The word Beginning in Hebrew is Bar asheet (Bereshith).. Hebrew words often have hidden root meanings Bar also means son, as in Bar mitzvah which means son of the law. Asheet also means set forth or bring about. Bar asheet which is usually translated in the beginning, also could mean I have set forth a Son.

John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

The Greek word that is translated as with, is the word pros, which more precisely means "face to face." So Jesus was face to face with the Father in the beginning.

"In the beginning God." ..In the beginning before time began, there was eternity and there was God. Everything begins with God. But God has no beginning, He is from everlasting to everlasting

Psalms 90:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

Psalms 93:2, "Your throne is established of old: You are from everlasting."

There are two major definitions of the word everlasting:

1. Eternal, perpetual, immortal, un dying, deathless, infinite and timeless.

2. Never ending, constant, continuous, permanent, and un ceasing.

The first verse of Genesis announces a creator. God, the first cause of all things. The One who has devised and ordered all affairs in the heavens and earth. Beyond all created beings or things there must be one who was not created.

Exodus 3:14 "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

All we can say is that He exists because He exists. I AM THAT I AM.

The existence of God may be seen from the things that He has done and is still doing around us.

Job 12:7-9 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you. Who does not know in all these that the hand of the LORD has wrought this?

Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Consider the salmon, birthed in a stream that carries them into the far reaches of the ocean, able to return to the place of their birth in order to spawn. Or the Monarch butterflies that each year travel from the North down to the depths of Mexico. They have an internal guidance system far more complex than any man has devised. God’s power and divinity have been made clear by His handiworks.

The skeptic argues there is no real proof that God actually exists. Most of us do not need material proof that God exists. We accept the fact of His being, by faith. This follows the Bible pattern of Hebrews 11:6  "...he that comes to God must believe that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Diligent means a careful and persistent application of effort, the prophet Isaiah wrote that we go into captivity because we have no knowledge of God. Isaiah 5:13

He that comes to God must first believe that He is, this is called a primary or first truth. A primary truth is one upon which all other knowledge rests. We can believe that all things exist for a purpose only by first believing that God exists and has a purpose for His creation. Charles Darwin said, "there is a first cause for everything," I agree with him, the first cause is GOD.

Reward is a return for service. A reward is generally accepted as being good for good service and bad for bad service.

Skeptic means a doubt or disbelief in the existence of God. A skeptic is the same as an infidel. The strength of our faith does not rest on our ability to reason out that God is. Many people with great mental abilities are skeptics. Most of us have trouble even understanding the great "learned discussions" and arguments that are meant to prove that God is. But we still absolutely believe that God is. It is by grace that we are saved and believe and even that is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Eph. 2:8-9 THE SCRIPTURES DON’T TRY TO PROVE THAT GOD IS, they just lay it out, that it is so.

We are living in an age of science and technology. Because of the vast amount of information in these fields, many people make the mistake of turning to science and technology for help in living their lives. Men and women who have devoted their whole lives to science, do not claim to have all the answers Knowing the weight of a star, doesn't tell you how it came to be. Knowing how many chemicals there are in a human body doesn't tell you much about the person living in that body. Science can not explain how to live with ourselves and each other. Science deals with weight and quantities. God deals with man. Eventually we must come to understand that the real issue is not how the universe was created but for whom and for what purpose.

No absolute scientific or philosophical proof of the existence of God can be given. Neither is there any proof that God does not exist. Accepting the fact of God and His eternal existence gives a foundation for understanding the origin and the continued existence of the universe. Believing in God is not an argument, it is an experience.

To say there is no creator is like saying that, there was an explosion in a print shop that produced an unabridged dictionary. Or that an ocean liner just happened. Suppose someone told you that an Ocean liner had no designer. One day sheets of steel pulled themselves together; then rivets propelled themselves into little holes that just evolved. Little by little all the parts and pieces slowly pulled themselves together. Then finally a Carnival Cruise Ship, with Kathy Lee Gifford standing on deck, slowly drifted up to a dock.

Try serving a 5 course dinner to an atheist and then telling him there is no cook, or serve a meal to guests and say, "Isn’t it great, no one cooked this, no one put it on the table, it just happened." He or she would think you were being ridiculous, but we are expected to swallow the equally ridiculous story of there is no God.

Logical thinking....If there is a creation, there must be a Creator.

If I believe that God is the Creator, then I move to the next step. God had a purpose for creating. That being the case, I should then investigate the manufacturer's instruction manual. Only one book claims to be a direct revelation from God. This manual tells us of Him and His purpose for us.

