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ENCOURAGEMENT TO ETERNAL FOCUS IN UNITY AND FELLOWSHIP OF THE GOSPEL

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 In Beginning

2

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NIV

In the Hebrew style of historical writing, the Torah of the Jewish faith written by Moses under God’s direction started with a direct statement. This first sentence of the Bible records a simple overview of a  complex creative period for God. As designed it begins the historical record of the exploration of the connections of the Creator to man. In the deeper meaning God’s Word shares possible answers to some of the difficult questions about that beginning referred to by Moses.

For a few moments consider such questions as: How old is heaven? Is this heaven today different from what it was before this beginning? What did God do in heaven before He created this present world and man? Was anyone else there besides God? How was heaven organized?

In Beginning - Theology of God's Chosen Nation

When this statement was written God was organizing the theology of a His new nation. Inspired by God, Moses was giving the children of Israel basic essential historical knowledge from the God that brought them from the land of Egypt. God raised the Israelites up and gave them a land for a purpose. For this reason this theology to these people did not contain great details about the past, present or future heaven and earth they now lived. It was only important that this new nation understand foundational truths about mankind’s past in order to value this purpose and plan God had for them.

Four hundred years before Moses God promised Abraham to make his children a great nation. Through this nation God would bring great blessing upon all other peoples of the earth. Later more will be said of this in chapter Blessing To All Nations.

With Genesis 1:1 Moses began educating this chosen nation. Israel received a message about history they needed to know in order to bring this blessing to all peoples. No doubt the many false religions that surrounded Israel had diluted the meaning of the Messianic message given four centuries previously to Abraham and handed down through the generations from Adam. God wanted them to clearly understand the past, because this historical account would help the world recognize the truth of eternal life offered in His blessed purpose and plan.

A full appreciation of the blessing God has for every person of the world through this chosen people of God begins in Genesis 1:1. It is the first Word of God read by anyone who starts reading the Bible. These words set the scenery for all else written. They declare unequivocally there is a God. This God created the heavens and earth. God sets this act in beginning.

Over the three thousand years since the initial delivery of this message the exact implied meaning has blurred. This has resulted in centuries of debate as to just what this modifying term "in beginning" applies. Most would agree it does not apply to existence of the "everlasting to everlasting" God. Without doubt it is not God’s beginning. However the opinions begin to vary greatly over whether it references in the heavens and earth everything God has ever created or just that which was created in this age.

Today most discussion is over the creative time and scope "in beginning" actually applies.  Popular Christianity in an admirable battle against godless evolution theory of the last one and one half centuries leans heavily toward Scripture describing an inactive God and non-existent creation prior to this beginning so as not to leave any accidental support for the possibility of an ancient creation. Camouflaged under the guise of a defense of God’s Word all creation is both instant and new in the Kingdom of Heaven. A huge Christian educational industry publishes vast resources under the banner of Creation Science broadcasting this ideology. Its followers are often shocked, alarmed and even aggressively hostile against those who after Romans 1: 20 "clearly" see the creation as ancient accurately testifying of God’s "eternal power." These later students of God’s Word believe the beginning speaks of series of actions that started the events of this age which is only one age of many past ages and future ages to come.

While diverse views exist between these groups there is common ground among all parties with creation time line theories. Regardless of one’s view of the how, what and when of creation, the evidence collected thus far in study of the current universe overwhelmingly supports the case of intelligent design of all seen today. Even the die hard evolution theorists now hunt for proof that life was planted by intelligence from outer space in face of the undeniable proof of the statistical impossibility of the complexity of current creation by natural section and random events. Thus while "the when" is debated "the who" has only one valid choice -God.

The difficult hurdle for agreement among believers comes from the fact that God does not reveal elaborate details of His eternal existence or activities before this beginning mentioned in Scripture. The lack of information leaves room for a lot of speculation among God’s children about the possible details or even the existence of a previous heaven and earth Kingdom past before this beginning. Yet throughout His Word fingerprints of past creations leave inspired evidence of ages of service to the glory of God. The original intent of Genesis 1:1 is one such fingerprint whereby God reveals assigned foundational theology for his chosen nation that would bring forth the Messianic plan. .

In Beginning - A Statement of Founding Actions

So what was the Holy Spirit telling Israel with these first thoughts written from God? Read the verse again and consider some details of a wonderful message that shares a great blessing to all the people of the world.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NIV

A deeper search into these first words discovers that over time man has distorted the original meaning in attempts to clarify the message and conform it to popular theological interpretation of the day.  Greater understanding of this beginning is found by the realization the word "the" is not found in Hebrew. It is also by the Holy Spirit not in the Greek texts in reference to this beginning by Jesus or John in Matthew 19:4, John 1:2 and other New Testament references. In the verse "the" was added by later Scribes and translators to support supposed meaning that evolved over the centuries.

Further Bible students not familiar with Hebrew would not immediately recognize the verb tense of past, present and future is not in the original language. The verb tense read today in translations of the Old Testament Hebrew was added for ease of understanding years later by Hebrew Scribes. This is important because the original lack of tense along with this omission of the definite article "the" possibly tells us this beginning referred to is not a specific point in time as popular theology began to promote years later. Inspiration did not say "the" beginning in reference to one particular instant past act of creating. Rather it references a general theme of events at the initiation of the the subject and action the phrase modifies.

Also when considering the meaning one must realize the Hebrew mind thought about history differently than today. Moses writings, like most other traditional Hebrew styles, are written to emphasize themes and not all inclusive chronological orders. Written history in a sequential specifically detailed technique of events was inherited later from our Greek thinking predecessors. The Hebrews wrote in subjective themes with importance more on the action and results whereas the Greeks emphasized a growing order of information over time. In the unique style Hebrew historical writing usually develops history as a progression from general themes to a specific theme then returns to the general themes. The important event for consideration is usually in the middle of the account.

Thus the use of beginning refers more generally to the initiation of all God’s beginning creative actions that involved the theme under consideration in this Hebrew history. This does not mean a sequential order of heavenly detailed actions in God's Kingdom did not exist over a continuum of history past or that other actions did not occur since not mentioned.  Hebrew accounts are more interested in the what, why and how of past events as they relate to the purpose of the writing rather than the inclusiveness, order, or  time in which it happened.

