In the beginning

[wellwisher]

The first verse of the Bible.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. KJV

Interesting line. Lots of information. We could dissect it for eternity and continue to understand more and more. Yet, I want to keep this as simple and easy as possible, so just one question.

What exactly did God create?

The best science concept, that answers your question, is time. In the beginning, means the same as when the clock starts to tick or the stop watch is activated. Time plays a unifying role in our inertial universe, that is composed of matter. When time begins, so does the universe. Science starts time at the big bang. This is called t=0.

God is eternal, therefore the concept of time does fully define the nature of God. In the beginning, God created time, which was different from the eternal nature of God. Once time appears, there is a new subset of the eternal, with this subset having a beginning and an end, with Genesis discussing the beginning.

In Revelations 21, the old or current universe will disappear, and a new universe will be created. The old clock strikes twelve, and the potential within universal time expires. The clock is then wound again, for a new universe. The ancients had a concept analogous to time potential.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. The holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The dwelling place1 of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,2 and God himself will be with them as their God.3 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I lam making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

In Einstein's theory of Special Relativity, the speed of light is the dividing line between eternal time and finite time. Matter cannot move at the speed of light. It would take infinite energy. The speed of light is a line in the sand, between eternal and temporal time; inertial universe. Let there be light; speed of light, created the line in the sand from which time will appear.

In Revelations 21, God is the alpha and omega; first and last. This seems to indicate that in the new universe, God steps out of eternity, to become part of the new subset of time. He dwells among his creation as a part of time.

 

[Thief]

Pleas read Genesis 1:27-28...
"And God went on to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28 Further, God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.”

my copy reads.....dominate all things....

that would be Man's ability to outwit his surroundings

Chapter Two is not a retelling of Chapter One

 

[David T]

The first verse of the Bible.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. KJV

Interesting line. Lots of information. We could dissect it for eternity and continue to understand more and more. Yet, I want to keep this as simple and easy as possible, so just one question.

What exactly did God create?

Well since the foreground of the story seems invisible to you one has to ask why the facination with the background state of the story? What draws you to that exactly? Your reading comprehension level seems low.

 

[BilliardsBall]

The first verse of the Bible.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. KJV

Interesting line. Lots of information. We could dissect it for eternity and continue to understand more and more. Yet, I want to keep this as simple and easy as possible, so just one question.

What exactly did God create?

Light/timespace/finite time from a beginning point, for human reference

 

[ChristineM]

The first verse of the Bible.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. KJV

Interesting line. Lots of information. We could dissect it for eternity and continue to understand more and more. Yet, I want to keep this as simple and easy as possible, so just one question.

What exactly did God create?

Whatever you want him to have created.

 

[Sky Rivers]

One interpretation is that "the heavens" refers to the universe or outer space or something along those lines whilst "the earth" refers of course to the planet.

If the planet originated from a sphere or plane of or covered entirely by water, perhaps. However, the planetary evolution myth declares the world was formed molten and the Bible doesn’t.

 

[Jos]

If the planet originated from a sphere or plane of or covered entirely by water, perhaps. However, the planetary evolution myth declares the world was formed molten and the Bible doesn’t.

How do you think the planet was formed? And how do you know that cosmological evolution is a myth?

 

[metis]

What exactly did God create?

My guess: everything-- but long before even the Big Bang since I think it's likely that we are a part of a multiverse, not just a universe, that may well go back into infinity, which is slightly older than I am.

 

[Sky Rivers]

How do you think the planet was formed? And how do you know that cosmological evolution is a myth?

Does it matter to you how I think the world was formed? I’d just be giving you my opinion, not necessarily facts., right?

As for your second question... I don’t.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

As his representatives, humans were endowed with God's qualities....morality, wisdom, justice and love.

Sadly, it appears that most people have misplaced their endowment.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

I enjoyed all the thoughtful responses so far.
Many varied and interesting ideas.

My thinking processes have been shaped from so many different influences over the years, that I now see that 10 word verse as something much more personal and intimate. A statement of a beginning, and a creation, within me. Of a new creation. A beginning of something dramatic that is explained further in detail as the story unfolds.

 

[Deeje]

Sadly, it appears that most people have misplaced their endowment.

Indeed.....we are now mentally, morally, physically and spiritually, flawed because of sin. (Romans 5:12) It has corrupted us to our very core.

But our original design was absolute perfection....a fitting endowment, but ruined by disobedience.

 

[Native]

If the planet originated from a sphere or plane of or covered entirely by water, perhaps. However, the planetary evolution myth declares the world was formed molten and the Bible doesn’t.

When dealing with creation myths, it´s very important to know of the creation myth symbolism in order to find the correct interpretation.

