ExNihilo
"Let there be light: and there was light."-GOD
From ancient times, thoughts concerning the origin of the world have been associated with a deity who made the light and subsequently the heavens, the earth, and man. The God who separated light from darkness has been considered a life giving force, the first cause, and because of this act of love, the foundation and the very existence of man.
The new theories of the origin of the world, as seen by modern cosmogony seem perplexing to the human mind. Through the centuries, as mankind gradually accumulated knowledge about the various observed phenomena taking place in the world system, a scientific method began to take shape, concluding that the way to the discovery of a first cause would be through historical data — hence, the theory of the big bang and a new era.
There have been many from the Church and the physical disciplines that have characterized the scientific era by searching out an understanding of the origin of the world's emergence totally from natural causes, e.g., a reasonably complete and consistent theory of planetary formation. This comes through knowledge of the workings of our solar system and the progress of observational astronomy. However, though the universal picture has been broadened, difficulties remain — explaining the origin and evolution of the great galactic families of stars is one. Understanding the nature, size, and shape of one galaxy and then comparing it to another may suggest to us which one is older, but alas, everything is relative. How old is the oldest?
There is no scientific absolute that can explain a cause. The big bang is a belief based on hypothetical circumstances. It is thought to have resulted from a continuous evolutionary process that started in a highly compressed homogeneous material a few billion years ago. I ask myself, where were you when that happened? Then I say to myself, it must be hypothetical.
Some scientists believe the same circumstances require a hypothesis that says the existing universe has been somewhat the same throughout eternity. The "steady-state” universe theory claims the continuous creation of matter in intergalactic space.
Cosmogony is generally left in the hands of the theologians. It concerns the creation, origination, or manner of coming into being of the world or universe. More specifically, a biblical cosmogony that is generally accepted in the monotheistic Protestant tradition is: the doctrine of the origin of the universal cosmic order by the creative power of God. Ex nihilo is a cosmogony that means the universe was created out of nothing, or, — not from previously existing material. In order though, to introduce my thoughts on biblical cosmogony, I find it necessary to insert a short piece I wrote some time ago.
Creation out of nothing — ex nihilo — infers there is no God. Can there be something from nothing? It is "nothing" that does not exist, for God is all in all. All in all connotes existence — God exists!
If we separate the physical from the spiritual, without regard to a continuum, then that which is physical would come from nothing — ex nihilo — and the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ would be without reason. If however, we consider there is one spiritual entity, the "all in all," and we come from and reside within that spirit which exists in its eternal state, the Light, then the reason is that we have come from something. God created us means we come from something. God is spirit. God is something. "Nothing" then, would not exist. And, it would be reasonable for the physical body of Jesus to make the change and ascend into Glory.
Let's reason together. If we put "nothing" in a box over here, and put "something" in a box over there, a duality exists. If God is "all, and in all" there is no duality — there is God and that which is created — the singularity of one within the other.
Because we choose a linear historical frame of reference for our academic pursuits, in the deep recesses of our mental and spiritual understandings we can only see darkness. The great authoritative kabbalist Nahmanides in his commentary to the Torah of creatio ex nihilo suggested that in its literal sense it is the free creation of the primeval matter from which everything was made. However, he implied by his kabbalistic allusion in his commentary to Genesis 1, that the true mystical meaning of the text is the emergence of all things from the absolute nothingness of God. Essentially, the kabbalists thought that this nothingness is the barrier confronting the human intellectual faculty when it reaches the limits of its capacity. There is a realm they think, that no created being can intellectually comprehend, which can only be described as "nothingness." Most Christian denominations agree to creatio ex nihilo, believing that the only source of the doctrine of creation out of nothing is found in the Bible. However, this theological cosmogony creatio ex nihilo is in line with most scientific thought. The prevailing cosmological and astronomical proofs of this line of reason, i.e. their singularity theorems, suggest that at some definite time in the past the universe was compressed to a state of zero size and infinite density, called a singularity. As the doctrine creatio ex nihilo leads us to a state of nothingness, so does the written mathematical laws of physics break down into a place of nothingness at a singularity — darkness is to much for the human mind or mathematics to comprehend. It seems that history can only lead us to ... .
According to the Bible, I find it difficult to understand the universe was created ex nihilo (out of nothing) or from chaos (pre — existing matter). Moreover, I do not believe in a solid — state theory (that the universe has always been in existence).
What I know according to the Bible is: Jesus is the beginning.
Re 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
God formed the light and created the darkness.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
The created darkness was there prior to God forming the light.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Jesus is the light of the world (the Greek word for world is kosmos).