For Israel the issue of the day was the One True God responsible for their lives and the world they lived. The debate was one God verses many gods. To the shock of today’s Christian Science teachers the Hebrew mind probably never debated the meaning of the days of creation, when everything God made was created, or even if anything else was created. The time and scope just did not matter, only the message conveyed that is still just as valid to man today as Israel over three thousand years ago.

So what theme was so important for Israel to understand that would bring blessings to all peoples of the earth? God gave them the knowledge of their origin, purpose and need. In these early writings of Genesis God answered man’s most common question, "Why are we here?"

This historical account written by Moses was for teaching God’s chosen people an understanding of the plan and purpose of God for both them and the rest of the world. Detailed knowledge of the prior or present creations beginning was not that important to Israel’s commission at the time of this history of Genesis. The inspired revelation mainly focuses on the history of man in this calling of God, not a history of the past activities or a document of intricate details of the Kingdom of Heaven. Neither Israel nor for that matter anyone else in mankind really needed to know all the account of God or other creations in heaven prior to mans’ creation. Therefore the use of beginning refers specifically to only the founding events of this present age in the fulfillment of God’s desire for a being in His Own image. It is was not meant to be inclusive or limited of all God's actions before, during or after. Basically in Genesis 1:1 by use of the modifier "in beginning" God is saying the first order in the sequence to create man was to fashion and shape the heavens and earth. Later revelation reveals that God desired and decreed the creation of man in what is the greatest love story every told.

Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NIV (Emphasis mine)

Continued analysis of the first words of this message notes a clear reference to God. At the center of heaven was and forever will be God – the Creator. The Creator must always precede that created. The creation now observed overwhelmingly supports evidence of intelligent design. Israel’s message for man was to immediately reference creation to the existence of the personal One responsible.

"Elohiym"^[1] is the word for God. It is a pleural word in Hebrew language which describes three or more. The literal meaning is "the strong ones" or "the almighty ones." The word implies the involvement of the trinity of God, one God yet pleural in His Deity. In comparison to all else in creation as One they exist as Almighty or Strong.

As One God all three expressions of the nature of God were present during the beginning mentioned in His Word to us. Paul even tells us in the creation of God His nature is clearly seen.

Romans 1:20

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. NASB

Fingerprints of the persons of the One Triune God are always clearly seen through out His creation. These expressions within His creation are marks that show the very nature of the God Who created all seen. So what is so plain about the creation that clearly pictures attributes about the Creator? Simple observations discover the facts that all creation is made up of time, space, and matter. The witness of these three elements of creation must have existed in the previous ages of God’s past, just as the present age and in the future ages to come. As discussed in chapter God With Us Celebration - The New Heaven and New Earth the creation future will always possess these three elements of time, space and matter that attest to the nature of God Creator.

Each of the elements of God’s creation while having three distinct parts share the same nature. Time consists of past, present and future. While each is different, with past being distinct from future and both not the present time they are still by nature time. Space possesses height, width and depth. Again while distinct measures they are still each by nature space. All mater is either solid, liquid or gas. While matter exists distinctly at different times they are still by nature matter. The very make up of the world clearly demonstrates the Oneness of the nature of God.

Throughout Scripture authors refer to God’s creative acts in the beginning. In the heading Psalm 102 is the prayer of an afflicted man when he is faint and pours out his lament before the Lord. In this Psalm the man in great need recognizes the power of His God by sharing God’s creative acts of heaven and earth.

Psalms 102:25

25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands. NIV

Isaiah wanted his listeners to understand how from man’s beginning man was told of God’s power in comparison to feeble man and creation. Isaiah tells us Adam, Eve, Cain, Able and all to follow had heard the truth about God’s power as Creator.

Isaiah 40:21-22

21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? 22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. NIV

God the Son as well existed before this beginning. As part of that Godhead God the Son was involved as the actual physical Creator. The Apostle John wrote his gospel from the perspective of Christ as the Son of God. His history begins by sharing the linage of Christ as Divine. John defines the Word as God coming as flesh revealing the glory of the Father. He came from the Father full of grace and truth for mankind.

John 1:1-2

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. NIV

 

John 1:14

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. NIV

1 John 2:13
13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. NASB
 

Revelation 3:14

14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: NASB

The Holy Spirit existed before the beginning. In Moses’ historical record of man the Holy Spirit is there early moving upon a needy creation.

Genesis 1:2

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. NIV

Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NIV (Emphasis mine)

It is evident the One God is responsible - but just what did God do? Of special importance to consider is the meaning of the word "created" used in Genesis 1:1. These verses and others in the Bible give unmistakable evidence God is responsible - but just what is meant by the word "create"? There is not an English equivalent to this word because the Hebrew form in God’s Word is only used to refer to an action that God does. The root meaning of the word "created"^[2] means to cut, shape or form. The verb expresses God’s power in initiating something new or bringing something into existence not before seen. The Hebrew word "create" is contrasted from the Hebrew word "fashion" by the difference that create speaks of the initiation of the action of causing some result not previously seen to appear whereas fashion describes the actual forming process of what is created.

Many in confusion have tried to use this word to support the idea that God made this creation ex nihilo or out of nothing. As one searches use and meaning of the Hebrew word create found in Scripture it never implies creation out of nothing, the use of new materials unused for other purposes, or absolute instant  completion of the actual creative actions never over time.

For example the same word "create" is used of David in confession of sin to God. He says in Psalms 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." NASB David’s understanding of the meaning of "create" was the initiation of God to take a ruined evil form of man’s heart and by His shaping and fashioning through the process of forgiveness make it new. David speaks not of the instant act of salvation but God’s power to change the heart of His children to Holy living by confession and repentance of sin. God's action in "create" is not a new heart out of nothing or never used - but a new form that pleases God by His power in a repentant submissive believer. 

There is Scriptural evidence that the present creation of the present heavens and earth were made from preexisting material. Hebrews and 2 Peter shed light on both the state of the Kingdom of Heaven and the material used for this creative act of God in this "in beginning" age man now lives.

No where in Scripture is one told this creation was made out of nothing. To say something not visible is nothing is an infants view of this world. Infants up until under six months of age do not have object permanence according to studies in child psychology. If an object is out of sight it is literally out of mind until the mind functionally develops to understand just because something is not seen does not mean it does not exist. A mature view recognizes just because something is not seen does not mean it does not exist.

