Doctrine of Creation (Doctrine of Biblical Creation)
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, April 29, 2026 (Donate)
The doctrine of creation, or more specifically the doctrine of biblical creation, is foundational to understanding
all of Scripture. While many creation-based discussions extend into Genesis
1–11 broadly, the central focus of this doctrine is the Creation Week itself,
recorded in Genesis 1:1–2:3.
The rest of Genesis 2 then provides a more detailed look
back at specific events, especially the creation of man and the Garden of Eden.
This doctrine establishes God as the sovereign Creator, the origin of all
things, and the One who defines reality, time, and purpose.
Ex Nihilo
At the heart of the doctrine of creation is the truth that
God created all things ex nihilo, meaning “out of nothing.” Scripture
begins with the profound declaration: “In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, NKJV). There was no pre-existing matter, energy,
or space. God didn’t use any pre-existing material but even caused the very
fabric of the universe to exist by the word of His power.
God alone is eternal and all powerful, and everything else
owes its existence to His creative word. This truth distinguishes the biblical
worldview from all naturalistic and pagan systems, which assume eternal matter/eternal
universe that has always existed or has some form of cyclical existence (e.g.,
big bang, big crunch, big bang, big crunch…forever).
Time Is A Creation Of God
Creation also marks the origin of time itself. “In the
beginning” signifies not only the start of material and spiritual creation but
the beginning of time itself. God, who is eternal (i.e., not bound by time that
He created), and thus He exists outside of time.
Yet He created time as a framework for His creation. During
Creation Week, God established the fundamental units by which time is measured:
days, weeks, months, and years.
First, the week originates from God’s creative
work. God created everything in six normal-length days and rested on the
seventh. “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He
rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done” (Genesis 2:2,
NKJV). This pattern established the seven-day week, which has no astronomical
basis but is rooted entirely in God’s actions (see also Exodus 20:11 and Exodus
31:17).
Second, the time marker of a day is defined by
the cycle of evening and morning. Each day of creation is marked by the phrase
“the evening and the morning,” indicating a normal night-day cycle (Genesis 1:5).
Initially, light was provided directly by God, separating light from darkness.
On the fourth day, God created the sun as the “greater light to rule the day”
(Genesis 1:16), indicating that the original source of light for the first
three days was no longer needed in the same way.
Third, the concept of a month is tied to the
moon (lesser light in Genesis 1:16 to rule the night; Psalm 104:19). The moon’s cyclical
phases provide the basis for measuring months, which is used throughout
Scripture.
Fourth, the year is defined by celestial
patterns. God created the stars “for signs and seasons, and for days and years”
(Genesis 1:14, NKJV). The regular movements and alignments of the heavenly
bodies is how we record annual cycles.
The Three Heavens
The doctrine of creation also includes the origin of the
heavens. Scripture speaks of three “heavens” (e.g., 2 Corinthians 12:2). The
physical heavens include the sky and outer space. On Day 2, God expanded the
initial space He made in which earth initially sat. This space is often called
the firmament or expanse in our
translations of raqia. In this same motion of power of God separating
the waters from the waters and gathering them, He formed the atmospheric
heavens (Genesis 1:6–8). This is what we breath and where birds will later fly.
Later on Day 4, the expanse which includes the vastness of
space, was filled with stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. In addition,
Scripture speaks of the “third heaven,” the dwelling place of God (2
Corinthians 12:2), indicating the origin of the spiritual realm and heavenly
beings.
Light, Matter, Science Laws, And Water
Light itself originated at God’s command: “Then God said,
‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). God, in a spiritual
sense, often equated Himself with light as opposed to darkness which was spiritually
seen as evil. However, Creation Week is discussing the actual physical
processes of created light. This initially created light preceded the
sun and shows that God is the ultimate source of all illumination, both
physical and spiritual.
Matter also began during Creation Week. God created the
basic components of the universe, including the earth which was described in
its initial state as formless, void, pure, empty water and then He made land,
and the heavenly bodies. On consecutive days, He formed the earth, separated waters
and gathered the seas, and created the sun, moon, and stars (Genesis 1:9–18).
