Pearls of the Word

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In the beginning God created

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"In the beginning God created [bara] the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

The Hebrew verb bara means 'to create from nothing'. This verb is exclusively used to speak of the creative activity of God:

• God created [bara] man in his own image (Genesis 1:27),

• God created [bara] his people for his glory (Isaiah 43:7),

• God creates [bara] a pure heart in us (Psalm 51:10),

• God creates [bara] (puts) praise on our lips (Isaiah 57:19) ...

And God continues to renew the face of the earth by creating [bara] through His Spirit (Psalm 104:30).