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Process
As we have seen already, God's creation is fully covered in chapter 1, verse 1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Also, Satan's rebellion is covered in the first half of verse 2. "And the earth became waste and empty; and darkness was upon the surface of the deep." In verse 2a, there are five main points: the fact that the earth became something different from what it was originally; the waste and the emptiness; the darkness and the deep. Keep these five items in mind. After the earth was judged due to Satan's rebellion, it became waste and empty.
Darkness is another indication of judgment. Exo. 10:21-22 and Rev. 16:10 show that darkness is a result of God's judgment. There was darkness when God exercised His judgment upon Pharaoh, and there will be darkness when He exercises His judgment over the antichrist. Thus, the darkness in Gen. 1:2a points to God's judgment.
In addition, we know that light accompanies life and that darkness always signifies death. Where life is, there is light; where death is, there is darkness. The reverse is also true: where there is death, there is darkness. Thus, the darkness in Gen. 1:2 also signifies that the earth was under a condition of death.
The word "deep" means the deep water. In the Bible, water has two meanings and symbolizes two different things, one positive and the other negative. In the positive sense, water always signifies something living. The flowing water brings life to people and quenches their thirst. In the negative sense, water signifies death. For instance, when we were baptized in water, that water represented death. Also, the waters of the Red Sea and the waters of the River Jordan both represent death. The water mentioned in Genesis 1:2 doesn't represent life, but indicates death. Therefore, we conclude that the earth was under death. The earth not only was waste, empty, and meaningless, but was filled with death and was under death. In the midst of this situation, God came in.
Genesis 1:2b does not refer to God's original creation — that was completed with verse 1 — but God's restoration. God was going to restore what had been damaged, and was going to have some further creation. For instance, this time God created man. Man was a being created by God, not a being restored by God. Gen. 1:2-31; 2:1-25 is a portion of the divine Word showing us God's restoration of the damaged universe, plus His further creation.
We need to read chapter 2, verse 4. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." Most people pay little attention to this verse; yet, it is very meaningful. It shows us both God's original creation and God's restoration. The first half of the verse says, "...the heavens and the earth when they were created..." Notice that the heavens are mentioned first and then the earth, and that the verb used here is "created." The second half of the verse says, "...in the day that the Lord God made..." Here, the verb has been changed from "created" to "made." As we have pointed out in the first message, to create means to produce something out of nothing, and to make means to work upon an existing substance in order to produce something else out of it. We need to see that originally the heavens and the earth were created. Then the second half of the verse says, "...in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." Have you noticed the change in the sequence? First, God created the heavens and the earth; then, He made the earth and the heavens.
In Genesis 1:1 God created. "In the beginning God created [firstly] the heavens and [then] the earth." Then, from verse 3 to the end of chapter 1, the Lord made the earth and the heavens. "...the Lord made the earth and the heavens" (Gen. 2:4b). If we read chapter 1 again, we can see that on the third day the Lord recovered the earth. God did not create the earth, for it was there already, submerged beneath the waters. So the Lord recovered the earth on the third day. Also, on the fourth day, the Lord recovered the sky, that is the heavens. Thus, in the restoration, it was not the heavens and the earth; it was firstly the earth, and then the heavens. But in the creation, it was firstly the heavens and then the earth. We can see both of these things in Genesis 2:4.
As we have pointed out strongly in the first message, the first two chapters of Genesis appear to be a record of God's creation, but the underlying thought is completely a matter of life. This is why some people consider that chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis are too simple, too brief, to be a record of creation. We agree. As a record of God's creation, it is too simple. But we know that the Bible is not a record of creation, neither a record of history, nor a record of any stories. The Bible is completely a book of life. The whole Bible is focused on life. If we read the first chapter of Genesis carefully and have light from the Holy Spirit, we can realize that it is absolutely a chapter of life. It was written from the point of view of life.
