In our last article we started the study of the creation of the universe. This will be part two of this extraordinary series. Last time we started at day 1 when God first created everything as we know it today. He made space, time, light, and earth in its form. On earth we had water, land, and plants to cover parts of the earth. It would be what we call a “simple” world at this point, not much to it at all. Genesis 1 is where we can find this whole account and we are starting with day 4 today.

Once again, for reference, here is the account of creation by day as described in Gods word.

Sequence of Creation
Day 1. God created Earth, space, time, light. Genesis 1:1-5
Day 2. God created the atmosphere-Genesis 1:6-8
Day 3. God created dry land and plants- Genesis 1:9-13
Day 4. God created the sun, moon, stars-Genesis 1:14-19
Day 5. God created sea creatures and birds-Genesis 1:20-23
Day 6. God created land animals and man-Genesis 1:24-27
Day 7. God rested

Day 4 to me is the most interesting. It is when our source of energy for everything is created (sun). Our light by night is up in the sky (moon). And everything else in space, including the stars, dress the vast area of space. Here is the account of this wonderful creation from Genesis 1:14-19, “And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.” In the first part of this set of verses we see the sun and moon being created. Both serving as “lights” in the day and night. Now if you recall in day 1 God describes light being created verse 3. So the big question is, what was that light before the sun? How could there be one?

The answer, no one really knows for sure. Light doesn’t have to come directly from the sun. The lights you are sitting under right now in your home (or wherever you might be) aren’t sunlight. Fixed light that we use comes from chemical reactions and remember, God can do anything he wants, and we don’t have to understand it all. Others though still say that it could have been God’s own spirit “hovering over the waters”, as mentioned in verse 2. 1 John 1:5 says “God is light”, here he is speaking of a spiritual light that draws people near to him, but some refer to it as a physical light. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that there was a light before the sun, and that’s what makes this whole account miraculous, some things we just can’t comprehend, and we have to leave it at that.

Now that that is settled, we can fast forward to the creation of the moon and stars. The sun was created to govern (or rule) the day and the moon to govern the night. God says that the moon is a lesser light (Genesis 1:16) meaning that it doesn’t give off as much light as the sun. If it did, it would be day time all the time! Then the stars were created after that, now it’s not clear whether this means everything in space, (including other planets or galaxies) all it mentions is the creation of stars. Yet there was a purpose even for the stars that God had set up. Remember when Jesus was first born? The three wise men saw the star to the east and knew they had to follow that star to see the baby Messiah. (Matthew 2:9-10) Everything God made has a purpose, that’s something not everyone follows.

Day 5 is a very important day in the animal kingdom. Why? Because that is when they show up. Genesis 1:20-23 is where we find this. “Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” Here we see sea creatures, and birds starting to inhabit the air and waters. Sea creatures could mean anything that lives in water, mostly consisting of fish, but octopuses, squid, those kinds of animals as well. We see birds of the air being created as well, and yet God was intelligent enough to tell them to be fruitful and multiply. That way when one dies off, its offspring takes its place. What an intelligent creator we have!

Day 6 is when God completes his masterful creation. It says in Genesis 1:24-27, “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Here we see the rest of the “land animals” being created and God’s most precious creation, man. Verse 26 is a very controversial verse as well, because of the words “in our image”. People make such a big deal out of this verse and dig too deep into the context of the verse and there is no need to. It is very simple. When God says “Let us make man in our image” he means that the way they looked and the way he created them was according to his likeness. God created them and us the way he wanted to inside and out. Thats it, not much to it.

Genesis 2:21-22 says, “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.” On the 6th day God created man, yet a little while after that, God created women out of the ribs of Adam. So we have:

Adam- Created from dust.
Eve- Created from the rib of man.

On the 7th day God rested.

In conclusion we have once again:

Sequence of Creation
Day 1. God created Earth, space, time, light. Genesis 1:1-5
Day 2. God created the atmosphere-Genesis 1:6-8
Day 3. God created dry land and plants Genesis 1:9-13
Day 4. God created the sun, moon, stars-Genesis 1:14-19
Day 5. God created sea creatures and birds-Genesis 1:20-23
Day 6. God created land animals and man-Genesis 1:24-27
Day 7. God rested

What is so miraculous about this whole account is that God says something and it happens. Lets think about that for a second. God has that much authority and power to say “Let there be….” and it happens? Thats amazing and far beyond what any mind can comprehend. Just as David tells us in the Psalms, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalms 19:1) We need to glorify,praise, and honor God with respect. Because he is our creator.