The Pre-Adamic Creation

The Pre-Adamic Creation 

**The Pre-Adamic Creation: Understanding Genesis 1 and the Earth's Early History**

The account of creation in the Book of Genesis is often interpreted as a profound narrative of the origins of the universe and the earth. Genesis 1 describes the creation in six days, while Genesis 2 provides a more detailed account of the formation of the first humans. However, when examining the creation story, it becomes apparent that the history of the earth extends beyond the six days of creation and possibly includes a pre-Adamic era. This theory suggests that the earth may have been inhabited by other beings prior to the creation of man, with some scholars positing that these beings faced a great catastrophe that resulted in the earth's desolation before the creation as described in Genesis.

**The Nature of Creation in Genesis 1:**

The Genesis account of creation is not intended as a universal revelation but as a description of how the earth came into being as a habitable place for mankind. This distinction is essential because the text details the world from a terrestrial perspective, focusing on how the environment would have appeared to an observer on earth. For example, Genesis 1:3 states that "God said, 'Let there be light,'" and light was created before the sun, moon, and stars. To an observer on earth, this sequence makes sense because light would have first appeared in the atmosphere, even before the stars and planets were fully formed in their current orbits.

It is important to note that the text does not attempt to explain the age of the earth or the vast periods of time before the six days of creation. The geological evidence suggests that the earth existed in some form long before the events described in Genesis 1, with fossil records indicating that life existed in some form millions of years before the appearance of modern man. This opens the possibility of a "pre-Adamic" world, inhabited by other forms of life, and possibly even sentient beings.

**The Pre-Adamic World:**

The concept of a pre-Adamic creation is drawn from interpretations of Genesis 1:2, which describes the earth as "without form and void" and "darkness was upon the face of the deep." This could suggest that the earth experienced a great upheaval, potentially the result of a catastrophic event, such as a divine judgment or a natural disaster, which rendered it uninhabitable. In this view, the earth may have previously been populated by other creatures, which were either wiped out or otherwise displaced by the destruction.

Some proponents of this view point to fossils and geological strata, which reveal evidence of ancient life, including species such as Homo heidelbergensis, Homo erectus, and Neanderthals, as well as the presence of coal fields and other deposits that date back to periods long before the appearance of Adam and Eve. These remains are often considered as evidence of a previous age, predating the creation of modern humanity.

Genesis 1:2 is a pivotal verse in this theory. The description of the earth as "without form and void" could be seen as a reference to a time when the planet was in a chaotic and lifeless state, following a disaster that destroyed the previous inhabitants. This interpretation helps reconcile the findings of geology with the biblical account, suggesting that the fossils and remains found in the earth's strata are from an era before the creation described in Genesis 1.

**The Six Days of Creation:**

The six days of creation, described in Genesis 1:1-31, are often understood to refer to literal days of 24 hours. Some scholars, however, have attempted to stretch the meaning of these days into longer periods, such as thousands or even millions of years, to harmonize the biblical account with the findings of modern science. While such interpretations can be compelling, they are not required by the text itself.

Exodus 20:9-11 provides support for the understanding of the six days as literal days. The Fourth Commandment states, "For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them," reinforcing the idea that the creation was completed in six ordinary days. This perspective holds that the six days of creation were indeed six diurnal revolutions of the earth, marking a short and purposeful period in which God transformed the earth into a habitable place for mankind.

**The Catastrophic Event and the Void Earth:**

In the period following the destruction of the pre-Adamic world and prior to the six days of creation, Genesis 1:2 describes the earth as being "without form and void" and covered in darkness. This phrase suggests that the earth was in a state of desolation, possibly submerged in water, with no life remaining. It was only after this catastrophic event that God began the work of reshaping the earth, preparing it for the creation of Adam and Eve and the beginning of human history.

Genesis 1:3-5 describes the first creative act, the creation of light, followed by the formation of the sky and the separation of waters. These acts marked the beginning of a new era for the earth, one in which it would once again become a place of life. The creation of the earth, animals, and humans in Genesis 1 was not a new creation out of nothing but rather a restoration and renewal of the earth, which had been brought to ruin by the pre-Adamic catastrophe.

**Conclusion:**

The theory of a pre-Adamic world provides a way to reconcile the geological and fossil evidence with the biblical account of creation. It suggests that the earth underwent a great destruction before the events described in Genesis 1, which set the stage for the creation of humanity. The six days of creation were a brief period of re-formation and renewal, during which God prepared the earth for the arrival of Adam and Eve. This interpretation does not conflict with the essential message of the Bible but provides a framework that harmonizes Scripture with the findings of modern science.

**The Pre-Adamic Creation**

The creation narrative in the Bible begins with the opening words of Genesis 1:1, stating, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." However, the text goes on to describe an event that is often overlooked—the condition of the earth before the six days of creation. Genesis 1:2 presents the earth as "without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep." This description suggests that before the creation of life as we know it, the earth experienced a period of destruction and desolation, which may point to a pre-Adamic creation—a world that existed before humanity's formation.