None but an all powerful God could create the heavens and the earth. God always lived in eternity. From that vastness Elohim (the Trinity--God of strength) planned the redemptive program. Jesus and the Holy Spirit were present at the creation.

The Hebrew word translated as God in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim. Elohim is plural and means Gods, it also designates threefold strength. He (the Father, Son and Holy Ghost) is the all powerful one. Even a casual reading of the first eleven chapters of Genesis will reveal that God the Father was not alone. The word Elohim is mentioned about 2700 times in the Hebrew.

Genesis 1:26 "And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."

Dominion means, the power and authority to govern over the earth.

Genesis 11:7 "Go to, let US go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

Colossians 1:16-17 For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

John 1:1,3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Psalms 104:30 You send forth your spirit, they are created: and you renewed the face of the earth.

Job 26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens;...Notice, in the above scriptures all three members of the Godhead are mentioned,

The power to bring forth, proceeds from the Father

The power to arrange, proceeds from the Son

The power to perfect, proceeds from the Holy Spirit.

In creation, The Father conceives, or forms the plan.

In creation, The Son executes and creates

In creation, The Holy Spirit reveals and brings all to completion.

In the Old Testament it was the Father who was the principal speaker, Hebrews 1:1-3

In the gospels it was the Son, John 5:47, John 6:33, John 8:26, 28,38. John 12:49-50 and 17:8

Present time, it is the Holy Spirit who is the principal or prominent speaker. John 14:26, 15:26, 16:13-15, Acts 2:4, 13:2. 15:28 and 20:28

When Jesus said, "I and the Father are one," John 10:30. He was telling us that He was a part of the original planning committee.

God the Father provides salvation

God the Son procures it with His act of propitiation and atonement

God the Holy Spirit applies it to our lives as we believe and receive it.

Note: The word propitiation means an action which makes a ruling power more lenient toward an offender. The word atonement means a sacrifice sufficient to win forgiveness.

English does not have a corresponding word for Elohim, so theologians came up with one. Trinity. Trinity comes from the Latin word Trinus, meaning three fold. The word Trinity came into popular use some where around A.D. 163-168 while Theophilus was Bishop of Antioch.

The orthodox formula (generally accepted as right and true by the powers that be)of the trinity is three in one and one in three. We are taught by the scripture to believe that there is but one God and yet three equal subjects in the Godhead who are described as persons. We are also taught that we are unable to determine in what sense these three are separate and in what sense they are united as one. So by faith we accept that the trinity is three in one and one in three.

An eminent Jewish rabbi, Simeon ben Joachi, in his comment on the sixth section of Leviticus, stated "come and see the mystery of Elohim; there are three degrees and each degree by itself, and yet not with standing they are all one, joined together in one, not divided from each other."

Elohim (the Trinity, God of power and might) moved to create. The Trinity, three separate persons, yet one.

At our house we are Arbaugh's. Jay and Mary, two separate personalities, but we are both Arbaugh. We are one unit, yet we are two distinct persons. When we had children at home, we had nine different personalities at our house. All called by different names, yet all Arbaugh. All with different roles to fulfill.

Children's examples of the Trinity.....rain, iceberg, sea three separate items yet all are water. Shell, yolk, white three separate substances yet all are egg. The three angles of a triangle, three parts one whole.

I ran across this example of the trinity in a theology book: The actinic, luminiferous and calorific elements in the ray of light. Could this be the reason why not many of us read theology books.

Where did God live, before time began? And how old is He?

God has no beginning and no end. He is the alpha and omega, the one who was, who is, and the one who is to come. Revelation 1:8 He is ageless.

No one really knows where He lived before, time as we know it, began, but we are given some hints in scripture. Hint#1 Lucifer desired to exalt his throne above God's, which was said to be in the uttermost sides of the north. Isaiah 14:13 Hint #2 We are told that promotion which comes from God, comes from the north. Psalms 75:6   Conclusion: God must have lived in the north.

Deuteronomy 29:29  "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed, belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all of the words of the law." 

Always remember there are some secret things that belong to God. Also remember that since Calvary, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit has chosen to live in the hearts of those who believe. Colossians 2:9-10. Some things we accept by faith. What do I know? I know that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have always existed. How do I know that? It has been revealed to me by my Father in heaven. Once He did that, there is evidence everywhere I look. He has always been and always will be. So where did God live before time as we know it began? The bottom line is no one knows for sure.

