6 days of creation

• 1^st – Day 1 – creation of light… vs. 3-5
  • 1^st – The Word of God… vs. 3
    • 10 times in Chapter 1 we see the phrase – God said – the WORD / Jesus Christ…
    • John 1:1-2 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.”
    • In vs. 1 we saw – God the Father is the source of all things…
    • In vs. 2 we saw – The Spirit is the energizer (power source) for all things…
    • Here in vs. 3 we see – The Word is the one who puts it all together!
    • When God spoke – the universe came into existence…
    • We can count on His Word – what He says WILL happen – II Corinthians 1:20
    • That same God is speaking to you and me today – are we listening…
    • Do we take the time to talk / pray with Jesus – the creator of all things!
  • 2^nd – Let there be light… vs. 3
    • The sun and the moon are not created until day 4 – so where is the light from…
    • Jesus was the light that first filled the whole universe – He was the Son!
    • II Corinthians 4:6-7 – “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”
    • Just as Jesus was the light that filled the universe – He is the light for our lives…
    • Do we wonder what God wants us to do – what is His will for our life…
    • It is when we look to Jesus – THE LIGHT – that we will find the answers…
    • Do we take the time to get into the Word – find the light for our path – Psalm 119:105
    • John 8:12 – “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
      
  • 3^rd – When did God create the Angels…
    • There is no direct reference in the Bible that tells us when the Angels were created
      • They WERE created Colossians 1:16 – so they could NOT have existed before Genesis 1:1
      • We know that they were there in the Garden of Eden (satan tempted eve) – Genesis 3:1
      • Ezekiel 28:13 – talks about Lucifer walking in the Garden of God before his fall…
      • That means that they were created sometime in these first 6 days!
    • Psalm 104:2-5 – gives us some clues…
      • Verse 2 describes how God stretched out the Heavens / covered in light – Day 1…
      • Psalm 104:4 – “Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.”
      • Verse 5 then describes how God laid the foundation of the earth – Day 3
      • So it would appear they were created after God made the heavens and light on the first day…
      • But before he set made solid ground / land on the third day…
      • Perhaps it was even sometime here ON the FIRST day of creation!
  • 4^th – When did satan rebel…
    • The rebellion took place sometime after the six days of creation – but before chapter three…
    • Revelation 12:4 – 1/3 of the angels (stars) rebelled along with satan (dragon) against God…
    • As a result God cast them out of heaven – they were banished to the earth…
    • Where they wait for the final judgment of the fallen angels – Jude 1:6
    • When they will be cast into the Lake of Fire prepared for them – Matthew 25:4
    • Until that day those who have Jesus have nothing to fear from them…
    • Already Jesus has given us complete power over fallen angels…
    • Luke 10:19 – “Behold, I give you the authority… over all the power of the enemy.”
    • One day we will also take part in helping judge the fallen angels – I Corinthians 6:3
    • We will look at satan in amazement – this is the guy who caused all that trouble!
    • Isaiah 14:16 – “Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and the kingdoms of the world?”
  • 5^th – Divided the light from the darkness… vs. 4
    • Note – God created light – and it was GOOD – טוֹב (first of 7 uses in the creation account)…
    • Then God divided the LIGHT from the darkness – calling them DAY and NIGHT…
    • But He did NOT create the darkness – which is by definition the complete absence of light…
    • By way of application this answers a powerful question people ask today!
    • There is no questioning that there is evil in the world around us…
    • Yet though God created ALL things – GOOD – He did NOT create evil!
    • Evil was not created by God – it is the complete absence of God…
    • But just as when you turn on a light darkness has no choice but to leave…
    • The moment you bring God into any equation – evil likewise HAS to FLEE!
  • 6^th – The Evening and the Morning (after each day) … vs. 5
    • God takes great effort here to emphasis that this all took place in 24 hours / 1 day…
      • Modern Science insist that the universe is 13.8 billion years old (and counting) …
      • Many Bible teachers have tried to find a way to harmonize Genesis with this…
      • The word DAY – יוֹם – used 2287x in OT – can be translated at a period of time…
      • So there is a theory that teaches each DAY represents millions of years…
      • This is known by liberal theologians as the DAY AGE theory
    • The TEXT does not allow for this idea – it is very clear these are 24-hour days!
      • Notice that it is the evening and the morning…
      • Every time the word DAY – יוֹם – is used with the added description of evening or morning…
      • It ALWAYS is interpreted in the context as being a literal 24-hour day!
    • Note also – it is the evening then the morning…
      • We think of a day as being from sunrise to sunset…
      • In Jewish tradition a day is from sundown to sundown the following day… 
      • That is why you read in your Bible that the Sabbath starts at sundown!

