Genesis 1:1 Commentary — Why God Awareness Is Critical In Your Life

In a lot of ways the first verse of the Hebrew Bible is the most important. It seemingly sets a foundational tone for what’s yet to come.  In this Genesis 1:1 commentary I lay out a few important implications this seminal verse confers on your life.

Genesis 1:1 Verse:

“In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth”.

Genesis 1:1 Tells You Unequivocally There Is A Grand Designer

Why is this important?

What this means is you don’t have to live a — is there or is there not?— tortured existence. You just have to focus on understanding how a world designed by a creator God operates.

But just as important, Genesis 1:1 tells you there’s a God to let you know your life has meaning and purpose.

Face it, a randomly occurring, direction lacking world has no purpose.  Any meaning and purpose derived would be strictly made up by humans. And I, for one, don’t readily trust standards put forth by other humans.

But if a transcendent force is telling you He is the grand designer of everything, you can be pretty sure there’s a good purpose behind it all.

Your only job is to use your God-given abilities to find said purpose and use it to be a positive, productive influence in the world.

Genesis 1:1 Tells You Creation Has A Beginning 

Why is this significant?

Because if there is a beginning that means nothing existed before then.  Which means God created out of nothing. (This is a powerful message because only an all-powerful God can create out of nothing. Humans cannot. Instead, the best man can do is “make” out of what already exists.)

This realization dispels many false notions humans have had about God since the beginning of time.  Such as, nature is God. Or that God is a force within nature.

Instead, a beginning of creation asserts that God is not only the creator of nature.  But also, the creator of time.  And thus, God stands outside the boundaries of both.

All these qualities about God are important to understand because they attest to God’s limitless nature.  Unlike many other notions of gods throughout time that have depicted gods having birth stories.  Or having other human centric qualities such as gender and other limiting physical characteristics.  

There being a beginning and God creating out of nothing is ultimately a grand sign of complete omnipotence.  Something your mind should humbly appreciate and then lead you to synchronize your perspective of the world accordingly.

Genesis 1:1 Makes It Clear There’s Only One God

Why does this matter?

This verse in Genesis 1:1 is teaching you the foundational idea of monotheism.  Which means that there’s only one God.  And that there’s only one ultimate authority over you in this universe.

It may sound funny in our time but unlike ancient times, this verse intimates that there are no such things as sun gods. Or rain gods. 

Or dark spirits you have to appease for good fortune. 

One God means there’s only but one ultimate force you should be beholden to in this universe. In our time, this understanding translates to you not adopting any false idols.

So Genesis 1:1 is anti worship of material items, like many in our society fall into.  Worship of money. Worship of social status. Anything that you go after and put aside God’s principles to do or obtain — is bound by idolatry.  And you are inherently making that “thing” into a god in your life.

And hence, Genesis 1:1 is making the case for your awareness of the One and only transcendent force that should be driving your life.

Conclusion 

I hope you enjoyed this Genesis 1:1 commentary. It is truly a verse that sets the stage for the lessons that are to come in the rest of the Hebrew Bible.  

And one of those seminal teachings is that everything in life that is good, worthwhile, satisfying, true…etc…begins with your awareness of the driving force of existence.  Your Father in heaven. The One and only God. Creator of the universe.