The Bible does not contain the phrase "God created time"—but it consistently shows that time began together with creation, and that God existed before any time. “In the beginning” is not merely a poetic opening, but a theological statement that time has a beginning and that the One who began it is not Himself limited by time.
“In the beginning” is the starting point of time
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen. 1:1
“In the beginning” (Heb. בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית — *berešit*) means an absolute beginning. Before that—there was neither earth, nor human history, nor the change of days. If there is a “beginning,” then there is also a starting point of time. The act of creation sets in motion the sequence of events: days, years, generations.
God is not limited by this time—He initiated it:
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Ps 90:2
The apostle John: “In the beginning was the Word”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made through Him.” John 1:1–3
John deliberately repeats the opening of Genesis: “In the beginning.” Everything that exists—including time—came into being through Christ as the Word of God. Creation is an act of the Trinity, and time is part of what came into existence within it.
God established the structure of time
God not only initiated time—He gave it structure. The weekly cycle, especially the seventh-day Sabbath, reflects this structure:
“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.” Exod 20:11
The week is not a natural phenomenon (unlike the day and the month, which are determined by the movement of heavenly bodies). It is an institution established by God. The Sabbath is a weekly memorial of creation and a reminder: the Lord of time is the One who is the Author of time.
Practical meaning
Understanding that God is the Author of time changes our attitude toward it:
- Time is not an enemy or a resource that people “manage.” It is a gift from the Creator.
- The Sabbath as a pause in time is not a loss, but God’s invitation to meet with Him.
- Eternity is not endless time, but another mode of existence beyond it.
God is not limited by time—He is its Author. “In the beginning” in Genesis 1:1 is both the beginning of creation, the beginning of time, and the beginning of God’s story about Himself and humanity.
