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 App-5 and App-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 there). In Genesis 1:1 we have "the world that then was" (compare 2 Peter 3:6); and in Isaiah 45:2 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 Genesis 1:1-2. In Genesis 1:2-31; Genesis 2:1-4, we have "the heavens and the earth which are now" of 2 Peter 3:7. Both are set in contrast with the "new heavens and the new earth" of 2 Peter 3:13.
[Conversion Note: The following comment is found in some Companion Bible text on the Internet but not in my original book.]
"why" God destroyed "the world that then was" may be better understood from Revelation 12:4 (see note there), where Satan rebelled against God and drew. third part of God's children with him.