Genesis 1:1-5 Believers possess divine authority over the storms of life and reign over them
Genesis 1:1-5 Believers possess divine authority over the storms of life and reign over them
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Wind* of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
* The NASB translates as Spirit.
Background
In this Genesis account of creation, we come to understand God’s nature as the Creator who is actively creating and recreating the universe. Within a span of six days, God reordered and reconstructed the earth in preparation for the birth of His children. In today’s devotion, we observe God’s absolute dominance over things that seem evil and threatening. As children of God, we are given God’s authority over the harsh elements of life and to reign over them.
Observation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The first subject of Genesis and the Bible is God, that inadvertently makes Him the sovereign Director of world history. “In the beginning” refers to the inception of time itself where God created everything that ever came into existence. The heavens and the earth denotes the whole universe, whereas the earth refers to the human abode. This verse can be viewed as God’s creation of all things in the universe although not in its final form of inhabitability and order. It can be inferred that God did not create the universe out of existing material, for He created all things out of nothing; absolutely nothing ever existed prior to God’s creative act. One interesting point to note is the Hebrew composite word for “in the beginning”: בראשית. The first three letters ברא also spells “he created”. This suggests that God, since the beginning has been actively creating, which explains the ever expanding universe which scientists have long witnessed the distancing of galaxies and stars from one another counter acting their intrinsic gravitational forces.
The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Wind of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
Verse 2 describes the earth in total chaos, waste and void, a state of creation yet to be completed for man’s inhabitation. The description darkness was over the surface of the deep evokes everything that is antithetic to the sustenance of life. It is a terrible primeval waste, uninhabitable and harsh. The earth despite its seemingly “evil” composition is in perfect subservience to God and His bidding. The powerful presence: the Wind of God is seen as hovering commandingly over the raw wasteland, ready for action. The Wind of God is a vivid and concrete image of the Spirit of God which elsewhere in Ezekiel 1:4 describes a storm wind guided by the Spirit and in Acts 2:1, a manifestation of a violent rushing wind on the day of the Pentecost. The imagery of the Wind of God hovering over the waters communicates absolute poise and dominance over the primeval elements of the earth.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
The power that brought creation into being is the divine word of command: “God said”. As we can see throughout the bible, the word of God is creative and effective. It comes in the form of a prophetic word declaring the future into being. The divine command is effective due to the inherent authority that God possesses as the Supreme. Light is the first of the Creator’s works. Light (in the biblical sense) is often used as a metaphor for salvation, life, the word, and the presence of God. The prophet Isaiah says,
The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them. Isaiah 9:2
The purpose of light is to impart divine life and blessing, which are vital to all living things and to man, which God envisages will populate the earth. God, in His vision conceives earth as a fitting cradle for the birth of His children. With man as the focal point, God calls forth light in preparation for humanity’s conception. The first light differs from the subsequent light of the Sun in that it emanates from the glory of God. Revelations 21:23-24 describes the city of heaven,
And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
The above verse reveals the New Jerusalem, the city from which proceeds light from the glory of God. It is by this light that all humanity join in its ethereal abundance. Without the life sustaining light, no life on earth is possible.
God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
The light of God’s glory operates alongside with the light that comes from the luminaries (the sun and the moon). For the light of the sun alone cannot impart or sustain life on earth. Upon bringing forth light in the first act of creation, God saw and approves of it. “Good” expresses God’s approval as having accomplished what this light is created to do: to impart blessing and abundant life to the earth.
Proceeding from the act of approval, He separates light from darkness calling them day and night respectively. The separation of things is God’s law and modus operandi in building order and structure into all aspects of creation: God separates darkness and light, upper and lower waters, day and night etc.
Truth
Believers are given authority over the storms of life to reign over them.
The earth, in its formless state; dark, harsh and uninhabitable remains subservient to God. The imagery of the Wind of God hovering over the surface of the deep communicates poise and absolute dominance. No matter how unwelcoming and threatening the earth appears to be, God does not have to fight to exert control over it. Likewise, the storms of life no matter how menacing they look and sound, cannot hurt God’s children if they know who they are. The psalmist writes,
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you. Psalms 91:5-7
Therefore, believers must not allow the dread of circumstances past, present or future to enter their heart but be steadfast in the knowledge of who they are in Christ; the sons of God, the heirs of the world (see Galatians 4:6-7). Jesus wakes up to a group of screaming disciples and calms the storm saying, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (see Mark 4:40).
The authority that believers possess is sufficient to subdue the storms that rages before them. Hence, we must spend more time recalling and understanding God’s word and cease harping on the immensity of the storm. Without the assurances of the word, fear takes over. The way to deal with storms is not to pray them away but to personally take them by the horns and subdue them. Jesus addresses his disciples who argue over the lack of bread even after witnessing the multiplication of bread on two occasions, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?” Mark 8:17. Therefore, believers must guard their heart from unbelief (hardened heart) and not be perturbed by the sign of trouble. Again the psalmist writes,
For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands,
That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. Psalms 91:11-13
Believers must approach life’s challenges with the right mindset. The storms of life are necessary in that they are battlefields through which God’s children cut their teeth and refine their glory. A new born baby must through sicknesses and pain develop a robust immunity system. A child must learn to discipline and motivate himself through a harsh academic system amidst many falls and failures. A believer must through countless setbacks subdue the sinful passions of the flesh. A worker in a company must embrace competition and rivalry and in due course develop wisdom and resilience.
The great men of faith do not arise out of a vacuum, they are honed through innumerable struggles and hardship (see Isaiah 48:10). The prophet Elijah, who sends fire from heaven defeating the prophets of Baal while fearing for his own life. Moses opens the Red Sea at the back of a lunging army saving the lives of two million people. Joshua parts the Jordan River and suspends the movement of the sun resulting in the conquest of Canaan. Peter walks on water subverting the storm under his feet. Jesus obeys God to the end and resurrects three days later overcoming death itself. Each of these men receives their glory but not until they are refined in the crucibles of fire.
Therefore, believers must not run from life’s problems but to depend on God’s grace one day at a time. Before long, we will see the realities of life being subdued before us. For it is not possible for the elements to outlast the sons of God.
Believers must learn to see the unseen and live in the light of the Spirit.
In the Genesis account, we observe the creation of the first light which is the glory of God. The apostle John gives a later revelation of creation,
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” … “that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” John 1:3-5, 3:19.
This light is personified as Christ, the Son of God, the Light of men. But men loved the darkness rather than the Light… Thus, we see a duality of the physical light consisting of photons and energy, and then the Christ, the Light of men, the life and the glory of God. Elsewhere we see a duality of sorts:
a. Eyes of the flesh, and the eyes of the heart. The bible speaks of the eyes of the flesh that lust after sin and the eyes of the heart that seeks the glory of God (see 1 John 2:16, Ephesians 1:18).
b. Physical gold and refined gold. The bible counsels to buy gold refined by fire that is not of this world so that we may become rich (see Revelations 3:18). This gold which represents faith, the inner life of a believer is refined by the trials of life (see 1 Peter 1:7).
c. Physical bread and the bread of life. Jesus urges the people not to work for the bread that perishes but for the bread that gives eternal life (John 6:27). The bread of life is the life and the truth of Christ which one must consume (see John 6:55-56).
d. Physical water and the water of eternal life. Physical water quenches bodily thirst but cannot provide abundant life which only the water of the Spirit can. (see John 4:14).
e. Earthly kingdom and heavenly kingdom. The earthly kingdom and its desires will pass away (1 John 2:17), but the heavenly kingdom of Christ will last forever (2 Peter 1:11).
f. Inheritance of man and inheritance of God. There is an inheritance which a man receives from his parents. But there is another inheritance that God will give to those who overcome (see Revelations 21:7, Colossians 1:12).
g. Peace of the world, and the peace of God. The bible prophesies increasing unrest in the world, with wars and disasters occurring in greater frequency. Hence, a believer’s security must not rest with one’s worldly possessions or in governments but in God. Jesus says to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27.
The Genesis creation account reveals a subtle duality of things: things that are seen and things that are not seen. In the verse below, the apostle Paul urges believers to fix their eyes on the unseen while trudging through the storms of life, and not be distracted by the things of this world.
“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18.
Application
1. What are the things that cause you to cringe when you come face to face with them? Do those things surface ugly memories of past failures and traumas overwhelming you with inconceivable despair and fear. Think of yourself as having grown stronger and you are no longer the same person that you were. And you are now better equipped to handle those situations than before. Hence, it is worth another visit to the past, this time with the companionship of the Holy Spirit. Realise that you, being wiser and more confident would have done things differently then. Therefore, rebuke the fear and distraught that is creeping over you in Jesus’ name and command those negative emotions to leave. You have indeed conquered the dark waters of the past and will be more than ready for the future. The apostle Paul says concerning the love of God that is ever present in all our challenges,
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
2. Do the things of this world: its security, its glamour, human authority, its riches, its desires seem more real and appealing than the things of the Spirit: His peace, His glory, the divine power, heaven’s riches and the passions of Christ? By spending more time reading the Word, the things of the Spirit will begin to open up to you. You will find the things of the world grow strangely dim in the light of God’s glory and grace.
Dear Lord, I take authority over the negative emotions that come from my past failures and traumas. Given that I now possess the wisdom and the power of God, I would have done things differently. I now declare the fears and apprehensions that I am now experiencing as irrelevant. For I have conquered the past in my new capacity as a son of God. And I will reign over my past, my present and my future. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.