The Perfect Environment For Life:
The World Pre-Fall
Genesis 1:13
Passage To Study: Genesis 1:13
And the evening and the morning were the third day.
Flow of the Passage:
- (Verse 13) – This verse brings to an end account of the third day of creation.
What Do I Think About It?
As we saw in our look at the first couple verses of this chapter, the words “formless and empty” can be literally translated “unformed and unfilled.” This phrase is the literary key to the creation account. In the first three days the earth was “formed,” and in the second three it was “filled.” The arrangement of those first six days shows a clear order in God’s creation.
Days one, two, and three move creation from a formless to a formed state. Days four, five, and six move creation from an empty to a filled state. Order and population form the thrust of God’s creative work.
Two Divisions of the Work of the Six Creative Days:
Work of Divisions or Forming the World
1st day - light
2nd day – expanse/air and waters/sea
3rd day - land and plants
Work of Quickening and Adorning, or filling the world
4th day – lights - sun, moon and stars
5th day - birds and fish
6th day - animals and man
A. First Day: Light (Genesis 1:3-5)
The light dispelled the darkness which enshrouded the deep. Without light the world could not exist. It is interesting to note some of the other sources of light apart from the sun itself: Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights); phosphorus; lightening bug - mysterious insect; cosmic light - radioactive glow.
It is important to note that in the New Testament in the gospel of John are these words: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:4-5) Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world; he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” If we belong to Christ we are the light container and are of value to God and our fellowmen. It is not unwieldy to note that this creative process is followed in believers as well. First God forms us, that is He brings us to spiritual life; and then He fills us, that is He leads us to spiritual maturity and allows us to shine forth with the light of Christ’s presence in our lives.
B. Second Day: Air and Sea (Genesis 1:6-8)
C. Third Day: Land and Plants (Genesis 1:9-13)
The water was confined and dry land appeared; then God infused it with plant life. The plants now created are divided into three classes: grass, herb and tree. In the first, the seed is not noticed as obvious to the eye; in the second the seed is the striking characteristic; in the third the fruit, “in which is its seed,” the seed is enclosed. In the first the green leaf or blade is prominent, in the second the stalk, in the third the woody texture. In the first, the seed is not conspicuous; in the second, it is conspicuous; in the third it is enclosed in a fruit which is conspicuous. It appears from the text that the full plants, and not the seeds, germs or roots, were created.
In this verse and the next the fulfillment of the divine command is detailed, after being summed up in the words “it was so,” at the close of the previous verse. This seems to arise from the nature of growth, which has a commencement, indeed, but goes on without ceasing in a progressive development. It appears from the text that the full plants, and not the seeds, germs, or roots, were created. The land sent forth grass, herb, tree, each in its fully developed form. This was absolutely necessary, if man and the land animals were to be sustained by grasses, seeds, and fruits.
Thus, the land begins to assume the form of beauty and fertility. Its bare and rough soil is set with the germs of an incipient verdure. It has already ceased to be “empty.” And now, at the end of this third day, let us pause to review the natural order in which everything has been thus far done. It was necessary to produce light in the first place, because without this potent element water could not pass into vapor, and rise on the wings of the buoyant air into the region above the expanse. The atmosphere must in the next place be reduced to order, and charged with its treasures of vapor, before the plants could commence the process of growth, even though stimulated by the influence of light and heat. Again, the waters must be withdrawn from a portion of the solid surface before the plants could be placed in the ground, so as to have the full benefit of the light, air, and vapor in enabling them to draw from the soil the sap by which they are to be nourished. When all these conditions are fulfilled, then the plants themselves are called into existence, and the first cycle of the new creation is completed.
What Difference Does This Make To Me?
Could not the Eternal One have accomplished all this in one day? Doubtless, He might. He might have effected it all in an instant of time. And He might have compressed the growth and development of centuries into a moment. He might even by possibility have constructed the stratifications of the earth’s crust with all their slips, elevations, depressions, unconformities, and organic formations in a day. And, lastly, He might have carried on to completion all the evolutions of universal nature that have since taken place or will hereafter take place until the last hour has struck on the clock of time. But what then? What purpose would have been served by all this speed? It is obvious that the above and such like questions are not wisely put. The very nature of the ETERNAL shows the futility of such speculations. Is the commodity of time so scarce with him that he must or should for any good reason sum up the course of a universe of things in an infinitesimal portion of its duration? May we not, rather, must we not, soberly conclude that there is a due proportion between the action and the time of the action, the creation to be developed and the time of development. Both the beginning and the process of this latest creation are to a nicety adjusted to the preexistent and concurrent state of things. And the development of what is created not only displays a mutual harmony and exact coincidence in the progress of all its other parts, but is at the same time finely adapted to the constitution of man, and the natural, safe, and healthy ratio of his physical and metaphysical movements.
Is There Anything For Me To Do?
How sad that man threw away such a glorious and perfect environment! God provided the perfect place for Adam to commune with Him and enjoy his fellowship. Man has longed for this ever since, without really knowing what it is that he was longing for! I need to take advantage of the great privilege of restored fellowship in Christ!
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