Genesis - Chapter 1 - The creation chapter. The Hebrew word for God in the first chapter of Genesis is "Elohim". This word describes the majestic, universal title for God as Creator and Ruler. But you might also notice that this word is not personal, it's more of a 30,000 foot view of the Creator and his processes. It's like the difference between a speaker describing himself to a group versus his interaction when conversing with a small group of individuals.
Moving on . . .
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Genesis | Chapter 1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and 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.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day . . .
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NOTE: Thirty-two times the word "God" is used in Genesis chapter one. (Thirty-five if you include the first three verses also describing the creation continued in chapter two.)
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Genesis | Chapter 2
". . . then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed . . .
. . .The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it."
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So to quickly recap, in Genesis chapter one (and the first three verses of chapter two) the word God is used to describe Him as He creates the universe, our planet, followed by the creation of seas, plants, animals and finally humans, on planet Earth. But starting in 2:4, the writer uses the word "Lord God" (YHWH or Yahweh) to describe God throughout the rest of chapter two.
Why?
The answer is revealed in the description of the word "Yahweh", He who is. At first glance the answer seems apparent, Yahweh is the term that God starts using when He initiates a personal relationship with the two humans He created. He gives them instructions, names the male Adam, who in turn names his helpmate, Eve. He describes the work He charges them to perform, to be caretaker of His garden and look after His creation. And He gives them one rule, don't eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (and of course we know how that turns out . . . )
But I think its interesting that God doesn't display His glory until much later in the Book of Genesis. Adam, Eve, even Cain talk to God casually, obeying no protocol or formality. You could even discern that some of their conversations bordered on sarcasm, maybe even disrespect, ana example being when Cain replied to God's question about the whereabouts of Abel, "Am I my brother's keeper?"
God didn't start off His relationship with us by revealing His true power, majesty, and glory. No, He walked with us in the garden and spoke to us informally, choosing to converse with us on earth, and not from His throne room in Heaven.
In fact, if you jump to Genesis, chapter eighteen, Abraham was quick to prepare lunch for Yahweh and His two companions, as if Yahweh needed the food. The true weight and nature of God is not even hinted at, in regards to His conversations with humans, until Abraham is about to sacrifice his son, Isaac and then later to Moses through a burning bush and adding another name to His character, "I AM".
Even after Jesus inhabits a human body, and walks among us, He doesn't display a glimpse of His glory until, "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. (Matthew 17: 1-8)
Until after His death, this was the only recorded time in scripture where Jesus displayed, (in my opinion) a taste of His glory.
I find it interesting that God reveals Himself in stages, across thousands of years of writings, culminating with the triumphant return of Jesus in the last book of the Bible, The Revelation. In Christ, we see His beauty, humility, compassion, and His love. Jesus reveals the Father to us and later Jesus informs us about the person of the Holy Spirit and our picture of who God is continues to grow.
Yet, this same God, who is unlimited, all powerful, all knowing, all perfection, chooses to interact with us, His creation, in a highly personal way, which will also culminate with unlimited access to Himself after all things are made right.
God has always been, and will always be, and as stated in Act 17:28, we are beings because of His being, "In Him we live and move and have our being". "He is the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come." (Revelations 1:8)