The word for "visible" in Hebrews 11:3 means "to shine or appear." This world was fashioned out of things in God’s Kingdom that did not shine or have brightness. This refers as discussed more later to the portion of God’s Kingdom where He is not present. His glory for eternity past caused everything in His Kingdom to radiate with brightness unsurpassed and unseen by man's present form in this dark world. However due to circumstances within His Kingdom a portion of that Kingdom no longer shinned with His radiant glory. The region of darkness provided the building blocks for the world today.

Peter tell us the products used for this forming was "water." The term water from God's perspective generally refers to this dark material creation. Jesus as God in John 3: 5-6 told Nicodemus in reference to the first requirement to enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless He was first born of water He could not enter. He then defined this water as the fleshly birth from man’s perspective.

John 3:5-6

5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. NASB (Emphasis mine)

Due to separation from God the Father this material creation is dark without His glorious Light. It, as it will again in the New Heaven and New Earth, does not shine or appear with radiant glory. Material form apart from the Father exists mostly as varied forms of vapor, liquid, and solid water in a water-based creation conducive for the existence and support of man. Apparently it was fashioned from the dark separated portion of His Kingdom as discussed more in chapter Who Turned Out the Light?

Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NIV (Emphasis mine)

The general object of this initiation of creation "in beginning" is the heavens and the earth. In Hebrew grammar the number for heavens is the dual form of the noun. The noun forms in Hebrew language are singular (one), dual (two), and plural (three or more). Man was placed in a creation where the heavens are divided in three sections of the First, Second, and Third heaven. One may quickly ask if there are three dimensions of the heavens in this age then why not a plural form of the noun for heavens referring to three or more? It is because in this creation the Third heaven of the Holy of Holies of Father’s house was preexistent and  remains unchanged. The Father's abode now was created long before Genesis 1:1. See Appendix 1 - The Present Heavens.

Hebrews 9:11

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; NASB (Emphasis mine)

God only added two temporary heavens to appear with the material universe that did not previously appear in His Kingdom - the first of the universe and the second of paradise today. From Scripture His domain is not part of this current creation. The dimensional division is explained further by the pattern of the Tabernacle in the chapter Tabernacle Not Made With Hands.

Hebrews 1:10-11

10 And,

"Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth,

And the heavens are the works of Thy hands;

11 They will perish, but Thou remainest;

And they all will become old as a garment, NASB

In the eternity of the past Kingdom of Heaven before this dimensional division of the added dark material creation no sin initially existed. God is Holy without any sin. For God the Father to fellowship with the past heaven in perfect light no sin could exist. Scripture tells us when sin was introduced into heaven it was authoritatively and completely removed from His presence. The Third heaven of God the Father’s domain apart from the darkness of this world always functions to the glory of God in perfect harmony and obedience with His will and purpose. Where God is in heaven has not changed. His will is always done in heaven as the model prayer suggests.

Also no darkness existed in heaven past before Genesis 1:1 and the current division of the heavens in dark and light. There could not be if God the Father was there. God energized the entire creation with His light. God was the only light in full fellowship with His creation. There were no substitute lights of sun, moon, or stars in that original heaven of past ages. These were not needed just as they will not be needed in the New Heaven and New Earth to come after this age. An original earth or material dimension dazzled in splendor and glowed by power of God’s light in awesome beauty before the beginning dark creation of today. It was called affectionately Eden as the garden of God. As will be seen in more detail later God in His Holy judgment brought that creation to darkness and mourning apart from Himself. From that which did not shine God formed the present heavens and earth. His domain of the third heaven remained unchanged.

In Beginning - Not Inclusive of Man

So why did not God give more information about the heavenly host over the past ages? As reiterated God does not share elaborate details of His creative past before this specific beginning spoken about in His inspired Word to man. This lack of information makes it difficult to think in concrete terms about matters before the subject addressed in this "in beginning" era of God’s kingdom. There is just not a lot revealed about earlier actions of God to ponder in His "everlasting to everlasting" existence.

The reason is that the historical writing of Moses creative theme was inspired for a special purpose to Israel. This message for all the people of the earth detailed a particular creation of God – that of man. Man’s creation is the climax of the account of Moses complete with detailed genealogies that place man's creation about 5700 years ago. Israel was to understand their roots. Life was a creative act from God in a very special way that cannot be replicated in any form or fashion by anyone or anything else in the entire universe. Moses uses this same word "created" that can only be a quality of God in reference to man’s existence and life.

Genesis 1:27

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. NIV

 

Genesis 5:1-2

1 This is the written account of Adam’s line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man." NIV

When Moses wrote about the beginning He was teaching Israel general information needed to understand God’s historical view and plan for mankind. In developing this theme the time frame referred to as in beginning does not  include as subject man’s creation, but encompasses general founding events of the Kingdom of Heaven that have some effectual bearing on the present state and purpose of man.

One of the common myths of popular Christianity is that man and woman were made by the Lord in the period designated as "beginning" by Scripture. In popular Christianity the actual timeframe of the term "beginning" is expanded to include not only the events of the days of Genesis creation but  also is applied to the creation of all now unseen including angels, powers, principalities and more. God  is relegated in the interest of anti-evolution teaching to a Creative Novice with only one series of instant creative experiences a few thousand years ago.

Many unsuspecting believers are surprised to find Scripture  does not say everything was created "in beginning" - only that the Lord is the One who actively made it all. Above in these writings is discussed how Scripture does not say all now seen and unseen was made instant and out of nothing. In God's time-creation-relationship He is still creating as He did for eternity past and will for eternity future. At times His creating is instant and other times He demonstrates the powerful patience of His creative character over varied periods of time. 

Understanding the surging militant zeal of the antievolutionist today it must be quickly said these writings do not teach evolution, theistic evolution, or gap theory. The Student of God's Word sees at times how God creates both instantly or over varied amounts of time in completion of His plans that He designed in "times eternity" even before the beginning of this age. The opinion of this author is that God's overall redemption plan of this dark evil age actually occurs over seven days of His time - a time of unknown expanse from man's under the sun view. Also in this execution of His will there are no accidental random choices  - only God's complete control of every particle with His working in and around the choices of that which has been created.

Many Christian ministries are today attacking those who believe in an everlasting to everlasting God creative over eternities past. In the summer of 2006 this was more noticeable in devotional appeals on popular Christian radio. Aggressively Kent Hovind of Christian Science Evangelism  uses out of context words of our Lord to say that all who believe some of God's creation is more than 5700 years old are calling Jesus a liar and discounting the authority of God's Word. In order to assimilate forces against secular evolution another Ken Hamm  on American Family Radio devotions called for all Christians to make this issue a test of fellowship withdrawing from those who do not see all God's work as only new.   These men and others like them  ignorantly divide the forming body of Christ on earth over issues that are not a test of fellowship.