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus is the only begotten of the Father
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jesus is seen by man as a visable light
Acts 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
All of creation was and is within Jesus
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
In the end, God and the lamb are the temple and that temple is light
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
All of the previous verses tell me Gen 1:1, "In the beginning ...", means everything was created within the begotton light of the world. The same verses tell me all who believe are now and will be within Christ Jesus the light of the world forever. For me to understand this, means that in Him there is no darkness. There is no recourse but to tell everyone on the planet.
According to the Bible, I do not believe the universe was created ex nihilo (out of nothing — God is substantive) or from chaos (pre — existing matter). Moreover, I do not believe in a solid-state theory (that the universe has always been in existance).
I believe that out of and within God and Christ was the heavens and the earth created.
I cannot understand why we argue from extra — Biblical asumption that comes to us via the doctrine of man. There is no proof in our arguments. Can we stop and argue Biblical proofs? What does the Bible say?
Please regard first word in verse 22 below? — the word is "In" (Greek "en" = inside, within). The whole of the creation of God is "in" Christ who is the first and the last the only begotten of God. We must believe for the following to be true.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Bible scholars have chosen an historical critical paradigm to decipher Biblical texts. In my opinion this paradigm was given its lofty place in Biblical exegesis because of our need to etymologize and Bishop Usshers competitive efforts with astronomical calculations of his time so he could prove the day and the hour of creation. At that time, astromomy was leaving astrology behind because of our methods of tracking the stars and figuring out from where they came. It is the historical paradigm that will seemingly refute my understanding in every way shape and form. I believe it is the history of Biblical words that enables us to decipher the true contextual meaning of the Bible. I have read many extra-biblical histories though, and I find most are based in part on assumption. Show me an extra-biblical history and I will show you one by another author that is different.
The coming Kingdom is not an assumption — it is based on faith. When I see the acts of faith in and by the Christian community, I see the evidence of things not seen. I see the kingdom coming. Our faith comes not from looking back as did Lot's wife, but from looking toward what is hoped for by the believing community.
I believe eternity is the true Biblical paradigm. I believe that eternal concepts are omni in nature as opposed to a lineal historical frame. I believe God, the Son and the Holy Spirit are omni-present in relation to the creation. I believe there is no duality. I believe all things created are within God and the Son. When I look at time, I see the earth rotating every 24 hours and I see the earth going round the sun every 364 1/4 days and then I say to myself (I got this from Einstein) if I were to travel out into space until I couldn't see the earth — what time would it be? Then I come back to my senses and realize that God made the lights in the firmament for seasons and days and years. All in all, I cannot see all of this in a linear time frame.
The word "be reshyith" is translated as: In the Beginning. The Septuagint renders the first words "en arche" as does the quote you gave in John 1:1. Rav Berg, says the Creator chose the letter B (Bet, Bayt) since it is the first letter of the word blessing. Bayt is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is the archtype of all 'containers', the physical means by which Aleph can cause animation of life. Aleph is all that is and all that is not, that which cannot be conceived. Aleph must have a 'receptacle' in order for the abstract to come into existence.
I didn't know about Rav Berg until recently. I have always believed the first words in Genesis and John meant "In" within the beginning Christ Jesus because he is all and in all save for the father.
The historical paradigm renders the first words (in reality) "at" the beginning. When I read 1 John 4:2 history requires the word "in" to be "has" come in the flesh. The truth is that Jesus is in the flesh of the believer. Jesus is the resurrection and we are the body of Christ. So, "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God". In context John is not speaking from an historical frame.
Looking into history will render assumption — looking at eternity will render God.
I would like to give to you, in part, how I understand that the heavens declare the glory of God.
When we look into the darkness of the night sky we see many stars. Each star that we see shines on us. Because we can see a star is proof that the star shines on us. Each star shines on every other star unless there is another star or obstruction in the way. Moreover, every star shinning on every other star creates the structure of the heavens.
It is said that when we create a telescope large enough, and we look out into the heavens, we will see only luminescent light — in every spot we look with this great telescope there will be a shinning star. This is called the optical horizon.
Because we are on the earth and are outside of the sun, we are obstructed from seeing the stars on the other side of the sun that would shine on us, however, through our sun we can partake of the life of the other stars that are shining on it. Still, being on the earth, during the day, we are obstructed from the night sky and the stars that are there and in the night we are obstructed from the sun and those stars on the other side of the sun. Were we inside of the sun, and we looked out with our great telescope, all we would be able to see would be light — there would be no darkness.
Be as it may, we the body of Christ, like the stars in the heavens, are luminaries through the darkness of the ways of world. Each of those who are not a believer is an obstruction in our heavenly construct on the earth. The only way to a perfect completion of our heavenly construct, the temple of God here in earth, is to give to those who are without life. And, that life is our Lord the “sun of righteousness” — Jesus the Son of God. Through Jesus, we who believe can partake of the life and light of the Father who is the creator of the heavens and the earth — in him there is no obstruction.
Thank you Jesus.
