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Have you thought about God lately? I mean, about how big and powerful He is? This morning we are going to look at four words in our Bibles.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In an instant, and from nothing God made everything. Have you thought about how big a statement “In the beginning God ” really is?

To start with, science can take us back to the Big Bang, but knows nothing of what existed before that bang. But here in utter simplicity we find the explanation in seven Hebrew words and ten English words.

God has no beginnings. The universe does, we humans do, but God the subject of this verse, has no start nor finish. He is God!

Some have scoffed that the Bible, and especially Genesis 1 is so un-scientific. Really now, is it. Think if you can remember back to High School chemistry when we learned about chemical symbols. Since I’m not a scientist may I quote a long standing British professor of Chemistry. This is what Frederick A. Filby says in his testimony recorded in a book Creation Revealed.

The sciences which probe most deeply into the ultimate facts of matter and life are probably astro- and nuclear physics and biochemistry. But these sciences are written no so much in languages as in symbols. It takes many symbols to discuss the nature of a single atoms of hydrogen. . . a single virus . . . would take a 200-page book.

If the scientific description of a single hydrogen atom, or of a virus too small to be seen without a microscope, takes a book, what hope is there of ever giving a scientific account of the creation of man and the universe? Yet Genesis 1 in its original form uses only 76 different root words. If Genesis 1 were written in absolute scientific language to give an account of creation, there is no man alive, nor has there ever been, who could understand it. If it were written in any kind of scientific language only the favored few could read it. . . The scientific description of the “how” of the universe is beyond the understanding of any human brain, but Genesis 1 was written for all readers, not for none . . .

Genesis 1 is the most amazing composition in all the world’s literature, using only 76 different word-forms fundamental to all mankind, arranged in a wonderful poetic pattern yet free from any highly colored figures of speech. It provides the perfect opening to God’s Word, and establishes all that we really need to know of the facts of creation. No man could have invented it: it is as great a marvel as a plant or a bird. It is God’s handiwork, sufficient for Hebrew children or Greek thinkers or Latin Christians; for medieval knights or modern scientists or little children; for cottage dwellers or cattle ranchers or deep sea fishermen; for Laplanders or Ethiopians, East or West, rich or poor, old or young, simple or learned . . . sufficient for all! Only God could write such a chapter, and He did[1].”

Have you thought about how big a statement “In the beginning God created the heavens” is? Why don’t we try to just sneak a quick peek at how great Thou our God in Heaven truly art? Our universe is vast:

  •  If a page the thickness of the paper in your Bible were to equal the distance from the earth to the sun (which is a mere 93 million miles or 8 light/minutes)-
  •  Then the distance of the nearest star (which equals 4.42 light years) would take an equivalent number of pages as would be in a stack of Bibles 71 feet high
  •  And the diameter of just our galaxy would be a stack of Bibles 310 miles high
  •  And we know of over 100 billion galaxies…

Now look ahead to next week Genesis 1:16. On the 4th day of creation recorded in Genesis 1, the Word of God states that our creator spoke and the sun and moon appeared from nothing. One of the most amazing verses in the Bible is in v. 16 the last 5 words, “He made the stars also.”

There are 100 Billion stars just in our Milky Way Galaxy. Among those many stars, our sun is an average ‘yellow’ star. It is in the middle as far as size, temperature and brightness. Just to give you a bit of perspective on some neighbors. In the Orion constellation there are two stars of note.

  •  Rigel is 15,000 times brighter than our sun, and thus hotter and so on.
  •  Antares is 36 million times bigger![2]

At the center, or core of our sun things are incredibly hot. The atoms stripped of there outer electrons are so densely packed it is absolutely dark and intensely hot. In fact, it is 16 million degrees centigrade. How hot is that? Well, a piece of the sun[3] the size of a pinhead that was in Oklahoma City — would kill you here in your seat this morning because of the heat radiating from it! The energy radiated from the sun in one second is more than all the energy used on the earth since creation!

