What point in time does the phrase 'In the beginning' refer to?

Answer 1

It refers to -- the beginning of the particular thing it's talking about.

You must consider what's called: Universal History.

Of course the expression: 'beginning' does not apply to Jehovah God. God existed BEFORE any 'beginnings' which he created.

Another word is used for God; namely ETERNAL; -- eternal in both directions (past and future); meaning he has no beginning, and no end.

Therefore God CREATES 'HISTORY markers'.

God created DIFFERENT 'history markers'; which would be 'the beginning of those particular things.'

For example: At one time, God was all alone. (Not meaning he was lonely. God is self-contained; self-sufficient. He is not dependent on anyone or anything to make him fulfilled.)

Then at one POINT IN TIME, (His time) He decided to CREATE. The first thing He created was -- something like himself. God is a spirit; so he created another spirit like himself. This was a BEGINNING point. This was the creation of His 'firstborn son', who later became Christ Jesus.

The word 'beginning' was used in connection with Jesus.For example: John 1:1 states: "In the beginning, was the Word (this being the future Christ Jesus, who lived with God in the spirit realm.)

Also Revelation 3:14, refering to Jesus, he is called: "the beginning of the creation by God." So the word 'beginning' and 'creation' apply to Jesus.

Then, at ANOTHER -- POINT IN TIME, God decided to create someithing non-spirit. He created 'physical stuff'. This would become ANOTHER POINT IN TIME -- another BEGINNING. Genesis 1:1 states: "In the beginning -- God created Heaven and Earth." This is refering to the PHYSICAL UNIVERSE with all it's stars, galaxies, and all the FORCES which hold them together, in realtion with each other.

There are of course other 'beginning points', not necessarily called such in The Bible, but obvious.

For example: After Jehovah God prepared the earth - - He created brand new FORMS of LIFE. First he created 'Plant - LIFE'. He created a variety. He created 'reproduction'. Plants would have little baby plants. But they were 'stationary', could not walk, fly, swim, or move around. Angels could move faster than the speed of light (Light was created AFTER the angles were already alive. God is not dependent on Light to see; or warmth from the sun to be warm; etc)

Of course, --- for us humans, we have our own 'beginning'. God created a brand new form of life called 'man-KIND'. The first ones were Adam & Eve. They were placed in a Garden called Eden. This is a 'marker point' for Mankinds history.

But basically the expression 'in the beginning' refers to 'the beginning of that particular thing being talked about. Since God existed long before 'any beginning' since he is eternal.

Other View:

We Christians believe that 'in the beginning' in Genesis, means the beginning of all things, other than the Trinity. We believe that God did not create the Holy Spirit, or Jesus. They are all one and the same, but in different forms. It is a very complicated subject , that no one quite understands, so dont worry if its a bit confusing

Another Answer:

This exact phrase is only used twice in Scripture - Genesis 1 and the Gospel of John 1. In the Genesis account, it briefly describes the physical creation. In John's account it discusses the eternal aspect of the Word of God - being fully God, Creator and individual divine being - who became the 'Son of God' according to their plan for mankind's salvation before the laying of the foundations of this world.

Answer:

"A point in time" is exactly what it means. A "beginning" and an "end" are both specific "points in time."

"Time is physical"... determined by the "incremental movements [rotations and orbits] of the planets." The "time" it takes for a fixed position on the earth to rotate once [measured by the rising of the sun on the horizon] equals one 24-hour day.

So, the beginning refers to "creation" -- a "point in time" when physical matter came into existence... formed into the rotating and orbiting planets and solar systems of the universe.

There is only ONE BEGINNING. Each of us came from "pre-existing life" [our parents]. There was a "time" when each of us didn't physically exist. Then... suddenly... we did. It was the "point in time" of our "physical beginning." We don't have "two physical beginnings." And neither did the universe.

It's a physical reference of limitation for the finite human mind to attempt to comprehend... as opposed to trying to grasp the concept of "eternity" [no boundaries or limitations].

"In the beginning" in the Bible refers to the "time" in which "God brought physical matter into existence," where once there was NOTHING... which the human mind can't fathom.

All matter in all of its various forms, masses and densities is "compacted energy." Energy burns, energy is spirit. Matter burns, and is therefore composed of -- compacted [spirit] energy.

And God brought matter into existence at a "point in time" in which "time began to exist" because of the movements of the matter He created. Before that created matter was set in motion -- THERE WAS NO TIME [no beginning or end]. It began ONCE... at that point in time... and has been in physical motion [like clockwork] ever since.