While Genesis 1 outlines the general creation of the world in six days, it does not offer detailed explanations about what existed prior to the formation of Adam. The specific account of humanity’s creation is found in Genesis 2, focusing on the creation of Adam and Eve. However, it is important to consider the earth's history prior to this event, as revealed in the scriptures. In this account, the earth had undergone a transformation that rendered it "without form" and "void." The creation described in Genesis 1 could thus be understood as a restoration or reformation after a period of judgment or destruction that may have involved an earlier form of life.

### The Earth Before the Creation of Adam

The Mosaic account of creation serves as a revelation not of the entire universe, but of the earth's creation from the perspective of humanity. The six days of creation provide a framework that is specifically relevant to humans. The creation of light before the sun (Genesis 1:3-5) and the creation of the firmament (Genesis 1:6-8) follow this order when viewed from the perspective of an observer on Earth. This does not imply a contradiction with modern scientific understanding, as these events could represent a series of phenomena observable from the Earth rather than an absolute chronological sequence.

The age of the earth and the duration of its revolutions around the sun prior to the six days of creation remain unspoken in scripture. However, geological evidence suggests that the earth's history spans millions of years, potentially supporting the idea of a pre-Adamic era. The geological record reveals evidence of life forms, including extinct species such as mammoths, and fossilized remains, indicating the existence of life long before the appearance of humans. These discoveries align with the concept of a pre-Adamite world—an era before the formation of man in Genesis 1:26.

### The Pre-Adamite Inhabitants and Their Catastrophe

The idea of pre-Adamite inhabitants is further suggested by the apparent destruction and subsequent desolation of the earth described in Genesis 1:2. The earth, once inhabited by beings prior to Adam, likely suffered a catastrophic event. This event could have been a great flood or some other form of judgment that wiped out the earlier forms of life, leaving the planet “without form and void,” submerged in darkness. The notion that these inhabitants, along with the creatures of that world, were destroyed in such a manner could help explain the desolation seen in Genesis 1:2, where "darkness was upon the face of the deep."

Geological evidence, including fossilized remains and strata, supports the idea that the earth's surface was once home to various life forms long before the advent of humans. The remains of early human ancestors like *Homo habilis* or *Neanderthal*—which some might argue belong to a pre-Adamite race—demonstrate that complex life existed on Earth long before the biblical creation of Adam and Eve. These remains point to a world that was rich with life but ultimately met its destruction, only for the earth to be reformed during the creation described in Genesis.

### A New Creation

Following the destruction of the pre-Adamite world, the earth was reformed and prepared for a new era of creation. Genesis 1:3-31 details how God re-ordered the earth, bringing forth light, separating the waters, forming dry land, and creating plants, animals, and ultimately, mankind. This process of creation, while brief in the biblical account, marks a new beginning for life on Earth.

The six days of creation in Genesis should be understood as literal days of creation, not extended periods of time. This view aligns with the Sabbatical law given in Exodus 20:9-11, which states that God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. This law reinforces the idea of six literal days, rather than symbolic periods of time, as the basis for the creation narrative. The duration of the pre-Adamic world, while not explicitly revealed in scripture, should be understood as an era of time in which the earth was populated by life forms that ultimately perished in a judgment, setting the stage for the creation of a new world inhabited by humanity.

In conclusion, the pre-Adamic world, as suggested by both scripture and geological evidence, provides a context for understanding the reformation of the earth in Genesis. The catastrophic event that led to the earth becoming "without form and void" (Genesis 1:2) marks a significant shift in the history of creation, which culminates in the formation of a new world for the creation of man. While much of the specifics of this pre-Adamic era remain speculative, the biblical account allows for the possibility of an ancient world preceding the creation of Adam, ultimately leading to the new beginning described in Genesis.

Emanation creation out of the substance of God (creation ex deo)

Emanation creation out of the substance of God

Emanation or creatio ex deo

1 Cor. 8:5 For even though there are those who are called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,”

6 yet to us there is but one God, the Father, out of whom are all things and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ on account of whom are all things, and we by Him.

I want to challenge a commonly assumed theory called creatio ex nihilo. This is the idea that when God created the universe, he created it out of nothing. It put forward as fact that God didn’t form and shape creation out of his own being but made the creation itself appear out of nowhere.

If God created the universe, and 'before' that the only existence was that of God, and From nothing comes nothing, and something always comes from something, then God must have created the universe out of his own being. (creation ex deo)

The common phrase creatio ex nihilo (lit. "creation out of nothing"), the idea of a big bang is incorrect you can not make something out of nothing this is were the doctrine of emanation comes in or creatio ex deo (creation out of the being of God or Creation out of the substance of God himself.) 1st Cor. 8:6.

Note that the substance of God is his divine nature which is corporeal  

The word "Emanation" comes from the Latin e-manare, "to flow forth".

According to Emanationism, Creation occurs by a process of emanation - "out-flowing".

The source or fountain of power in the universe is One. It is a unit. Therefore, everything that exists is “out of Him.” Hence, the Creator did not “make all things out of nothing.” This is the theology taught by the orthodox scholars of the old self of the flesh, and it leads many of its children to affirm that “matter is God.” They understand “matter” to be that “which is knowable by the five senses.” Hence, the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the things they can see, taste, touch, smell, and hear on Earth are God to them. They confuse that which is “of Him” with the “Him” out of whom all things proceed.

