Day 4-5 "Authority and Blessing": Gen 1:14-23

Intro:

There is a shift here in creation. In the first three days the earth is being prepared and separated. There are no living creatures as of yet. This is going to change in this section.

Day 1: God said, saw, and separated (Created, defined, and evaluated)

Day 2-3 Boundaries and Consistency: God created boundaries and consistency then that are still true now.

Outline:

Authority (Day 4): “Lights in the Expanse” (vs. 14-19)

Blessing (Day 5): “Living Creatures” (vs. 20-23)

Summary: God gives authority and blessing to His creation

Prayer:

Authority (Day 4): “Lights in the Expanse” (vs. 14-19)

Lights (vs. 14-15)

And God said- He expressed in words, he commmanded! This is not a vaugh guesture

Let there be lights- wait a minute, didn’t God already do this, on day 1? keep reading

in the expanse of the heavens

to separate the day from the night- this is different than the light of God

Let them be for

signs- “reference point, an indicator that orients a person generally”. Not as in a sign on a horoscope, or astrology, or the zodiak that is derived from Greek and Roman mythology. Now it is one thing to chart and recognize patterns in the stars, it is another to attribute character traits and personalities to those that are born during certain months. God calls us to look to the maker of the starts when it comes to identity. Why is this important, well, someone may take more stock or faith in their horoscope, sign, physcic reading, than they do in the Words of their creator. This leads us to statements like, “well, this is who I am”, You should have known that before you married me, I can’t help it if I act this way, etc. Figuring out your navigation is different than figuring out your nature.

and for seasons- “place for meeting, assembly point. One of the natural periods into which the year is divided by the equinozes and solstices or atmospheric conditions.

For days

and years- thee is a difference between days and years.

Let them

be lights in the expanse of the heavens

to give light upon the earth- there is an earthly focus to the orientation of these lights they are not existing for their own glory and purpose. There is an earthward purpose and focus.

and it was so

Rule (v. 16)

and God made- who made?…Not Ra (egyptian god of the sun)

the two great lights

The greater light- why just not say “Sun”, well, interestingly enough, by not using the common terms, Moses is contradicting common pagan misconception. Instead he chooses to describe them in terms of their service to earth, not an object of worship, but rather an object that is serving its earthward role.

to rule the day- “mem-se-let- dominion; area of one’s dominion- dominance, power, or soveriegnty through leagal authority”.

The lesser light

to rule the night

and the stars- this almost seems like an, “oh yeah, and the stars” kind of statement. Which, with the release of the new images caught by the Webb telescope by NASA, “detect and analyze light from the beiginning of time and revealing the universe as never before.”

Set (vs. 17-19)

God set them- “ntn, give; hand down; set, place, lay; allow; surrender- to move and set into a certain place or abstrat location”.

in the epanse of the heavens

to give light to the earth- this is their purpose!

to rule over the day and over the night- “msl- rule, make someone lord; dominion- to exercise authrotiy over, as of anations or other entities, even natural ones (like animals”.

and to separate the light from the darkness

God saw

that is was good

There was evening

There was morning

The fourth day

Application/Implications:

Is your life more dominated by the “signs” in your life or by what God has “said”? I am not just talking about your sign, the zokiak, or your daily horoscope. I am talking about interpreting the circumstances and events of your day without the input of your creator. call it “luck, carma, juju, etc.”

We spend millions of dallars and countless hours anticipating being able to see and understand the farthest depths of the universe. Are we that captive to the creator of the universe? Are you saying that we should only pursue Biblical Studies and Theology? Well no. But what i am saying is that in whatever aspect of creation you find your interests, study, or occupation, do not allow that to overshadow or be enjoyed without a better understanding and humility before your creator.

God introduces the concept of authority, rule, and dominion within his creation not just over His creation. How is that going in your life? Is everything you do, done under the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. Or are you acting as ruler in His place?

If you had to designate which one you are struggling more with today, what would it be: the signs in your life over God’s said word or the authority that God has placed in His creation?

The sun, moon, and stars will give authority over day, night, seasons, years, growth patterns, tides, and navigation. This authority is striking, it is consistent, and creation is govern by it. This is a smaller picture of what is coming in God’s creation

Transitional phrase: God now moves from the lights in His creation to the living creatures.

Blessing (Day 5): “Living Creatures” (vs. 20-23)

Swarms (v. 20)

and God said- He expressed in words, he commmanded! This is not a vaugh guesture

let the waters swarm- “srs, verb- creep, move- to move about quickly in large numbers, often with a random appearance”.

with swarms of living (throat; neck; breathe) creatures- “seres, noun- swarming thing, any animal that swarms on land, water, or less commonly in the air”.

and let birds fly above the earth

across the expanse of the heavens

According to its kind (v. 21)

So God created- “bara” 2x used for created from v1.

the great sea creatures- or sea-monsters, Leviathan

PIC- frilled shark, Elephant octocpus

and every living creature that moves- pretty all inclusive

with which the waters swarm

according to its kind

and every winged bird

according to its kind

God Blesses (vs. 22-23 )- introduction to the theme of “blessing”

God saw -He experienceed it, He examined and inspected.

that it was good

God blessed them saying- it is not only that it was good, but now He is going to praise or invoke divine favour, often implying a positive disposition or kind actions toward the recipient. Everything that comes after this is not only good, but positive, and the invoke of devine favour:

be fruitful- imperative, command- repoduce, just like the vegetation.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:20–23

Moreover, fertility of life comes from the blessing of the true God (v. 22)

and multiply-”rbh” imperative, command- become numerous, increase; become great or powerful

and fill the waters in the seas- imperative, comand- to make full, literally or figuratively

and let birds multiply on the earth- they will never “fill” the skies

There was evening

there was morning

the fifth day

Application/Implications:

The sea creatures were made to swarm, the birds to fly, both created according to their kind, and blessed by God to reproduce after their kind.

What a blessing, God created the living creatures and gave them something to do. They have created purpose under the authority of God and He blessed them.

There is purpose and direction in God’s creation. There is sustainability. The blessing is found under the authority of the creator.

All of this is leading up to something. The climax is building. Earth is created, light separates the darkness, waters are separated from land, and vegetation blooms. For what purpose? The lights in the sky are earthward in their oreintation and governance. Creatures fill the skies and swarm the earth. Where is God going with all of this? Well, He is demonstrating that he is the one that creates, defines, and evaluates. He is showing a pattern of boundaries and consistency and that authority and blessing come from Him.

Summary: God gives authority and blessing to His creation

Song: Great is thy faithfulness.

Discussion questions

Worship- Renew the Mind (Scripture)

1. What passage of Scripture did we look at? Summarize it in your own words.

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4. ?

Grow- Engage the Heart (Conversation)

1. ?

2. ?

3. ?

Serve- Enlist the Body (Action)

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