"Let there be light: and there was light."-GOD
From ancient times, thoughts concerning the origin of the world have been associated with a deity who made the light and subsequently the heavens, the earth, and man. The God who separated light from darkness has been considered a life giving force, the first cause, and because of this act of love, the foundation and the very existence of man.
The new theories of the origin of the world, as seen by modern cosmogony seem perplexing to the human mind. Through the centuries, as mankind gradually accumulated knowledge about the various observed phenomena taking place in the world system, a scientific method began to take shape, concluding that the way to the discovery of a first cause would be through historical data — hence, the theory of the big bang and a new era.
There have been many from the Church and the physical disciplines that have characterized the scientific era by searching out an understanding of the origin of the world's emergence totally from natural causes, e.g., a reasonably complete and consistent theory of planetary formation. This comes through knowledge of the workings of our solar system and the progress of observational astronomy. However, though the universal picture has been broadened, difficulties remain — explaining the origin and evolution of the great galactic families of stars is one. Understanding the nature, size, and shape of one galaxy and then comparing it to another may suggest to us which one is older, but alas, everything is relative. How old is the oldest?
There is no scientific absolute that can explain a cause. The big bang is a belief based on hypothetical circumstances. It is thought to have resulted from a continuous evolutionary process that started in a highly compressed homogeneous material a few billion years ago. I ask myself, where were you when that happened? Then I say to myself, it must be hypothetical.
Some scientists believe the same circumstances require a hypothesis that says the existing universe has been somewhat the same throughout eternity. The "steady-state” universe theory claims the continuous creation of matter in intergalactic space.
Cosmogony is generally left in the hands of the theologians. It concerns the creation, origination, or manner of coming into being of the world or universe. More specifically, a biblical cosmogony that is generally accepted in the monotheistic Protestant tradition is: the doctrine of the origin of the universal cosmic order by the creative power of God. Ex nihilo is a cosmogony that means the universe was created out of nothing, or, — not from previously existing material. In order though, to introduce my thoughts on biblical cosmogony, I find it necessary to insert a short piece I wrote some time ago.
Creation out of nothing — ex nihilo — infers there is no God. Can there be something from nothing? It is "nothing" that does not exist, for God is all in all. All in all connotes existence — God exists!
If we separate the physical from the spiritual, without regard to a continuum, then that which is physical would come from nothing — ex nihilo — and the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ would be without reason. If however, we consider there is one spiritual entity, the "all in all," and we come from and reside within that spirit which exists in its eternal state, the Light, then the reason is that we have come from something. God created us means we come from something. God is spirit. God is something. "Nothing" then, would not exist. And, it would be reasonable for the physical body of Jesus to make the change and ascend into Glory.
Let's reason together. If we put "nothing" in a box over here, and put "something" in a box over there, a duality exists. If God is "all, and in all" there is no duality — there is God and that which is created — the singularity of one within the other.
Because we choose a linear historical frame of reference for our academic pursuits, in the deep recesses of our mental and spiritual understandings we can only see darkness. The great authoritative kabbalist Nahmanides in his commentary to the Torah of creatio ex nihilo suggested that in its literal sense it is the free creation of the primeval matter from which everything was made. However, he implied by his kabbalistic allusion in his commentary to Genesis 1, that the true mystical meaning of the text is the emergence of all things from the absolute nothingness of God. Essentially, the kabbalists thought that this nothingness is the barrier confronting the human intellectual faculty when it reaches the limits of its capacity. There is a realm they think, that no created being can intellectually comprehend, which can only be described as "nothingness." Most Christian denominations agree to creatio ex nihilo, believing that the only source of the doctrine of creation out of nothing is found in the Bible. However, this theological cosmogony creatio ex nihilo is in line with most scientific thought. The prevailing cosmological and astronomical proofs of this line of reason, i.e. their singularity theorems, suggest that at some definite time in the past the universe was compressed to a state of zero size and infinite density, called a singularity. As the doctrine creatio ex nihilo leads us to a state of nothingness, so does the written mathematical laws of physics break down into a place of nothingness at a singularity — darkness is to much for the human mind or mathematics to comprehend. It seems that history can only lead us to ... .
According to the Bible, I find it difficult to understand the universe was created ex nihilo (out of nothing) or from chaos (pre — existing matter). Moreover, I do not believe in a solid — state theory (that the universe has always been in existence).
What I know according to the Bible is: Jesus is the beginning.
Re 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
God formed the light and created the darkness.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
The created darkness was there prior to God forming the light.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Jesus is the light of the world (the Greek word for world is kosmos).
