God Before Time

Science has the same problem as theologians as to how existence began. For science it is the was it energy, mass or plasma first and then how did change begin. Not surprisingly only hypothesis can guess yet the drive to make the unknowable finite enough to quantify. The Bible does not go down that trail but simply states that God is. While the first chapter of Genesis is an overview of the beginning of creation, Chapter Two gives more precise detail and the proper name of God begins to be used starting in verse 4:

These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lᴏʀᴅ God made the earth and the heavens. ³

This is the introduction of the name ‘Jehovah’ which simply means “the existing One” and directs the user to the nature of God as always existing. God is not created, evolved, mutated or anything else—He simply is (as a point of clarity:  ‘Lᴏʀᴅ God’ Lᴏʀᴅ in small caps is Jehovah and God is Elohim).

The name Jehovah is so revered by the Talmudic Jewish faithful that it is not spoken. This word is written in Hebrew as YHWH which is the Tetragrammaton and is the consonants of the name (Hebrew does not use vowels and is written from right to left).

In fact, God’s first conversation with Moses about God’s identity emphasizes His eternal existence. When Moses asks God who Moses should say sent him to the Israelites in Egypt, God’s reply is direct:

“I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lᴏʀᴅ, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. ⁴

I AM WHO I AM is a continuing tense but notice God is talking of being the Existing One through generations, unchanging, consistent, always was, always is, always will be. Eternal is expressed in the same way in the John 1:1-4 where speaking of Jesus it records:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” ²

No beginning, no end, uncreated but rather the Creator. And just in case we weren’t convinced,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” ⁵

Wrapping up God’s commentary on His eternal nature:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” ⁶

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” ⁷

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” ⁸

The Bible never presents itself as a history book although it is historical; it doesn’t claim to be a science, math or arts guide but it does give us information on all of those disciplines. But that isn’t the point of the Bible—It is distinctly about God and not just any god. The God of the Bible reveals Himself as the I AM. He does not portray Himself in this autobiography as the God who becomes whatever we ask Him to be to suit our image of ourselves.

The Bible does not go in any length about what was before the heavens and the earth were created and does not give a timeline. If you find year dates in a Bible, they are not original to the text. Bishop Ussher, Catholic Primate of Ireland, coded the dating of Creation as was clocked on the Julian calendar at about 6 p.m., October 22, 4004 B.C. Ussher’s dating was by placing all the ‘birth’ chronologies of the Old Testament sequentially back from Jesus’ birth. This was an honest effort to include something wondered but not stated—not all of the names in the chronologies are sequential and parts of the creation record do not indicate days as we think of twenty-four hour days. Take it as possible but not inspired.

What the Bible does present is that God Himself directed and designed the process of creation and validated His work, that all of the Godhead was involved according to the Genesis text and the Gospel of John with confirmations from many other books. He knew what He was doing, did not do it by happenstance or chance but with purpose and design.