An Artist's Theory of Genesis 1

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth."

"And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon face of the waters."

"And God said let there be light; and there was light” Genesis 1: 1, 2, 3.

I’m an artist. I paint similes of realities or the imaginations of my mind. It’s satisfying to have an idea and realize the vision on canvas so viewers can appreciate my creativity.

My ‘studio’ consists of a small, cheap drafting table in my bedroom, facing a north-light window to which I assemble all the stored pieces of my craft paraphernalia. The process involves uncovering the table of clutter, opening the curtains, retrieving my chair from another part of the room, getting my paint box from where I keep it and seeing my collection of brushes gets put on the table. The paint box I open and lay on the bed (which I generally have to make first). It is a convenient extra surface next to my left elbow. To the kitchen for a jug of water and the roll of paper towels for rinsing my brushes. For extra ease, a few rags from the bathroom closet. Now, my work area is ready and I can create my art.

Before I go through all of the assembly, I have a picture in mind. Over a few days, I draw several loose sketches of my idea, using my extensive swipe file that contains reference pictures that help me get the correct light, form, and angles of certain animals, objects or whatever I might need. From this file, I have designed either a complex, or simple, composition thinking about the tone, the palette, and the finer details.

When I am as ready as I think is necessary, I sit down and begin my painting. All this time consuming arrangement ensued because I wanted to paint.

My art may be nice to view, but God's Creation was perfect.

“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth” Genesis 1:1. 

It was beautiful and completely designed in His ‘mind’ before He began. 

“And the heaven and earth were without form and void” Gen. 1:2a.

We know Jesus holds everything together, (Col 1:16). It is a scientifically proven fact all things consist of molecules, cells and atoms we cannot see with the naked eye. In His ‘studio’, God created all those particles that make up heaven and earth.

While He created it all in verse 1, verse 2 says it was void and without form. Described in my analogy, as I assemble everything before I paint, I have no trouble with that.

God knew what He was going to make, He simply hadn’t put it together yet.

Verse 1 says God the Father created all of it but Jesus, the Word of God had yet speak to assemble everything. God the Holy Spirit joyfully hovered over the ‘drafting table’, waiting for Jesus to proclaim his first ‘daub of paint’ to His ‘canvas'. Everything was ready, and perfect. Even the darkness is perfect, because no sin has entered yet.

I picture the throne room of God tense in happy anticipation. The angels who minster to God are poised and waiting to see what the Holy One is doing. Up until now, they are the only created things in existence. What could God possibly create now?

God nods His head and Jesus, a big smile on His face yells out, “Let there be light!”

The Holy Spirit immediately collects God’s pre-planned particles and light springs from the elements floating in the dark void. Light always existed  in God’s design, only now it has form.

With each exclamation, Jesus brings about the beauty of what The Trinity had in mind all along. The Holy Spirit, the power of God, places the beautiful parts together making a magnificent painting, a whole of all the pieces, until all are used in their proper places and on the ‘sixth’ day, God finishes the painting with His signature—Man, made in His image!

When I finish a painting, I like to sit back and admire it for days afterwards. 

On the seventh day, God the Father, Jesus God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit ‘rest’, admiring Their perfect work while the angels rejoice fly around examining God's magnificent Creation. 
 

“When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job 38: 7.

That is my artist’s theory of God's Creation in Genesis 1. I will know the truth when I see my Jesus face to face. 

Possibly, knowledge of the first two verses of Genesis won’t be anywhere as serious as the theorists of today and through history want to make it.