While man was created about 5700 years ago according to God given genealogies, as already discussed God has been an active Creator for far more than 5700 years creating everything that has ever and will ever exist. Often missed due to our myopic focus upon only man is the Bible truth that the Son of God creates all things including many creations beyond man over "the eternities." If the idea of time in application to God's creations over the eternities seems strange see chapter Relative Time Creation.  Time is in integral part of God's creation past as it is present and will be future just as the space in measurements of the New Jerusalem and matter of streets of gold with gates of pearls. As the Hebrew author says in Hebrews 1:2 Jesus "made the eternities" speaking of all time past over ages upon ages. All to often modern translators not understanding the everlasting creativeness of God alternatively translated "made the eternities" as "made the universe." Translation of aioonas as universe would be fair only as long as the term is understood as everything in the Kingdom of Heaven ever made.

[17]

Often used to support the idea that Jesus said man and all else was made "in beginning" are the verses recorded in Scripture where Jesus spoke on the subject of divorce. Jesus taught that God’s marital plans for mankind were different in the beginning founding and how man’s sin made a change from God’s original will.

Matthew 19:4,8

4 "Haven’t you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator `made them male and female,’

8 Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. NIV

Consider for a moment just at what Jesus really said.

^[17]

But the answer he said, "Not you read that the one who founding from beginning he made them male and female?"

Analysis of the passage reveals an important finding not in most modern English translations. It is interesting that two different Greek words are translated “made” here when they actually refer to two different aspects of making something. Often the same men who espouse the authority of the Word, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus the Son of God feel obligated to improve on the expression to enhance supposed meanings. Theology often hinders good translation. Do we by changing the Words of our Lord actually think Jesus could have said it better or that He really did not mean to use two different words?

The first is ktisas^[3] and the second is epoíeesen^[4]. The word ktisas is in the Greek language an aorist active participle. In translation the aspect speaks of an indefinite undefined time initial original founding. It does not represent a defined time for the action of the word. Also the aorist participle usually indicates the aspect where a relative action takes place sometime before  the word it modifies when functioning as an adverbial participle. As an adjectival participle while still true this sense of aspect is weaker. Here the word ktisas is functioning as a substantival adjectival aorist participle which is Greek means it is the subject of the sentence with the aspect of action relatively occurring before the action of the verb. The second word epoieesen is the main verb that defines a definite actual past construction of making or doing something. Jesus wording in the Greek language revealed the founding in beginning was a relative action sometime before the actual action of his subject which was the making of man.

A substantival adjectival participle carries the case and gender of the noun word it replaces. While not said here, implied here and  from His Words from other Scripture is that Jesus is speaking of Himself as original founder or Creator. He is giving first hand information that He knew of Himself. He is both the original founder and the One Who makes all over "the eternities" past, present and future.

There is a reason Jesus used the two distinct words here. Also the Holy Spirit influenced the writers of the New Testament to record Jesus words this way for a purpose. Who are we as men to think we can improve on Scripture? Is our theology actually more important than the words of the Lord the theology should follow?

In the verse Jesus does not say:

1. Everything or all of this creation was made at beginning.

2. The beginning actions of Genesis 1:1 included creation of man.

The language does reference the making of male and female to the original founding or manufacturing from beginning. The wording is such with two distinct creative references because Jesus knew “beginning” referred to the initial acts of this age that in the earth’s timeframe were some indefinite period of time before the making of man. The term "beginning" does not in Scripture refer to everything created later in the days of creation or to that which was created in eternities past before this "beginning" time frame in God's past. It would be nonsensical to apply "beginning" to eternity future so why do we think we can apply it to all eternity past in the actions of God's everlasting to everlasting existence? In actuality Jesus point to His listeners by use of "in beginning" more emphasized the "Who" - not when man was made.

In Genesis one finds in God's record that man was not created until the 6th day of God’s time. This is at least six days of God's time and perhaps an unknown time later from man’s perspective of time from the "beginning" God describes.  In Relative Time Creation Theory man is still in the 6th day of God's time with the 7th day to come as the Day of the Lord in the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth.

     Modern translator bias in limiting God's creativeness to a collection of instant creations several thousands of  years ago adds several words to clarify the meaning of Jesus Words to common day creational understanding perhaps changing the meaning from His original intentions. As seen below most translations add words “them” and “the” or combine Jesus two different creative references in rearrangement. This is done to infer the bias of belief that man was made in beginning of this age rather than the 6th day sometime later in God's creative scheme. The definite article “the” is added to enhance the bias of an instant creation made from nothing. The word “them” added to connect the two events to the time period “at the beginning.” It is often italicized by the translators to remind the reader it was added for clarification to the perceived interpretation of the translator.   

     Look again at the literal translation wording:

But the answer he said, "Not you read that the one who founding from beginning he made them male and female?"

The key questions in this verse are what does the prepositional phrase "from beginning" modify and how should the preposition be translated in the Greek genitive case used by Jesus?

The preposition "apo" in the genitive case usually means "from, away from, by means of, of; because of, as a result of; since, ever since; about, for; with." A majority of the time it is translated "from" or "away from" with an idea of some distance between the object of the preposition in relation to the verb action described. The preposition "apo" is used 646 times in the New Testament and 116 times in the book of Matthew alone. The word is only translated "at" a few times in the entire New Testament KJV. Almost always the proper rendering is "from", "out of" or "of" to reflect some distance between the action and the object modifying it. 

A prepositional phrase in the Koine Greek language usually modifies the action of a verb to indicate a relationship between two words. It would be less typical to have the phrase modify the direct object Greek accusative case words of this sentence "male and female" or the accusative case pronoun "them."

So which of the two verb forms does the Greek genitive prepositional phrase "of beginning" modify? Does it modify the substantival adjectival  participle "one who founded,"  the main verb  "he made" or the direct objects "male and female"? The three possible renderings are below.

Case 1: "from beginning" Modify participle "one who founding"

But the answer he said, "Not you read that the one who founding <----  from beginning

 he made them male and female?"

Case 2: "from beginning" Modify verb "made"

But the answer he said, "Not you read that the one who founding he

made <----from beginning them male and female."

