In the beginning God created … (what? when?)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. We kind of know what the earth is. But what is/are the heavens? And was the beginning really "The Beginning?" Or was it the beginning of something, rather than the beginning of everything?

The image shows a clock. We assume it's "The Clock", the clock that starts the beginning of time. But look closely. There are more gears around that clockface. It appears this clock is a small part of something bigger.

However, if we're as self-centered about that clock image as we often are about ourselves, we'll miss something.

Or, maybe it's that we'll see something, one thing, and miss everything else?

That's what reading the first verse of the Bible is like. God created the heavens and the earth. Maybe we see one thing - that the Heavens and the earth were created. Or maybe we'll see that the creation of the heavens and the earth are but one piece of something that's potentially much larger. Larger in scope and larger in importance.

Genesis

We should start with a definition. Sometimes it's hard enough to be "reading from the same book". let alone being on the right page in the right book. If we start off wrong with what Genesis is, we're in big trouble.

genesis /ˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/

■ noun the origin or mode of formation of something.

▶ (Genesis) the first book of the Bible, which includes the story of the creation of the world.

—ORIGIN Old English, via Latin from Greek, ‘generation, creation’, from the base of gignesthai ‘be born or produced’.  ¹Soanes, C., & Stevenson, A., eds. (2004). In Concise Oxford English dictionary (11th ed.). Oxford University Press.

That makes sense. Well, part of it does. If you read closely, you already see a potential issue. The Bible says God created the heavens and the earth. The definition says Genesis includes the creation of the world. Generally, we think of the world as the planet we live on - earth.

Is this a problem? A misunderstanding? A case of apples vs oranges? Or a case of apples vs. Fuji apples?

It's the last one. Apples vs. Fuji apples. You see, the book of Genesis does include the creation of the world. However, that's only part of what's in Genesis. It's like talking about Fuji apples, which are but one kind of apple. The definition is for a Fuji apple. The first line in the Bible is about apples in general, including Fuji apples.

Now, to extend that a bit further, do remember the question from my opening paragraph?

Or was it the beginning of something, rather than the beginning of everything?

Putting that in apples and oranges kind of wording: was this the beginning of apples, rather than the beginning of apples, oranges, pears, peaches, fish, etc.? We'll get into that soon enough. For now, it's something to think about.

What about Genesis, the book in the Bible?

That's good for defining the word genesis. But what about the first book of the Bible? We should also know a bit about it.

GENESIS, BOOK OF The first book of the Hebrew Bible. Narrates events starting with creation until Jacob’s death after his family settled in Egypt. Sets the stage for the book of Exodus. Outlines God’s relationship to the world and the whole created order, most notably through the people of Israel—the benefactors and bearers of the divine promise in the world. Also provides a genealogical backdrop for the people Israel, the main subject of Exodus and the rest of the Hebrew Bible.

Introduction
The book of Genesis is the beginning of the Bible. It is foundational and necessary for understanding the larger biblical canon, both Old and New Testaments. Within the Hebrew Bible, Genesis belongs to the Torah (“teaching, instruction”). It is the start of a textual unit that runs through Deuteronomy and traces “history” from creation to Israel’s arrival on the outskirts of the already inhabited promised land.