• 2^nd – Day 2 – Separation of the Waters… vs. 6-8
  • 1^st – Divide the waters from the waters…
    • God said let there be a FIRMAMENT (17x in OT) in the midst of the waters…
    • The word FIRMAMENT describes an open space that supports / separates…
    • On day two God separated the waters on the earth – water above and water below!
    • And He called it the FIRMAMENT – the space between the waters – heaven!
    • The water below no doubt refers to oceans (there was no land yet) …
    • The FIRMAMENT refers to the sky – the air above the oceans – the FIRST heaven…
    • The 1^st heaven – is the sky above us / the 2^nd heaven is outer space…
    • The 3^rd heaven – is the dwelling place of God – II Corinthians 12:2
  • 2^nd – The waters above the FIRMAMENT…
    • Just as there was water on the earth – oceans – there was also water above the earth…
      • There was a layer of water above the first HEAVEN – the atmosphere (high up in the sky) …
      • There was no rain when God first created the World (no clouds – no rainbows) …
      • Genesis 2:5-6 – “The LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth… but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.”
    • The first time there as rain was with the flood of Noah – Genesis 7
      • The sun would heat the water above the FIRAMENT – making the earth one climate…
      • No change of season / one climate from Antarctica to the tropics…
      • Scientists have found frozen rainforest in Antarctica to verify this! 
    • People lived a very long time before the flood – most more than 900 years!
      • Yet by the time of Abraham some 2000 years after Adam – he only lived to be 175…
      • Psalm 90:10 – “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years…”
      • There are likely several reasons for the steep drop off in age AFTER the flood…
      • With most creationists pointing to a genetic bottle neck – flood / tower of Babel…
      • But one reason MIGHT be as a result of this water ABOVE the FIRMAMENT…
      • It could have helped filter out harmful UV radiation from the sun

• 3^rd – Day 3 – Land / Sea / and Plants… vs. 9-13
  • 1^st – The land and the Seas… vs. 9-10
    • God gathered the waters under the HEAVENS into ONE place – let the DRY land appear… 
    • We have 7 continents in the world today separated by 7 oceans…
    • This would likely not have been the case in the beginning…
    • There is a good chance that there was only one LAND (singular) surrounded by SEAS (plural)…
    • The world we know today did not come about till after the flood!
  • 2^nd – Plants after their kind… vs. 11-13
    • God created three categories of pants – grasses / herbs / and trees…
      • Note they had seeds (in them) that reproduced according to their KIND…
      • KIND – מִין – used 5 times in the creation account (plants 2x / fish and birds / animals 2x)…
      • The word could be translated as SPECIES – reproduction was only WITHIN a species!
      • This is in direct contradiction to the foundational teaching of Evolution…
      • Evolution is based on the TRANSITION of one species to another over TIME!
    • The Bible teaches that plants (and animals) can ONLY reproduce the same kind!
      • This speaks of DESIGN – life is not an accident / random – it was CREATED by God!
      • That is not to say that evolution does not occur in nature – variation with a species…
      • God allowed there to be incredible diversity WITHIN His DESIGN…
      • Through cross pollination there are over 7500 varieties of apples – but they are ALL apples!
      • But EVOLUTION – variation between species – in blatantly contrary to the Bible!
      • No one is going to open up a MANGO and expect to find an APPLE seed inside!
      • In the beginning God created ALL species – they ONLY have seed according to their kind!
  • 3^rd – Plants created before the sun…
    • Plants need the sun in order to live – photosynthesis – (all life does on earth does)…
    • Further evidence that the 6 days of creation are literal…
    • These plants only had to go 24 hours without the sun – it came on the next day!