Many attempts have been made to define the term God; the word itself is Anglo-Saxon and in times past meant not only the divine being but also good. God was understood to be one who from His infinite wisdom, can not be deceived and does no wrong. One who can do nothing except that which is eternally just, right and kind. That means He is GOOD.

We must ask ourselves, what is good? Good is not sin, sickness and poverty. James 1:17. So stop blaming God for all the death, devastation and destruction that troubles the world. It is the enemy of God and man that wrecks havoc in the earth. God loves mankind and does not desire that any should perish. 2Peter 3:9

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and truth. John 4:24

A spirit cannot be seen. John 1:18, 1 Timothy 6:6, 1 John 4:12. So the question comes, how can a spiritual being make Himself and His personality be understandable to men? How can it be shown to mankind, that in this Spiritual Being there resides boundless wisdom, love, justice and integrity? God revealed these facts in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son.

Jesus came into the world for three reasons: To reveal the nature of God to mankind. To destroy the works of the devil. To redeem man.

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, [Show us the Father]? Also John 12:45

Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Luke 19:10 "For the Son of man is come to [seek] and to save that which was lost."

John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

God is a Spirit, but has a body, Dan. 7:9-10; Ezek. 1:26-27; Exodus 33:23; Exodus 31:18 and Revelation 5:1, however, we are told that no man has ever seen God in His body. 1 John 4:12 In various scriptures we are told that He has a heart Genesis 6:6, He has hands and fingers Psalms8:3-6, He has a nose Psalm 18:15, He has a mouth. Isaiah 30:27, He has eyes. Psalm11:4 He has breath. Genesis 2:7 and He has ears. Psalm 18:6.

At this time our understanding is small, but one day we shall see Him, face to face. Mean while if you listen to Jesus you will hear the voice of the Father; for Jesus said, "I have not spoken to you on my own authority, the Father who sent me told me what to say. The Son can do nothing of Himself, He only does what the Father does and in the same way that the Father does. The Father loves the Son and tells Him everything." JESUS IS THE REVELATION OF THE FATHER TO US. EVERYTHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT POINTED FORWARD TO JESUS, AND EVERYTHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT POINTS BACK TO HIM.

Back to Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created (bara)the heavens and the earth"

As the opening sentence continues, the Bible declares the origin of the material universe. This divine action, called into existence that which did not exist before.

The Hebrew word used in this verse for created is "bara", which means, "calling into being without the aid of pre-existing material" See Romans 4:17.

Romans 4:17 ".... and calleth those things which be not as though they were."

Hebrew experts think that the word Shamayim used in this first verse includes the whole solar system. God created the universe, suns, moons, stars, and planets. Hebrews 1:2 Deuteronomy 10:14. This includes AT LEAST three heavens.  2Corinthians 12:1-3 The third heaven is where God dwells (except on the earth, where He dwells in the hearts of believers.) The second heaven is where the powers and principalities of the air dwell, and the first heaven is the atmosphere we call sky. 2 Corinthians 12:1-3, Ephesians 6:12

Think about this, the substance that we walk on, was created out of nothing, except faith filled words. In other scriptures in this chapter we find the method used to create. The records show that "God said," before "He saw." In this first chapter, "God said"" is recorded 9 times (amp. version, 10 times in KJV). God called all things into being by the power of His Word.

Psalms 148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Psalms 33:6-9 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea together as an heap: he laid up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

The world offers to us the big bang theory, which says that there was nothing but space and there was an explosion in space which created everything. Science can not tell how the change from chaotic, desolate and empty was accomplished. We believe that God spoke and bang everything was created.

Discovery News February 25, 2002 – In the beginning, Earth was a water world. Then the continents rose out of the oceans and the weather went berserk, speeding the world toward animal life and , ultimately, humans. In a paper in the latest Geological Society of America Bulletin, geologist Eldridge Moores  of the University of California at Davis argued that the changes from 95 percent water-world to something similar to today’s 70/30 water/land mix happened in a big abrupt step, rather than slowly and gradually, as other geologists have believed. That transition – relatively quick in geologic time – was what allowed life to thrive on Earth.

Hebrews 11:3, By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

God spoke, this points out that God is not speechless. Idols are speechless, God is not. From the beginning we have the record that God speaks. He spoke and it was done, He commanded and it stood fast. To men of old He spoke and He is still speaking to us today, through His Son and the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 1:2 amp.

Several kinds of words are mentioned in the Bible. There are idle ones, that we have to account for. Idle words fall to the ground and accomplish nothing.

Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

There are active ones which accomplish that which the speaker pleases.

Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returned not, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Samuel was a prophet who spoke the Words of God. It is said, that God let none of Samuels words fall to the ground. When the words that come out of our mouths are God's words, then God watches over them to perform them, and they come true. They do not fall to the ground.

Jeremiah 1:12 Then said the LORD unto me, you have well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

There is a spiritual law which declares that everything produces after it’s own kind. People produce people, dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, monkeys produce monkeys. It follows that dogs bark, cats meow, people talk. When we are born again we are given the attributes and the voice of our heavenly Father. There is power in our mouths. We as born again children of God can also use our mouths creatively. When we have problems, we should aim our tongues at them, by speaking aloud the words of God. The born of God voice in the inward man calls those things that are not as though they already are. By speaking the words of God, we have the power to create our days for good or for evil.

Job 22:28, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon thy ways."

To decree is to decide and declare that it shall be so.

EXAMPLE: I am the beloved of my Father (John 16:27)  I am set free from being poor, sick, and doing wrong. (Gal.3:13)

(Psalms 91:10-11)  Nothing bad will happen to me for angels are with me and care for me. 

(James 4:7)  The devil runs from me when I tell him to go in the name of Jesus. 

(Ps.23 Phil.4:19)  The Lord is my shepherd and I do not want, God takes care of all of my needs. 

I follow Jesus and I know His voice and the voice of a stranger I will not follow. (John 10:4-5)

The peace of God keeps my heart and mind through Jesus and I only think about things that are good, pure, and perfect.(Phil.4:7-8)

Jesus came that I might have life, I am strong and smart in Him. (John 10:10, Col.2:10)

Satan hates the Word of God, because we are shaped by it, into the image of Jesus. When the enemy attacks, we must meet him with the right defense. The Word. Be imitators of God, little children, speak God's word.

God said it. It came to pass. Then He saw it. We want to see it first then say it......that's backwards. By the word of the Lord were the worlds framed, and so is ours. If we desire a good world in which to live, we must speak it into existence. God gave us the power of the spoken word. We need to use it wisely, speaking only positive words.

In the beginning, God created..... I used to read this verse as a continuous narrative. In my mind that meant 1,2,3, done. But as I discovered other scriptures, this method became a problem for me.

Job 38:4-7, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell me, if you have understanding. Who Determined it's measurements? surely you know! or who has stretched the line upon it? To what were it's foundations fastened? or who laid it's cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

There are a number of ages mentioned in the Bible. An age is a segment of time, whether long or short.

In the creative ages (of the dateless past) God brought into existence the universe, the heavens, Sun, Moon, Stars, Planets. He also created the angels, the original inhabitants of earth and animal and plant life.

There are Angels that are called:
1. Seraphim Isaiah 6:1-7 Seraphim have wings, their function is to praise and worship. The word Seraph means to burn as in flames of fire.
2. Cherubim Genesis 3:24 Cherubim have wings, their function is to protect the throne. They were also at the entrance of the Garden of Eden.
3. Zoa or living creatures Revelation 4:6-9 Living creatures that have wings. Most scholars agree that the word Zoa was incorrectly translated as beast in the KJV, it should have been living creatures. Their function is worship and praise.
4. Arch (chief) angels. Arch angels do not have wings, they function as leaders of different divisions of angels. Lucifer was of this group, he once headed up the music department. Michael still heads up the war department and is national guardian angel of Israel. Daniel 10:13-21. Gabriel is in charge of messages. Daniel 10 Luke 1:12-38
5. Angels, also called messengers, no wings, they sometimes visit us with out our being aware. Hebrews 13:2 Their function is to serve the saints, Hebrews 1:14 and do general duty. References are many. At the tomb of Jesus is an example. Matthew 28:2-5

When the term, the Angel of God or the Angel of the Lord appears in the Old Testament, it is clear this was a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ, a Theophany. Don't be frightened, in easy chair language, that means an appearance on the earth of Christ before He came to be born of woman. I have to throw in a few theological words, so you will know I did my homework

The Ante chaotic age. (Ante means pre, prior, or before.) From the creation to chaos. This is the age included in, "In the beginning" right up to but not including "the earth was without form and void." During this period, Lucifer was God's viceroy on the earth.

The age between Lucifer's fall and the beginning of the six days of restoration. (possibly many millions of years.)

The antediluvian age is from the six days of the re-creation (commonly called creation week) until the flood of Noah. Genesis 6-8

The present age covers from the abating of the flood waters until the second coming of Jesus.

The millennium is the age to come and covers the 1000 years (after the second coming of Jesus)