Case 3: "from beginning" Modify direct objects "male and female"

But the answer he said, "Not you read that the one who founding 

he made them male and female  <---- from beginning."

Greek is a highly inflected language whereby each words translation position and functional use in a sentence is determined by specialized endings rather than actual position of the words. Still even though position is not of great importance the phrase "from beginning" actually in the Greek text is next to the substantival adjectival participle "one who founding". Good translation tries to keep the prepositional phrase with the word it modifies.  The phrase "from beginning"  is separated from the word "made" by the accusative case direct objects "male and female" that receive the action of the main verb "made."  Look at the positioning in the Greek text below.

^[17]

Thus several methods of methodical manipulation of this verse are used by translators to obtain the desired interpretational bias toward an instant time beginning of everything God ever created just 5700 years ago in man's time reference:

1. As seen in the New International Version (NIV) omission of Jesus two different words in describing his creation and neglect of Holy Spirit purpose by combining the two words, translation of "apo" as "at" rather than "away from,"  addition of “the” modifying “beginning,” and having the preposition phrase modify the combined verb form.

Matthew 19:4

4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' NIV

2. As the Authorized Standard Version (ASV) and King James Version (KJV) when not implicitly so by Jesus or the Holy Spirit translate "apo" as "from" properly but to enhance interpretation bias addition of an extra word “them” in italics to direct meaning of beginning creative acts to man as seen in most other translations.

Matthew 19:4

4 And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made (them) from the beginning made them male and female, ASV

 

Matthew 19:4

4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, KJV

Usually in most teaching of matters from God's Word there are other passages that help clarify the intended meaning. Thus all proper understanding of Scripture must come by "...comparing spiritual things with spiritual things..." For a moment consider other references to this statement by Jesus in both Matthew 19:8 and Mark 10:6.

Jesus reference to beginning in Matthew 19:8 as well does not refer to man’s creation but to the beginning of His design for man and woman which was some time before man was actually created.

Matthew 19:8

8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. KJV

 

^[17]

Mark 10:6 is a companion verse. Literal translation is as follows.

^[17]

Mark 10:6

"...but from beginning original formation he made them male and female."

Note how in the Holy Spirit's recording in Mark the prepositional phrase "from beginning" comes before the noun "originally formation." It would take a great deal of translational gymnastics to have "from beginning" modify the verb "made." These other witnesses would then seem to point to translation of the verse Matthew 19:4 as Case 1 above:

But the answer he said, "Not you read that the one who founding <----  from beginning he made them male and female?"

Again for emphasis these verses do not say:

1. Everything of this creation was created at beginning of this age.

2. The beginning of Genesis 1:1 included creation of man.

Scripture only implies the One Who originally founded in beginning of this age also made man. The point of Jesus reference to His listeners was to emphasize the authority of God's initial design - not start a debate over when man was created. It teaches that divorce was not in the original design. When man was created is not definitely defined in the verse by Jesus, only that it was some distance "from beginning" the original founding and sometime before He made them male and female.

Someone may ask, what about John 1:1-3? If it says everything was created in the beginning then logically man would be part of everything. Right? Read and see if it says everything was created "in the beginning" as suggested by some.

John 1:1-3

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. NASB

The verses do not say:

1. Everything of this creation was brought into being at beginning of this age.

2. The beginning of Genesis 1:1 included creation of man.

These verses only say the Word was there in the beginning. Then it says all things were made by Him. It does not say all things ever made were made in the "beginning." As mentioned elsewhere in this site the God-creation-relationship as the Divine nature clearly seen always experiences time, space and matter from eternity past to the present as it will for eternity future. God is an active creator past just as He is present and will be future.

Thus no Scripture teaches man was present in beginning. Man's design and plan in God's wisdom was in beginning but man was not actually brought forth until the 6th day. From Jesus Words about divorce it can be said only that man was created by the One who originally founded in beginning. It would be incorrect to say one was calling Jesus a liar if one does not believe man was created in the beginning as claimed in debate today. If those who rally to divide the body of Christ today really believe the authority of God's Word then let them let Jesus say what He really said and no more or less.

In Beginning - Not Inclusive of All Creations

There were many things created by the "everlasting to everlasting" before beginning of this age and since Genesis 1:1 just as there is creation to come in eternity future. It is no accident when the Holy Spirit speaks of other creations outside the realm of the theme of Genesis the modifier "in the beginning" is not found. For example by inspiration^[5] the Apostle Paul included the creation of visible and invisible, thrones, powers, rulers and authorities. God not only created the things seen, but also created many things not seen at this time. These other creations are never tied in Scripture to the beginning of Genesis. These are beings that shine with the brightness of Light by there many descriptors. They are not part of the present world creation that included man for God’s purpose.

Do not forget God has been creative in heaven for a long time before Genesis 1:1. As seen in chapter Everlasting to Everlasting it is outside the very character and nature of God for Him to be lazy or unproductive. Other God created beings lived before, during and after and this "beginning" mentioned among the many other ages of heaven. The angels and morning stars were previously serving in heaven and God created them before the earth. They sang and shouted at the creation of this world.

Job 38:4-7

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone- 7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? NIV

As previously seen there may be other creations besides the angels there such as "the living creatures", "morning stars" and "the twenty-four elders." There is no rule that states every creature in Scripture applies to man and the period of time man has existed on the earth. The kingdom of heaven was existent long before man. Jeremiah 4:25 shares at the destruction of God’s wrath upon sin there were "towns"^[6] perhaps speaking of other living creatures of God in that beautiful garden of the past heaven before man.

Jeremiah in speaking about the judgment of this past heaven and earth noted there was no light of God the Father present.

Jeremiah 4:23, 27-28

23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. ....27 This is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely. 28 Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back." NIV

Also Satan's change in character had a great influence on the events of the beginning God speaks. The Scriptures do assign some actions to this beginning mentioned. Not only was there an initial founding but other events took place as well. One must remember the “beginning” acts even included the lies and sin of Satan.

John 8:44

44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. NASB (emphasis mine)

 

1 John 3:8

8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. NASB

The lies and sin of Satan at the "beginning" explains why the creation begins in darkness separated from God the Father in a chaotic condition. This concept of initial darkness at the beginning of this age apart from the Light and fellowship of God the Father is further explained in chapter Who Turned Out The Light? This age started with problems from the beginning. Man's sin later only compounded problems already in existence in God's kingdom for a greater good in providing God a way to redeem the world from the temporary possession of Satan and the fallen angels.    

