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Genesis Chapter One (Verses 6-23)
Preface
As you study the book of Genesis, you may wish to keep the following quotes in mind:
To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree. (Charles Darwin)
In the view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what makes me really angry is that they quote me for support of such views. (Albert Einstein)
I see a pattern, but my imagination cannot picture the maker of the pattern. I see a clock, but I cannot envision the clockmaker. The human mind is unable to conceive of the four dimensions, so how can it conceive of a God, before whom a thousand years and thousand dimensions are as one. (Albert Einstein)
I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts. The rest are details. (Albert Einstein) Genesis 1:6-8 Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. After God spoke the existence of light relative to earth on the first day of creation, He turns His attention to the formation, the fashioning, and the refining of the substance He named “earth.” It is apparent from previous, these and subsequent verses that the substance was composed of both solid (dirt, earth) and liquid (water) matter. In fact, it appears that it was a spherical solid surrounded by liquid.
On this, the second day of creation, God spoke forth a firmament to divide perpendicularly the waters that were upon earth. The word “firmament” is translated from the Hebrew word raqiya. This masculine Hebrew noun comes from the Hebrew word raqa, meaning “to pound, to expand (by hammering), to overlay (with malleable thin sheets of metal).” Therefore the word raqiva carries the meaning of an “expansion” and is more correctly translated as an “expanse” (air space) as it is in some versions of the Bible. The King James Study Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishers) has a most appropriate comment regarding verse six.
Firmament is an “expanse” between the waters suspended by God in vapor form over the earth. Most likely, approximately half of the waters upon the earth were supernaturally elevated above the atmosphere, perhaps in the form of an invisible vapor canopy. This would have trapped the earth’s heat with a “greenhouse effect” and would have provided a uniformly tropical climate everywhere, until it collapsed upon the earth during the universal rainfall at the time of the great Flood (7:11). This might explain the longevity described in Genesis 5, in addition to providing a water source for the Flood of chapters 6-9.
David V. Bassett, M.S., associate with the Creation Evidence Museum of Texas, quoting extensively from Dr. Henry M. Morris, ex-hydraulic engineer and current world renowned creation-scientist, in his book, The Biblical Basis for Modern Science (1984), states the following about the earth’s original water source (pre-Flood water supply).
The canopy of firmament of Day 2 of Creation Week (Gen 1:6-9) would have insured a world wide warm, mild climate, with only minor seasonal and latitudinal differences. This in turn would have inhibited the great air circulational patterns that characterize the present world, and which constitute the basic cause of our winds, rains, and storms.
There could have been no rain in the form with which we are familiar, and this is exactly the testimony of Scripture (Gen. 2:5-6). But there was a system of rivers and seas (Gen. 1:10; 2:10-14), nourished probably by water that had been confined under pressure beneath the land when the land and water were “divided” as well as by the low-lying vapors that were daily evaporated and recondensed (Gen. 2:6). As far as the record goes, these rivers, especially that which emerged from a great artesian spring in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:10), were the main sources of water for Adam and his descendants.
Each day/night cycle would cause a daily evaporation of local waters, with their reprecipitation at night as dew, ground fog, or mist . . . . Thus the antediluvian hydrologic cycle was a subterranean, earth-controlled cycle, unlike our present atmospheric, sun-controlled, cycle.
And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. On this, the second day of creation, God names this “expanse,” which divided the waters perpendicularly, heaven (Psalm 148:4). In the most general sense, the word heaven includes all that is distinguished from the earth. When employed this way, the words heaven and earth exclude one another; but when taken together, the two embrace the entire “created” universe of God (Genesis 1:1).
