Genesis 1:1-2

Oct 14, 2025

Meeting Oct 14, 2025 at 18:52 EDT

Meeting records Transcript Recording 

Summary

Jose Gonzalez led a session on biblical "hyperlinks," recurring images or words connecting different scriptures, specifically focusing on Genesis 1 and its connections to John 1. Jose Gonzalez clarified that "heavens" in Genesis 1:1 refers to the sky and distinguished "Elohim" (God as a spiritual being) from "Yahweh" (the supreme Elohim), explaining that other Elohim exist but recognize Yahweh's supremacy. Jose Gonzalez highlighted the significance of "ruach" (spirit/wind/breath) in Genesis 1:2 and drew parallels between God's effortless control over chaotic waters and Jesus walking on water, ultimately linking John 1 as a direct hyperlink to Genesis 1, with "the Word" (Jesus) as the visible expression of Yahweh who creates by speaking.

Details

Meeting Introduction and Prayer Requests Jose Gonzalez welcomed attendees and opened the floor for prayer requests, which included requests for help with anger, peaceful resolution of neighbor issues, overall health, and prayers for grandma Maria (00:00:00). Jose Gonzalez then led a prayer, thanking God for the opportunity to study the word and asking for spiritual presence, love, empowerment, and guidance for all participants and their families, addressing specific prayer requests (00:03:30).

Session Recording and Resources Jose Gonzalez announced that the session was being recorded and would be available later on the RTG website under "virtual community" and then "learning archive," or through the RTG app (00:04:24). They also shared two links in the chat: one for a contact list to receive reminders about sessions and another for a question and feedback form for the current session (00:05:18).

Introduction to Biblical Hyperlinks Jose Gonzalez explained that previous sessions had focused on tools for biblical study and introduced the concept of "hyperlinks" within the Bible, which are recurring images or words that connect different scriptures, particularly from Genesis to other books like Exodus (00:06:18). The goal of the session was to begin exploring these hyperlinks, focusing on Genesis 1 and its connections to John 1 (00:07:11).

Analysis of Genesis 1:1 - "Heavens" Jose Gonzalez delved into Genesis 1:1, clarifying that the word "heavens" in this context refers to the "sky" rather than the spiritual realm of heaven where Jesus is enthroned (00:09:09). They supported this by noting later references in Genesis 1 to birds flying in the "heavens," indicating the sky (00:10:20).

Understanding "God" as "Elohim" Jose Gonzalez emphasized that the word "God" in Genesis 1, translated from the Hebrew "Elohim," is a title meaning "spiritual being" rather than a proper name (00:11:19) (00:15:15). They used Bible Hub to demonstrate that "Elohim" can refer to both "God" (uppercase G) and "gods" (lowercase G) in English translations, highlighting that modern translators differentiate based on context (00:12:14). Jose Gonzalez clarified that this concept may challenge conventional understanding of "God" as solely a name (00:17:18) (00:20:11).

Distinction Between "God" and "Yahweh" Jose Gonzalez explained that while Genesis 1 uses "God" (Elohim) to describe a powerful spiritual being, Genesis 2 introduces the specific name "Yahweh" (translated as "Lord God" or "Lord" in all capitals in English) as the supreme Elohim (00:19:09) (00:25:51). This distinction clarifies that Genesis 1 highlights the being's power, while Genesis 2 reveals their unique identity (00:27:41).

The Nature of Other "Gods" (Elohim) Jose Gonzalez affirmed that, biblically, there are other "gods" or spiritual beings, but only one supreme God, Yahweh (00:21:03) (00:27:41). They cited Psalm 82 to illustrate a divine council of Elohim and suggested that the "snake" in Genesis 3 could be understood as another Elohim, making its proposition to Adam and Eve more believable (00:22:54). Jose Gonzalez reiterated that these other spiritual beings recognize Yahweh's supremacy (00:55:00).

Genesis 1:2 - Pre-Creation State and "Ruach" Jose Gonzalez moved to Genesis 1:2, describing the earth's initial state as "formless and desolate emptiness" with "darkness" and "waters" (00:31:39). They introduced the Hebrew word "ruach," translated as "spirit" of God, but also meaning "wind" and "breath," suggesting that these are interconnected concepts in the biblical writer's mind (00:36:20).

Biblical Cosmology and God's Power over Chaos Jose Gonzalez noted that ancient cosmologies often featured chaotic waters at the beginning, which their gods had to fight (00:35:14). In contrast, the Hebrew God, Yahweh, is depicted as merely "hovering" over these waters, demonstrating effortless control and power without needing to struggle (00:36:20) (00:40:16).

Hyperlink to Ezekiel and Jesus Walking on Water Jose Gonzalez drew parallels between the "spirit of God hovering over the waters" in Genesis 1:2 and other biblical narratives, such as the breath (ruach) entering the dry bones in Ezekiel 37 and Jesus walking on water (00:39:21). They explained that Jesus walking on water is a hyperlink to Genesis 1, illustrating that Jesus is the same unthreatened spiritual being who controls chaotic forces (00:40:16).

John 1 as a Hyperlink to Genesis 1 Jose Gonzalez highlighted John 1 as a direct hyperlink to Genesis 1, calling it a "remix" or "cover" of the original creation narrative (00:42:30). John 1 introduces "the Word" (Jesus) as being "with God" and "was God" in the beginning, through whom all things were created, directly linking Jesus to the creative acts of Yahweh Elohim in Genesis 1 (00:43:23) (00:51:09).

God Creates by Speaking ("The Word") Jose Gonzalez emphasized the pattern of God speaking ("God said") ten times in Genesis 1, linking it to the concept of "the Word" in John 1 (00:46:36). They explained that God's powerful speech, accompanied by "breath" (ruach), is the means of creation, and this "Word" is Jesus, who is the visible expression of Yahweh (00:48:51) (00:52:08).

The Significance of "Evening and Morning" Jose Gonzalez concluded by discussing Genesis 1's pattern of "evening and morning" making one day, explaining that this signifies the day begins with darkness and ends with light (00:53:13). This pattern reinforces the idea that light (and God's presence) always overcomes darkness, a theme also present in John 1 (00:54:06).