You may say that the word "life" is not found in this chapter. This is true. Nevertheless, we can find many items pertaining to life. When God recovered the earth on the third day, all kinds of plant life were produced. Then came the animal life in the water, the animal life in the air, the animal life on the earth, the human life, and ultimately the divine life in chapter 2. Hallelujah! Life is the focus of these two chapters. From this perspective, we can surely understand the record of Genesis 1.
God's original creation was damaged by Satan's rebellion and then judged by God Himself. After God's judgment, there remained nothing except darkness upon the surface of the deep water. This signifies a death condition. In the midst of this death condition, the Bible suddenly says, "And the Spirit of God was brooding upon the surface of the waters." Isn't this wonderful? The Spirit was brooding. Hallelujah! "The Spirit was brooding" as a hen broods over her eggs in order to produce little chickens. When the Bible first says something about the Spirit, it doesn't say "the power of the Spirit," "the might of the Spirit," but it says that the "Spirit of God was brooding over the surface of the waters." This means that He was preparing to generate life. We need to see that the record of Genesis 1 is something related to life, to God's gospel, and to spiritual things. For this we have a strong proof in 2 Corinthians 4:6. Paul says, "God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." This certainly was a reference to chapter one of Genesis. By this one verse, we can realize that everything recorded in Genesis 1 must be related to life, to God's shining, and to God's gospel. Based upon this verse, we need to interpret everything according to life.
We need to recall our condition before we were saved. We were just waste and empty, our lives were meaningless, and we were covered with darkness. Within us was an abyss, a bottomless pit. And in this abyss was a swarm of demons, driving us to lose our temper, to gamble, to go to the movies, and to do many other evil things. We were waste and empty, yet full of darkness and death.
But, hallelujah! One day, some living One began to hover over us, to work within our heart, to brood upon the death and the deep within us. This was not something psychological or ethical, but the living One working within us, working so gently, lovingly, like a big hen brooding over the eggs in her nest. This is the brooding and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus said (John 16:8-11) that when the Holy Spirit is come, He will reprove, He will convince the world (meaning humanity) of sin (related to Adam), of righteousness (related to Christ), and of judgment (related to Satan). He will rebuke in a brooding way, in a very kind way, not in a violent way. In the whole universe, there are only three persons — Adam, Christ, and Satan. The Holy Spirit works within us, convincing us that we were born in Adam and have nothing but sin, that we have no way to escape sin and Adam's influence without believing in Christ. The Holy Spirit will brood within us and speak to us, saying, "Look, Jesus died on the cross for you and He has accomplished everything that is required by God. Now the real righteousness is with Him. If you turn to Him and believe in Him, you will receive Him as your righteousness. He has passed through incarnation, He has passed through life on this earth, He has passed through crucifixion and resurrection. Now He is accepted by God at His right hand. He is there as the proof that if you believe on Him, you will be free of sin and obtain righteousness. If you don't do this, you will go with Satan into God's judgment." By this brooding of the Holy Spirit, you will be fully convinced and will say, "Lord Jesus, I have nothing to say, but I thank You." By this, you are regenerated, you are born again of the Spirit (John 3:6-7). Hallelujah!
The Spirit of God came. This coming of the Holy Spirit is the first requirement for generating life. The Spirit came to brood over the waters of death which submerged the earth, brooding that life might be generated.
The Word of God came to bring in the light. This is the second requirement for generating life. Verse 3 reads, "And God said..." God spoke; that was the Word of God. To speak is not a small thing. Suppose I come to the platform and remain silent, while you look at me and I look at you. What is this? This is death. If I am a living person, I cannot just stand here and be silent for an hour. As long as I am living, I must speak. When I speak, it means that I am living, and that what I speak will be something living. God spoke and the Word of God came to bring in the light. "And God said, Let there be light." The divine Word always brings us light. Hallelujah!
Check with your own experience. First, the Spirit broods over you. Then comes the speaking. Through that speaking, you receive a living Word and that living Word enlightens you within. When God speaks, He commands the light to shine out of darkness. "God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts..." Hallelujah! God's speaking brings in light.
The Lord Jesus said that whoever hears His Word and believes has life (John 5:24). If we hear the Lord's Word and believe, we have life. James 1:18 tells us that God has brought us forth with His Word.