The word heaven represents three spheres that are associated with God. The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2 speaks of being “caught up to the third heaven.” A “third” heaven implies a “first” and “second” heaven. A search of God’s Word confirms at least three heavens. Two of them having been created and one apparently not; more on this as follows:
The day will come when there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth, which will come after Jesus Christ returns a second time to this earth, rules for 1000 years upon earth (Millennial Reign of Christ), permanently puts down the rebellion of Satan, administers justice from His “Great White Throne” and casts Satan, his angelic hordes and those who have rejected Jesus Christ into the “lake of fire,” which is the “second death” (Revelation 19, 20). Once this is done, a new heaven and new earth are established by God, along with a New Jerusalem, for His redeemed. A few verses pertaining to this are: Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4.
So the evening and morning were the second day. Again, this appears to be indicative of a 24-hour period of time. Genesis 1:9-13 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day. On the third day of creation God established vegetation-life upon earth. But before God created this life, He divides the waters upon earth horizontally. He gathered together (or collected) the waters underneath the expanse, which He created in verse 6, allowing the emergence of dry land. This dry land God called earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas. He determined that this was good.
Next God speaks forth vegetation-life upon the dry land called earth. He speaks forth the grass, the herb that yields seed and the fruit tree that yields fruit (whose seed is in itself)—all “according to its kind.” Here it is seen that God created the fruit trees that were already bearing fruit “whose seed is in itself.” Plants were created full-grown, as mature and adult organisms (“apparent age”), but young in actuality. He does the same for animal life in verses 24 and 25. But more importantly, God creates life after his kind.
The phrase “after his (or their) kind” is repeated 10 times in this chapter, demanding that adults of each “kind” would have to be created supernaturally to begin the life cycle. The word translated kind here is the Hebrew word miyn, which may be understood as “species.” What is the lesson? There are fixed boundaries beyond which reproductive variations cannot go, but it is impossible to know whether “kind” is to be equated with families, genera, or some other category of biological classification. But it is certain that “one kind” cannot evolve into “another kind.” In this we again face the difference between microevolution and macroevolution. The following comments are taken from The Evidence Bible (Bridge-Logos Publishers):
While we do see what’s called “microevolution”—variations within species (different types of dogs, for instance)—we don’t see any evidence of “macroevolution”—one species evolving into another species. Microevolution is observable, while macroevolution takes a tremendous leap of faith. If Christians had as much faith in God as atheists have in the theory of evolution, we would see revival. Like little children, atheists believe without a shred of evidence. Ken Ham writes, “Adaptation and natural selection are biological facts; amoeba-to-man evolution is not. Natural selection can only work on the genetic information present in a population of organisms—it cannot create new information. For example, since no known reptiles have genes for feathers, no amount of selection will produce a feathered reptile. Mutations in genes can only modify or eliminate existing structures, not create new ones” (The Answer Book). Evolutionists claim that the appendix has no purpose—that it’s left over from evolution. The truth is that the appendix is part of the human immune system. They also say that we have a tailbone (another leftover), proving that man is the product of evolution. The “tailbone” actually supports muscles that are necessary for daily bodily functions.
God saw that His creation division of the sea from the dry land and His creation of vegetation-life were good. So the evening and the morning were the third day. Genesis 1:14-19 Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; “and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth;” and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. On the fourth day of Creation God established the sun, the moon and the stars within the large expanse of space that was above earth’s atmosphere for the purposes of:
It specifically states that God made the two great lights, which are the sun and the moon—the greater light (sun) to rule [to have prevailing dominance over or during] the day and the lesser light (moon) to rule [to have prevailing dominance over or during] the night. They did not appear (a different word) as the “dry land” did in verse 9, but they were made (the Hebrew word is asah, which is synonymous with bara, and means to “make or create”).
The Hebrew word for rule in these verses is memshaiah, which means to have dominion, to rule, to reign, to govern—to have prevailing dominance. Whereas God, in verse 1, created the “heavens and the earth,” He now, on the fourth day of Creation, fills the heavens with planets and stars. The sun and moon are obviously not the largest bodies in the universe. This is the language of appearance, as seen from man’s viewpoint. This is a geocentric (earth as center), not a heliocentric (sun as center), expression.