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Jesus is the only begotten of the Father
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jesus is seen by man as a visable light
Acts 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
All of creation was and is within Jesus
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
In the end, God and the lamb are the temple and that temple is light
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
All of the previous verses tell me Gen 1:1, "In the beginning ...", means everything was created within the begotton light of the world. The same verses tell me all who believe are now and will be within Christ Jesus the light of the world forever. For me to understand this, means that in Him there is no darkness. There is no recourse but to tell everyone on the planet.
According to the Bible, I do not believe the universe was created ex nihilo (out of nothing — God is substantive) or from chaos (pre — existing matter). Moreover, I do not believe in a solid-state theory (that the universe has always been in existance).
I believe that out of and within God and Christ was the heavens and the earth created.
I cannot understand why we argue from extra — Biblical asumption that comes to us via the doctrine of man. There is no proof in our arguments. Can we stop and argue Biblical proofs? What does the Bible say?
Please regard first word in verse 22 below? — the word is "In" (Greek "en" = inside, within). The whole of the creation of God is "in" Christ who is the first and the last the only begotten of God. We must believe for the following to be true.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Bible scholars have chosen an historical critical paradigm to decipher Biblical texts. In my opinion this paradigm was given its lofty place in Biblical exegesis because of our need to etymologize and Bishop Usshers competitive efforts with astronomical calculations of his time so he could prove the day and the hour of creation. At that time, astromomy was leaving astrology behind because of our methods of tracking the stars and figuring out from where they came. It is the historical paradigm that will seemingly refute my understanding in every way shape and form. I believe it is the history of Biblical words that enables us to decipher the true contextual meaning of the Bible. I have read many extra-biblical histories though, and I find most are based in part on assumption. Show me an extra-biblical history and I will show you one by another author that is different.
The coming Kingdom is not an assumption — it is based on faith. When I see the acts of faith in and by the Christian community, I see the evidence of things not seen. I see the kingdom coming. Our faith comes not from looking back as did Lot's wife, but from looking toward what is hoped for by the believing community.
I believe eternity is the true Biblical paradigm. I believe that eternal concepts are omni in nature as opposed to a lineal historical frame. I believe God, the Son and the Holy Spirit are omni-present in relation to the creation. I believe there is no duality. I believe all things created are within God and the Son. When I look at time, I see the earth rotating every 24 hours and I see the earth going round the sun every 364 1/4 days and then I say to myself (I got this from Einstein) if I were to travel out into space until I couldn't see the earth — what time would it be? Then I come back to my senses and realize that God made the lights in the firmament for seasons and days and years. All in all, I cannot see all of this in a linear time frame.
The word "be reshyith" is translated as: In the Beginning. The Septuagint renders the first words "en arche" as does the quote you gave in John 1:1. Rav Berg, says the Creator chose the letter B (Bet, Bayt) since it is the first letter of the word blessing. Bayt is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is the archtype of all 'containers', the physical means by which Aleph can cause animation of life. Aleph is all that is and all that is not, that which cannot be conceived. Aleph must have a 'receptacle' in order for the abstract to come into existence.
I didn't know about Rav Berg until recently. I have always believed the first words in Genesis and John meant "In" within the beginning Christ Jesus because he is all and in all save for the father.
The historical paradigm renders the first words (in reality) "at" the beginning. When I read 1 John 4:2 history requires the word "in" to be "has" come in the flesh. The truth is that Jesus is in the flesh of the believer. Jesus is the resurrection and we are the body of Christ. So, "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God". In context John is not speaking from an historical frame.
Looking into history will render assumption — looking at eternity will render God.
I would like to give to you, in part, how I understand that the heavens declare the glory of God.
When we look into the darkness of the night sky we see many stars. Each star that we see shines on us. Because we can see a star is proof that the star shines on us. Each star shines on every other star unless there is another star or obstruction in the way. Moreover, every star shinning on every other star creates the structure of the heavens.
It is said that when we create a telescope large enough, and we look out into the heavens, we will see only luminescent light — in every spot we look with this great telescope there will be a shinning star. This is called the optical horizon.
Because we are on the earth and are outside of the sun, we are obstructed from seeing the stars on the other side of the sun that would shine on us, however, through our sun we can partake of the life of the other stars that are shining on it. Still, being on the earth, during the day, we are obstructed from the night sky and the stars that are there and in the night we are obstructed from the sun and those stars on the other side of the sun. Were we inside of the sun, and we looked out with our great telescope, all we would be able to see would be light — there would be no darkness.
Be as it may, we the body of Christ, like the stars in the heavens, are luminaries through the darkness of the ways of world. Each of those who are not a believer is an obstruction in our heavenly construct on the earth. The only way to a perfect completion of our heavenly construct, the temple of God here in earth, is to give to those who are without life. And, that life is our Lord the “sun of righteousness” — Jesus the Son of God. Through Jesus, we who believe can partake of the life and light of the Father who is the creator of the heavens and the earth — in him there is no obstruction.
Thank you Jesus.
