The Good Creation of God

Genesis 1-2:3 The Good Creation of God Introduction: In our studies so far we have looked at the definition and existence of God; the attributes of God; The authority of the word of God, and the Biblical claim of origins. I think we are finally in the place to move forward into the text. As we do, it is important to remember the context in which this book was written. It was written to the nation of Israel, who God had delivered out of slavery from the land of Egypt and was bringing to the land of Canaan to receive it as an inheritance. While the Israelites were still in bondage in Egypt God had spoken to the them declaring to them all that he would do for them. Exodus 6:6-8 “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’ ” So Moses writes for them, not simply a history but a message. God is displayed in Genesis 1 as the supreme king: he speaks and it is done; he brings order out of chaos; he names Day, Night, Sky, Earth, and Seas. “The theme of the creation narrative is (this): With his powerful word, the King of the universe created the earth as his good kingdom” - Greidanus Genesis 1-2:3 lays out for us a plot line. We find that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without shape and empty, the rest of the chapter tells us how God forms the universe (days 1-3) and fills it (days 4-6), closing with Him resting from his work on the seventh day. 1. Day one a. Heavens - the universe. b. Earth - earth is covered in a dark watery chaos -without shape and uninhabited. i. The Spirit of God is hovering over the face of the water.. This is in anticipation of what he is about to do. c. Light - God forces back the darkness with light. 2. Day two a. Skies i. God separates the waters forming the skies. ii. Water on earth and above the skies. iii. This would create a vapor canopy which would produce a greenhouse effect keeping the earth warm. iv. The combination of warm temperature and adequate moisture everywhere would be conducive later to extensive stands of lush vegetation all over the world with no barren deserts or ice caps. v. This vapor canopy would be highly effective in filtering out ultraviolet radiations, cosmic rays, and other destructive energies from outer space… Thus the canopy would contribute effectively to human and animal health and longevity. 3. Day three a. Seas b. Land c. Vegetation - God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation. i. 350,000 types of plant life. ii. Plant life is essential to human life. 1. Food and oxygen - God supplied the earth with food and a filtration system before man was ever made. iii. The first three days record God forcing back the powers of chaos (darkness and water) to form a live-able cosmos. 4. Day four - the filling of the heavens a. Creation of the Sun, Moon and Stars. i. The Sun, Moon and Stars are to separate day from night: 1. For signs a. Some believe that the various star formations originally told the story of redemption but were corrupted by the ancient babylonians. b. The appointed feast of Israel. c. For celestial navigation 2. For seasons a. Winter, spring, summer, and fall are all based on the earth’s tilt on its axis and its rotation around the sun. 3. For days and years a. Days are based on the rotation of the earth on its axis, 24 hours makes one full rotation. b. Years - Earth makes its revolution around the sun every 365 1/4 days ii. Notice, the Sun and Moon are not given their proper names but are simply referred to as the greater light and the lesser light. The reason for this is that the Sun and Moon were considered great powerful god’s by the surrounding nations. Moses is showing that they are not god’s at all but simply another aspect of God’s good creation, which he created after he created vegetation. 1. We/they have as much reason to fear the Sun, Moon and Stars as we/they do broccoli, grass and eucalyptus trees. Our destiny is not held by the stars. We need not fear chance or anything in the universe. God is in control. 2. Moses is obviously seeking to show how the creation account undermines and contradicts the polytheistic beliefs of the nations around them. 5. Day five - the filling of the seas and skies a. Creation of sea creatures and fowl. i. This would include everything from fish, wales, sharks, to water dinosaurs, it is the filling of the seas. ii. Creation of fowl - birds. 6. Day six - the filling of the earth. a. The Land animals i. Cattle- domestic animals ii. Creeping things- microbes to millipedes to mice to lizards etc. iii. Beast of the earth- Lions, tigers, bears, elephants, rhino’s and dinosaurs. b. Man i. According to the ancient babylonian epic, their head god Marduk (in Hebrew Merodach) was the creator of heaven and earth. 1. It is a tale filled with violence where Marduk battles the other god’s, violently murdering them and using their carcasses to create heaven and earth and using their blood to create man; who would be the one who would bear the burden of the god’s so that they might rest. 2. The biblical account tells us that God created man in his own image and after his likeness. He created him to be the ruler over God’s good kingdom (the earth) and God blessed him. There is harmony and peace between God and man. Man is not bearing the burden of God, but is crowned with dignity and honor he is the chiefest of God’s creation according to Psalm 8. a. This message would be in complete contrast once again to the violent creation accounts of the surrounding nations. b. Marduk was a god of violence and chaos. Jehovah is the Sovereign Lord who by His word brings order/harmony out of chaos. 7. Day seven a. God rested from all of his work. i. Establishing for Israel the sabbath day of rest. 1. The people were to rest from their weekly labor as God rested from his labor after he finished creating his good creation. ii. “The imagery is of a powerful Sovereign who utters a decree from the throne, issues a fiat and in the very utterance the thing is done.” - Greidanus Conclusion: The original book of Genesis would have been written to a newly birthed nation. The nation of Israel had left their bonds in Egypt and had left under the mighty of God (taking them through the Red Sea and destroying all of their enemies). This message would have brought this newly formed nation much comfort. As God had called the world into existence; he had called them into existence as a nation. As God hovered over the Chaotic waters in anticipation of his work, so also God was so to speak hovering over the israelites he knew their chaotic state and was about to do a wondrous work in them. As God separated light from darkness so also he separated his people from the people of Egypt. As God formed the world in preparation for man, so also God had prepared a new land for his people: The promised land of Canaan. As Man was created by God to rule over God’s good creation, so also the nation of Israel was Called into being to be God’s representative on earth (a light to the Gentiles). As God faithfully finished his work of Creation through his mighty power, and sovereign wisdom, so also he would be faithful to bring the nation of Israel into the Promised Land. So also God has freed us from the bondage of sin, he has taken us from death to life, from darkness to light, we are his new creation. He has appointed us (his church) to be a light to the world around us to his goodness, faithfulness and salvation. He is preparing a place for us in his Kingdom - in the new heavens and the new earth. He calms our hearts showing us that there is nothing in all of creation that can thwart His plan. We need not fear the unknown, terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, economic crisis, disaster, disease or death.Yet it does not always seem the case, we seem to be at the mercy of chance and powers that are beyond our control. Romans 8:38-39 Says, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” By God’s mighty hand and infinite wisdom we will be preserved for his everlasting kingdom!