Now we come to the third requirement for generating life: the light came to dispel the darkness that covered the waters of death. Praise the Lord. This is really meaningful. I can testify that when I was saved, it was exactly like this: firstly, the Spirit came; secondly, the Word of God came; thirdly, the light came. I was enlightened within. Something was shining within me. I believe that this was also your experience.
In addition to 2 Cor. 4:6, we have John 1:4, 5, 9. "In the beginning was the Word...In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:1, 4-5). Darkness can never overcome light. Light always dispels darkness. When light comes, darkness must flee.
Who and what is light? Light is Christ, the living Word of God. When Christ came as the real Light to shine in the darkness, the darkness could not overcome Him. He is the real Light.
We should remember the three comings: the coming of the Spirit, the coming of the Word, and the coming of Light. Following these comings, are three separations, three divisions.
The first separation was between light and darkness. This was the fourth requirement for generating life. This separation was for the purpose of discerning day from night, causing the light to be set apart. This is more difficult to understand, but an illustration will make it clear.
Immediately after you were saved, you didn't have any discernment and were unable to distinguish between light and darkness. After you were saved awhile and had gone on with the Lord, gradually there was a separation within you and you had the discernment to say, "This is light and that is darkness. I will keep the light, but not the darkness." Before we were saved, we had no day at all, only a night of twenty-four hours. We were constantly in the night, a dark and cloudy night with no stars. But, praise the Lord! From the day we were saved, something began to dawn like the morning. This is the day.
Perhaps your first day was only four hours long, and then evening came again. Regardless of how long it was, you had your first day. Praise the Lord! After ten hours of night, you came to a meeting and in that meeting you saw the dawn. It was another day and you shouted, "Hallelujah!" Then you went to school or to work and evening came again. Don't be disappointed — evening is a sign that morning will come. Also, when you are in the morning, be prepared for the evening to come again. In Genesis 1:5, it doesn't say morning and evening; it says evening and morning because we came out of the night. "And evening and morning were the first day." Praise the Lord!
With the young people the night is always longer, but with the old folks the night is shorter. Because I am experienced, my spiritual day is longer than yours. My spiritual day is nineteen hours and my spiritual night only five hours. When we get into the New Jerusalem, there will be no night at all (Rev. 21:25). You need to grow. Perhaps your day is just ten hours and your night fourteen hours. You need to grow for your days to be longer and your nights to be shorter.
We need the separation of day and night, the discernment between light and darkness. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul asks, "What fellowship has light with darkness?" This word must also refer to Genesis 1. God has separated light from darkness; so don't try to mix them. Light has nothing to do with darkness. What kind of fellowship can light have with darkness? This means that we are children of light and that we shouldn't be yoked or mingled with the people living in darkness. We must maintain the separation. They are children of darkness and we are children of light. We all must say, "What communion can there be between light and darkness?" This is a real separation. If we keep this requirement, we will have more light.
We proceed to the fifth requirement for generating life: separating the waters of death by making an expanse. The waters which are above the expanse must be divided from the waters which are under the expanse. To divide light from darkness is rather objective; to divide the waters above the expanse from the waters under the expanse is more subjective. We need the second separation — dividing the heavenly things from the earthly things (Col. 3:1-3). The waters under the expanse represent the earthly things, while the waters above the expanse represent heavenly things. Some things may not be dark, but they are earthly, not heavenly.
Suppose, as I am speaking, I wear a cowboy hat, cowboy outfit, and boots. That is not something dark, but it is earthly. Suppose I wear a wide necktie, eight inches wide, colored with green, red, blue, purple, and bright yellow. If I were to wear this, it would prove that I am lacking the expanse.