• 4^th – Day 4 – Seasons / Sun / and Moon… vs.14-19
  • 1^st – God said let there be LIGHTS in the FIRMAMENT of the HEAVENS… vs. 15-19
    • The FIRMAMENT of the HEAVENS speaks of the SPACE between the 1^st and 3^rd HEAVEN…
    • In this SPACE God created three things – Sun / Moon / and Stars…
    • Note – the stars (all 1 septillion of them 10²⁴) are summed up in – He made the stars also!
    • There was a GREATER light to rule the day (sun) – and a LESSER light to rule the night (moon)…
    • To give light on the earth – repeated twice – and separate LIGHT from DARKNESS!
    • The sun is the source of light in our solar system providing us with heat and light…
    • The moon is a lifeless rock that only has light because if reflects the sun!
    • The only time you cannot see the moon is when the earth gets in the way!
    • We are like the moon – we have nothing to offer in of ourselves…
    • We only give off light when we reflect the Love of Jesus (the Son) …
    • If we keep our eyes on Jesus – we will reflect His light…
    • The only time when we do not is when we let the WORLD get in the way!
    • Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden…”
  • 2^nd – For times and seasons…
    • The lights were to also be for signs and seasons / days and years…
      • God gave us the sun / moon / and stars so that we would be able to keep track of time…
      • We know it is day or night because of the sun (day) and moon (night)…
      • We know the seasons (not so much here) by where the sun is in the sky (winter / summer) …
      • In the times of the Bible you knew the month and the years by the LIGHTS…
      • Even today Jews use a LUNAR calendar – 360 days / 12 months / 50 weeks in their calendar!
    • God wanted us to know the times and seasons…
      • Matthew 16: 3 – “Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.’”
      • Just as we can discern seasons / days / and years…
      • Jesus wants us to discern spiritual truths – the signs of the times …
      • Do we watch and can we see – the return of Jesus is close at hand – Luke 21:28

• 5^th – Day 5 – Fish and the birds… vs. 20-23
  • 1^st – God said – let the waters ABOUND with life – and the birds fly above the earth…
    • ABOUND – swarm – implies the seas were immediately filled with an abundance of life…
    • On the SAME DAY birds filled the skies – flying overhead against the FACE of the heavens…
    • There was NOT as EVOLTION would state – 150 million years between fish and birds!
    • And they all brought forth – reproduced – after their KIND (just like the plants)!
    • And God blessed them – be fruitful and multiply – FILL the waters /seas / and earth!
  • 2^nd – God created (Bara) life (sea creatures and birds)…
    • For the second time in the Book of Genesis God created from nothing (also in 1:1)…
    • Where as God created (asah) the plants – there was something more in animals – LIFE…
    • Plants have no ability to think or make choices – animals do…
    • This is the first use of the word LIFE in the Bible!
    • God created (bara) the soul-life (conscious thought) of animals…
    • But animals do not have a spirit – when they die they cease to exist – not eternal!
  • 3^rd – Great sea creatures – תַּנִּין (used 28x in OT) …
    • There is some speculation on just what these GREAT גָּדוֹל – sea creatures were…
    • But the word used here in Hebrew can be translated as serpent – Exodus 7:9-10 / 12
    • But it is MOST often translated (KJV) as DRAGON – we would say dinosaur!
    • Many cultures have stories about dragons and great seas creatures (Egypt / China / Greece)…
    • According to the Bible they were real and lived at the same time as men…
    • God gave Job a description of sauropodomorph – tail like a cedar / bones of bronze – Job 40:17
    • And He went on to describe a fire breathing dragon (Leviathan) – Job 41:1-34
    • Dinosaurs did NOT live millions of years ago – Adam may have had one as a pet!