This includes all astronomical bodies such as planets, comets, and galaxies.
Let’s hone in on water for a moment. This unique compound
shows that God made the laws of nature and was upholding them on Day 1. For example,
the forces that hold two hydrogens and one oxygen together were in place. Looking
back at light, electromagnetic waves were in existence by God’s power.
Back to water, it wasn’t ice or vapor. This shows that the
laws of thermodynamics were created and put in place. Since organized heat was an
essential aspect of God’s creation regarding water, this means the laws of
thermodynamics were in place instituted and being used perfectly by God who not
only created them but upholds these laws into existence.
God Making The Earth Habitable
God then established the land and oceans. “Then God said,
‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let
the dry land appear’” (Genesis 1:9, NKJV).
Plant life was created on Day 3. “And the earth brought
forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit
according to its kind” (Genesis 1:12, NKJV). Plants were created mature and
fully functional, capable of reproduction from the beginning.
Animal life followed, created according to their kinds. Sea
creatures and birds were made on Day 5, and land animals on Day 6 (Genesis
1:20–25). Each kind was created distinct, fully formed, and designed to
reproduce.
Finally, the pinnacle of creation is man. “Then God said,
‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26,
NKJV). God created mankind as male and female (Genesis 1:27), uniquely bearing
His image. Unlike animals, man was given dominion over the earth and a special
relationship with God.
The original creation was perfect. “Then God saw everything
that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NKJV). This
aligns with the character of God, who is perfect: “He is the Rock, His work is
perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NKJV). There was no death, suffering, bloodshed, or
sin in the original creation. These entered later as a result of man’s
rebellion.
Triune Reflections
Creation also reflects in vague ways, the triune nature of
God in various ways. Time can be understood in terms of past, present, and
future, yet all converge in the absolute present (“A.P.”) moment. At A.P.,
past, present, and future essentially become one.
Light exhibits properties such as electric and magnetic
components along with directional movement (velocity). Where these converge is triune
in the very nature of light.
Space and matter exist in three dimensions: length, width,
and height. As these directional dimensions converse into a single absolute point,
they are essentially one.
Water is a unique substance vital to life, cleanliness, and is used in baptism and judgments like the Flood of Noah. The makeup of water causes it to be polar molecule with two hydrogens atoms and one oxygen atom. This is what makes it so good at cleaning. While it is a singular molecule made of three distinct atoms, that is not the triune connection I want to draw (I think that is a bad analogy by the way).
Instead, I want to draw out a particular property of
water that even makes the mind of scientists scratch their head. It is called
the Triple Point of water. At a particular pressure and temperature, water
is solid, liquid, and a gas at the same time. The water molecule is literally
coequal as a singular, yet three phases at the same time. This Triple Point
of water is actually quite fascinating and, in a way, has a triune nature.
While no analogy is perfect regarding the nature of God’s
triune aspect, they serve as reflections within creation of a triune Creator.
Living beings also display increasing complexity. Plants
have a body. Animals are described as “living creatures” (nephesh
chayyah), possessing body and soul (Genesis 1:24). Man, however, is
uniquely composed of body, soul, and spirit. “Now may the God of peace
Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be
preserved blameless” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV).
Man then reflects the nature of our triune God, who is
eternal and spiritual: “God is Spirit” (John 4:24, NKJV), and “The eternal
God is your refuge” (Deuteronomy 33:27, NKJV, emphasis added). Man is
indeed a reflection of a triune God since we are made in the image of a triune God.
It also means that our souls/spirit will go on for eternity—hence the eternal
importance of every human being.
Summarizing The Doctrine Of Creation
The doctrine of creation teaches that God is the
all-powerful, wise, and purposeful Creator who brought everything into
existence from nothing. He established time and order, and made a perfect world
that reflects His nature. Creation provides the foundation for understanding man,
the universe, scientific law, and the perfection of God who created and upholds
all things into existence.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