On the other hand, some children of the old self claim “God is immaterial.” By this they

mean God is not matter, or substance, or body, but an inconceivable something they call

“spirit,” an incorporeal, unsubstantial, immaterial spirit that is as near to nothing as words can express.

Nothing making all things out of nothing is the old self's teaching concerning God.

the Scripture declares that Spirit is the Deity. "Spirit," then, is the Deity commonly called God. But more than this, this Spirit is the Father; that is, the One, out of whom (ex autou) are all things.

This appears from what is said of “Spirit” and of “Father.” Jesus stated in John 5:31: “The Father raises the dead and quickens them.”That is, He makes the ones liberated from the grave incorruptibly alive. 

And in John 6:63, he says: “It is the Spirit that quickens” or makes alive. Therefore, the Father and the Spirit are the same. 

Nevertheless, the word “spirit” is often used in other senses. It is the FATHER-SPIRIT Paul refers to in 1 Timothy 6:16 that no one has seen in His unveiled splendor. 

Veiled in flesh (“the Veil of the Covering” - Ex. 35:12) those who discerned the one who spoke to Philip “saw the Father.” (Jn. 14:9 and 12:45) 

But veiled or unveiled, the Father-spirit is material. Regarding the Unveiled Father-Spirit, Hebrews 1:2-3 tells us that the Son is the Character of his Hypostasis, rendered in the common version as “the express image of His person.” The Son is the character or exact representation, and the Father is the hypostasis.

The Father is absolute power from his incorruptible substance radiates holy spirit or active force is before all existing things. This self-existing incorruptible substance is essentially spirit—spirit substance—a concentration and condensation into ONE BODY of all the attributes, intellectual, moral and physical, of omnipotence—all things are out of Deity (1 Cor. 8:6).

 All things being out of Deity, they were not made out of nothing. The sun, moon and stars, together with all things pertaining to each, were made out of something, and that something was the radiant flowing out of His substance, spirit or active force, which pervades all things. By his spirit or active force, all created things are connected with the creator of the universe, which is light that no man can approach unto, so that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father, who is not far from every one of us.

The formation of the first man of the earth was the expression by spirit of the peculiar divine idea or mental image. The spirit-developed form, styled man, was the result of power divinely exercised upon the dust of the ground.

Thus, Creation is not Creation out of nothing, but creation out of the being of the higher hypostasis.

The Creation is an Emanation of God Hebrews 11:3

The Creation is an Emanation of God Hebrews 11:3

or 

The Doctrine of Emanation of the aeons Hebrews 11:3

In this study we will look at the doctrine of emanation first an introductory reading from the Tripartite Tractate

The emanation of the Totalities, which exist from the one who exists, did not occur according to a separation from one another, as something cast off from the one who begets them. Rather, their begetting is like a process of extension, as the Father extends himself to those whom he loves, so that those who have come forth from him might become him as well. (The Tripartite Tractate)

If God created the universe, and 'before' that the only existence was that of God. And from nothing comes nothing, and something always comes from something. Then God must have created the universe out of his own being. (creation ex deo)

Any teachings which involve emanation are usually in opposition to creation ex nihilo as emanation advocates that everything has always existed and has not been "created" from nothing.

The common phrase creatio ex nihilo (lit. "creation out of nothing"), the idea of a big bang is incorrect you can not make something out of nothing this is were the doctrine of emanation comes in or creatio ex deo (creation out of the being of God or Creation out of the substance of God himself.) 1st Cor. 8:6.

According to Emanationism, Creation occurs by a process of emanation - "out-flowing".

The source or fountain of power in the universe is one. It is a unit. Therefore, everything which exists is ex autou out of Him. Hence the Creator did not "make all things out of nothing."

The Meaning of Emanation

To begin with we will look at the meaning of the word emanation

The word "Emanation" comes from the Latin e-manare, "to flow forth". 

proérchomai

The Greek word Exerchomai means to go or come forth of emitted as from the heart or the mouth 2e
to flow forth from the body 2e
to emanate, issue 

The word Exerchomai (Strong's Number: 1831) comes from two Greek words from 1537 and 2064;

1537 ἐκ ek [ek] or ἐξ ex [ex] 

a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; prep;  

AV-of 366, from 181, out of 162, by 55, on 34, with 25, misc 98; 921 

1) out of, from, by, away from

1Cor 8:6 there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, on account of whom all things are, and we because of him. (NWT)

1 Chron 16:27 Majestic splendor emanates from him, he is the source of strength and joy. (Net Bible)

Psa 96:6 Majestic splendor emanates from him; his sanctuary is firmly established and beautiful. (Net Bible)

The Hebrew terms used for emanation are aẓilut or aẓilah (cf. Num. 11:17), hishtalshelut, meshekh, shefa; the verbs shalaḥ and sadar (in the pu'al) are also used (see J. Klatzkin, Thesaurus Philosophicus (1930), 96; 4 (1933), 112).

