their kind. The world works together in an infinitely complex ecosystem. Rains water the earth. The earth produces food. Life continues. These things happen not by chance but by the wisdom of our creator. It is not haphazard; it is not an accident. It is Yahweh’s wise work, Prov 8 assures us.
Consequently, humans also should seek wisdom. As Garrett points out, Prov 8:26 indicates that, “Humans, as dust, are part of the created world and cannot live contrary to the order by which the world was created. By Wisdom the formless, chaotic dust became Adam, the human race. People who reject Wisdom, therefore, are certain to return to their prior state.”20 Creation assures us of Yahweh’s goodwill toward us, and it also assures us of the proper path to take in life—the path of wisdom, the path marked out in Prov 1–9. Bartholomew and O’Dowd rightly point out that “God has built, or etched, an order into the world, and wisdom, personified as a woman, is the key to discerning it . . . She can guide us in walking wisely in this life because she knows the places that God carved out for us.”21 A failure to recognize Yahweh’s faithfulness, Yahweh’s wisdom, and our proper role in light of these two features exhibited so clearly in creation is a dire failure indeed.
Creation in Isaiah
The book of Isaiah, particularly chapters 43–45, is rife with creation theology.22 Having proclaimed judgment on God’s people for their idolatry and waywardness, the prophet now encourages the exiles in Babylon with a word of hope that he bases on Yahweh’s creation of the entire world and his special creation of Israel as a nation.
There are several important items to note in these passages that impact how the people of Israel, and we today, should understand the theological importance of creation. First, Yahweh states plainly that he is the only true God (43:10–12), a fact attested previously in the creation account. Second, Yahweh indicates that he has the right to discipline his people because he created them (43:14–15).23 By extension, his role as creator gives him the right to do what he will with his creation. Third, Yahweh uses creational language—e.g., “seas” and “waters”—to describe his creation of Israel.24 In doing this Yahweh demonstrates that his care in creating the world is consistent with his care in creating Israel. Further, he shows that just as he made the entire world in a special, spectacular event, so he formed Israel in a unique way and for a unique purpose. Just as the entire world was created for a particular purpose by his word, so Israel was created for a purpose through his word.25
Fourth, because Yahweh created the world—and Israel in particular—his people can be assured of his continued care for them. In 44:2–5 he bases his comforting words on the very fact of his creation. This should not be lost on readers today: because Yahweh is the creator, he is the caregiver. He is not a distant God who set the world on its own after creation. Instead, his creation of the world confirms his care of the world. He is a benevolent lord who will see to the protection of his people, his special creation. Fifth and finally, Isaiah 43–45 argues on the basis of creation that the proper response to God is worship. That is, because Yahweh is the only God, the God who disciplines his people with their best interests in mind, the God who fashioned the nation of Israel, and the God who cares for his people, Israel should worship him and him alone.26 In sum, in these three chapters Yahweh makes a progressive case based on his creative work that he alone is to be worshiped. The theology of creation, then, should impact our theology of worship, for by virtue of his creative work—and all it entails—Yahweh alone is worthy of adoration and adulation.27
Creation and the Gospel
What, then, becomes of the doctrine of creation when we move into the New Testament? How does the Old Testament’s theology of creation impact our understanding of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Should we read the New Testament differently, or for that matter the Old Testament differently, because of how we understand God’s creative work as depicted in the Old Testament? We will address these important matters through examining three aspects of the New Testament’s theology of creation: 1) Jesus Christ is creator; 2) creation is groaning in anticipation for the day of full redemption; and 3) Jesus Christ is redeemer.
Jesus Christ Is Creator
John 1:1–3 (ESV) states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”28 The author of Hebrews confirms John’s view of Jesus as creator when he states, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Heb 1:2 ESV). Paul concurs: “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Cor 8:6 ESV).
Polhill points out that John 1:1 “contains three basic affirmations that are fundamental to Christian theology”: the Word existed before all things, there is a “relational difference” between the Word and God, and the Word and God are one.29 Having established the preexistent nature of Christ (John states that Christ is the Word in v. 14) as well as the unity of and distinction between the Father and Christ, John addresses Christ’s role in creation: Christ is the agent through whom all of creation came into existence (John 1:3). This confirms the unity of the Trinity, but also demonstrates the Son’s separate role in creation as its agent. Further, Ridderbos points out, “The range of action of God-in-Christ at the creation coincides with the range of action of the Word in his incarnation. Therefore Christ is the light of the world (cf. 8:12) and by his coming into the world enlightens every person (1:9).”30 Thus, our theology of creation impacts our understanding of Christ’s work his incarnation, for they reflect each other.
First Corinthians 8:6 confirms our understanding of the unity of the Father and Son in stating that the all things are from the Father and through the Son. Paul furthers our understanding of the Son’s role in creation by stating we exist through Christ. Thus, not only did the Father create us through the Son but also the Son’s creative work is ongoing. All humans who have breath in their nostrils are current recipients of Christ’s grace in upholding creation. This is called common grace and is true whether or not a person knows Christ personally. It is one more indication of God’s great care for creation both in its initial conception during those six days at the beginning of time and also now.
In sum, the New Testament witness fully confirms that Jesus Christ is the creator of all things. The Trinitarian implications of Christ as creator cannot be overlooked: when John and Paul and the author Hebrews proclaim Christ as the creator of all things they identify him with the Father and give a small insight into the mystery of the Trinity. Genesis testifies that God created all things, and the New Testament teaches that through Christ all things were created—indeed, the Father and the Son are one. All the praise and honor owed to the Father for his faithfulness and goodness in creation should be likewise given to the Son.
Creation is Groaning
Work is hard. Famine is a real concern in many parts of the world. Blights and locusts and droughts destroy crops. The land doesn’t yield to humans like we want it to. Genesis lets us in on why things are the way they should
