INDEX:
Creation Symbolism: below
Day One Day Two Day Three Day Four Day Five Day Six Day Seven
Why study symbolism?
My pastor once asked me why I spend so much time studying symbolism. He did not see how symbolism could benefit a believer in his daily walk in serving the Lord and others.
Here is a list of benefits that I derive from studying symbolism in the Bible:
1) It increases my understanding of the magnitude of God’s creativity and wisdom, as He is able to weave multiple themes of truth deep into His Word. It inspires me to be imaginative while serving for I have been created in His image Gen 1:27. God gave Adam the creative task of naming all of the animals Gen 2:19. He has also gifted each of us with unique talents to be used creatively for Him.
2) It gives me confidence in the infallibility of God’s Word 2 Ti 3:16; 2 Pe 1:20,21. It is too profound and complex to have inaccuracies, therefore when I am confronted with an apparent Bible contradiction, I know it’s my lack of understanding not the text that lies in error.
3) It gives me additional insight into God’s eternal goals and how I should be working in harmony with them Eph 5:10.
4) I become more intimate in my relationship with God because He is communicating with me through His Word—revelation that many others have not discovered because they fail to scrutinize the Scriptures Ps 119:99.
God’s Word: 1 Co 2:9,10
There is much buried treasure in God’s Word and He will reveal these truths, if one perseveres while digging deeply Mt 13:10,11,12.
His revelations are like diamonds that have many facets. They sparkle at different edges depending upon the direction of the light. The symbolism discovered in the days of creation is only one facet of the diamond as there are many more for you to discover if you put in the effort. Below I describe what I have discovered.
God’s purpose in Creation: Isa 45:18
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen 1:1
God created the world with the knowledge that Adam would sin resulting in the fall—the curse of death Ro 5:12; the curse upon Satan Gen 3:14,15; women Gen 3:16; men and nature Gen 3:17,18,19; Ro 8:20,21,22; thus the necessity of a saviour. The Lord built symbolism into His creation to teach, give hope and increase man’s faith Ro 10:17. Jesus was chosen to be the world’s saviour at the beginning of time Rev 13:8. We were chosen for sonship before the creation of the world Eph 1:4,5. Beneath the factual words of Genesis One is the hidden gem of God’s love story depicted through symbols.
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. Gen 1:2
The word formless
has the additional colors of confusion, chaos, waste, wilderness, empty place; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially, in vain;
empty
can mean void or an undistinguishable ruin.
darkness
can figuratively mean misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, evil, obscurity, night.
God paints us a figurative picture of man’s spiritual condition after the fall: he is in confusion, there is chaos in his life, he is worthless, in misery, ignorant, wicked and dead to God.
Symbolic Interpretation:
In the beginning (after Adam’s fall)
earth (land) = redeemed life (Gen 1:11; Isa 51:10)
formless and empty = without Christ (Gal 4:19); without purpose (1 Pe 1:18; Ecc 1:2)
Interpretation: After sin entered the world, man found himself alienated from God Gen 3:23,24; Col 1:21; without Christ and without purpose.
darkness = Evil (Jn 3:19,20), Satan (Eph 6:12); Light = Good (Gen 1:3,4), God (1 Jn 1:5; Mk 10:18)
deep (Sea) = Death/Spiritual Dead (Rev 20:13; Jnh 2:5 NASB); Hell/Sheol (Job 26:5,6) Rebellious People (Rev 17:15; Isa 17:12; Ps 65:7) difference between sea and land—rebellious man vs redeemed man (Jnh 1:10 rebellion; Jnh 2:2,3 sea; Jnh 2:6 hell; Jnh 2:9 repentance; Jnh 2:10 land—redeemed man).
hovering = ready for action (Dt 32:11); Spirit of God ready to impart life (Job 33:4)
Interpretation: Satan through evil controlled the spiritually dead, but the Holy Spirit was ready to draw sinners to life.
Hope for God’s people: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isa 60:1-3
Click on “the Emulsifier” to learn God’s plan to save the world.