"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Genesis 1:1-2)
Do you ever wonder what God is like or where He came from? We probably all have. Well, the first two verses of Genesis give us some answers. They tell us that God existed before the beginning and that He created time, space, and matter. But perhaps the biggest revelation is that God existed as the Trinity before creation, and that the Trinity was the creative force.
The Trinity at Creation
The biblical concept of the Trinity is difficult to understand. Most worldly examples fail because the parts that make up the whole can also exist independently, such as water existing in liquid, gas, and ice forms. However, the Trinity is composed of three distinct Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- who each function uniquely but remain a unified whole.
God the Father - The Hebrew word for God in the beginning is Elohim. This word is plural, not singular, and is the first foreshadowing of the preexistent Trinity. Later in the chapter, we read, “Then God said, let us make man in our own image.” (Gen. 1:26) One creator God in three forms – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
God the Holy Spirit – Genesis 1:2 says the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. Here the word “hovering” means both a protective movement and a force that energizes all it touches. That definition tracks closely with our New Testament understanding of the Holy Spirit, who guides us into truth, provides spiritual energy, and protects us in spiritual warfare.
God the Son - So where is Jesus the Son during the creation process? He is the creative force who made the Father’s intentions visible. Just as he displayed God’s invisible attributes when he lived on earth, he made God’s purposes visible in creation. Colossians 1:16 says that God created all things through Jesus. And Hebrews 1:2 tells us that God made the universe through the Son.
The Word - John1:1 calls Jesus “the Word”: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Here we learn three important facts about Jesus and creation. 1) Jesus was there “in the beginning,” existing eternally with the Father as a member of the Trinity. 2)Jesus is distinct from the Father because he was “with God.” 3) Jesus is the same as God in nature because He “was God.”
Making the Trinity Personal
We will never fully understand the Trinity this side of heaven. However, drilling down into the creation story gives us a deeper insight into who God is and how He relates to this world and to us personally. Think of God the Father as the architect who designed creation, Jesus as the builder who made the design become visible, and the Holy Spirit who provided the energy and power for creation to function.
Just as in creation, the Trinity constantly works to recreate us anew each day. Our sovereign Father created each of us with intention and love. Through a personal relationship with Jesus, we can come to know God more intimately. The Holy Spirit “hovers” over our hearts, guiding, directing, and spiritually energizing us as we grow into the image of Christ day by day.
Pastor and evangelist John Stott prayed the following prayer every morning to remind himself of how impactful the Trinity was in his life. As we start our new devotional series on Genesis, this might be a good prayer to start your day.
Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live this day in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three persons in one God, have mercy upon me.
Almighty God, Creator and sustainer of the universe, I worship you.
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord of the world, I worship you.
Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the people of God, I worship you.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen
Joy For Your Journey,
Andy