“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17)

If ever there was a verse to bring encouragement this would be it. These words give so much insight into God’s nature and character that it is one of the verses that makes my heart happy every time I read it! Why? Because hope lives here.

The World Was Spoken Into Existence

John records, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3). Jesus was the person who brought about creation. God spoke creation, Jesus performed creation. So in this, John reveals that the Word spoken by God was Jesus. His words instructing for light, expanse to separate the waters from dry ground, vegetation, etc., all came into being by the Word released. The Word released was Jesus. He was the creative element in the creation process.

Because Jesus created everything it also makes sense that Jesus holds the universe and everything in it in place. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). In other words, the world consists, coheres and is held together in Him.

Redemption Was Spoken Into Existence

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him” (Colossians 1:16)

One of the great things about the New Testament is that it brings further explanation and understanding to the accounts in the Old. Beginning at a young age, I remember learning from the creation story how God created everything. But one thing that was a surprise for me, that I never learned in Sunday School class, was that Jesus was the One who brought creation into being. God spoke the Word of Creation (Genesis 1) and Jesus was the Word spoken, the creative form, through whom everything came into existence (John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-17; Revelation 4:11).

Creation Was God’s Way of Introducing Himself