God's spirit

The first place in the Bible where the word occurs is in‭ ‬Gen.‭ i. ‬2.‭ ‬Here it is‭ ‬ruach Elohim,‭ ‬a principle going out of,‭ ‬or from,‭ ‬the Mighty Ones.‭ ‬What could this be‭? ‬It may be known by its effects.‭ “‬It brooded upon the face of the waters,‭”—‬of the waters which in the primeval state of the earth,‭ ‬covered its entire surface.‭ ‬This brooding principle covered the surface and penetrated its substance in all its atoms,‭ ‬so that it was only necessary for the word of command to go forth from the Mighty,‭ ‬and whatever might be commanded would be done.


‬Everything was made by this brooding principle as the executive of divine Wisdom.‭ “‬By His spirit he hath garnished the heavens‭;” “‬He sendeth forth his spirit‭; ‬they are created,‭” ‬even all the things detailed by Moses.‭ ‬Hence,‭ ‬Job says,‭ “‬the‭ ‬ruach of‭ ‬Ail hath made me,‭ ‬and the‭ ‬Nishmah of SHADDAI hath given me life.‭ ‬The Spirit is,‭ ‬therefore,‭ ‬formative.‭ ‬It is creative power.‭ ‬It made the light‭; ‬it divided the vapours from the waters by an expanse‭; ‬gathered the waters together in the place of seas‭; ‬formed the vegetable world‭; ‬established the astronomy of the heavens‭; ‬developed the animal kingdom‭; ‬and executed the whole so satisfactorily that the work was pronounced‭ “‬very good.‭”

When we contemplate‭ ‬spirit through these results,‭ ‬we behold an Almighty power which is predicated of AIL—the‭ ‬spirit of Ail.‭ ‬But what is AIL‭? ‬Etymologically,‭ ‬it is‭ ‬strength,‭ ‬might,‭ ‬power.‭ ‬Hence the‭ ‬Spirit of AIL is a powerful emanation,‭ ‬or‭ ‬breathing forth of power.‭ ‬ALMIGHTY POWER is the fountain and origin of the universe,‭ “‬out of whom are all things‭” ‬says Paul‭ (‬1‭ ‬Cor.‭ 8:‬6‭)‬.‭ ‬He also tells us that the fountain of Omnipotence is a glorious and torrid centre‭; ‬a centre that cannot be approached by man,‭ ‬and the dwelling place of an invisible,‭ ‬intelligent,‭ ‬and deathless being‭ (‬1‭ ‬Tim.‭ vi. ‬16‭)‬.‭

corporeal intelligence that hath always existed,‭ ‬and out of whom,‭ ‬as‭ “‬THE FATHER,‭” ‬all things have been produced.‭ ‬But of what does his substance consist‭? ‬What his nature‭? ‬What is he‭?


‭ “‬HE IS SPIRIT.‭”

These are the words of Jesus,‭ ‬who knew what he affirmed.‭ ‬AIL is spirit,‭ ‬and there is a spirit of AIL—the fountain and the stream are both spirit,‭ ‬and hold a like relation that radiant caloric does to iron glowing with a white heat.‭ ‬But what is the glowing substance of Deity‭? ‬That which shall be manifested in the saints when they become spirit,‭ ‬for they shall be like him who is in the bosom of the Father.‭ “‬Deity is spirit,‭” ‬and to convey our conception to the reader of this substance,‭ ‬we would style it‭ ‬corporeal electricity.‭

The Spirit is a procedure from the Father; an emanation sent forth wheresoever He pleaseth. It is that by which he establishes a relationship, or connection, between Himself and every thing animate and inanimate in the Universe.

God and his Spirit are inseparable. This Spirit is coeternal with God himself; is the emanation of his incorruptible substance ; out of which he has generated the universe ; by which he is present everywhere, and with which he pervades all things.

The Holy Spirit is God’s power, not a separated deity or divine personality, but is rather an unseen power emanating from the Deity, filling all space, and by which God is everywhere present. God is omnipresent by the means of His Spirit flowing out from his personal presence. This spirit power is universal in upholding all things in the natural world. It is medium by which God created all things.

God's Substance

To fully understand the teaching of Emanation we need to understand God's Substance or his corporeal body. Now the problem is most people think of God has a sort of formless, shapeless thing floating about in space like a cloud of mist, only with a mind and will an incorporeal, unsubstantial, immaterial spirit that is as near to nothing as words can express.

Hebrews 1:3 He is the reflection of [his] glory and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power; and after he had made a purification for our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places

Hebrews 1:3 who, being the radiance of His glory and the exact expression of His substance, and upholding all things by the power of His word, through having made the purification of sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Berean Literal Bible)

The word translated "very being" or "substance" is the Greek word hypostasis

Strong's #5287: hupostasis (pronounced hoop-os'-tas-is)

Hypostasis, the original cognate of substantia

Etymologically,

hypostasis = hypó ("under") + stásis ("a standing" = (hístēmi ("to stand") + -sis, verbal noun suffix)) = "that which stands under"

substantia = sub ("under") + stans ("standing", present active participle of stō ("stand")) = "that which stands under".

