Genesis Revisited - "In the Beginning?"

Genesis Revisited - "In the Beginning?"

A closer look between the lines of the Genesis account of the Creation of the World

I accept that God Lives, and that the Bible contains His Word as revealed to His Prophets.

This is written not to offend anyone's Faith or Beliefs but to examine what is written, what it means in my humble opinion and to build Faith and Trust in God.

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

Was "In the Beginning" really the Beginning of everything?

The Genesis account begins with the words "In the Beginning"

Was that really the beginning of all things? Let's look between the lines.

We know that God existed before the earth was created.

Was God alone?

In the Bible, God has this chat with Job and asks him,

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding," (1)

Reading between the lines, God is saying to Job, 'you don't understand all things, you don't have the answer to all the questions.'

He is not asking Job, 'did you exist before the earth was formed'. He's saying, 'if you are so wise tell me the answer'.

Job was there. He doesn't remember. With birth comes a sleep and a forgetting. (2)

William Wordsworth penned this inspired thought, "Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting"

Job didn't remember. He'd forgotten being there when the earth was formed. And he wasn't alone.

God goes on to say that when the earth was formed "all the sons of God shouted for joy" Job wasn't alone, you and I were there too.

We also existed with God before the earth was formed.

Reading between the lines, my take on "In the Beginning" means that as far as the creation of the world goes this is as good a place as any to begin the account.

I accept that God Lives, and that the Bible contains His Word as revealed to His Prophets.

This is written not to offend anyone's Faith or Beliefs but to examine what is written, what it means in my humble opinion and to build Faith and Trust in God.

References

(1)

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,
“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
“Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,
"Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?
“On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone,
"When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

• Job 38:1-7 NASB

(2)

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!

• William Wordsworth, Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood