1 In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth.
2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Ruach Elohim was hovering over the water.
3 Then Elohim said, “Let there be light!” So there was light. 4 Elohim saw the light was good. So Elohim separated the light from the darkness. 5 Elohim named the light day, and the darkness he named night. There was evening, then morning—the first day.
Genesis 1:1-5 Names of God Bible (NOG)
So who is the creator and sustainer of the cosmos?
We have used the "Names of God Bible" in order to hi-light the original text's intent. What intended meaning is being conveyed and shown to us?
Elohim is the plural form of the supreme God. Then in verse two we see Ruach Elohim, the wind or breath (often forceful or violent) exhalation of God. The wind or breath of God is usually understood to be Holy Spirit, and most translations use "Spirit" in this verse. Thus Holy Spirit was present. So from the very first verses we see two members of the Trinity present. Then this breath speaks and with the spoken word the creation process is begun.
Now lets go to the other chapter in the Bible that also starts out with "In the beginning"
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Gospel of John was the last book of the New Testament to be written. In this Gospel, John writes as a seasoned veteran disciple and apostle and deliberately starts his book with the very same words as the start of the then known scriptures, the Torah: "In the beginning ....".
We have probably all read this well known chapter many times, even heard sermons preached about it.
But, have we really seen and understood the intent and full implications of what John (the beloved) declares at the very start of his discourse and his understanding about who Jesus really is.
John deliberately uses "the Word" (logos) but to emphasise exactly what he means, he uses the word "pros" typically translated "with" Theos (God). The word pros however denotes more than just "with", as in alongside. It actually means "face to face with".
So a better understanding may be gained by saying: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God".
Then to make sure we really get the point, John continues with: "He (Jesus) was in the beginning face to face with God".
So what is John saying here?
He is stating that Jesus as "the Word" and before His incarnation into human form, was there before the creation of the world, face to face with Elohim, an integral part of the trinity.
John repeats it, thus adding the emphasis often used in scripture to underscore or make a specific point.
Thus John is declaring that Jesus is eternally (outside of time) part of the Godhead.
Having unequivocally tied Jesus into the trinity, as an intrinsic part of the Godhead, he then proceeds to declare:
John, by using the word logos (the Word) to describe Jesus, is stating that the spoken words of Genesis Chapter 1, are actually Jesus. He, by the power of Holy Spirit declared into existence all of creation. Everything we see and know, came into existence through Jesus Christ. And we know that Jesus only says and does what He hears God the Father say to do. See John 5:19, 5:30, 8:28, 12:49, 12:50, 14:10.
Once again we see the eternal face to face closeness of Jesus relationship with God the Father.
As a final point, remember when Jesus was 12 years of age and how he stayed behind in the temple rather than join Joseph and Mary on the journey back to Nazareth. When they finally found Jesus he declared these words: "... Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49
For the first time ever, someone refers to God as his father (parent). Once again demonstrating the close relationship that He shared with His Father God.
In Genesis chapters 1 and 2 we have a synopsis of the creation of the entire world and mankind. In chapter 1:26-28 we see Elohim saying "let us make man in our image" (note the plural Godhead speaking). He also blesses mankind, something not done with the rest of creation account. Then in Genesis 2:7 we see Jehovah Elohim breathes into man's nostrils His breath. From the very beginning, mankind uniquely has the breath of God within him.
John specifically reiterates this understanding: All of creation is a consequence of the Word speaking everything into existence.
Mankind uniquely has the life breath of God, John uses the word "light" to denote this "life is the light of men".
Is the apostle John alone in this belief?
Read on ....
for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
Colossians 1:16-17
“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
Job 12:7-10 NKJV
Here we see that from ancient times (the book of Job is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible) all of creation and the very breath we breathe comes from YHWH.
Then the apostle Paul also holds this view of Jesus.
He was there at creation and was responsible for making it all and now holds all creation together.
Without Jesus nothing (us included) would exist!
WOW! so when we talk about God creating the world (cosmos) we now see it was the Godhead - three in one fellowship together, that made it all.
This brings other things Jesus said into perspective.
e.g. "I am the way and the truth and the life" John 14:6 and lots more but let's leave that for another time.
and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
Acts 17:25 New Living Translation (NLT) by Dr. Luke
Let me now leave you with some final questions:
Does the created being have a duty or responsibility to their creator?
Is our life our own? Do we have the right to pick and choose what we believe?
Is any viewpoint equally valid? Right and useful?
The answers to these questions must be sought out, our eternal future depends upon them!