Discussed on this page are the following passages: Rev 3:14, Col 1:15-16, Heb 1:1-2 and Genesis 1:26.
Revelatoin 3:14, “the beginning of the creation of God”
In Rev 3:14 the Messiah himself tells us that he is the “beginning of the God’s creation“
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
The word “beginning” used here is the Greek word “arche” pronounced, ar-khay. It’s number #G757 in the Strong’s concordance and is defined as “beginning or origin.”
Clearly the Messiah is telling us that he is the “beginning” or the “origin” of God’s creation. And of course his God, that is the Father, who’s name is Yahuweh, the Only True God (John 17:3), both his God and ours (John 20:17).
I think a question some might have is: How can Yahoshua be the beginning of Yahweh’s creation if he is the One to have created the world?
The simple answer is, the heavenly Father, Yahuweh, created the worlds, including the earth, “through” his first born, Yahoshua.
Heb 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
Heb 1:2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He Yahuweh, appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (NASV)
(Gen 1:26 and the worlds being made "through" Yahoshua is discussed more at length below)
Colossians 1:15-16 “firstborn of all creation.
Col 1:15-16 He (Yahoshua) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For through Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things have been created “through” Him and for Him.
In this case the word translated “firstborn” is the Greek ‘prototokos’ #4416 in the Strong’s, and it could be understood only one way, that is to mean “firstborn”.
If 'all' of creation is to be understood as everybody and everything, which I believe it is, and if the Messiah is the "firstborn" of all Creation, which we're told he is. Then it would stand to reason, as I believe it does, that the Messiah was 'born' or brought forth before anyone and anything else in creation.
That, I believe, is the simple explanation of Col 1:15-16.
When the Messiah walked the earth he told those around him on a number of occasions that he came forth "from God". I might add that he never said he "was God" but rather he was "from God", there is a big difference.
Joh 6:46 "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.
Joh 8:40 "But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.
Joh 8:42 Yahoshua said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.
Joh 13:3 Yahoshua, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
Hebrews 1:1-2 "...through whom Yahuweh made the worlds"
Yahoshua, who is the firstborn of all creation, was with the Father, Yahuweh, in the beginning. The word 'beginning' implies a starting point, and Yahoshua is that starting point. When the Almighty brought Yahoshua into existence in a very real way "time" began. Prior to Yahoshua, time didn't exist, Yahuweh lived, as he still does in a 'timeless' eternity - no beginning/no end. But 'now' time has a 'beginning'. The "beginning" of creation, and Yahoshua is the "first born" that creation. And it was through Yahoshua that all other things came into being.
In Genesis 1:26 it's recorded that God (Heb. elohim) said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
If we understand that the Yahoshua is the "firstborn" of all creation, then the "us" mentioned in this passage presents no confusion whatsoever. "Us" would be the heavenly Father, Almighty Yahuweh, and his "firstborn" Yahoshua. But how can one show this from the Bible? Turn if you would to Heb 1:1. I'll read it out of the NASV, I believe it brings it out a little clearer than the KJV.
Heb 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
Heb 1:2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He Yahuweh, appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (NASV)
The Heavenly Father, Yahuweh, made the worlds, how did He do it, "through" his first born, Yahoshua.
To better understand how that could have happened let me ask you this question. If I were to ask you who preformed miracles in the desert for the 40 years after the Exodus. You would almost assuredly answer "well God Almighty, of course" and you'd be right, but how then would you explain Stevens comments to the religious leaders of his day, before he was stoned to death.
Speaking of Moses, Steven said, ""This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years." Act 7:36
Steven is telling them, and us, that it was "this man" Moses who performed "wonders and signs in the Land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years." (Acts 7:36)
Now was it the Almighty or was it Moses that performed the miracles in the "Land of Egypt" "at the Red Sea" and "in the wilderness" for forty years?
Of course it was the Almighty, Yahuweh, that did it - "through" - Moses. Moses was the vessel that Yahuweh used to perform His miracles.
Did he need Moses to 'help' him in the wilderness? Of course not. Than why did he use Moses? I don't know.
Did he need His fist born, Yahoshua, when he created the worlds? Of course not. Than why did He involve him in the creation? Again I don't know, I just know that as he used Moses in the wilderness, he used his First Begotten at creation.
Genesis 1:26 "Let US make man in our image..."
With that in mind lets go through and read Geneses 1:26-31.
Gen 1:26 Then God (Heb: elohim) said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Clearly the ‘Us’ and ‘Our’ used here is talking about more than one individual or being, and with the understanding we have now with Yahuweh doing it “through” His Son, it should be obvious who the ’Us’ and ’Our’ are that are being spoken of.
But notice all through the rest of the chapter the God (Heb: elohim) mentioned is described as a ‘His’, ‘He’ and ‘I’ all clearly speaking of ‘one’ individual or being. That ‘One’ is referring to the Father Yahuweh, the One who gets all the glory and credit for creating the Worlds, again “through” His Son.
Gen 1:27 God (Heb: elohim) created man in His own image, in the image of God (Heb: elohim) He created him; male and female He created them.
Gen 1:28 God (elohim) blessed them; and God (elohim) said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Gen 1:29 Then God (elohim) said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
Gen 1:30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.
Gen 1:31 God (elohim) saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day
Many people get confused with the word Hebrew word “elohim” which is almost always translated “God”, thinking of it as always being used in the plural sense. The fact is the word “elohim” is used in the Tanak (so-called Old Testament) 2605, and out of those 2,605 times it’s used in the plural sense 216 times. Meaning it is used in the singular 2,389 times out of the 2605 it's used in the Tanak ("Old" Testament).
The word ‘elohim’ is also used to describe such people and beings as “angels” (Ps 8:5), Moses (Ex 7:1), the ‘judges of Israel (Ex 22:8-9; Ps 82:6), and Samuel the prophet (1 Sam 28:13),( the word is translated ‘divine being’ speaking of Samuel, in the NASV, and ‘gods’ in the KJV). See the article “I said you are gods” John 10:34, for a more detailed explanation of the word “elohim/God“.
Shalom Reuven
* Yahuweh is the Heavenly Father's name which is used 6,823 time in the Tanak, see the article "I am Yahuweh, that is my name throughout all generations" Exodus 3:15