What is this expanse? The expanse is simply the atmosphere, the air surrounding the earth. Without the atmosphere no life could ever be generated upon the earth. There is no life on the moon because there is no expanse around the moon. God created the expanse surrounding the earth so that the earth may produce life. After being saved, we not only have the light within us, but also the air, the expanse. Something has come into us to separate the heavenly things from the earthly things, the things above which are acceptable to God from the things below which are not acceptable to Him. What is this? This is the dividing work of the cross. After we have been saved and have gone on with the Lord, we will experience the cross. The cross divides. It divides the natural things from the spiritual things, it divides the holy things from the common things, and it divides the heavenly things from the earthly things. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the living Word can separate us to such an extent that our soul is divided from our spirit. I may say or do something good; yet that good word or deed does not have its source in the spirit, but in the soul. Morally speaking, ethically speaking, or humanly speaking, there is nothing wrong. But spiritually speaking, the source is not of God, not of the heavens. It is not of the spirit, but of the soul, of the earth. Thus, we need a further division: not only a separation between light and darkness, but also a discernment between the spirit (the things above) and the soul (the things beneath).
Have you ever noticed in Genesis 1 that on every day, except the second, after God had accomplished something He looked at it and it was good. But on the second day there is no such record. Genesis doesn't say that God saw the waters and the air and said that they were good. Why? Because the air is full of fallen angels and the waters full of demons. Remember that the demons have their dwelling place in the waters. On the second day, there was something which really was not good: in the air were the fallen angels and in the waters were the demons. We must realize that whatever is of us, even once the cross has divided it, is nevertheless not good. Whatever is of us is not good. God cannot say that it is good.
After the second day, we have the third day — the day of resurrection. On the third day, the day of resurrection, the dry land appeared under the expanse for generating life. This is the sixth requirement for generating life. In the whole Bible, the sea represents death and the earth represents Christ Himself. The Bible tells us that, eventually, after God has worked through many generations, the sea will be eliminated. After Satan's rebellion and God's judgment of the original creation, there was nearly nothing except waters. Then, God came in to restore by the brooding Spirit, the living Word, and the dividing light. On the second day, the expanse divided the waters, and on the third day God gathered the waters together under the expanse that the dry land might appear for producing life. This means that God had been working on the waters, seeking to confine and limit them. In Jeremiah 5:22 we are told that God drew a line to limit the sea. Today, God is still working to eliminate the sea because in it there are demons. The sea represents something demonic, something devilish. Eventually, when God's work is completed, there will be no more sea. In the new heavens and new earth there is only land, no sea (Rev. 21:1). The sea representing a main part of Satan's kingdom has been eliminated. Praise the Lord!
The dry land appeared in order to produce life, to generate life. On the third day, Christ came out of death. Christ came out of death in resurrection just to generate life. Hallelujah!
Although you may be saved, the darkness within has not been cleared up, the waters have not been divided and confined, and the things of death have not been limited. As you are going on with the Lord, the waters of death within you will gradually be confined, limited, and eliminated. Within you, the dry land will rise up. That is Christ. That is Christ in resurrection. First Peter 1:3 tells us that we have been regenerated by the resurrection of Christ. Without the resurrected Christ, there is no possibility for any life to be generated.
The land was separated from the waters. The land signifies life and the waters signify death. To divide the land from the waters means to separate life from death.
As we grow in the Lord, we learn how to discern light from darkness, separate heavenly things from earthly things, and divide life from death. In my speaking I may have nothing dark and nothing earthly; yet I speak without life. I am devoid of life. My speaking is genuine and proper, with nothing of darkness and nothing worldly, but nevertheless is full of death. So, I must pray, "Lord Jesus, drive away all the death waters within me that the dry land may appear to produce life." In my speaking there should be nothing of darkness, nothing of this earth, and nothing of death. Within my speaking there must be the dry land that produces life.
In your family life, there may be nothing of darkness, nothing worldly, but also nothing of life. When someone comes into your home, he cannot see anything dark or worldly; neither can he see anything living. All that he can see there is death. But I hope that when I come to see you, I will see that everything is full of life. Christ, the dry land, is appearing in your home. Christ is manifested, producing life in your home.
On the dry land there is no darkness and no waters of death. We just have the dry land filled with every kind of life. So, I say once again that what is revealed to us in Genesis is completely a matter of life.
