Genesis 1:1-3: Creation or Re-Creation? Part 1

An issue that has taunted mankind through the ages is the question of origins. Since ancient times people have been keenly interested in understanding and explaining their provenance. The ancient creation mythologies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, Iran, Japan, or Mexico, or a child's question to his parents about who made the world shows that this concern is intrinsic to human nature. The Bible clearly portrays God as the Creator of all that exists. In fact this issue is so important in the biblical revelation that it is the first issue addressed, for it is mentioned in the opening lines of Scripture. However, these opening verses have not been understood unilaterally in the history of interpretation. In his book Creation and Chaos, Waltke, after thoroughly investigating existing views, argues that there are three principal interpretations of Genesis 1:1-3 open to evangelicals. He designates these as the restitution theory, the initial chaos theory, and the precreation chaos theory. Of primary importance in distinguishing these views is the relationship of Genesis 1:2 to the original creation: "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters." As Waltke stated, "According to the first mode of thought, chaos occurred after the original creation; according to the second mode of thought, chaos