God Created the Heavens and the Earth Ex Nihilo

• Genesis 1:1 teaches the beginning of God’s material act of creation. The opening prepositional phrase “in the beginning” is a translation of one Hebrew word beresit. Further evidence of creation ex nihilo (Latin: “out of nothing”) is found in Genesis 1:3 in the phrase “let there be.” Scripture clearly tells us that God’s command brought creation into existence. Instantly. (Psalm 33:6, 9, 148:1–6).

There Is No Gap Between Genesis 1:1–3

• While many have tried to squeeze the idea of millions of years into verse 2, or argue that Day One begins in verse 3 and not verse 1, the grammar of the verses 1–3 rule this out. Exodus 20:11 states that God made everything in six days, which means that He did not make anything prior to the first day. Because the verse says He made the earth during those six days, this is further evidence that Day One begins in Genesis 1:1, not 1:3.

God Created All Things in Six 24-Hour Days

• The key point in understanding the length of the days in Genesis 1 is that they are numbered and used with the qualifiers “morning” and “evening.” Those contextual clues help us comprehend their meaning. The six days of creation and the seventh day of rest, according to the text, are normal 24-hour days. Exodus 20:11 and 31:17 make it clear that the events of Genesis 1:1–2:3 occurred in six literal days, just as the text plainly says.

God’s Creation Was Very Good

• God had already stated six times that His creation was “good” (vv. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). However, at the end of Day Six God saw all that He had made and declared it to be “very good” (v. 31). The Bible links the reality of death and suffering to the sin of the first man, which thereby brought corruption into God’s “very good” creation (Genesis 2:17, 3:17–19; Romans 5:12, 8:19–22; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22). God’s Word could not be clearer for people of all times, cultures, ages, and levels of education to understand. He created all things in six literal days just a few thousand years ago.

Monday Morning Moment: “God said it. I believe it. And that settles it!”