The Earthrise of the Soul

I. The Shape of Time: From Wheels to Arrows

In Genesis 1:1, the word Bereshit ("In the beginning") makes a massive claim about the nature of our existence. While many cultures view time as a wheel—an endless, repeating cycle of birth and death—the Bible "stops the wheel".

• Time as a Trajectory:Time is not a hamster wheel; it is an arrow with a starting point and a destination flying toward the climax of God’s will.

• Science Catches Up:For years, the "Steady State Theory" claimed the universe was eternal, but Edwin Hubble's discoveries about the expanding universe confirmed that there was a singular point at which matter and energy were created.

• The Science of Trajectory:The universe is not stationary; it has been "blasted off" from a starting line and is moving toward a finish line.

• Life Application:Meaning in Motion: If time were a wheel, your pain would be a random repetition. Because it is an arrow, your life is part of a story God is steering toward a specific ending. How does knowing your life has a "finish line" change your perspective on current hardships?

  1. The Archer: If your life is an arrow, who is the archer? Are you exhausted from trying to steer yourself, or can you trust the One who fired the shot "in the beginning"?

II. The Nature of the Author: The Doctrine of Aseity

The Bible does not begin with a scientific or philosophical argument for God’s existence; it begins with the simple assertion of His reality: "In the beginning, God..."

• Elohim and Majesty: The name used for God (Elohim) is plural in form but takes a singular verb, focusing on the "plurality of God's majesty"—He is the God of gods.

• The Concept of Aseity: This doctrine means God is "from Himself". Before matter, time, or space, there was only God.

• The Uncaused Cause: Unlike everything else in the universe, God has no "start date" or "birthday". He depends on no one; He is fully dependent upon Himself alone.

• Life Application: The Main Character: Genesis 1:1 reveals He is the Subject and the main character. In what areas of your life have you demoted God to a "supporting cast" member?

  1. Resting in His Self-Sufficiency: Because God is "Aseity" (self-existent), He does not need you, yet He chooses to involve you. How does it comfort you to know that the God who sustains your life is not Himself in need of anything?

III. The Power of the Word: Creation Out of Nothing

The Hebrew verb used in Genesis 1:1 is Bara. This word is unique because it is reserved exclusively for God.

• Ex-Nihilo:Humans "make" things out of existing materials (like wood or metal), but God creates Ex-Nihilo—out of nothing.

• The Divine Artist: God did not need a paintbrush to color the sky; He simply spoke, and everything came into being without struggle or sweat.

• Speaking Life: God does not need "materials" to fix a situation; He can summon life where there is currently nothingness.

• Life Application: Source of Joy:If God needed your help to create the world, He would need your help to save your soul. Because He Bara'd the world alone, He saves your soul through Christ alone. Are you trying to "help" God save you, or are you resting in His finished work?

  1. Unfathomable Power: If God can summon the universe into existence without "paint," do you believe He struggles with your finances, your marriage, or your soul?

IV. The Two Realms: The Limits of Science and the Depth of Wisdom

The phrase "the heavens and the earth" is a merism—two opposites used to describe the whole universe. It points to two distinct realities: the material (earthly) and the spiritual (heavenly).

• The Limitation of Science: Science is like the mining operation in Job 28; it can probe the earth and bring hidden physical things to light. However, while science can find uranium, it cannot find wisdom.

• Scientific Reductionism: The belief that only what can be measured is real. This worldview reduces man’s purpose by ignoring the spiritual reality.

• The Treasure Hunt: To be human is to be on a treasure hunt. God has hidden His glory in the "DNA strands of your existence" and invites you to discover His wisdom.

• Life Application: The Whole Universe: If you only believe in what you can see and measure, you are missing half the universe. Where have you been looking for "wisdom" lately—in the earthly realm of data or the heavenly realm of God's Word?

  1. Searching Out the Glory: Proverbs 25:2 says it is the glory of kings to search things out. This week, how can you move beyond "Scientific Reductionism" to seek the hidden spiritual glory God has placed in your daily life?