The theme of in beginning does not mean God or others have never done anything else outside the main subjects covered in His Word or that some subjects addressed appeared in different points of history past. The actions of God have involved more than man. In the Genesis record God did not include the creation of angels or the morning stars. In Proverbs 8:23 wisdom was there before the creation of the earth and before the beginning. Not everything in man's awareness regarding God and His Kingdom must fall within the present theme of man. Mankind, by his sinful nature being naturally egocentric beings, would like to think man is all God has ever created or done. As far as man is concerned everything is for himself.

In Beginning - A Temporary Change in Organization of the Kingdom of Heaven

When considering the age of the Kingdom of Heaven of the Father’s House many feel obliged to include "the heavens and the earth" as if these are one and the same in God's creation. Thereby in an effort to harmonize all Scripture with this concept much philosophical debate engages the question of the age of all God's creation, of man and the temporary dark heavens and the earth seen today in our universe. I once remember seeing six different classifications of theories about origin and creation. Each classification had multiple combinations of possibilities. One could choose new earth or old earth, new man or old man. Wading through all this is mind boggling indeed. The problem here is most of man's concepts of age are built on earthly experience of time different from the Father in heaven. This is discussed in chapter Relative Time Creation. The lack of agreement comes from figuring the age of the Father’s domain of Third heaven from an earthly perspective as if the Kingdom of Heaven, man  and the current heavens and earth were the same creative strokes and in the same time in reference to each other.

In a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum I saw a small period at the end of a sentence that when viewed with a magnifying glass appeared as a beautifully detailed picture. That is the same way most people view the beginning and the Kingdom of Heaven. The beginning of all things of God's past is lumped together as a far distant indistinct dot. The truth of the matter is one only sees the highlights that God chooses to reveal by His Spirit. Since those events are so far disjoined from the present time, God’s revelation about parts of the past often all looks the same when it comes to chronology. It is thus difficult due to distance and perspective to separate what was created “in beginning” from that which preexisted in eternity. Man sees from an earthly perspective and as such God often gives His Revelation from an earthly point of view. Often He explains complicated information in simple forms, as it would appear to man, for man’s finite understanding.

One can easily understand the deduction of the Kingdom of Heaven and earth being the same creative age, since the word heavens is mentioned in the same sentence as if God created it all in the same action. Heaven of the Father's domain does not have to be the same age as the present heavens and earth of Genesis creation. This assumption is beyond the intent and message God was giving in this inspired Scripture from Moses to Israel. Moses message mentions nothing about chronological order of creation of the First, Second or Third heaven mentioned in Scripture. He neither affirms nor denies any details regarding the age of the Kingdom of Heaven as related to the present separated heavens and earth.

Thus many try to limit the age of the Kingdom of Heaven to findings of this present earth timeframe and say no more than several thousands of years. They force this deduction to say everything God has ever done either fits snugly into six short rotations of the earth or occurred after the creation of man. But this is the argument the Apostle Peter is making against the scoffers who in the last days of the Tribulation upon the earth would question the promise of the Lord’s coming. They must give reasons to the world to reject the doctrine of the coming Christ to accept the anti-Christ as Messiah. Influenced by the Greek historical mindset of sequential order by inspiration the Apostle Peter wrote that the heavens are very old and were in existence when the earth is formed. He penned,

The Greek word used by the Apostle denotes more than heaven just being old. The term "long ago^[7]" means literally "from again." This word is used in the Scriptures to denote something long ago in the repetitive cycles of time past history of a person or place. Peter here wrote more than "old" in reference to heaven. He added the work ek saying ekpalai. The word picture here in Greek language is interesting. Ek means "from." Palai refers to repetitive cycles or oscillations of time. It is derived from the word for wrestling when challengers so to speak repetitively vibrate again and again with one another. The term used among the Greeks meant a a point a long time ago in time. The idea is that of a great distance or expanse of time away from many repetitive life cycles of wrestling through time of the current creation.  He used a word that carried the meaning very old in a time long before his present time.

The error of last day scoffers is believing that “everything” in the Kingdom of Heaven now is not significantly different than from the beginning of God’s creation. They will claim Eden was the way God meant for things to exist forever instead of looking for a New Heaven and New Earth to come. The focus is on the temporal fulfillment of this world rather than the exercise of faith in the eternal unseen world to come. Men as James put it become adulterers and adulteresses in love with the perfection of this temporal creation. In this last days teaching heaven will be a state of mind on earth for peace and safety. The false doctrine promotes the idea that God's blessing to man is a promise return to an Eden like garden which was lost.

Popular creation theories today pave the way for last day theology for the world’s acceptance of the anti-christ as Messiah. Some start with an explosion and primordial soup and evolve everything over billions^[8] of years to today as a continuum. They propose a continual systematic steady change since long before man has been living and dying upon the earth. They say “the beginning” was the explosion and expansion of the universe. Before this explosion was “nothing”^[9] with the universe existing as an empty “vacuum.”^[10] While the possibility of a portion of the Kingdom of Heaven exploding and expanding is true as seen in chapter Who Turned Out the Light?, the problem according to Peter arises when one leaves out major changes since God began creating. These last day scoffers err in thinking “everything” is as it always has existed.

At times popular Christianity follows the same error as the scoffers. Many Christians teach everything has basically continued on from a created “beginning” a little less than six thousand years ago that has never altered. They teach no major differences about the Kingdom of Heaven from the moment of initial created existence. God existed but with nothing else until creating angels, man, powers, principalities, heavens and earth all within the Genesis account. To these believers all is still organized the same as it always has been since God first made everything a short time ago. The only exception is the sin of man. Satan's contribution is almost completely ignored except of his part in temptation of man. 

Peter refutes the idea of scoffers by telling of a catastrophic event that altered the very makeup of the Kingdom of Heaven from what it is now. The often made error of both groups, secular and religious, is they “deliberately forget” that something must have existed for some period of time before the explosion or creative acts of God they teach. Peter construes some things there in the Kingdom of Heaven changed from its original form. He says,

Peter says these scoffers “deliberately forget” something. What about the state of God's Kingdom before the big bang? What about the Kingdom of Heaven before the creative acts of Genesis? What about beyond the nearly six thousand to over fifteen billion years to the former form of God’s Kingdom before this event Peter speaks? Many scoffers and popular theist deliberately forget to go beyond this world to the previous structure of God’s Kingdom.

