Genesis 1:2 – The Earth

‘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.’

http://www.yorkblog.com/teentakeover/2010/08/night-at-the-beach.html

Verse 2 is a continuation of Verse 1, and describes what the earth was like at first. It was formless and empty – there was no life in it, nothing to fill it. There wasn’t land or life or even light ('Darkness was over the surface of the deep'). Matthew Henry draws a parallel here between the newly formed earth and the soul of a Non-Christian. Quote: ‘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, till Almighty grace works a change in us.’ Unless God changes us, we remain full of darkness and sin, and are not saved, we do not grow.' God alone saves – Turn to him, Repent and Believe (Mark 1:15) or else you will remind 'Formless', 'Empty' and 'Dark' for all eternity in hell. We need God or else we are destined to hell, because we are sinful by nature, from birth. (Psalm 51:5)

We also learn here that at first the world was covered in water (here described as ‘the deep’).

‘The Spirit of God’: This is our first specific reference to the Holy Spirit, who is part of the trinity. God is three persons, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit – described as Elohim (See verse 1). All three persons of God are equal, but they have different roles - God the father is King, ruler of everything and he is in control of everything. God the son came to earth and humbled himself to death so that we can live and be forgiven. God the Holy Spirit lives in us (Christians) and helps us, teaching us, rebuking us and helping us understand and apply the bible.