The following is an excerpt from my MFA thesis, Art as Meaning. Surprisingly, though I wrote it over a decade ago, I found the need to modify it only slightly. I’ve changed some structural issues and added a few explanatory comments and quite a few footnotes. This study emerged from meditations on the first couple chapters of Genesis and beyond.
The greatest Artist ever to display His work in the known universe is and always will be the Lord and Creator Himself. The honor has not passed to anyone else; no one has approached His adept treatment of His medium. No one can create out of nothing except God. And if an artist could, he could not duplicate the infinite complexity found in His nature. He laid out his working method for all to see, but no man has yet replicated His endeavor. When I studied God’s creation account in the Bible, I found some interesting parallels with art and how artists ought to work. When God created the universe, He initiated a pattern or process that is a good model for artists to follow.
First of all, we notice that He employed communication.¹ This communication is an intelligible manifestation of a plan, implying distinction and relationship.
In this act of communication, we notice a key to the artistic process. The creation work does not emerge from God as a part of Himself. While the message and creation act happen simultaneously, almost without distinction, an intent precedes the action. This intent demonstrates God’s connection with and a distinction from His creation—that He acts upon it, that it emerges from within His being and character, but that God is not equivalent to it.²
Also, we understand that this connection between God and His creation emerged from personal relationship. Later, as God saw fit to entrust portions of His plan to men, He formed relationships with them,³ but, even before man existed, in the workings of His creative plan the Lord communed with Himself.⁴ In community and fellowship, the persons of the Trinity worked together on the plan of creation.
Throughout the Bible God often expressed His intentions in audible voice,⁵ though the creation account offers a rare glimpse into the communication within the Trinity. The fact that intelligible conversation works differently in the physical creation, which we know from experience and science, than it does in the Godhead, which is beyond our comprehension, should not confuse us. Perhaps this account proffers the only way we mortals can grasp the Lord’s musings.⁶
Second, we observe that He created with meaning. Not only does He have a clear idea and ultimate goal for what He wants to do, but the pieces of that intended end also all have purpose. He creates light on the first day, and this light is different from darkness, defines the concept for day and night, bears a certain amount of spiritual significance,⁷ and, as a physical phenomenon, makes it possible for us to create many art forms today. When He prepares the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve, He places specific trees in the garden: trees that awakened feelings of pleasure when looked upon, trees that produced edible fruit, and trees with spiritual significance.⁸ He created more than trees, though, and with all of creation He infused meaning.
Third, we notice that God is creating a whole creation. It is whole in that it is unified, that it is complete, and that it has finish. Its unification is such that every part of creation interacts with every other part of creation indirectly, if not directly. Perhaps someday we will learn that distant starlight affects the growth of fungus in a forest, but for now we know that the heavens at least affect mankind in meaningful ways.⁹ The universe’s completeness is not merely overall, but an all-encompassing completeness, even down to the minutest subatomic sub-particle. He has created a universe with exhaustive, infinite detail. Originally, He made none of that detail incomplete, but finished.¹⁰ These polished, finishing details indicate the Divine intent.¹¹ God finished all of creation in reference to the purposes inherent in His plan.
Fourth, we see that He creates over time, not all at once,¹² and this delay allows us to observe His process. We notice that the way He created follows a certain order, a hierarchy. He worked from basics to specifics, from containers to fillers, from generalities to details. Nowhere does He create something and leave it floating in space for a day or two until He creates the land to support it. He creates light in this vast expanse,¹³ and then He creates the stars, sun, and moon to produce and reflect the light.¹⁴ He created the earth as water,¹⁵ separated the water and thus made atmosphere,¹⁶ brought land out of the water,¹⁷ grew plants on that land,¹⁸ made animals that eat the plants,¹⁹ and made man to take care of the animals.²⁰ In the creation record, God creates structure and then builds upon that structure.
Fifth, we see that God works and rests in His creative endeavors.²¹ The creative process involves work, labor, assessment, satisfaction, and rest.
Work implies that something productive has happened. At one time all that we know did not exist.²² The universe exists as a massive, encompassing work of art unparalleled in humanity’s experience.²³
Next, labor refers to the use of energy.²⁴ In this case a question may arise concerning God’s exerting Himself, since creation seemed to pour from His spoken word effortlessly. No one should accuse the Lord eternal of coming to the end of His infinite strength and needing to rest.²⁵ So, in this proto-labor that God accomplished, He did not exert effort, using up or expending strength, as a mortal would. He merely made and manipulated energy.
At the end of the creative session, God assessed His creation. The eyes of the Lord continue to scour His work,²⁶ often finding it wanting and in need of judgment. Originally, though, He created it perfect.