As proof Peter shares there was a destructive force sometime in the past that affected everything in God’s domain. The Apostle told how things today are not as they had been beyond most current thoughts. The “present heaven” in organization and relation to God is different from what it was. Peter further wrote,

The word "present^[11]" (nun) means the current, present or immediate in contrast to the past. Peter was possibly saying there was another heaven and earth long ago in the past. This creation suffered destruction that changed the organization of the heaven and earth to what it is now.

What is the event that radically changed the heaven and the earth to this present system apart from the Father? What happened that resulted in a universe and planet with sun, moon and stars the way they appear today instead of God’s Glory as light without shadows?  A theory behind the cause of the destruction that restructured the very makeup of the kingdom of heaven is presented in the following chapter Who Turned Out The Light? and chart of  Appendix - 2 The Fulfillment of the Times.

Before looking at a possibility for the cause consider for a moment the particular change Peter speaks. Remember Peter is writing about some event that made a large modification in the function and order of the Kingdom of Heaven and earth. Peter shares "By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed."

Many understandably think this is a reference to Noah’s flood described in Genesis. If so this Scripture would describe how the floodwaters changed the face of the earth so that the present earth is different than previously formed. Peter would then refute the scoffers by explaining the world’s present condition is the result of the flood, which scoffers today deliberately overlook and forget. This is a plausible argument for the application of this Scripture, since present day science denies evidence of a global flood. This historical account however is probably more than the flood of Noah.

There are reasons one ought to be suspicious in applying this passage to Noah’s flood. Foremost is the fact that Peter while mentioning the "days of Noah" elsewhere in his writings makes no reference to the global flood of Noah’s day. Of course the debate could go either way. It is either so clearly understood to be Noah’s flood that Peter did not feel need to clarify it or since it was not this well known event he does not mention it.

Another question that needs consideration here that may tip the scales on Peter’s meaning. Noah’s world was overflowed with water, but did it really in an immense way change the organization, plans and operation of the Kingdom of Heaven to make things different and temporary destined for destruction? Did the flood change God’s separated relationship and function in heaven? As one looks at the entirety of the Scriptures, not to the degree another event did.

Looking way back in time long before the days of Noah, Jesus tells about preexisting problems in the Kingdom of Heaven. These problems were long before the flood of Noah and even the fall of man. He told the disciples, "the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven" had been given to them in Matthew 13:11. Jesus gave this understanding in parables. Each parable portrays secret knowledge about the kingdom of heaven that Jesus wanted His believers to understand. Jesus in the parable of the "weeds" ("tares" KJV) tells of a pre-existing "enemy" that affected God’s relationship to His kingdom.

Where and when did this enemy arrive in God’s Kingdom? As one studies Genesis in Moses’ historical account, God does not introduce his existence until much later in a detailed review of man’s creation. What happened for God to have an enemy who could come and sow weeds in his field? More importantly when did the birth of an enemy take place? Moses does not address these questions, because Genesis is not a history of the enemy, but a history of man.

Peter tells his readers "the earth was formed out of water and by water." No one would doubt this being a reference to the same components of the Genesis account and the preexisting material of creation used by God to form the heavens and earth. The previous order of the past Heaven and Earth in God's Kingdom had to be created as just as this present order was created from the same material that always clearly in time, space and matter demonstrates God's Divine nature.

Genesis 1:2

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. NIV (Emphasis mine)

For the first two days of the Genesis creation the earth was overflowed with water. It had no sun, moon or stars to track or measure the time as man experiences time. It existed as a dark material creation separated from the Father’s House of the Third Heaven that is "not of this creation."

The next question is does Genesis 1:2 describe a world that "…was deluged and destroyed" as Peter described it? The wording signifies to destroy utterly. The idea is not extinction, but ruin, loss, not of being, but of well-being^[12].

Look at the description of the earth in Genesis. At this point it is:

A valid description of a ruined world is to call it a desert wasteland barren, empty, and dark separated from the Light of God the Father. It still might be a stretch to connect Peter’s world that was utterly destroyed with the Genesis world if it was not for Jeremiah. He also describes a similar world that had come to ruin. Read his description.

As Jeremiah testified of the judgment of God upon Israel he was given a vision of an example of God’s judgment in the past. Jeremiah was saying do not think God will not judge your sin with ruin because God has judged previously and here is the example of that judgment.

The earth Jeremiah describes experienced God’s fierce anger. Notice the similarity of the description to Genesis 1:2:

These are the same three descriptors of Genesis 1:2. Jeremiah used the same Hebrew words for "formless" and "empty." He further shared that the world at that time had no man. This was perhaps before man’s creation. The word "towns"^[2] refers to the creatures and organization of God’s kingdom prior its destruction. God in His fierce anger brought this land to desolation but it would not be for complete annihilation. God still had some use and love for this creation.

This is where the Genesis creation comes into importance. God begins educating Israel about the purpose of man in redemption of a creation now suffering His judgment upon sin. Sin and darkness in the creation preexisted man. God determines before the foundation of this present world to clean up a ruined mess for other purposes. More detail is given in chapter  God Blesses With A Loving Plan.

Genesis records God’s divine commands whereby the dark ruined creation was set in order to function apart from the light and energy of God the Father. From God’s perspective of time, which Peter shares is different from man’s time; it took God the Son six days from beginning to completion. The amount of time this represents from man’s perspective is under great debate in both secular and religious circles. Christian and secular scholars disagree with opinions that calculate a range as far as fifteen billion years to just six twenty-four hour days. For purposes of this study the exact age of this earth in helical rotations is unimportant to understanding salvation in heaven by the unmerited grace of God’s loving plan for His creation. Believers only really need to understand everything has not continued "on as it has since the beginning of creation" and now live on this "present" temporary earth separated from a loving God the Father due to sin. Believers must remember in interpreting the Scriptures relative to creation not to fall into the trap of the last day scoffers believing everything has gone on as it has since the beginning of creation hoping for a return to an Eden like state of a "supercharged" earth. Those believers who hope for such have greatly shortchanged themselves missing something much more wonderful. Boy will they be surprised!

The judgment of God changed heavens organization and form from its original conception. If the description of Genesis 1:2 is the result of God’s judgment within the past kingdom, this means the Kingdom of Heaven had to preexist that time period. Something had to happen there to merit God passing judgment in the first place. Next we shall consider more about in chapter Who Turned Out the Light?

