And Behold, it was very good
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A good God makes a good world. Perhaps that should be the banner over Genesis chapter 1.
There’s no regrets here. God doesn’t say “It’s not quite what I’d imagined. It was better in rehearsals. I’ve kept the receipts in case you want to exchange it.” No, Genesis 1:28 – “Behold! It’s very good”
… if He does say so Himself.
Now for those interested in that old philosophical chestnut – Is a thing good because god says it is, or does god say it’s good because it is good? – go here. I’ve got some thoughts.
But let’s keep things simple. God is not threatened by the world, not limited by the world, not a competitor with the world, not shut out from the world. He is no prisoner of His own divine majesty, as though being creator keeps Him at an infinite distance from His world. Perhaps you’re thinking “Of course not, why should we think that?”
Well in the history of human religion, these have always been the fears about god and creation. The idea of “something besides god” has thrown many a theologian into a spin. Religions and theistic philosophers go on about the problems of relating the infinite to the finite, the spiritual to the physical, the timeless to the time-bound, and a thousand questions besides. But the God of the bible has no time for any of this. He just gets on and creates a world that He is really very happy about.
And He is most happy when it gets to day six. At the end of all the other days He calls His handiwork “good”, but once humanity crowns creation – “Behold, it is very good”. This is what He has always wanted.
The Father has always had His Son and Spirit besides Him – ‘in His bosom’ as John 1:18 says. He is not socially awkward. He is very comfortable with relating to others. He is the companionable God. So He makes a world with man at the top. Because the intention is for this world to be drawn under Christ, as man is drawn into Christ, that the whole creation might be consummated and there be many brothers and sisters for the Son (Romans 8:29).
Don’t believe the anti-creational nonsense that is spoken by many religious people. To paraphrase a popular explanation of Christianity: God loves the world and has a wonderful plan for its life.
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