As a conclusion to the assessment, God expressed satisfied with the fruit of His hands, deeming it all “very good.”²⁷ This joy in accomplishment echoes through history in Solomon’s statements on work²⁸ and in the Christian work ethic.²⁹
Lastly, rest implies not working, whether this is in connection with the satisfaction God finds in His work, or if it is merely not exerting creative force, I do not know. The truth of our Lord’s resting at least acts as an inspiration to us.³⁰ While work and labor have negative connotations now, before the fall they were an essential part of the creation. God gave Adam tasks to do, and Eve became Adam’s helpmeet.³¹ Only after the fall did work and labor become tainted with futility and suffering.³² Originally, they were very good, as was rest, an integral part in productivity.
Sixth, God created a perfect creation before the intrusion of evil. He described original creation as characterized by goodness. This perfection did not take multiple attempts to achieve. He made it good the very first time. The best artists strive to place the correct stroke down the very first time. Unfortunately, artists cannot even approach true perfection. Though created perfect, creation has come under the curse. The perfectionist desire realizes its ultimate fulfilment in God’s character, and in the work He can do in our lives through Jesus Christ.³³
As a final note, after leaving the creation account, I should point out that God’s creation is not as important as members of it might think. He does not need to preserve it in any way. On one level it is continually changed and destroyed with each passing moment. On a clearer level, He destroyed His creation in a flood, erasing it and starting over.³⁴ Ultimately, He will again destroy His tainted creation, making instead a new heavens and new earth.³⁵ God is not so attached to His creation that He must preserve it. No, that perfect work of art vanished when Adam and Eve rebelled, and He longs to restore it to where it clearly and authentically glorifies Him.
FOOTNOTES
¹ ”And God said….” Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29.
² While God is intimately involved with His creation (Job 38:1-38; Acts 17:24-29), yet He does not accept worship through it (Deuteronomy 4:15-19, 39). He is holy, in other words, separate from all things on a fundamental level (1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 6:3). As Paul says, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17.
³ A few men who enjoyed a close walk with God include Enoch (Genesis 5:24), Abraham (II Chronicles 20:7), Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10), David (Acts 13:22), and the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ (John 15:15).
⁴ “Let us….” Genesis 1:26.
⁵ For instance, when God spoke to Moses audibly out of the burning bush (Exodus 3:4) or when God audibly spoke to a few disciples on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:5; II Peter 1:18).
⁶ “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” Romans 11:33-36.
⁷ “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:3-5; “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” II Corinthians 4:6.
⁸ “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” Genesis 2:9.
⁹ The Bible gives many positive examples of the heavens being used for signs (Genesis 1:14, 15:5; Numbers 24:17; Psalm 8:3-4; Matthew 2:1-11, 27:45; Luke 21:25). However, it also warns against the pagan worship of the stars and pagan attempts to predict the future with astrology (Deuteronomy 4:19, 23; Isaiah 47:13; Jeremiah 10:2; Daniel 2:27-28; Acts 19:19). God made the heavens for His purposes and they dance at His bidding, not man’s. We should not look to the stars, but to the Lord who hung the stars in the firmament.
¹⁰ “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” Genesis 1:31-2:1. Of course, this refers to the original creation, and not to the fallen, cursed world we know from experience, where often the original, good details have mutated or vanished into history. And yet, we still see glimpses of that original, symbiotic perfection in our broken world.
¹¹ “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalms 19:1. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead….” Romans 1:20.
¹² ”And the evening and the morning were the . . . day.” Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31
¹³ Genesis 1:5.
¹⁴ Genesis 1:14.
¹⁵ Genesis 1:1-2.
¹⁶ Genesis 1:6-8.
¹⁷ Genesis 1:9-10.
¹⁸ Genesis 1:11-12.
¹⁹ Genesis 1:24-25.
²⁰ Genesis 1:26-27.
²¹ Genesis 2:2-3
²² All things other than God who existed before creating it all (Colossians 1:17).
²³ Psalms 19:1.
²⁴ Such as when Jesus notices “that virtue had gone out of him” (Mark 5:30).
²⁵ Though the Psalmist poetically pictures God taking a nap on His protective power at times (Psalms 7:6, 35:23, 44:23, 59:5, 73:30, 78:65), he elsewhere comments: “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalms 121:2-4). Also, the prophet Isaiah pictures the Lord’s arm as “awaking” (Isaiah 51:9). If God slept, this would imply that God changes in some way, being attentive and “awake” one moment, but unavailable the next. This poetic idea does not comport with other scriptures that attest that God does not change (Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:17-18; James 1:17).
²⁶ “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9.
²⁷ Genesis 1:3.
²⁸ Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:12-13, 22; 5:18-19.
²⁹ Acts 20:35; Ephesians 4:28; I Thessalonians 4:11-12; Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Timothy 6:17.
³⁰ “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11.
³¹ Genesis 2:15, 18-24.
³² Genesis 3:19.
³³ The redemption of Jesus Christ for His creation, man specifically, is also as fully invested with all aspects of artistic process as the act of creation was, but I will write that essay at another time.
³⁴ “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” Genesis 6:17.
³⁵ 2 Peter 3:7, 10; Revelation 21:1.
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