From this we can conclude that Hypostasis refers to the nature/essence or "substance" of the Father, the Father-Spirit is substantial.

However, in later centuries hypostasis began referring to the "person", not the "nature" or "being" of God. 

"an accurate representation in the manner of an 'impress' or 'stamp', as of a coin to a die" (NIBC); "the mark [which] is the exact impression of the seal" (Barclay). Christ is "the image of God" (2Co 4:4) and "the image of the invisible God" (Col 1:15); although in these two instances, the Gr word "eikon" is different from that used here. John expressed the same idea in the words "anyone who has seen me [Jesus] has seen the Father" (John 14:9).

the Son is the Character of his Hypostasis rendered, in the common version, "express image of his person." The Son is the character or exact representation, and the Father is the hypostasis. In reference to the former, the Father says, in Zech. iii. 9, "Upon One Stone there shall be Seven Eyes ; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof (that is, of the stone), saith He who shall be hosts." The graving engraved on the stone is termed, in Greek, character, an impress wrought into a substance after some archetype or pattern. This archetype is the hypostasis, so that hypostasis is the basis or foundation of character; wherefore the same apostle in Col. i. 15, styles the character engraved the IMAGE of Theos the Invisible. Seth was the image of Adam, and Adam, the image of Elohim (cf. Gen. i. 26 ; v. 3.). Like Seth, Jesus was an image of Adam, but only in relation to flesh. Adam the First was image of Elohim, and this was in relation to bodily form. Body and form were the hypostasis of Adam and Seth; that is, they were the basis or foundation of the images so named. Where body and form do not exist, there can be no image; therefore, where image is predicated of hypostasis, that hypostasis must have both body and form. The Father-Spirit, unveiled, is, then, a bodily form; and as all things are "out of Him," He is the focal centre of the universe, from which irradiates whatever exists. (Eureka by Dr. Thomas)

 

The Creation by Emanation

By me," says Wisdom, " Yahweh formed the earth." " I am understanding ;" and "by understanding he established the heavens."

We can compare this with what is written in Job " By his SPIRIT he garnished the heavens;" (Job 26:13) 

or in the words of David, " By the WORD of Yahweh were the heavens made ; and all the host of them by the Spirit of his mouth." Psalms 33:6 

For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. From these statements, then, it is evident that Wisdom, the Word, and the Spirit, are but different terms, expressing the same thing; 

The apostle John, in speaking of this, saith, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was made not any thing which exists. In him was life, and the life was the light of men." 

This appears to me to be a very comprehensible account of the matter. The Word, Wisdom, Spirit, God, all one and the same; for He, being the fountain and origin, are the emanation from himself.

Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities (5287 ὑπόστασις hupostasis or hypostasis) though not seen.

2 For by means of this the men of old times had witness borne to them.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we perceive that the ages (165 αἰών aeon ahee-ohn’) were put in order by the word of God, so that what is seen has come to be out of things that do not appear.

The ages or aeons were set in order by the word of God that means they were God-breathed the ages emanated from God's own substance they are the unseen realities

It is called "the word of God" because it is a good message emanating from Him by his spirit  this we can see from 2tim 3:16

2tim 3:16 Every scripture, is God-breathed (2315. θεόπνευστος theopneustos), and profitable--unto teaching, unto conviction, unto correction, unto the discipline that is in righteousness,--

[Inbreathing (2315 /theópneustos) relates directly to God's Spirit (Gk pneuma) which can also be translated "breath."]

[G. Archer, "2315 (theópneustos) is better rendered 'breathed out by God' as the emphasis is upon the divine origin of the inscripturated revelation itself" (A Survey of OT Introduction, fn. 7, 29).]

So here we can see that the ages being set forth by the word of God means they were breathed out by God or emanated from his substance so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

 this is the doctrine of the emanation of the aeons 

The Father, out of whom are all things

1 Cor. 8:6  yet to us there is but one God, the Father, out of whom are all things and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ on account of whom are all things, and we by Him.

The Father is absolute power from whose incorruptible substance radiates holy spirit or active force is before all existing things. This self-existing incorruptible substance is essentially spirit—spirit substance—a concentration and condensation into ONE BODY of all the attributes, intellectual, moral and physical, of omnipotence—all things are out of Deity (1 Cor. 8:6). All things being out of Deity, they were not made out of nothing. The sun, moon and stars, together with all things pertaining to each, were made out of something, and that something was the radiant flowing out of His substance, or active force, which pervades all things. By his active force, all created things are connected with the creator of the universe, which is light that no man can approach unto, so that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father, who is not far from every one of us.

John 1:3  All things, through him, came into existence, and, without him, came into existence, not even one thing: that which hath come into existence,

The Eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14) as Creator, is necessarily before all things, and is, therefore, the "Theos," and the "Logos" of John 1:3, where it is testified that "all things were made on account of Him; and without Him was made not one thing which exists."

For out of Him, (ex autou) and through Him, and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory for the Aeons. Amen" (Rom. 11: 33-36).

