Creation

Click here to read Genesis 1.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". There are three approaches to creation:

1. The Biblical Approach.
2. Evolution.
3. The Compromise Approach.

The Biblical approach is that the whole universe owes its existence and continuation to the will of a transcendent God.

The theory of Evolution presumes, in its purest form, that creation evolved from a simple form and progressed to its present state.

The compromise approach is set forth by modern day scientists seeking to combine the two above approaches and make them acceptable to religious authorities and men of science alike and suggests that God created in a progressive manner over a long period of time as indicated by evolution.

We may have a problem with "dating" creation, but as Christians, we have no problem with its Creator. The Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth".

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, does not believe that anything as complex as creation could have "evolved" without guidance and creative love of the one true and living God. He sees six evidences of God in creation:

1. Great variety.
2. Great beauty.
3. Great exactness and accuracy.
4. Great power.
5. Great order.
6. Great mystery.

The great miracle of it all is that He created it all out of nothing. There was no pre-existent matter out of which the world was created.

When did creation take place? We cannot say when in time, as we know it, this took place. The only thing that we know for sure is that it was "in the beginning". This "created matter" had no form until God's Spirit moved in His wisdom and power and started a process of creation that brought into being what we see today.

First, He created "Light". This is interesting in that in heaven, when we will be a new creation, the first thing to be wrought in us will be "light" (understanding). Notice that the "light" was created by the "Word of God". "Let there be light and there was light". Notice that this light did not do away with darkness; there was need for both, so God divided the "light" from the "darkness", and thus created the first day.

Time will not allow us to go into each step of creation except to note what occurred each day.

1. Day one, God created light.
2. Day two, God created the waters.
   1. He put water under the earth.
   2. He put water on the earth.
   3. He put water above the earth.
3. Day three, God created dry ground. He separated the water and the land and thus created the continents and the sea. Then on the dry ground, He created vegetation.
4. Day four, God created "lights" in the heavens.
   1. One for the day, sun.
   2. One for the night, moon.
5. Day five, God created living creatures, birds that fly and creatures of the sea.
6. Day six, God created man and woman. He created them in his own image. This means that they had knowledge and righteousness. On this day, He also provided a gracious amount of food for all flesh.
7. Day seven, God rested. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it.

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