Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
What we see above and below came from God. By His word, the One we cannot see created the heavens and earth we see and live within (Hebrews 11:3). God’s word tells us that Jesus is God’s word (John 1:1). This light shined into the darkness that was in the beginning and creation came forth by God’s word. In the formlessness and emptiness came form and a filling with abundant life. This occurred in the context of God’s Spirit hovering over the waters and God speaking. Creation and renewing happen when the Spirit of God is sent (Psalm 104:30).
The Spirit of God is depicted as brooding over the waters at creation. Brooding suggests birthing, like a brood of chicks. The word for Spirit is ruach in Hebrew, which gives us the meaning of wind and breath. The Spirit is pictured as the wind and breath of God. Words issue from one’s breath. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host (Psalm 33:6). God’s voice is over the waters (Psalm 29:3).
The picture unfolded in Genesis 1:1-3 is God as the Creator eager to bring forth life. Pulling together other Scriptures, the Father wants to create, Jesus as the Word concurs and speaks, and the Spirit as the carrier of God’s words creates—the Spirit births creation.
For those who follow Jesus, when we receive Jesus, we receive the Spirit and are called new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born of God (John 1:13). I like to imagine the Holy Spirit hovering over people, desiring to come in and give them life in Jesus just as the Spirit hovered over the waters.
Holy Spirit, we exalt you as God. You are the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:20; Philippians 1:19). Thank you that you are behind our existence as image bearers of God who are fearfully and wonderfully made, and you are the reason for our redeemed lives, in Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your desire and action to create and renew us when we said yes to Jesus and every day afterward. We ponder Genesis 1:1-3 on how creation started, giving us a picture of our salvation and even pointing us ahead to when you will make all things new, restoring the heavens and the earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:5).