Have you thought about God lately? I mean, about how big and powerful He is? He is so much bigger than anything we are facing today is. He is infinitely more able to care for any difficulty than we are. Have you been still and experienced God?

Please turn to Psalm 46:10, and read this verse.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! NKJV

Turn back with me to Psalm 147:4-5

He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. GOD COUNTS AND CALLS THEM ALL!

Now Psalm 8:1-3

O Lord, our Lord,  How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!  3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? NKJV

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED HOW MUCH MATTER GOD MADE FROM NOTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE IS THAT WAS JUST A SNAP FOR GOD TO WHIP UP?

Scientific American  2/97 “Challenge of large numbers” p. 74- 78     “The size of atoms”

  • The 19th century Italian chemist Ame-deo Avo-gardo represents the number of atoms in 12 grams of pure carbon.
  • This amount is called a mole (6.02×10 to the 23rd power) and can be understood in the following way, if 1 gram (one piece of kid’s cereal like Captain Crunch) of carbon was expanded to the size of the earth, a single carbon atom would be the size of a bowling ball.
  • Another measure of a mole is to say that all the calculations of all computers from the 1st to the present, in all the world, added together would possibly equal the number of atoms in a mole (small computers can do millions per second and main frames far more).
  • The total number of protons on the universe is 10 to the 80th.
  • The evolutionary age of the universe is 10 to the 10th.

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED HOW POWERFUL THIS UNIVERSE IS THAT WAS JUST A SNAP FOR GOD TO WHIP UP?

“Galactic Gushers” (p.26) are shining with the energy of a trillion suns, quasars are the brightest as well as the most distant known objects in the universe.

  • They are now found to exist in “undisturbed” that is non-colliding galaxies and all (loud radio wave and quiet) being similar, pose a colossal problem.
  • Why do they have fundamentally similar qualities?
  • They are about the size of our solar system and seem at present to be the product of gasses being pulled into collapsed star black holes heated by the nearly speed of light slurping flow into the abyss.

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED HOW VAST THIS UNIVERSE IS THAT WAS JUST A SNAP FOR GOD TO WHIP UP?  “Ghostliest Galaxies” p. 56

  • It was not until the 1980’s that man’s scientific observation skills were developed enough to detect the most numerous of all the known galaxies out there in the universe.
  • Up to 1980 there were calculated to be about a billion of the 3 known types (elliptical, spiral and irregular) of galaxies.
  • Spirals are including our own Milky Way having a pronounced bulge in their center.
  • In other words half the population of the universe is made up of low-surface-brightness-galaxies.
  • They are up to 20 times larger (galaxies measured in kilo-parsecs; a parsec is 3.26 light years; our Milky Way is 3 kilo-parsecs; the largest galaxy now Malin 1 is 20 times larger!) and less densely filled with stars, though in the same three patterns.
  • Current explanation? Evolving slower and not mature yet!

MARVEL AT YOUR CREATORS POWER

God made all of the Universe

  • Nehemiah 9:6 You alone [are] the LORD; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. (NKJV)
  • Job 12:7-9 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you. 9 Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, (NKJV)
  • Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 90:1-2 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You [are] God. (NKJV)only God is eternal
  • Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD, He [is] God; [It is] He [who] has made us, and not we ourselves; [We are] His people and the sheep of His pasture. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 104:1-35 Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2 Who cover [Yourself] with light as [with] a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind, 4 Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire. 5 [You who] laid the foundations of the earth, So [that] it should not be moved forever,  24 O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions — 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; May the LORD rejoice in His works. 32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the hills, and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 34 May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD. 35 May sinners be consumed from the earth, And the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD! (NKJV)
  • Psalm 121:2 My help [comes] from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 124:8 Our help [is] in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 134:3 The LORD who made heaven and earth Bless you from Zion! (NKJV)
  • Psalm 135:5-7 For I know that the LORD [is] great, And our Lord [is] above all gods. 6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. 7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 136:3-9 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy [endures] forever: 4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy [endures] forever; 5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy [endures] forever; 6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy [endures] forever; 7 To Him who made great lights, For His mercy [endures] forever — 8 The sun to rule by day, For His mercy [endures] forever; 9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy [endures] forever. (NKJV) note the psalmist accepted the literal words of gen 1!
  • Psalm 147:4-18 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. 5 Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite. 8 Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. 9 He gives to the beast its food, [And] to the young ravens that cry. 16 He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; 17 He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold? 18 He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, [and] the waters flow. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 148:1-6 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! 2 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! 4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created. 6 He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree which shall not pass away. (NKJV)
  • Isaiah 44:24  Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: “I [am] the LORD, who makes all [things,] Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; (NKJV)
  • Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. (NKJV)
  • Acts 14:15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, (NKJV)
  • Hebrews 1:10 And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. (NKJV)
  • Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.  (NKJV)

