The Beginning:
In the beginning, God creates “the heavens and the earth,” with the earth described as unformed and empty, covered by darkness and deep waters. God’s Spirit is present over the waters. God begins creation by speaking light into existence, separating light from darkness and establishing day and night.
The Middle:
Across successive days, God orders the cosmos by separating and naming realms: sky from waters, seas from dry land, and then filling these realms with life. God creates vegetation, appoints lights in the sky for signs and seasons, and brings forth sea creatures, birds, land animals, and finally humanity. Humans—male and female—are created in God’s image and given a vocation to rule responsibly over other creatures and to fill the earth. God provides plants for food and declares the completed work “very good.”
The End:
With creation finished, God rests on the seventh day, setting it apart. God blesses the seventh day and makes it holy. The narrative concludes by emphasizing the completeness and goodness of God’s ordered creation.
Genesis presents God as the sovereign Creator who brings order and life by his word, without rivalry or dependence on other powers. The repeated separations and namings show purposeful design, while the creation of humanity “in the image of God” establishes human dignity and a stewarding role within creation. God’s rest on the seventh day reveals that creation is not only functional but also oriented toward worship and holy time, grounding the biblical pattern of Sabbath.
In the ancient Near East, creation accounts often involved conflict among gods and the use of preexisting divine material. Genesis differs by portraying one God who creates by command (“And God said…”) and declares creation good, offering a distinctive theological claim about God’s authority and the ordered, meaningful nature of the world.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” — Genesis 1:1
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. At the beginning of the creation narrative, what is said to be present over the waters?
2. What does God do on the seventh day after creation is finished?