The Face of the Waters

 

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God. (2 Peter 3:1-5 ESV).

 

Did you notice anything curious in the first verses of the Bible from yesterday’s devotional? I have read these verses many times in my life, and just recently I wondered: Where did these waters come from? Well, God must have created these waters at some point, but we are not told that part of the story. The NIV translation of verse 2 says that the “Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is ruach, and that word can also be translated as “wind” or “breath.” So, some translations say that the “wind of God” hovered (or moved) over the waters. Either way, we can begin to imagine God’s person and power moving over these deep waters. In another passage the Hebrew word rahap for “hover” describes the Lord as a great eagle brooding, hovering over its beloved hatchlings as they leave the nest and learn to fly (cf. Deuteronomy 32:11).

 

So in the first verses of Genesis we see God moving powerfully and lovingly over his yet unformed world of water. This picture is of a caring and intentional God creating just what would be needed for the perfect place He would place his crown of creation – man. As I think about this truth, I am deeply encouraged. God did not create haphazardly or arbitrarily. He was microscopically intentional in all that he did in preparation for placing humanity on the Earth.

 

Certainly, this is Peter’s intention in writing that all things are continuing as from the beginning toward the perfect completion of God’s plan. That plan includes every believer in an eternity of perfect harmony with one another and God’s creation. God has a plan for His children… and it is a good plan!