Berĕshith (Genesis) Chapter 1

In the beginning, Elohim created the shamayim {heavens} and the arets {earth}. But the text I’m reading doesn’t say the earth was formless and empty. It actually says the earth came to be formless and empty {1:2} and I believe there’s something to that translation choice (I'll post another blog on why I chose The Scriptures for study). Came to be feels like movement, like transformation, like something already happened before we even step into verse two.

Then YAHUAH speaks light into being {1:3}. Light is the first thing called forth. The text says He saw the light, that it was good, and separated it from darkness {1:4}. There are a few reasons why that resonates deeply with me but the main one is that creation begins with light, not with darkness. I’ve often heard people point to “evening and morning” as proof that a day begins at sundown {1:5}, but that has never sat right with me. Not sure why. To me, this reads simply like a description of time’s flow. Evening came, morning came, the day moved on. Which, to me, seems consistent with how the Master YAHUAH moves in and through time.

Also, light came first, and I believe that’s because YAHUAH is light. It’s both His nature and His character. He began creation with who He is. And that makes me think about identity and purpose. Which comes first? And for the Master YAHUAH, I think it's both and that’s why He began with it.

As YAHUAH continues to create, the expanse appears, waters are divided from waters, and the shamayim are named {1:6–8}. This continues to give me the impression of process. Not instantaneous (although, He could have done it that way if He wanted to) and definitely not random, but orderly. Unfolding step by step. And here's the thing: the Scriptures say there are waters above. Now, if that’s true, where are they? Is the expanse much larger than we think? Or are we misunderstanding what space itself really is?

Then, dry land appears, the seas gather together, and plants sprout with seed “in themselves” {1:9–11}. Think about that.. "seeds within". It shows YAHUAH designed life to reproduce, to sustain, to continue. But today we have seedless fruits and GMOs. So when I read this verse and compare it to our reality, I have to ask:

Then come the creatures of the waters and the birds of the shamayim {1:20–21} and here appears the first explicit barakah {blessing}. YAHUAH baruk (blessed) them: “Be fruitful, increase, fill.” Plants already contained seed, but now He speaks fruitfulness into moving beings. And this blessing seems tied to multiplication, to flourishing, to life expanding.

Next, land animals and all the creature of the arets {earth} are made: livestock, creeping creatures, wild beasts {1:24–25}. Each according to its kind.

Then, at last, humanity.

YAHUAH says, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” {1:26}. That Us makes me pause. Elohim is plural in form but often acts in the singular. Is Us the fullness of YAHUAH Himself i.e. His Spirit, His Word? Is it a heavenly council? Is it like a family, distinct individuals sharing one label (like a surname)? And, for some reason, Scripture doesn’t spell it out, and maybe that’s intentional.

Humanity is baruk too. Be fruitful, increase, fill the earth, subdue it, rule {1:28}. This blessing is about both expansion and stewardship. If humanity was told to "subdue" all living creatures of the land, sea, and sky, what does that suppose to look like? Dominion? Destruction?

And notice the food instructions {1:29–30}. Every plant that yields seed and every fruit tree with seed is given for food. Animals, too, are given green plants. No mention of meat. The original design for both humans and animals was plant-based sustenance.

“And Elohim saw all that He had made, and see, it was very good. And there came to be evening, and there came to be morning, the sixth day.” {1:31}

We know that YAHUAH is good and perfect in all His ways. Then, it must follow that everything He does is good, right? So, if everything He creates is already 'good', why does the text keep pausing to say, “and He saw that it was good”? What is that adding?