The first parable contained in Scripture concerns our creation. The first parable is succinct and to the point. God said,

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 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.  3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [Genesis 1:1-3 ESV]

The Bible begins with these few words and offers no theological definitions for understanding them. God did not end here, though. We possess an entire Bible of sixty-six books which line upon line reveals the truths God intends us to know. This reminds me of the first math course I took after I decided to major in mathematics instead of chemistry in college called “The Foundations of Modern Mathematics.” We had no text book. Instead our professor wrote his own book on the chalk board. The first words of his book were, “Assume there exist at least four points not all in the same plane.” This reminds me of God’s first few words in Genesis 1:1-3.

But what can one do with only four points? First, he can connect two of the points, thus creating a line. Then he can proceed from each of those two points with a line to a third point. Now he has created a plane. Then from the three points of the plane he draws lines to the fourth point, which is not on the same plane as the first three points, and so constructs a three-dimensional object! From here he goes on to invent addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and a multitude of other mathematical ideas including calculus.

In the first three verses of Genesis 1 we similarly begin with just a few basic conceptions: God, create, heavens, earth, formless, void, darkness, face, the deep, the Spirit of God, waters, the creative word, and light. And now, after a lifetime of studying God’s Word, seeking his face, and crying out for ears to hear and eyes to see God’s truth I think I finally understand this most basic of the parables.

“The heavens” describe where God dwells in the Spirit. “The earth” speaks of man for God made man from the dust of the earth. Man begins his history and each man his own life “formless and void,” unable to understand good and evil and unable and unwilling to choose the good. God purposed to create man this way instead of simply making him perfect and complete like himself from the beginning. If God had created man complete and perfect, then man would have been nothing more than a programmed machine which could only choose to do the “right” thing, the thing which God programmed him to do. God, therefore, also created darkness, whom the Bible later identifies as the serpent, the dragon, Satan. This darkness covers the face of the deep, the deep waters which describe mankind in the morass of his own thoughts and ways. And, of course, so that men can learn to overcome the darkness God provides his Spirit who hovers over the water, the clear water, the bubbling brook of God’s truth, God’s Word. Arising then from these waters we see God’s light which overcomes the darkness.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. [John 1:1-5 ESV)

The first three verses of Scripture thus, as a parable (a spiritual story which hides the truth), actually describe the entire history of man on earth and foretell God’s plan concerning him. God will take the crown of his creation, mankind, from life which is formless and void and full of darkness to a life filled with light. He will hover over man in his Spirit and will teach him his truth. He will take man from the dark waters and depths of his own futile thinking into the glorious liberty of the sons of God found in the clear stream of God’s bubbling brook. He will train man to discern good and evil and will teach him to love and thus choose only the good.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [2 Corinthians 4:6]

 Post Script: One of my readers very insightfully commented on this post. Here is what she wrote: 

“The understanding that all of God’s Word is a parable with underlying spiritual truth is key in having our eyes opened to the “mysteries”. He told us the end from the beginning as you have so brilliantly brought to the surface in this teaching! When we look at the revelation of Jesus Christ that was given to John we see that there is no more sea (the deep/the carnal mind) and no more sun for the light of the glory of God fills the earth/ temple as the waters cover the sea. We see Christ in man! Heaven and earth coming together in the same plane! He called heaven and earth to witness against Israel in Deuteronomy 4. He established this heaven/earth witness in His firstborn Son, Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, who “lights every man that comes into the world”. Now we are the sons of God and the Word is being made alive in us, Christ, the hope of glory!” – Emily Rossetti