God Called…
Genesis 1:10
Passage To Study: Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Flow of the Passage:
· (Verse 10) - God names the dry land and the seas that He has just created and arranged.
What Do I Think About It?
(Verse 10) - Naming the creation marks God's lordship. Five main uses of call appear in the Old Testament. First, "to call" means "to invite or summon." For example, God called to Adam (Gen. 3:9); Moses called the elders together (Ex. 19:7); and Joel gave a command to call a solemn assembly (Joel 1:14).
Second, the verb can have the sense of "calling on God," hence, to pray. We first meet this expression in Genesis 4:26: "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." (See also Ps. 79:6; 105:1; Isa. 64:7; Jer. 10:25; Zeph. 3:9).
Third, "to call" is used very often in the sense of naming, whether of things (Gen. 1:5-30; day, night, heaven, earth; Gen. 2:19, the animals), or of persons (Gen. 25:26, Jacob; 30:6-24, Jacob's sons), of a city (2 Sam. 5:9, the city of David), or of qualities (in Isa. 35:8 a way and in Ex. 12:16 a day are called holy). This is the sense in which it is used here.
Fourth, God calls by name with a view to service. The call of Moses (Ex. 3:4-22) and the call of Samuel (1 Sam. 3) are good examples.
Fifth, "to call" may be used in the sense of "to call one's own," to claim for one's own possession and to appoint for a particular destiny. Especially noticeable is Isaiah 43:1, when the Lord addressed Israel: "I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." This calling of Israel stands closely related to its election (Isa. 45:4). It thus points to the covenant relation in which Israel is called to salvation, is given its name, and has the function of God's witness.
New Testament All the senses found in the Old Testament appear again in the New Testament. The meaning "invite/summon" is encountered principally in the parables of the great banquet (Luke 14:16-25) and the marriage feast (Matt. 22:2-10). Calling in the sense of naming has special importance in the infancy narratives (Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:60; 2:21). Calling on the name of the Lord is found in a quotation from Joel in both Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13. The choosing of the apostles can be expressed in terms of calling (Mark 1:20). Finally, Christ's people are those whom He has called and who are rightly called by His name (Rom. 8:28; Gal. 1:6; 1 Thess. 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:15).
The New Testament refers to the Christian life as a calling (Eph. 1:18; 4:1; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 3:1; 2 Pet. 1:10). The basic call is to Christ as Lord and Savior; thus, all Christians are "called ones." It is employed in a comprehensive way to depict what has happened to those who through the Father's love are now called children of God (1 John 3:1). However, there are further callings to special ministries (Acts 13:2).
The noun "calling" takes on great significance in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. First, there is the goal of calling. We are called to salvation, holiness, and faith (2 Thess. 2:13-15), to the kingdom and glory of God (1 Thess. 2:12), to an eternal inheritance (Heb. 9:15), to fellowship (1 Cor. 1:9), and to service (Gal. 1).
The means of calling is clearly stated as being through grace (Gal. 1:6) and through the hearing of the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14). The ground of calling is specifically established in 2 Timothy 1:9. The starting point for the divine calling is not works but the purpose and grace of God in Christ Jesus.
The nature of God's calling is described as an upward (Phil. 3:14), heavenly (Heb. 3:1), holy (2 Tim. 1:9) calling. It is filled with hope (Eph. 1:18, 4:4). Christians are urged to lead lives that are worthy of their calling (Eph. 4:1; 2 Thess. 1:11). Also, they are urged to make their calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10). Finally, the "called, and chosen, and faithful" are with the Lamb (Rev. 17:14) indicating that those whom God called (saved) He glorified (Rom. 8:30). The stress is on the initiative of God. The one who experiences God's calling can only break forth in praise with Paul: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Rom. 11:33).
What Difference Does This Make To Me?
All of these functions are expressions of God's sovereignty, or, more directly, His ownership of all creation. God can call creation into being and name it and all of its parts because it is His and His alone. There is no part of creation that is not His, from the basic inanimate parts (mountains, etc.) to man himself; all belong to God and are His to do with as He sees fit.
They are also a manifestation of His grace and mercy. He didn't have to do any of the calling that He has done. He could have remained by Himself for all of eternity and not ventured forth to create and then relate to His creation. That He has done so is marvelous and truly the greatest demonstration of His grace and mercy we have. I say this because the decision to create (if we can truly and accurately refer to it that way) included with it the decision to send His Son to redeem the creation that would result and fall into sin. This is magnificent and truly beyond our capacity to really understand and get full hold of. We can rejoice in that we have a God Who is bigger, stronger and wiser than we are!
Creation, Progressive-God moved from the general to the specific and from the lower to the higher in His creative process. He was active for six days and rested on the seventh. Many contend the "day" (Hebrew yom) should be understood as meaning an unspecified period of time rather than a twenty-four hour period. The sun and the moon, which mark the change from evening to morning, were not created until the fourth day. Day means hours of light contrasted to night's hours of darkness (1:5). In the Hebrew Bible, day (yom) refers to a longer, unspecified period (2:4; 35:3; Lev 14:57; 2 Sa 22:1; Ps 137:7; Jer 18:17; Hos 10:14; Na 3:17). Differences of opinion here often turn on the reference to "evening and morning" as well as on yom. Taking these words figuratively, the account can more easily be harmonized with theories of a vast age for the earth and a gradual development of life. Taken literally, the account would point to a much younger universe and a more rapid origin of life. In either view the creation of the universe and of life is a miraculous act of love by the sovereign God. God as an orderly, purposeful Creator is the central emphasis.
Is There Anything For Me To Do?
I need to remember, and focus on the Lordship of God as seen in His calling forth and naming creation. I need to remember that is so doing, He was also showing His willingness to be gracious and merciful toward the resulting creation because it included the intent to send Jesus Christ to redeem! This is truly cause for praise!
Care To Respond?
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