[ ¹ the LORD. Hebrew Jehovah. Appendix 4. II. (Brought forward from notes on verse one)]
 18  That created = the Creator of. Note how these expressions are heaped together to impress us with the fact that the One Who created all ought to be able to tell us, better than ignorant man, how He created it.   That formed = The Former of.   Hebrew yazar = to fashion.   made = the Maker of.   He created.  It did not come of itself by evolution (see Appendix 5 and 8). Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:1)    in vain = tohu. The same word as in Genesis 1:2 ("without form"). Therefore it must have become tohu: which is exactly what Genesis 1:2 declares (see note below). In Genesis 1:1 we have "the world that then was" (compare 2Peter 3:6); and in verse 2 we have the ruin into which it fell. We are not told how, when, or why, or how long it lasted. When geologists have settled how many years they require, they may place them between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis 1. In Genesis 1:2—2:4, we have "the heavens and the earth which are now" of 2Peter 3:7. Both are set in contrast with the "new heavens and the new earth" of 2Peter 3:13.
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  1  "THE WORLD THAT THEN WAS" (2Peter 3:5, 6). See Structure, page 1. Creation in eternity past, to which all Fossils and "Remains" belong.
  God.  Hebrew Elohim, plural. First occurrence connects it with creation, and denotes, by usage, the Creator in relation to His creatures. See Appendix 4. The Hebrew accent Athnach places the emphasis, and gives pause, on "God" as being Himself the great worker, separating the Worker from His work.
  created (singular). Occurs 6 times in this Introduction. Other acts 46 times. See Appendix 5. Perfection implied. Deuteronomy 32:4. 2Samuel 22:31. Job 38:7. Psalms 111; 147:3-5. Proverbs 3:19. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14. [Even the Greek Cosmos = ornament. Exodus 33:4-6. Isaiah 49:18. Jeremiah 4:30. Ezekiel 7:20. 1Peter 3:3.]
  the heaven and the earth.  With Hebrew Particle 'eth before each, emphasizing the Article "the", and thus distinguishing both from 2:1.  "Heavens" in Hebrew always in plural. See note on Deuteronomy 4:26.
  2-And.  Note the Figure of Speech, Polysyndeton (Appendix 6), by which, in the 34 verses of this Introduction, each one of 102 separate acts are emphasized; and the important word "God" in verse 1 is carried like a lamp through the whole of this Introduction (1:1—2:3).   the earth.  Figure of Speech, Anadiplosis. See Appendix 6.
 was = became.  See Genesis 2:7; 4:3; 9:15; 19:26. Exodus 32:1. Deuteronomy 27:9. 2Samuel 7:24, etc. Also rendered came to pass, Genesis 4:14; 22:1; 23:1; 27:1. Joshua 4:1; 5:1. 1Kings 13:32. Isaiah 14:24, etc. Also rendered be (in the sense of become), verse 3, etc., and where the verb "to be" is not in italic type. Hence, Exodus 3:1, kept = became keeper, quit = become men, etc. See Appendix 7.   without form = waste. Hebrew tohu va bohu. Figure of Speech, Paronomasia. Appendix 6. Not created tohu (Isaiah 45:18, Above), but became tohu (Genesis 1:2. 2Peter 3:5, 6). "An enemy hath done this" (Matthew 13:25, 28, 39. compare 1Corinthians 14:33). See Appendix 8.   was.  This is in italic type, because no verb "to be" in Hebrew (see Appendix 7). In like manner man became a ruin (Genesis 3. Psalms 14:1-3; 51:5; 53:1-3. Ecclesiastes 7:20. Romans 7:18).   face.  Figure of Speech, Pleonasm. Appendix 6.

1:-2-31 (A, page 1). "THE HEAVENS AND EARTH WHICH ARE NOW" (Extended Alternation).

-2  the Spirit of God moved (see Appendix 9) = The beginning of  "the heavens and earth which are now" (2Peter 3:7).  It is even so in the New Creation.  The Spirit moves (John 3:3-8. Romans 8:5, 9, 14. Galatians 4:29. 2Corinthians 5:17, 18).
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