Genesis 1
v.1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Verse 1 depicts an initial creation event. Verse 2 depicts that state of events immediately prior to the first creation day. Verse 3 shows God beginning to fashion the earth. There is a clear pattern unique to the seven creation days, marking them off as a separate process. Verses 1 and 2 are totally different.
Long prior to the seven days of creation but after his initial act of creation (an indefinite period), God had created a heavenly council of divine beings, one of whom rebelled. The clear account of the Genesis account is that the universe is older than the earth, or at least older than life on earth.
v.2
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
When God began to transform the earth into something beautiful and compatible with His great plan, He started with the work of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit begins every work of creation or re-creation.
The first divine act in fitting up this planet for the habitation of man was for the Spirit of God to move upon the face of the waters. Till that time, all was formless, empty, out of order, and in confusion. In a word, it was chaos; and to make it into that thing of beauty which the world is at the present moment, even though it is a fallen world, it was needful that the movement of the Spirit of God should take place upon it.
v.26
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
v.27
So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
This significant verb is thrice repeated with reference to man. It indicates, first, that man has that in him which was not a development or evolution, but something new. He is, in fact, the most perfect work of the creative energy, and differs from the animals not only in degree, but in kind, though possessing, in common with them, an organised body. And next, it indicates the rejoicing of the Deity at the completion of His purpose.
v.28
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
God first created, second blessed, and third commanded man. Oh, how often we reverse the three. We first command others to obey, then bless them once they do, and finally create more opportunities to command others.