The Beginning

​The Bible starts with the Book of Beginnings: Genesis.  It starts with God creating the Universe.  One might suppose it would explain God’s origin, but that’s not possible since God is eternal.  God exists outside of time and has no beginning.  He just is.  That is the one hard unexplainable fact of existence.  Everything else that exists was made by God. 
 
Genesis also lays out His purpose for the creation.  God’s objective for the human race is explained in Genesis 1:26-28.  God gave Adam and His descendants the right to fill the earth and subdue the planet.  Subdue in the sense of shaping and making use of its resources.  He also gave us dominion over all the life on the planet.  Essentially, He delegated to the human race the right to co-reign over this planet.  We could develop it and shape its future to our wishes within the limits of His own intentions.  He never completely surrendered His rights as Creator to govern the universe He made. 
 
How has it turned out?  Well, we did get the “be fruitful and multiply part” down as we have filled the earth.  The ruling part has not gone all that well.  Having the freedom of rule meant the possibility of going out of bounds.  It is what the Bible calls sin, doing things contrary to God’s purpose.  Still, God has not revoked His commission for us to rule.  He still intends to bring about the kingdom concept He launched in Genesis 1.   That is what the rest of the Bible is all about.