Christ in Creation

In the earlier years of being a dad, Amond and I bought Israel an iconic, bright red, Radio Flyer wagon. As a good parent, it felt like the right thing to do. There was one problem. It came in a box in several pieces! Have you been there. Sitting, staring at instructions that don't quite give enough detail to make sense. (insert an Ikea joke!) I was new to putting things together for my kids. Since then, I have become a pro at the Christmas Eve construction projects!

I remember sitting there, scratching my head as I pieced this thing together. In hindsight, it was not that difficult, but somehow I found a way to mess it up! Perhaps the problem was my lack of focus. While I was busy putting this together, so was my son, Israel. He was a toddler tinkering away with me on this project. I was making this for him and he was wanting in on the action! 

When it was finally completed, the second time, he was able to sit in the wagon insisting that I pull him around...everywhere! 

This picture is not unlike the creation of everything that has ever been. "In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). God the Father was not alone in creation though. Jesus was there. And not only was Jesus present and active in creation, but He was also the purpose of creation. You might say, in a very vague way, that God the Father was creating, with his Son, a beautiful red, Radio Flyer! 

Jesus was Present at Creation
To understand this concept, it is important to understand that Jesus is God. In the Gospels we see that Jesus is fully man, but He is also fully God. He needed to eat and sleep, he grew physically and was tempted in the same way we are. We also see his divinity: walking on water, healing the sick, and even raising the dead! 

If Jesus is God, then He had to be at Creation. John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." Jesus, before He put on flesh, was the very Word that spoke everything into existence. He was present in this act with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. John makes it clear that this 'Word' is Jesus a few verses later in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." (NIV)

It then reasons, that if Jesus is God and was present at Creation, then He was and is present and active in every situation and circumstance that follows. 

Jesus was the Purpose for Creation
If I can take this a step further, I would like to point out that Christ was not only at Creation and active in creating, but He is the purpose of creation. Everything is about Him. 

Making Jesus simply a part of creation does not make this story throughout Scripture about Him. It could still put us in the driver seat. You might find yourself saying, "See, Jesus was there and decided to make us, therefore creation must also be made for us." This is simply not the case though. Read with me Colossians 1:15-17:

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...all things have been created through him and for him." (NIV)

Creation was not simply made because of him, but creation was made for him. Think about that. His Father, did all this for Him! This makes Him the center of creation and the entire story that follows. 

Jesus is the Fulfillment of Creation
He was likely present with Joshua before the battle of Jericho. He was present with the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. He was also there declaring the very Word of God, which He was, through the prophets to the nations of Israel and Judah. 

Jesus fulfilled Genesis 1 and everything since then. As you might have read in my previous post, Types not Typos, everything that is read and seen in Scripture will find fulfillment in Christ. 

How is this possible? Where is that fulfillment? What does this mean for me? 

I don't want to jump too far ahead, but we know that creation was cursed and broken from Genesis 3 onward. Ultimately, Jesus fulfills this at the end of Revelation:

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Then the One (Jesus) seated on the throne said, 'Look, I am making everything new. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.' (Revelation 21:1; 5-6). 

There is fulfillment of creation that is found before this though. In us, we can find the fulfillment of creation! How? Paul calls it a treasure that is inside of us in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9. A chapter later, he makes it a bit more clear how creation is fulfilled by Christ through us. 

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)

This is an amazing thing to see revealed in each and every one of us who confess Christ. You and I are God's workmanship on display, showcasing Christ for a lost and broken world to see!

​Let's shine bright!