The source or fountain of power in the universe is one. It is a unit. Therefore, everything which exists is out of Him. Hence the Creator did not "make all things out of nothing."

Hence the sun, the moon, and the stars, and all the things they can see, taste, feel, smell, and hear upon earth, are God. But do not confuse that which "is of Him" with the "Him" out of whom all things proceed.

The angels or the Elohim also are emanated from the Father

Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: Psalm 104:4

To emanate is to bring about and sustain all things from the essence or substance that the True Deity supplies through his Spirit, it sustains all created things in life; so that when withdrawn they perish, and man returns to dust, Job xxxiv. 14

Emanations of the formative Spirit being out of him. The Spirit-Elohim are also "God"; nevertheless they are created. They are formed and made out of and by that which is uncreated. They are Spirit-Forms, the substance of which (spirit) is eternal; while the forms are from a beginning. Each one is a God in the sense of partaking of THE DIVINE NATURE, and being therefore a Son of the Deity.

The Deity (EL), therefore, refers to that mighty Power whose work is publicly displayed in all creation, and whose energy is the basis of all matter for "out of Him were all things made." "Lord," declared the Psalmist, "thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting you are Power" -- Ps. 90:1-2.

Psalm 8:3, "When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained because Elohim are the agents or administrative fingers of the Spirit.  "The Spirit of God" and "the fingers of God" are synonymous, as appears from Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20; and Elohim are spirit, being out of Deity (EL). What the fingers of the hand are to the brain, such are the hosts of Elohim to Deity (EL); they are "Unity of Spirit," which is "God."

The Father-Spirit is embodied power. which implies offspring or children, children or SONS OF POWER. Son-power is also embodied power. It is power emanating from the Father, corporealized in one or a multitude, but never separated or detached from the focal centre. . The Son-power is, therefore, the Father-power, multitudinously expressed, manifested through many bodies.

"He only hath deathlessness." Life radiating from His substance, is spirit-life (El ruach), that is power of spirit. Formative of a creature, and sustaining it in life, it is power of spirit, or spirit-power for that creature. Twelve such Eloahh ruach become Elohim ruchoth, spirit-powers of the twelve. Hence, these Elohim are son-powers, or emanations from the Deity, the great "paternal power." He is therefore the Deity of all flesh, as well as Elohim for all flesh. "The ruach or spirit of Deity (EL) has made me, and the breath of the Shaddai, or Mighty Ones, hath given me life" (Job. 33:4). Here is the Spirit of Deity (EL) through the breath of Shaddai that gives life to men. This withdrawn and they die. Hence it is written: "If He gather unto himself His spirit and His breath, all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn unto dust" (34:14).

In this elaboration, then, we have Father-Power, Son-Power, or emanation, and Holy Spirit or active force. The Father-Power is One; the Son-Power is the One Father-Power in plural manifestation; and the manifestation is developed by Holy Spirit or active force emanation from the Father Power.

As we have seen, Moses and the prophets teach "One" self-existent, supreme fountain of Power, Deity (EL) who is Spirit, and self-named I SHALL BE, or Yahweh: that is ONE YAHWEH-SPIRIT POWER is "God" in the highest sense, and constitutes the FATHER IN HEAVEN; and He is the Springhead of many streams, or rivers of spirit,

according to the will of the Yahweh-Spirit Power, and that when formed after the model, archetype, or the pattern, presented in HIS OWN Substance, they become SPIRIT-ELOHIM, or sons of God; and are Spirit, because "born of the Spirit" -- Emanations of the formative Spirit being out of him. The Spirit-Elohim was also "God"; nevertheless they are created. They are formed and made out of and by that which is uncreated. They are Spirit-Forms, the substance of which (spirit) is eternal; while the forms are from a beginning. Each one is a God in the sense of partaking of THE DIVINE NATURE, and being therefore a Son of God.

 

The Gnostic Creation Story in the Tripartite Tractate

The Gnostic Creation Story in the Tripartite Tractate

Some Remarks on the Tripartite Tractate

The Tripartite Tractate is one text from the Nag Hammadi Scriptures as a different form of the Gnostic Creation myth which alters the myth ascribing the fall to a masculine Aeon the Logos 

In the beginning there was only the self-existent and transcendent Deity who is called the Eternal Spirit which has male and female attributes dwelling in silence and repose. The Deity is both corporeal and non-corporeal at the same time

From the transcendent Deity there was emanated a male principle called Mind and a female principle called Thought. In these principles emanated others, in male and female pairs to the total of thirty knows as Aeons who collectively constitute the fullness or the divine realm which others would call the spirit world which is beyond the physical heavens it is also called the 3rd Heaven.

Of all the Aeons only the first pair Mind and thought knew and comprehended the greatness of the self-existent Uncreated Eternal Spirit and could behold him but the last and youngest Aeon Logos or (Reason).

The intent, then, of this one who is the Logos, was good. When he had come forth, he gave glory to the Father, even if it led to something beyond possibility, since he had wanted to bring forth one who is perfect, from an agreement in which he had not been, and without having the command. and without the knowledge or consent of his female counterpart Sophia (wisdom) he projected from his own being a flawed emanation.

