Both the Genesis account of creation (1), and the Gospel according to John (2), begin with the phrase, “In the beginning.”

But what were they the beginning of?

Neither passage was speaking of the beginning of eternity, as eternity had no beginning, and will have no end.

The very idea that something (e.g. eternity) can exist without having ever had a beginning, or that will never have an end, is difficult for Man, with the limitations of human ability, to fully comprehend.

In God’s timing, Man was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing conflict in the spiritual realm.

God places the concept of eternity in every soul the He creates (3), for a specific reason.

The need and the desire to address eternal issues (e.g. salvation) creates a space in the soul of Man that cannot be satisfactorily filled with anyone (or anything) else, but God.

Rejection of this concept of eternity, that has no beginning and will have no end, is what opens the door to atheism.

The rejection of the concept of the existence of God, and or the things of God, creates a vacuum that is open to, and draws in, Satan’s counterfeit alternatives.

The “beginning,” spoken of in Gen. 1: 1, actually refers to when God began to take actions that, in His timing, would later impact the human race, in both time, and in eternity future.
Scripture does not reveal to us how long a period of time passed between the initial creation of the planet Earth (4); its devastation when it became dark and void (5); and it’s six-day restoration period (6) in preparation for, and the creation of, its NEXT inhabitants, among them, the human race.

Everything, including this planet (7), the devil (8), the angels, and Man, that God creates for His glory starts out in a state of perfection, but are subject to change when creatures, exercising their free will, make negative choices (9).

Science promotes a long evolutionary process as being the “beginning” of Man, whereas Scripture teach that, in God’s timing, the humanity of Adam was created in full form from the dust (dirt) of the Earth (10), and that Man’s spiritual parts (soul and spirit) were created by God in His everlasting likeness (11).

After the Fall, Man reproduces the body, and God creates the spirit and soul, placing both in the body when the body comes forth at birth (12). The soul and spirit leaves the body behind at the moment of physical death.

The devil has done a good job concealing his infamous past (13), his eternal destination (14), and his ongoing schemes (15) and objectives (16), as

he interacts with the human race.
Understanding what took place BEFORE the “beginning” spoken of in Gen. 1: 1 does not impact one’s salvation, but such understanding is critically important if one is to comprehend the spiritual significance of much of what has already taken place, is taking place, and will take place, in time, and in eternity future.
. . .

Likewise, the beginning spoken of in John 1: 1 is not speaking of the start of eternity.

The “beginning” spoken of in the Gospel according to John (17), is for the purpose of confirming the eternal existence and DEITY of God the Son, who has always existed.

The ”beginning” referred to in John 1:1 is speaking of the divine activity that set the stage for providing the means of salvation for the fallen human race (18).

To provide the means of salvation for fallen Man, the eternal God the Son took on the form of sinless humanity via of divine interaction (19) by God the Holy Spirit, and the collaboration of Mary.

God the Son did not cease to be God as of the First Advent (Christmas), but chose to function within the limitations of His humanity, accept when required, such as in the performing of miracles, to reveal His deity.

He did this in order to become, remain, and fulfill His Work as the Lamb of God, taking away the sins of the world (20).

It was His claim of Deity that got Him (falsely) convicted of blasphemy (21) by those who rejected His claim of deity, and the atoning Work that He was about to accomplish on the cross.

Spiritual orientation begins with developing a clear understanding of the history behind, and what was the timing and the purpose of our creation.

(1) Gen. 1: 1 (2) John 1: 1 (3) Eccl. 3: 11 (4) Gen. 1: : 1 (5) Gen. 1: 2/Jer. 4: 23-26 (6) Gen. 1: 2-31 (7) Gen. 1: 1 (8) Ezek. 28: 13 (9) Isa. 14: 13-14/Gen. 3: 6 (10) Gen. 2: 7 (11) Gen. 1: 26 (12) John 3: 6/Gen. 2:7 (13) Ezek. 28: 15 (14) Rev. 20: 10 (15) Eph. 6: 11 (16) 1Pet. 5: 8 (17) John 1: 1 (18) John 3: 16/1John 2: 2 (19) Luke 1: 31, 35 (20) John 1: 29 (21) Matt. 26: 65, 66