Genesis 1:1 (ESV) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This sublimepronouncement forms the opening words of the Holy Word of God. It is essentially aconcise statement of the doctrine of creation, which is the most basic doctrine of ourfaith. These words lay the foundation not only for everything that follows in the Book ofGenesis but particularly also for everything that follows in God’s Word. Therefore it iscrucial to state that everything depends on the first verse of Genesis.