WORSHIP YOUR CREATOR

  • Psalm 33:6-9 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast. (KJV) instantaneous fiat creation no long process
  • Psalm 95:3-7 For the LORD [is] the great God, And the great King above all gods. 4 In His hand [are] the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills [are] His also. 5 The sea [is] His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry [land.] 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He [is] our God, And we [are] the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: (NKJV)
  • Psalm 96:4-5 For the LORD [is] great and greatly to be praised; He [is] to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples [are] idols, But the LORD made the heavens. (NKJV)
  • Psalm 113:4-6 The LORD [is] high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who [is] like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold [The things that are] in the heavens and in the earth? (NKJV)
  • Psalm 115:15-16 [May] you [be] blessed by the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 16 The heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men. (NKJV)
  • Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” (NKJV) Revelation 14:7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (NKJV) = We must respond to our CREATOR
  • Revelation 14:7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (NKJV)

IF YOU MET JESUS, YOUR CREATOR THIS MORNING, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

  • When demons faced Him they were terrified. Mark 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. (KJV)
  • When a tree faced Him it wilted. Mark 11:20-21 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. (KJV)
  • When diseases met Him they fled. Luke 4:39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. (KJV)
  • When the winds and waves of a fierce storm faced Him they fell silent. Luke 8:24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. (KJV)
  • When the disciples met they bowed in worship!
  • Moses face to ground
  • Job repented
  • Isaiah bowed
  • Disciples in boat
  • John on Patmos

What you believe about Genesis will determine your life, family, and ministry. Why?

If our children are not taught truth they can hold onto they will drift from the faith and shipwreck. Rom. 1.18

  • So guard their schooling
  • Shield their exposure to error and false teaching.
  • Promote much exposure to the truth daily.
  • Lead them by example to the Fellowship of Christ’s Body – bring them to church!
  •  If a saintly hourly worker is of more value than a pagan doctor, lawyer, sports star, politician or business person – then guard and teach the truth. Matthew 16:26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (NKJV)

Their numbers are beyond estimation or calculation. Yet –

God made them  Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also. (KJV) TRUST HIS POWER!

God names them    Psalm 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by [their] names. (KJV). TRUST HIS PLAN!

God sustains them   Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (KJV) TRUST HIS CARE!

And His Word has always said so! TRUST HIS WORD!

[1] Filby, Frederick A., Creation Revealed: A Study of Genesis Chapter One in Light of Modern Science (Westwood: N.J.: Revell, 1963), 15-16.

[2] National Geographic, November, 1965.

[3] Our Amazing World of Nature, Readers Digest Books, 1969, pp.261-63.

 

Slides


Check Out All The Sermons In The Series

You can find all the sermons and short clips from this series, Genesis here.

You can find all the sermons and short clips from this series, Paradise Lost – From Creation To The Fall here.

Looking To Study The Bible Like Dr. Barnett?

Dr. Barnett has curated an Amazon page with a large collection of resources he uses in his study of God’s Word. You can check it out here.