The mythical term of the "Cosmic Ocean" or "Heavenly Waters" refers to the realms from which "firm matter" is created. This "firm matter" in the biblical myth is confused by many readers to mean "the Earth", which is wrong.

Most ancient stories of creation in fact confirms the basical telling in modern science and in some cases the ancient stoieys are better and more logic because of the ancient cyclical world view.

Some links to read here:
Cosmic ocean - Wikipedia
Creation myth - Wikipedia
List of creation myths - Wikipedia

 

[Deeje]

my copy reads.....dominate all things....

You need more than one copy. Having a variety of translations enhances your understanding. And you need a reliable concordance. "Dominion" is not "domination". Dominion is stewardship.

that would be Man's ability to outwit his surroundings

"Outwit his surroundings"? If God provided all that humans needed and more, then why the need to outwit anything?
They were given the best possible start, but they threw that life away, thinking that they could manage their own affairs independently. What a huge mistake!

Chapter Two is not a retelling of Chapter One

Genesis ch1 is the story and order of creation. Chapter 2 is the history, which provides details that the first chapter leaves out. They are cohesive and complementary IMO.

 

[Jos]

Does it matter to you how I think the world was formed? I’d just be giving you my opinion, not necessarily facts., right?

Fair enough.

As for your second question... I don’t.

Given that you wrote "planetary evolution myth" I guess I must have gotten the wrong idea.

 

[Samana Johann]

Maybe a more than 2500 years old teaching may be of help to get things good sorted:

“There are some contemplatives & brahmans who are partially eternalists and partially non-eternalists, who proclaim a partially eternal and partially non-eternal self & cosmos on four grounds.[7] And with reference to what, coming from what, are these honorable contemplatives & brahmans partially eternalists and partially non-eternalists who proclaim a partially eternal and partially non-eternal self & cosmos on four grounds?

“There ultimately comes a time when, with the passing of a long stretch of time, this cosmos devolves. When the cosmos is devolving, beings for the most part head toward the Radiant (brahmās Gods). There they stay: mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, coursing through the air, established in beauty for a long stretch of time. Then there ultimately comes a time when, with the passing of a long stretch of time, this cosmos evolves. When the cosmos is evolving, an empty Brahmā palace appears. Then a certain being—from the exhaustion of his life span or the exhaustion of his merit[8]—falls from the company of the Radiant and re-arises in the empty Brahmā palace. And there he still stays mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, coursing through the air, established in beauty for a long stretch of time.

“After dwelling there alone for a long time, he experiences displeasure & agitation: ‘O, if only other beings would come to this world!’

“Then other beings, through the ending of their life span or the ending of their merit, fall from the company of the Radiant and reappear in the Brahmā palace, in the company of that being. And there they still stay mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, coursing through the air, established in beauty for a long stretch of time.

“Then the thought occurs to the being who reappeared first: ‘I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā (all mighty God), the Conqueror, the Unconquered, the All-Seeing, All-Powerful, the Sovereign Lord, the Maker, Creator, Chief, Appointer & Ruler, Father of All That Have Been & Shall Be.[9] These beings were created by me. Why is that? First the thought occurred to me, “O, if only other beings would come to this world!” And thus my direction of will brought these beings to this world.’ As for the beings who reappeared later, this thought occurs to them: ‘This is Brahmā… Father of All That Have Been & Shall Be. We were created by this Brahmā. Why is that? We saw that he appeared here before, while we appeared after.’ The being who reappeared first is of longer life span, more beautiful, & more influential, while the beings who reappeared later are of shorter life span, less beautiful, & less influential.

“Now, there is the possibility, monks, that a certain being, having fallen from that company, comes to this world.... continue: The Brahmā Net

http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/dn/dn.01.0.than_en.html

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

Indeed.....we are now mentally, morally, physically and spiritually, flawed because of sin. (Romans 5:12) It has corrupted us to our very core.

But our original design was absolute perfection....a fitting endowment, but ruined by disobedience.

Makes sense to me.

 

[Deeje]

Makes sense to me.

When you step back and look at the big picture, it all makes perfect sense....but when you take bits and pieces and try to fit them into a preconceived idea, nothing adds up. The big picture is awesome!

 

[Thief]

You need more than one copy. Having a variety of translations enhances your understanding. And you need a reliable concordance. "Dominion" is not "domination". Dominion is stewardship.

have several.....

do·min·ion
[dəˈminyən]

NOUN​

1. sovereignty or control.
   "man's attempt to establish dominion over nature"
   synonyms:
   supremacy · ascendancy · dominance · domination · superiority ·
   [more]

​

 

[Thief]

Genesis ch1 is the story and order of creation. Chapter 2 is the history,

nay

Day Six......Man as a species
male and female
no names
no garden
no law
freedom.....go forth be fruitful.....dominate all things

Adam is a CHOSEN son of God
see new testament