• 6^th – Day 6 – Animals / Man… vs. 24-31
  • 1^st – Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to its KIND… vs. 24-25
    • God created three categories of land-based living things…
    • Cattle / creeping things / and the beast of the earth…
    • Cattle would include all livestock / creeping things would include all reptiles and insects…
    • The beasts (living) of the earth would cover all other mammals – everything that was alive!
    • By some estimates on 1% of those species still exist today – it was a VERY diverse creation!
    • The Earth was now full – it had ALL of the plants and animals God created…
    • It was ready for His crowning achievement – the Glory of His creation!
  • 2^nd– The creation of MAN… vs. 26-31
    • 1 – Let US / in OUR… vs. 26-27
      • The OUR that God is referring – is not angels – man is made in the image of God…
      • For the third time in first chapter of the Bible we see a hint at the trinity!
    • 2 – MAKE man – so God CREATED… vs. 26-27
      • Let US MAKE (asah) man – so God created (bara) man after His image…
      • God here created (bara) the SPIRIT of man…
      • This is the third and final time we see God creating something from nothing!
      • Man is unique in creation – man is eternal – man does not cease to exist when he dies!
      • The REAL questions is WHERE will we spend eternity WHEN we die…
      • We can choose to spend eternity with God or separated from Him!
    • 3^rd – In our IMAGE – in our LIKENESS… vs. 26-27
      • IMAGE – we might say representation – we are a representation of the Lord…
        • Just as Jesus is the visible IMAGE (same LXX) of an invisible God – Colossians1:15
        • We also are supposed to be a representation of God to the world!
        • How a world that does NOT know God learn about Jesus – by looking at our lives!
      • LIKENESS – we might say we are LIKE God…
        • In what way – it would seem like God we are ALSO TRIUNE in our nature…
        • We are BODY / SOUL / and SPIRIT…
        • We live in a body – have conscious thought – AND have an eternal spirit!
        • The question we face every day – is which is in control of our lives!
        • We make all of our decisions with our conscious mind (Soul)…
        • But is our SOUL under the influence of the BODY (flesh) or SPIRIT…
        • Whichever we feed will grow stronger – influence our decisions – control our MIND…
        • The questions is do we feed our SPIRIT and do we feed our FLESH!
        • Galatians 5:27 – “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”
      • MALE and FEMALE… vs. 27
        • There is often a lot of discussion about how ADAM was first – then EVE…
        • The focus being on that MEN are somehow first and more important…
        • But note that God made MALE and FEMALE in His IMAGE!
        • Ultimately we are all equal under God – all sinners saved by the same grace!
        • God may assign positions for each one of us within the body of Christ…
        • But WE give those positions value – WE elevate one above another…
        • God does not say that one position is greater than another – all are equal!
        • Galatians 3:28 – “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, MALE OR FEMALE. For you are ALL one in Christ Jesus.” (NLT)
    • 3^rd – Dominion… vs. 26/28
      • God gave man DOMINION (rule) over all the fish / birds / cattle / and creeping things…
      • He went to command man to be fruitful and MULTIPLY – fill the earth and SUBDUE it…
      • It was the desire of God that MAN be the caretaker of His new creation – Hebrews 2:8
      • God did not desire for us to worship creation – hug whales and trees…
      • But He does call on us to be a good steward of creation – care for the world He gave us!
      • I Corinthians 4:2 – “A person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful!”
    • 4^h – Fruit and herbs for food… vs. 29-30
      • God gave herb and fruit to man to eat – there was no eating meat in the beginning…
      • Even the animals were ONLY given herbs and fruit to eat – NO carnivores!
      • God did not allow men to eat meat until after the flood – Genesis 9:3
      • Does that mean that it is BETTER to not eat meat – nothing is unclean – Romans 14:14
      • No matter how much we work out / diet – the end is still the same – we die…
      • That is not to say we should pork out – there is wisdom in being a steward of our body…
      • But more importantly – we want to grow in the Lord – because that lasts eternally!
    • 5^th – The cost of creation…
      • If you knew that making a decision would cost you your life – would you still do it…
      • God knows all things – He sees the end from the beginning – Isaiah 46:10
      • God knew that by creating man – it would mean He had to die – Isaiah 53:7
      • The Lamb of God slain before the foundations of the World– Revelation 13:8
      • Romans 5:8 – “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
      • How much does God love you and me… 
      • So much He created us knowing it would cost Him His life!
    • 6^th – God saw that it was VERY good… vs. 31
      • 6 times God saw that it was good – after each day of creation…
      • At the end of the 7^th day God saw that it was VERY good!
      • The creation of the World was perfect! 
      • God makes no mistakes – He made nothing by mistake…
      • That includes you and I – God made us special – He Loves us VERY much…
      • He looks at us and He says – VERY good!