JESUS THE CREATOR

We know that Genesis begins with the declaration that “God” created the heaven and earth, but the Holy Spirit specifies through Paul that it was Jesus, “His dear Son,” (v13) through whom He brought forth the creation.  This truth is another huge affirmation of the oneness of Father and Son.

Colossians 1:16 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:

Jesus is identified as the creating force of God.  He created everything. 

• Things in heaven – Heaven is a reference to the sky and the abode of God.  This would include the angels, the heavenly temple, galaxies, the stars, the planets, clouds, etc.
• Things in earth – The Greek for earth references the solid part of the globe.  This would include the oceans, the land, animals, insects, tree and plant life, etc.
• Visible things – This is a reference to things that can be seen by our eyes—stars, planets, mountains, rivers, plants, animals, colors, volcanoes, tornadoes, each other, etc.
• Invisible things – This is a reference to those things that we can’t see with the naked eye—atoms, germs, gravity, the wind, heat, etc.  In today’s day and age we can see many things that were once impossible, but are invisible without special technology.  Even the inner workings of our body are “invisible” without the use of special technology.  So some of the invisible things could technically fit in both categories.
• Thrones = seat of power, a potentate
• Dominions = mastery, rulers, government
• Principalities = chief in the commencement or beginnings of power and rule
• Powers = privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity…mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence

“Things in heaven” and “things in earth” are the major categories.  “Visible things” and “invisible things” are subcategories.  Paul makes it clear in his letter to the Ephesians that these thrones, dominions, principalities and powers are a reference to supernatural forces—both good and bad.

Ephesians 3:9-10 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Many of these supernatural forces are evil and are a continual source of harassment for mankind, especially believers.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The interesting truth is that these forces were created by Him and for Him.  God’s creation was good, but angels and men are by His sovereignty allowed to make the choice to serve Him or not.  God knew their choice before He created each one, but He did not limit His creation only to those who would choose to love and serve Him.  In His wisdom He knew that love cannot be understood without hate.  Good cannot be understood without evil.  Grace and mercy cannot be experienced apart from sin.  Faithfulness cannot be understood apart from faithlessness.  That’s as far as my brain will go.

Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

I like the NLT for this verse:  “He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.”

Following is an excerpt from an article by Lambert Dolphin that explains in a way I never could a bit more about what this verse means. 

What Holds the Universe Together?

The nucleus of the atom contains positively charged and neutral particles-to use a simplistic model. Mutual electrostatic repulsion between the like-positive protons would drive the nucleus apart if it were not for the "strong force" which binds the nucleus together….Similarly, accelerated electrons circling the nucleus should quickly radiate all their energy away and fall into the nucleus unless there exists an invisible energy source to counteract this.

The third New Testament creation-related passage which talks about atomic structure and physics is found in the Apostle Peter's Second Epistle:  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise [rhoizedon, a rushing roar] and the elements [stoicheion, atoms] will be dissolved with fire and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)  The Greek word translated "elements" in the above mentioned passage from Colossians (and in 2 Peter also) is stoicheion, which can mean "the building blocks of the universe," or "the ordered arrangement of things." It can also mean the "atomic elements." The word translated "dissolved" in 2 Peter 3:10 is literally (in Greek) luo, meaning "unloosed." This language suggests that there will come a time in the future when God lets go of the nuclear forces which hold the atom together. This passage, like the one in Colossians, strongly suggests that the active power of God is behind the mysterious strong force that holds every atomic nucleus together. If this is so, all the other fundamental forces of nature are likewise forces that originate with Christ and His sustaining direction of the old creation.

If God "sustains the universe by His mighty word of power," moment by moment, were He to merely relax His grasp on the universe, every atom would come apart "by fire" (that is, by nuclear fire). It is inescapable that the Bible claims that God dynamically sustains the universe, including the very atoms themselves. Atoms, it would seem, are "stable" only because force and energy are being supplied into their physical nuclear binding fields from "outside" the system.  (end of excerpt)

(to be continued…)