God's Word

Many people try to find error in the bible by claiming that Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are 2 different creation stories. Is this true? Not at all. Notice the way chapter 2 starts. It is a continuation of chapter 1. Genesis 1 is an overview of the entire creation. Genesis 2 is a more detailed view. It's like when you write an essay. You give an opening stating where you stand and some reasons for your position. Then you give a paragraph explaining each reason, and then a closing paragraph summarizing it all. Genesis 1 is the opening, Genesis 2 is the expanding, but it is the same account all the way through. Remember also, Genesis was written by Moses. Why would he give 2 different stories of 1 event?

On the 6th day, God creates land animals. Then, God creates His crowning achievement. The thing that He has been making preparations for - man. Notice that God had made EVERYTHING for man's enjoyment, from plant life to animal life, before He created man. Everything that man needed to be prosperous and happy was ready when man was made. Also, notice this. Most animals are one gender throughout their lives, but some species are capable of switching. Amphibians, which exhibit several interesting examples of this phenomenon, sometimes change their sex in response to environmental triggers -- which may be social, climactic or chemical in nature. In some circumstances this appears to be historically natural, while others do so as a result of herbicides or other forms of environmental pollution. Factors Determining Gender While chromosomes determine the initial gender of mammals and birds, environmental or epigenetic factors determine the gender of many other animals, including...

God creates the creatures of the water and air, the first animal creatures and saw that it was good. He blessed the creatures and told them to multiply.

God now creates the second heaven - space. He puts places the sun, moon, and stars. While the Bible does not specifically state it, it is my belief that this was also when he created the other planets. And God saw that it was good.

God gathered the waters together for oceans, rivers, lakes, etc. and called forth dry land. Also, on this day, God created life: grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees. And God saw that it was good.

God removed some of the water covering the earth from the surface of the earth and separated it by a firmament (atmosphere). God called the firmament Heaven, being (from the earth) the first of 3 heavens. There is still no dry land. So now the earth is still covered by water, but just above the atmosphere there is now a protective canopy of water as well.

God creates light, separates the light from the darkness, and names them. The light is called Day and the darkness is called light. Verse 5 also clarifies a mis-interpretation. People take a part of the following verse out of context, as try to use it to say that the earth was not created in 6 literal, 24-hour days (2 Peter 3:8-9 King James Version (KJV) 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Notice, what this verse is talking about is the return of Jesus; not creation. Verse 5 of our text makes it clear that 1 evening (night, time of darkness) and one morning (day, time of light) were the first day. Since the evening is part of the day, it was a literal 24-hour day.

God had created the earth from nothing. Now there was substance, but there was no form, and the earth was entirely covered by water. And there was darkness because God had not yet created light. When we compare scripture with scripture we see the full trinity at work in the creation: Genesis 1:1 God created (There's the Father). Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. and John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (There's the Son) Genesis 1:2 And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (There's the Holy Spirit) So the Trinity...

There are actually 3 heavens, but the heaven is singular, so it's necessary to figure out which heaven this verse is referring to. Since we have established that the third Heaven has always been, it can be eliminated. Since the verse links the heaven with the earth, this would indicate the atmosphere surrounding the earth. Since the second heaven is created in verses 6-8, this is verification that the heaven is verse one is the atmosphere.

The difference between making something and creating something is that making something is done with materials that you gather together. Creation is done without previous materials. God did not need to gather together dirt, rocks, minerals, etc., and form the Earth from them. What He created, He brought into existence from nothing.

Notice that the existence of God is not argued, nor is there an attempt to prove His existence. His existence is assumed. Without belief in God, the Bible is nothing. If the Bible is not God's Word, then it is nothing but words that have no relevance in our lives. The Israelites had seen evidence of God, and KNEW without a doubt that He existed.

Most things have a beginning, but a few things do not. God has no beginning, He is from everlasting to everlasting. The third Heaven has no beginning, because this is the abode of God, and since God has always existed, He had to be somewhere. And darkness has no beginning, because darkness is the absence of light, and light did not exist until God created it, therefore, darkness has always existed. So, in the beginning is referring to the beginning of the world, God's creation.

For my first post, I want to let you know that I believe the Bible to be literal, except where words such as is like or other phrases that show a comparison or contrast are used. The Bible says that God is not a God of Confusion so he does not try to use codes for His message. God says what He means, and means what he says. The most dangerous words to hear from the pulpit is "What God really means here is". If God says something, He means what He says, not what some enlightened person or group of persons says He means.