Genesis 1

In the Beginning: Meeting Elohim

When we open Genesis 1, we’re not just reading the start of a story—we’re being introduced to God. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The word used for God here is Elohim, a title that emphasizes God’s power and majesty. Later in Scripture, God will reveal His personal name, Yahweh, but here at the outset we meet the eternal Creator.

We’re told the earth was formless and empty, covered in darkness—a chaotic void. Yet even in that chaos, God is present. The Spirit of God is hovering over the waters, resting there with intention and care. Right away, we’re given our first glimpse of the Trinity: God the Father as Creator, the Spirit actively present, and—as the rest of Scripture reveals—the Word through whom all things are made.

Genesis is God’s self-revelation. It introduces us not only to what God has done, but to who God is. Before anything existed, God already was. He is eternal, and He speaks creation into being. Light exists because God speaks. Order emerges because God wills it. From the very beginning, we know God as Creator, Spirit, and Word.

A Poetic Rhythm of Creation and Rest

One of the most beautiful features of Genesis 1 is its rhythm. This chapter isn’t written like a science textbook—it’s written like poetry. There’s cadence, structure, and intentional repetition. In Hebrew, even phrases like “formless and empty” (tohu vavohu) carry sound and rhythm meant to be heard and remembered.

As the story unfolds, we notice a pattern. God creates spaces, and then He fills them. Light and darkness are created, then later filled with the sun, moon, and stars. Sky and waters are formed, then filled with birds and fish. Land and seas appear, then are filled with animals and humans. Creation is complementary, intentional, and ordered.

We also notice something surprising about how God defines a “day.” Over and over we read, “there was evening, and there was morning.” Biblically, the day begins not with work, but with rest. God is showing us that He is at work even while we sleep. Our rest is an act of trust and worship—trusting that God is already doing what needs to be done.

This rhythm culminates in the seventh day, the Sabbath. God doesn’t rest because He’s tired; He rests because His work is complete. Creation is whole. Shalom is present. And the Sabbath becomes a declaration: our worth is not found in productivity, but in being God’s creation.

Made in God’s Image: Our Identity and Purpose

The climax of Genesis 1 comes when God creates humanity. “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” Male and female are created in God’s image, blessed, and given purpose. This truth is foundational to how we understand ourselves and others.

Being made in God’s image means we were created for relationship—just as God exists eternally in relationship within the Trinity. It also means we are meant to reflect God to the world. Like a mirror or a statue, our lives are meant to make the invisible God visible through love, justice, stewardship, and grace.

This identity shapes everything. It shapes how we see ourselves, and it transforms how we treat others. Every human being carries dignity and value because every human being bears God’s image. We are ambassadors of the Creator, entrusted with caring for His world and representing His character.

For the original audience—Israel coming out of slavery in Egypt—this message was revolutionary. Their value was no longer defined by brick-making or oppression. Their God was not like Pharaoh. This God invites rest, gives identity as a gift, and rules with love rather than domination.

Genesis 1 also makes something clear: evil did not originate with God. Unlike other ancient creation stories filled with violence and chaos among the gods, Genesis reveals one true God whose creation is declared “very good.” His plan is different, and His desire is to bless the world through His people.

This is only the beginning. Genesis 1 sets the foundation for everything that follows—who God is, who we are, and why the world exists. And as we keep reading, we’re invited to rediscover our identity, our purpose, and the God who has been at work from the very start.