spirit waited above the vast emptiness of Earth, poised to begin creating.  In us, He creates a new heart.  In this way, I feel that this first day of creation reflects, to some extent, the initial re-creation of us.

This void that Earth filled is described in different ways depending on which version of the Bible you read.  The two I have were translated to say '...the face of the deep' and ...'waters'.  Was there really water there?  Or was it just deep deep nothingness?  I guess the texture of nothing is a little like water.  Fluid that only the hands of God could hold and temper.  

Comparing this moment to the moment of Christ's crucifixion shows so many differences.  Earth did not start in the same way that new life for many of us starts - through the cross.  

To begin with, Earth was empty and formless.  There was, it feels, almost an element of peace, calmness and serenity in creation (of course!  it was God alone, and He is satisfied in himself).  However, when Christ was on the cross the world had become filled with rock and stone and water.  The world was violent, being aggressively upheaved by the fallen nature of man and dominated by sin.    In the former case, creation, God is in control, above all and dominating all, creating life and a place for fellowship between Him and his people.  There exists only good.  In the latter case man has augmented himself as God.  God has reduced himself to man.  He is still God but now a part of creation, part of all and enduring death so that we don't have to.  Ultimately restoring us to our Father and creator so that we may have the fellowship we were designed for and so deeply long for.  

How different the world became after the fall.  How grateful I am that our God is not one who remains aloof in the heavens, hovering and watching.  Instead he entered into the mess we made.  We are not left empty and void.  Thank you Father for Christ and what He endured in my place!