Thus the Logos motivated by abundant love and seeking only to give glory to the self-existent Uncreated Eternal Spirit creates other beings which are the seven archangels their leader is Michael who is the Demiurge the creator of the material cosmos or the physical heavens

But when the logos perceives that these are inferior to the emanations of the self-existent Uncreated Eternal Spirit indeed mere shadows and phantoms of them, lacking reason and light, dwelling in ignorance, bringing forth more and more defective creatures little weakling, hindered by the illnesses by which he too was hindered

This logos is the cause of the creation of the world and the lower beings including mankind but the logos is not the agent of creation the Demiurge is the agent of creation being used by the logos as a hand

This defective Logos is interceded for by his counterpart the Divine Logos or First Thought the Son in the Pleroma  

Heracleon interpreted this in the same way he identifies the logos not with the agent of creation but with the casue making the creator lower than the logos 

Fragment 1, on John 1:3 (In John 1:3, “All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made.”) The sentence: "All things were made through him" means the world and what is in it. It excludes what is better than the world. The Aeon (i.e. the Fullness), and the things in it, were not made by the Word; they came into existence before the Word. . . “Without him, nothing was made” of what is in the world and the creation. . . "All things were made through Him," means that it was the Word who caused the Craftsman (Demiurge) to make the world, that is it was not the Word “from whom” or “by whom,” but the one “through whom (all things were made).”. . . It was not the Word who made all things, as if he were energized by another, for "through whom" means that another made them and the Word provided the energy.

The archon is the agent of creation being used by the logos as a hand

The Two Aeons Before Creation The 2nd Book of Enoch

Chapter 25, XXV1 I commanded in the very lowest (parts), that visible (physical) things should come down from invisible (spiritual), and Adoil came down very great, and I beheld him, and lo! He had a belly of great light. 2 And I said to him: Become undone, Adoil, and let the visible (physical) (come) out of you. 3 And he came undone, and a great light came out. And I (was) in the midst of the great light, and as there is born light from light, there came forth a great age, and showed all creation, which I had thought to create. 4 And I saw that (it was) good. 5 And I placed for myself a throne, and took my seat on it, and said to the light: Go thence up higher and fix yourself high above the throne, and be A foundation to the highest things. 6 And above the light there is nothing else, and then I bent up and looked up from my throne. Chapter 26, XXVI1 And I summoned the very lowest a second time, and said: Let Archas come forth hard, and he came forth hard from the invisible (spiritual). 2 And Archas came forth, hard, heavy, and very red. 3 And I said: Be opened, Archas, and let there be born from you, and he came undone, an age came forth, very great and very dark, bearing the creation of all lower things, and I saw that (it was) good and said to him: 4 Go thence down below, and make yourself firm, and be a foundation for the lower things, and it happened and he went down and fixed himself, and became the foundation for the lower things, and below the darkness there is nothing else.

Chapters 24-27 of 2 Enoch can be viewed as the climax of angelic and divine revelations to Enoch during his heavenly tour.

The book tells that Yahweh decided to reveal to Enoch the secrets of His creation, which he never explained even to his angels. Further the term "secrets" is applied only to this account of God's creation, conveyed to Enoch by Yahweh himself, "face to face."

The content of these revelations includes the following details:

1. Prior to the Creation Yahweh decided to establish the foundation of all created things;

2. He commanded one of the invisible "things" to come out of the very highest things and become visible;

3. By Yahweh's command a primordial "great aeon," bearing the title the spirit of the Light of creation (Adoil), descended and, disintegrating itself, revealed all creation which Yahweh "had thought up to create;"

4. Yahweh created a throne for himself. He then ordered the light to become the foundation for the highest things;

5. Yahweh called out the second aeon, bearing the title the spirit of the foundation of creation (Arukhas), which became the foundation of the lowest things;



the spirit of the Light of creation (Adoil) could come from a Hebrew translation of the phrases "The hand of God another understanding would be "the light of God" this means that Adoil is the hand of creation or light of creation

Arukhas may have originated from the Hebrew word "firmament" or it is the formation of creation or the foundation of creation the beginnings

both Adoil and Arukhas are personified they are not described as the agents but rather as the objects which are transformed and emanate creation

Adoil and Arukhas, are not primordial beings controlled by God they are aspects of the mind of God or mental powers, unfolding or expanding from its thought or idea to become a reality

From this point on we will call Adoil the spirit of the Light of creation

As for Arukhas we shall call it the spirit of the foundation of creation

by the term spirit we should understand this as a word of command from God: Psalm 33:6, compare Isaiah 34:16

It can also be used of the mind of God

for, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

Who is able to advise the Spirit of Yahweh? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? Isaiah 40:13

Who comprehends the mind of Yahweh, or gives him instruction as his counselor? Isaiah 40:13

I have also, on one occasion, heard a more ingenious train of reasoning from my own soul, which was accustomed frequently to be seized with a certain divine inspiration, even concerning matters which it could not explain even to itself; which now, if I am able to remember it accurately, I will relate. It told me that in the one living and true God there were two supreme and primary powers--goodness and authority; and that by his goodness he had created every thing, and by his authority he governed all that he had created; (28) and that the third thing which was between the two, and had the effect of bringing them together was reason, for that it was owing to reason that God was both a ruler and good. (A Treatise on the Cherubim)

Before anything existed at all, from the very beginning, whatever exists I created from the non-existent, and from the invisible the visible....For before any visible things had come into existence, I the ONE, moved around in the invisible things, like the sun, from east to west and from west to east. But the sun has rest in it's self; yet I did not find rest, because everything was not yet created. And I thought up the idea of establishing a foundation, to create a visible creation.

