Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 1:1-2

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" — Genesis 1:1-2 (ASV)

The first verse of the Bible gives us a satisfying and useful account of the origin of the earth and the heavens. The faith of humble Christians understands this better than the speculation of the most learned men. From what we see of heaven and earth, we learn the power of the great Creator. And let our creation and place as humans remind us of our duty as Christians, always to keep heaven in our sight, and the earth under our feet.

The Son of God, one with the Father, was with him when he made the world; indeed, we are often told that the world was made by him, and nothing was made without him. Oh, what high thoughts should be in our minds of that great God whom we worship, and of that great Mediator in whose name we pray! And here, at the beginning of the sacred volume, we read of that Divine Spirit, whose work upon the human heart is so often mentioned in other parts of the Bible.

Observe, that at first there was nothing desirable to be seen, for the world was without form, and void; it was confusion and emptiness. In the same way, the work of grace in the soul is a new creation; and in a graceless soul, one that is not born again, there is disorder, confusion, and every evil work: it is empty of all good, for it is without God; it is dark, it is darkness itself. This is our condition by nature, until Almighty grace works a change in us.