When we use the term Creation apologetics, we usually think of ministries like Answers in Genesis, and that is valid. However, the purpose of this article is to examine how the basic fact that God is the Creator of all things is used in the Bible to do apologetics.
Some scholars think that the book of Job was the earliest book of the book to be written. This is based largely on the locations mentioned where Job and his friends lived. Job was a righteous believer in God, but after two conversations between God and Satan, the devil is allowed to attack Job (Job 1-2). Yet Job retains his integrity, even after his wife tries to get him to curse God. What follows are three cycles of conversation between Job and his three friends. Each cycle shows Job’s friends becoming increasingly accusatory of him, saying that his circumstances must have been caused by his sin. Job also becomes bolder towards the Lord in his complaint. A young man named Elihu has been there the whole time, but he says nothing until Job’s three friends cease. After Elihu, God Himself speaks to Job out of what is apparently a tornado. He asks Job 83 questions. These questions can be summarized as, “Where were you when I created the heavens and the earth?”, and “Let’s see you run the creation”. Job is humbled and repents of his attitude towards God. God Himself used creation in a form of apologetics.
The Lord did this again when confronting the idolatry of Israel through the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah chapters 40-49, God makes His own case in the first person. He challenges Israel to put forth an idol that is equal to Him, the Creator and Lord over all (40:12, 22, 26, & 28; 41:4 & 20; 42:5; 43:1, 7, & 15; 44:6, 21, & 44; 45:7-12 & 18; 46:4; 48:13; 49:5). He also defended Himself against the idols by demanding that Israel show Him one that could accurately predict the future (41:22-26, 42:9, 44:8 & 25-26, 45:11 & 20-21, 46:10; 48:3-7, 14). He also showed that He is sovereign over the affairs of men and nature (40:23 & 29; 41:2-21; 42:1; 43:2-7, 13, & 19-20; 44:28; 45:1-3 & 14; 46:13, 47:1-15; 48:14-19; 49:6-11 & 17-26).
The Lord also referred to His place as Creator in other places (Ex 20:11, Ex 31:17, Is 17:7, Is 22:11, Jer 33:2-3, Hos 8:14, Hab 2:18). When Jonah fled from his assignment from God to preach to Nineveh, he got on a boat (Jon 1). God sent a storm, and the pagan sailors prayed to their false gods. They told Jonah to pray to his God. They cast lots to see whose fault the storm was, and the lot fell upon Jonah. They demanded that Jonah tell them the cause of the storm. His answer was, “I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land”, and that he fled from Him. This caused great fear in the sailors, so much so that they prayed to Him. The fact that there is only one true God, and that He is our Creator, is written into the conscience of all (Rom 1:20, Rom 2:14-16). There is no such thing as a true atheist. There are only deniers.
On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, Peter quoted from the scriptures to explain to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. Paul also did this when preaching to Jews (Acts 13:14-31). However, when he preached to the pagan Gentiles, he did not quote scriptures because they did not know them. The first thing he said about God is that He is the Creator (Acts 14:15, Acts 17:24-29).
This is why taking the first three chapters of Genesis literally is so important. This is how we fully connect to the uncaused first cause – the Creator and Lord of all. Any attempt to dismiss or dilute this foundational truth undermines relationship with our Creator and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jn 1:1-18, Col 1:15). He is the only true God manifested in the flesh (Jn 14:7-11, 2Cor 5:19, Col 2:8-12, 1Tim 3:16, 1Jn 5:20-21). Worshipping anything else is idolatry. We can either fully worship Him, or we can worship man, his idols, or devils. Acknowledging God as our Creator attaches us to accountability to Him (Acts 14:14-17, Acts 17:22-34). That is the real reason some refuse to do so. However, it also offers us the opportunity to connect to the only source of life and truth – the Lord Himself, not only in this life, but that which is to come (Jn 14:6, 1Tim 4:8). It also attaches us to His great plan for us when we realize that following the Maker’s instructions is to our benefit. Those instructions are in the Bible.
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