Genesis 1, Heaven, Earth, without Form, and Void:
What are the heavens and the earth, in the light of Genesis 1?
The Hebrew word for “heaven,” is plural. The heavens; this was the atmosphere that surrounded our planet, and the vast oceans of space beyond our atmosphere. These oceans of space were void of any systems as in the stars, sun, moon, etc. until the fourth day.
The primary sense of the word “earth,” in the Hebrew is the particles which compose the mass of the globe, but more specifically, the particles which form the fine mold on the surface of the globe.
Also the substances considered by ancient philosophers, as elements, consisting of, fire, air, earth and water. We are told that the earth itself was covered with water. This is the sense of the word “earth.” So this is the condition of the heavens and the earth in Genesis 12.
What is the meaning of the Hebrew word, “form?”
“The earth was without form and void.” A better question would be, what does it mean to have form?
The Hebrew word form is, “tohuw.” It means the shape or external appearance of a body, the figure defined by lines and angles. The shape of our earth is rather round, or some say oblong. It has its Mountain ranges, oceans, valleys, hills, planes, plateaus, etc. Because the earth was covered by water, the form or shape of the earth could not be seen. So it would be true that the earth was, “without form.”
What is the meaning of the word “void”?
There are eight Hebrew words for the word, “void.” The word in Genesis 1:2, is bo-hoo. It means empty, desolate and vacant. Having no zeal or binding force, not effectual to bind parties, or to convey or support a right, not sufficient to produce the effect of what is right, destitute, as void of reason, vain, to violate, to transgress. Void is used only one other place in the Old Testament, Jeremiah 4:23.
So what is the meaning of the phrase, “Without form and void”?
There are 10 different Hebrew words for the word, “form” in the Old Testament. The one we are concerned with is the word “to-huw.”
The idea “without form,” in Hebrew, is translated, confusion, no way, without direction, nothing. The phrase, without “form” is used as a noun. It means without a model, mold, or pattern, or a particular arrangement, order, likeness, image, or form of government. It also expresses the idea of vacant, empty, hollow, confused, a place where confusion reins.
Examples follow as to how the word form, or synonymies for the word are used in the Scriptures. The Hebrew word “form,” is found twice in the Old Testament. Synonymies are confusion and chaos.
In Jeremiah 4:23, “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light (spiritual light).” There are three similarities here that can be compared to Genesis 1:2.
Gen.1:2, states that God saw the earth as being without form, void, and without light (darkness was upon the face of the deep.) In Jeremiah 4:23, the nation, and the Jewish people in Jeremiah’s days were under the same conditions as those spoken of in Genesis 1. In both verses you see the same wording, without form, void, and without light (darkness).
Jeremiah is speaking to a nation (Israel,) a sinful people. In
Jeremiah 4:17, the LORD calls them, “a rebellious people.” Verse 18, they are called, “wicked” and “bitter.” Verse 20, “the whole land is spoiled = (plundered).” Verse 22, they were called by God, a “foolish people, sottish children = (stupid) having no understanding of the things of God, were fast to do evil, having no knowledge of good, meaning, the excellent things of God.”
In verse 23, God said, they were, “without both form, and void; and the heavens, they had no light.” Heavens is also used figuratively, means the princes and rulers of a people and nation. They had been reduced to the same conditions of the primeval chaos of Genesis 1:2.
There are eight O.T. words for the word, “confusion.” In three cases, the same word used for, “form” (to-hoo) is used for the word, “confusion.” Following is how the word, “confusion,” is used in Scripture.
Job 6:18, “The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.” To go to nothing, to perish, and be without direction, are the same as confused, empty, desolate. To go away from God is to go to a place of nothingness.
Psalms 107:40, He = (the LORD) pours contempt (scorn and ridicule) upon princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way (implication equals confusion, or without form).” These princes shall wander in confusion, be empty, desolate, and without direction.
The Hebrew word contempt, means, despised, abhorred, ridiculed, scorn. God pours His contempt on evil leaders. They shall wander in confusion.
Isaiah 24:10, “The city of confusion (or without form) is broken down.” Isaiah implies that this is a city in ruin, having been defiled. See Isa.10:5.
Also the idea of, “without form” is alluded to in,
Isaiah 24:19, “The earth is utterly broken down.” Also I,
Isaiah 34:2 and 11, the LORD said, “the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies … He (God) shall stretch out upon it (the nations) the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.”
From my examination of the above, without form, and void points to a spiritual breakdown and not to literal condition;
If this is correct, then to whom or what can this spiritual breakdown be referring? Also what is it that is in a state of confusion or lost; being without resources and does not have the ability or will to do that which is right?
The ball is in my court, to prove my point. So I will attempt to do so. See my next article on, “darkness was on the face of the deep.”
If we were to understand the words literally mean, “without form and void,” or a state of confusion, or chaos, this would imply that God created this condition, and therefore would be the Author of confusion and chaos.
In summary, the idea of “without form and void,” refers to a place where confusion reins, those having lost their way, both spiritually and morally, they are without God. In,
1 Corinthians 14:33, we read, “For God is not the author of confusion (disorder), but of peace.” Therefore the condition of this empty planet having no form and void must have been caused by another source. Let’s see if we can solve this mystery.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com