"And I thought up the idea of establishing a foundation, to create a visible creation."

Here we have the forethought of God or foresight it is God's plan of creation and also his plan of salvation. the first movement of creation is self-reflective self-conscious thought, the expanding of the thought into an idea to be come a reality

God explains to Enoch how the visible and the invisible come forth from the very highest things.

And I commanded the highest things: “Let one of the invisible (concealed and hidden) things descend visibly!” (spiritual or ethereal)

And the spirit of the Light of creation descended, extremely large. And I looked at him, and behold, in his belly he had a great light. And I said to him, “Disintegrate yourself, O spirit of the Light of creation, and let what is born from you become visible.” (that is the establishment of the spiritual cosmos or the divine realms of light)

And he disintegrated himself, and there came out a very great light.

The word Disintegrate is not a good translation the word means to issue forth or to give birth therefore we should understand Disintegrate to mean an emanation. Another translation says

And I said to him: Become undone and let the visible come out of you.

the great light is the divine light which is without end it is the aeon of light of the upper foundation

The Great Light born from or with another Light!

this is the waters above of the Heavens, the light is the water Psalms 148:4 Ps 104:3

And I was in the midst of the |great| light. And light out of light is carried thus. And the great age came out, and it revealed all the creation which I had thought up to create. And I saw how good it was. And I placed for myself a throne, and I sat down on it. And then to the light I spoke: “You go up higher than the throne, and become solid |much higher than the throne|, and become the foundation for the highest things.” And there is nothing higher than the light, except nothing itself. And again I bowed myself, and I looked upward from my throne.

the primordial aeon called the spirit of the Light of creation, it has been noted that it seems to be identified with the upper sacred foundation that serves as the basis for the heavenly Temple represented by the Throne of God.

The light out of light that is the light expanding and emanating from within the Deity

the great light emanating from within is the pure light or the divine light which is without end. In the divine fullness or pleroma it always comes first into consciousness.

The light is the aeon which is the foundation for the highest things upon which the deity establish his throne

The light is the illumining power it is a heavenly light, such as surrounds angels, or of God. God is light. Yahweh is light Isaiah 10:17, Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 60:19,20.


The seat of the Deity thus serves here as the location from which God supervises the unfolding creation. The Throne plays an important role in the process of creation, being envisioned as the center of the created universes.

God initiates an invisible personified process called the spirit of the Light of creation. the primordial vessel of light is the first creative act of the Deity that gives life to the visible order of everything.

This is the Highest Light-world or Realm of Light.



God summons from the very lowest things this time, so that the spirit of the foundation of creation, both heavy and black, should come out.

And I called out a second time into the very lowest things, and I said, “Let one of the invisible ((concealed and hidden) things come out visibly, solid. (physical) |And| the spirit of the foundation of creation came out, solid and heavy and very black. And I said, to the spirit of the foundation of creation,“Open yourself up, and let what is born from you become visible!” (physical) And he disintegrated himself. There came out an age, dark, very large, carrying the creation of all lower things. And I saw how good it was. And I said to him, “Come down low and become solid! (physical) And become the foundation of the lowest things!” |And it came about.| And he came down and became solid. (the expansion of the universe) And he became the foundation of the lowest things. And there is nothing lower than the darkness, except nothing itself.

the opening of the spirit of the foundation of creation lays the foundation of lower things that is the physical creation

Darkness hides the glory of the heavens or the upper foundation and Light shines on the inferior physical universe

And I gave the command: “Let there be taken some of the light and some of the darkness.” And I said, “Become thickened, and be wrapped around with light!” And I spread it out, and it became water. (the formation of galaxies) And I spread it out above the darkness, below the light. And thus I made the solid waters, that is to say, the Bottomless.

the solid waters are the surface of the physical creation this may also be the Firmament

and I made foundation of light around the water, and created seven great circles inside it, and I gave them an appearance of crystal wet and dry, that is to say like glass and ice, and to be the circuit for waters and the other elements, and I showed each one of them its road, and the seven stars each one of them in its own heaven, so that they might travel accordingly.

the seven spheres contain the mobile celestial bodies

And I saw how good it was. And I made a division between the light and between the darkness, that is to say, in the middle of the waters, this way and that way. And I said to the light that it should be day, and to the darkness I commanded that it should be night. And Evening came, and again morning came, that is the first day.


— 2 Enoch 25-27


Nothing


Adoil -> the great light -> Upper Foundation


waters the Bottomless


Ar(u)khas -> darkness -> Lower Foundation


Nothing