In summary Moses reference to this beginning is not an instant point in time or complete chronological history of the beginning of Kingdom of Heaven. In the Hebrew style of themes all that is mentioned in the Bible does not have to happen in or around the same time or period. This beginning as the subject does not refer to all the actions of God but just the initiation of events that involved bringing mankind into creative existence. The time extent of interpretation of this beginning determines much of ones theological and scientific interpretation of Scripture in relation to the world today. If interpretations allow in beginning to not include the theme of everything God has ever created even beyond what is now seen, known and understood - this adds a host of information about the age, organization and plan of the Kingdom of Heaven in eternity past and aids in additional understanding God's great desire to use man to bring a redeemer that would unite as one all creation.

Often lack of understanding of the detail of heaven beyond this temporary world causes invention of simplistic visualizations of the hope in Christ. In references of popular Christianity for the most part heaven is a serene spatial area filled with clouds, fluff, nonbinding loose clothing, and an atmosphere of relaxed bliss and purity. Cartoons, paintings, songs and movies depict heaven this way. People walk on clouds, wear white flowing robes and strum on harps. The lack of detail in depictions comes from a deep desire for a simple life-style free from this world’s complex myriad of stressors and decisions. The natural desire for heaven under the pressures of the stressful sermons of grace in this world is for it to be uncomplicated and serene.

On the contraire, Heaven is a detailed and complex organization of God’s creation. Its many different kinds of created occupants always have had different levels^[16] of responsibility and authority in conduction of God’s business. God is central lifted above on a throne. Satan is considered one of the prominent angels. Heaven as God’s Kingdom long before man and "in beginning" of Genesis 1:1 experienced perfect order, form, and organization. For an unspecified period all of God's Kingdom in perfect unity of oneness functioned to the glory of God. Angels ministered according to their responsibilities. A heavenly government of powers and principalities existed. The details are a mystery.

[1]God: OT: 430 'elohiym (el-o-heem'); plural of OT:433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright,1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[2]created: 'bara' OT:1254, "to create, make." This verb is of profound theological significance, since it has only God as its subject. Only God can "create" in the sense implied by bara'. The verb expresses creation out of nothing, an idea seen clearly in passages having to do with creation on a cosmic scale: Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

[3]  found: 'ktizo' (ktid'-zo) NT:2936; probably akin to NT:2932 (through the idea of proprietor-ship of the manufacturer); to fabricate, i.e. found (form originally):

NT:2932 ktaomai (ktah'-om-ahee); a primary verb; to get, i.e. acquire (by any means; own):

Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary, 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.
found:  ktizoo NT:2936:
to make habitable, to people, a place, region, island
Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database, 2000, 2003, Biblesoft, Inc

found: NT:2936 A. Verb. ktizo kti/zw,

NT:2936), used among the Greeks to mean the founding of a place, a city or colony, signifies, in Scripture, "to create," always of the act of God, whether (a) in the natural creation, Mark 13:19; Rom 1:25 (where the title "The Creator" translates the article with the aorist participle of the verb); 1 Cor 11:9; Eph 3:9; Col 1:16; 1 Tim 4:3; Rev 4:11; 10:6, or (b) in the spiritual creation, Eph 2:10,15; 4:24; Col 3:10. See MAKE.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers

[4] make: NT:4160 poieo (poy-eh'-o); apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct):

Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary, 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

make: NT:4160 poieo poie/w, NT:4160, "to do, to make," is used in the latter sense (a) of constructing or producing anything, of the creative acts of God, e. g., Matt 19:4 (2 nd part); Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

make: NT:4160 poieoo, poioo;
I. to make

1. ti
   a. with the names of the things made, to produce, construct, form, fashion, John 18:18
   b. joined to nouns denoting a state or condition, it signifies to be the author of, to cause: Rom 16:17
   c. joined to nouns involving the idea of action they began, as they went, to pluck the ears
   d. equivalent to to make ready, to prepare: Luke 14:12
   e. used of things effected by generative force, to produce, bear, shoot forth: used of trees, vines,   grass, Mark 4:32
   f. to acquire, to provide a thing for oneself Luke 12:33
2. With additions to the accusative which define or limit the idea of making:
3. signifies to be the author of a thing
II. to do
a. universally, with adverbs describing the mode of action: kaloos, to act rightly, do well, Matt 12:12
b. poiein ti with the case of a person added
Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database, 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.

[5] Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created by Him and for Him." NASB

[6]towns: OT:5892 `iyr (eer); or (in the plural) `ar (awr); or `ayar (Judg 10:4) (aw-yar'); from OT:5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):KJV - Ai [from margin], city, court [from margin], town. Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary,1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[7] long ago: NT:1597 ekpalai (eh'-pal-ahee); from NT:1537 and NT:3819; long ago, for a long while: KJV - of a long time, of old. NT:3825 pa/lin palin (pal'-in); probably from the same as NT:3823 (through the idea of oscillatory repetition); (adverbially) anew, i.e. (of place) back, (of time) once more, or (conjunctionally) furthermore or on the other hand: KJV - again.NT:3823 pa/lh pale (pal'-ay); from pallo (to vibrate; another form for NT:906); wrestling: KJV - wrestle. Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary,1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[8] Zimmer, Carl. "How Old Is It? Solving the Riddle of Ages." National Geographic, September 2001, pp. 78-101.

[9] "Theory and Concept of Nothingness." www.aambury.freeserve.co.uk/NOTHIN~1.HTM

[10] Odenwald, Sten. "Beyond the Big Bang." Astronomy, May 1987.

[11]‘present’ NT:3568 nun (noon); a primary particle of present time; "now" (as adverb of date, a transition or emphasis); also as noun or adjective present or immediate: KJV - henceforth, + hereafter, of late, soon, present, this (time). Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary,1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.

[12] Vine, WE. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words "Destroy A. Verbs No. I", McLean: Mac Donald, p 304.

[13] Wilson, W. New Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies,Grand Rapids: Kregal Pblications, 1987, p. 175

[14] Harris, RL, Archer, GL Jr., Waltke, BK. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament , Chicago: Moody Press, 1980, II p. 965

[15] Wilson, W. New Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies Grand Rapids: Kregal Publications, 1987, p. 469

[16] Lockyer, Herbert. All The Angels In The Bible,Hendrickson Publishers, 1997, p.41

[17] Adapted from Interlinear Transliterated Bible, 1994, 2003, Biblesoft, Inc.