Article #3 on the Sovereignty of God in the First Verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1)
“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” - Job 38:4-7 (Neh. 9:6)
“Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.” - Psalm 8:6-8
“When I consider Thy Heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:” - Psalm 8:3-6
A Divine Preoccupation with Mankind During Creation
“Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.” – Prov. 8:30-31
“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” – Prov. 8:22-23
A divine preoccupation with mankind in eternity must lead into a divine preoccupation with mankind during creation. This is loudly being communicated in the singing and shouting of Angels as they watched God create the world and everything in it (Job 38:4-7)! They had such uncontainable joy because the Angels were celebrating the “rejoicing” and “delight” of God during Creation (Prov. 8:22-23), and this is the same thing being called “pleasure” in Revelation 4:9-11.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” – Rev. 4:11
“Behold, He put no trust in His servants; and His angels He charged with folly: How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.” - Job 4:18-21 (1 Jn. 4:1)
It would be best to stick with God’s opinion on these high and holy matters. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20)! Let all mortal flesh keep silent. We should allow God to speak for Himself about why He created the world. This is done with eloquence and precision in the Book of Isaiah. Divine reasoning presents to readers strong arguments that are capable of converting the worst of sinners.
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” – Isa. 1:18
“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” – Isa. 40:12
“It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:” – Isa. 40:22
“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.” – Isa. 40:26
“Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.” – Isa. 48:13
“Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:” – Isa. 42:5
“I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.” – Isa. 45:12
“The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.” – Zech. 12:1
A Divine Preoccupation with the Elect During Creation
“For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.” – Isa. 45:18 (Prov. 8:30-31)
“Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. The First shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem One that bringeth good tidings.” – Isa. 41:26-27
“Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;” - Isa 44:24
“And forgettest the LORD thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?” – Isa. 51:13
“And I have put My words in Thy mouth, and I have covered Thee in the shadow of Mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art My people.” – Isa. 51:16 (see Isa. 41:26-27; Col. 1:15-22)
“For Jacob My servants sake, and Isarel mine elect…” – Isa. 45:4
“…and Mine elect shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there.” – Isa. 65:9
“…and Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” – Isa. 65:22
“Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” – Isa. 42:1
“Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold Thine hand, and will keep Thee, and give Thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” – Isa. 42:5-7
“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called Me from the womb; from the bowels of My mother hath He made mention of My name.” – Isa. 49:1
“And now, saith the LORD that formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and My God shall be My strength.” – Isa. 49:5
The Book of Life motivates God to create life on earth. Specifically, and individually, this proves to be true with the Messiah, and with all the elect of every generation. And without the election of Jesus Christ, there would be no election of anyone else (2 Cor. 1:20, Eph. 1:10, 1 Pet. 1:2-10). Christ is the Fountainhead. Downstream, the elect things spoken to the Jews also apply to all the elect of every generation (Isa. 44:5, 55:3-5, 56:3-8, 65:1-2, 15-16). elect Gentiles even become spiritual Jews at salvation (Rom. 2:25-29, 11:16-17, Eph. 2:18-19, Gal. 3:26-29)! Hence, the language of election waxes stronger and stronger as God is reasoning with the Jews in the Book of Isaiah.
“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” – Isa. 43:1 | “Yet now hear, O Jacob My servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, My servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.” – Isa. 44:1-2 |
“For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.” – Ps. 71:5-6
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” – Ps. 139:13-18