What does it mean that God is the Creator?

Answer

One of the foundational truths of the Bible is that God is the Creator of all that is. One of the many passages that proclaims God as Creator is Isaiah 40:28, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” All three Persons of the Trinity were involved in the creation of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 1:2).

A creator is one who makes something new. People can “create” art projects, musical compositions, and physical structures; however, they always have something to work with. They begin with preexisting matter and form it in new ways. Even music and other intellectual creations have rhythms, rhymes, notes, instruments, and artistic mediums that provide structure and offer possibilities. What is commonly called “creativity” is more akin to synthesis. God had no such raw materials to work with. When we say that God is the Creator, we mean that He is truly creative, in a category all by Himself, because He started with nothing «for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: », (Colossians 1:16).

Genesis 1:1 says that “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That means that, before Genesis 1:1, there existed no heavens and no earth. God spoke them into being «And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. », (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9). “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11;cf: Revelation 10:6). He is God. He is not limited by our understanding, nor by time, space, or matter. As the Creator, God is the all-wise originator and designer of all things: “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all” «O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches. », (Psalm 104:24).

When God created the heavens and the earth, He did so by speaking it into existence. When He created the things that filled the earth and the sky, He spoke them into being (Genesis 1:11-16). But when He created human beings, He did something different. He took some dust of the ground that He had already made and formed a man. Then He breathed His own life into that man, and “man became a living soul” «And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. », (Genesis 2:7). When He created the first woman, Eve, He also used that which He had already made. He caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took a rib from his side and formed a woman «And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; », (Genesis 2:21).

God is the Designer and Craftsman of everything in the universe, and He created human beings a step above all the rest. By breathing His own life into that man, He created the man.God created man and woman “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). This means that human beings are more like God than any other created thing. We have an eternal spirit, just as God does. We can reason, choose between good and evil, and love. We possess emotions, intellect, and the power and desire to create things ourselves. God desires to have fellowship with us (Genesis 3:8-9; Jeremiah 29:12). He does not seek fellowship with dogs, dolphins, or trees—only humans. And when He came to earth to save us, He came in the form of a man (Philippians 2:5-8; Luke 1:35).

When we acknowledge that God is the Creator, we affirm that no one created Him and that God alone is THE Creator. Satan cannot create; he can only distort what God creates. People cannot truly create because we must begin with something that has already been created. Everything originated from God (Jeremiah 10:16; James 1:17; Revelation 10:6). Since He created everything, everything belongs to Him (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 50:12). As human beings, we also belong to Him, and He has the right to rule over us. He grants us the freedom to choose Him or reject Him, but consequences accompany either choice. The wise person bows before the Creator and willingly submits himself or herself to the only One who truly understands how we are made (Psalm 78:39; Psalm 103:14; Romans 9:20).