And God saw that this was good, and the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 20-23 Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens." So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. On the fifth day of Creation God brought forth the marine and air (flying) creatures. Here the act of creation is equated with God’s spoken word of “let.” For those who would argue that when God speaks, “Let [something happen],” He is allowing the process of evolution to take effect, the context and connective phrase, “So God created,” indicates this is an incorrect interpretation.
The Hebrew words (sharats and sherets) translated “Let the waters abound with an abundance,” is more appropriately translated and understood as “Let the waters swarm with the swarms,” so as not to mislead anyone to think that the waters themselves produced marine life; although, it is conceivable that God used existing created material (such as earth and water) to creatively fashion His product. The text implies that aquatic life and the fowl of the air appeared simultaneously, denying the evolutionary sequence of reptiles before birds.
The Hebrew word (nephesh) translated “living” may also be translated “soul,” along with a variety of other terms. In this case the word may be most appropriate, since the Bible teaches that animals have nephesh (Genesis 1:21, 24; 2:7, 19; 9:10, 12, 15; Leviticus 11:10; Joshua 10:28, 30, 32, 35, 37). The “soul,” according to some only means the capacity for self-awareness, emotions and limited intellect. It certainly implies conscious life, as distinguished from plants, which have unconscious life. It does not equate to “spirit,” which is that capacity within man alone to link spiritually with God. It may also, in the case of man, indicate that non-material or eternal part that is opposite of the material part of man. This concept is carried over into the New Testament in the Greek word psyche.
Humans are composed of body (material flesh), soul (mind/emotions) and spirit (capacity to link with God)—1 Thessalonians 5:23. The spirit is what makes humans unique among the created living creatures of God.
Through the new birth man’s spirit is made alive to God and sensitive to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:16). As the spirit is constantly being renewed it is able to govern the attitudes of the mind (Eph 4:23). One’s spirit enables him to think along spiritual lines because it is in turn controlled by the Spirit of Christ who imparts the mind and attitude of Christ to the believer (1 Cor 2:16). Thus the regenerated human spirit when humbly submitted to Christ is capable of meekness and gentleness toward others (1 Cor 4:21; Gal 6:1). Such a disposition is characterized as a “meek and quiet spirit” (1 Pet 3:4). (John Rea, Th.D., Theological Lecturer and Editor, Wycliffe Bible Dictionary)
Verse 20 is translated by the The Interlinear Bible (J.P. Green, Sr.) as such:
And God said, Let the waters swarm with the swarmers having a soul of life; and let the birds fly over the earth, on the face of the expanse of the heavens.
Regarding the creation of the “great sea creatures” (vs. 21), the following note in The King James Study Bible is appropriate:
Great whales is not the best translation; better is the term “great sea creatures” to include the great fish as well as whales. Taninim [Hebrew] is used elsewhere to describe the serpent (Ex. 7:9, 10, 12) and the dragon (Ps. 148:7; Is. 51:9; Ezek. 29:3). There is no evidence whatever, either from paleontology or genetics, that whales or great sea monsters could have developed from land animals. The theory of evolution claims that the first animals in the oceans were microscopic, single-celled creatures, and that whales (sea cows) had to evolve from four-legged land mammals, which in turn evolved from cold-blooded marine creatures. Thus, they would have devolved!
Here in verse 22 God first introduces sexual procreation as it relates to creatures with soul-life, as different from plant life. And this was a blessing from God to these creatures, i.e., the ability to be “fruitful and multiply,” which may be conceived as an act “in partnership with God” in making (creating) a new life. The act of procreation is both a most awesome responsibility and privilege. This may not be so much in the animal kingdom, where instinct plays a direct role; but with man, where “freedom of choice” comes to play, it is a most holy act if performed in line with God’s will. But in line with God’s will or not, the act of procreation is a blessing bestowed upon both animal and man. It is an extension of God’s creative hand, which he has entrusted to His creatures. It is therefore most important that man, who has the ability to choose, not tamper with this most holy process—a position which is totally unheeded by those who seek, those who permit and those who perform abortions today.
So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. |