This page is a response to a plethora of pseudo-scientific materials, including the so-called "science" of evolution, all of which futilely, fruitlessly seek to explain the incredible miracle of God's creation of the heavens and the earth in six days. Yes, I am a literalist and believe without a doubt that God created everything in six twenty-four hour days because that is what His Word says, His Word on which I have staked my "hope of eternal life, which God, Who cannot lie, promised long ages ago. " (Titus 1:2ESV+, cf Nu 23:19+, Heb 6:18+, Joshua 21:45+, Josh 23:14+, 1Ki 8:56, 1Th 5:24+)! Like Robert Ripley once said said concerning strange and unusual things, you can choose to either "Believe It or Not! If you choose not to believe God created everything in six days, the question then arises as to when (and/or what) you will believe in Genesis? Will you believe when Adam and Eve fell into sin in Genesis 3+ or will you reject that event as a fable, myth or mere story. If you reject Genesis 3:1-24+, then there would be no need for a Redeemer, for you would in effect be rejecting the truth that "just as through one man (ADAM) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Ro 5:12+) and thus every man is dead in his trespasses and sins from the moment of his conception! (Eph 2:1+, Ps 51:5, 1Ki 8:46, Ps 130:3; Pr 20:9, Eccl 7:20; Ro 3:23+) and is in desperate need for redemption by the Redeemer Christ Jesus!
Before we look at the Biblical texts that describe Creation, it might be interesting to look at these surveys (albeit recognizing the vagaries and fallacies of most surveys) of what Americans believe about Creation of the Heavens and Earth.
| US Group | Young-Earth Creationism | Belief in evolution guided by supreme being | Belief in evolution due to natural processes | NA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public | 31% | 22% | 32% | 15% |
| Scientists | 2% | 8% | 87% | 3% |
| Religious Institution Attendance | Young-Earth Creationism | Belief in God-guided evolution | Belief in evolution without God |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attend church weekly | 69% | 24% | 1% |
| Attend church nearly weekly/monthly | 47% | 39% | 9% |
| Seldom/never attend church | 23% | 32% | 34% |
The US has one of the highest levels of public belief in biblical or other religious accounts of the origins of life on earth among industrialized countries.[126] However according to the Pew Research Center, 62 percent of adults in the United States accept human evolution while 34 percent of adults believe that humans have always existed in their present form. The poll involved over 35,000 adults in the United States. However acceptance of evolution varies per state. For example the State of Vermont has the highest acceptance of evolution of any other State in the United States. 79% people in Vermont accept human evolution. While Mississippi with 43% has the lowest acceptance of evolution of any US state. (Source: Wikipedia)
As respected theologian John Walvoord wrote "Concerning creation, the Scriptures give an adequate testimony for all who are prepared to receive it. From Genesis 1 to the book of Revelation, the universe is presented in the Bible as that which God created."
THOUGHT - This begs the simple question are you "ready to receive it?" There is only one way to receive it and that is by faith, not by sight, not by philosophy, not by theories of evolution, etc. It must be received by faith!
That said, the following compilation of Scriptures is a presentation of God speaking for Himself, describing His work of Creation.
- Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, (Heb - kalah; Lxx - sunteleo) and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed (Heb - kalah; Lxx - sunteleo) His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
COMMENT - Could verse 1 and 2 state any more clearly the fact that the creation was "fully functional" and ready to use from the beginning? God made the universe with "no assembly required!" Indeed, this passage is a "test" of one's faith, just as is Genesis 1:1+. You either believe the Word of God or you do not! There is no middle ground! There is no "wiggle room" for evolution or scientific theory! Genesis 1-2 is not theory but fact, and is inspired by the ONLY ONE Who was present to observe the event and thus the ONLY ONE Who could state that it was completed!
While one can contemplate, ruminate, speculate, postulate, deliberate, cogitate, hypothesize, theorize, etc (and I would add sarcastically "prevaricate!") about the ORIGIN of creation, if we let the plain, natural meaning of the word complete speak for itself, all arguments as to origins are reduced to one truth - God created everything and He completed it in 6 days! In plain English, the word complete as a verb (as used in Ge 2:1-2) means to bring to a finish or an end, to bring to a natural stopping point, to make whole, with all necessary elements or parts. As an adjective the word complete means having all necessary or normal parts, components, or steps. It is interesting that in botany complete means having all principal parts, namely, the sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil or pistils and is used to describe a fully functional, mature flower. It means having come to an end; thorough, accomplished; consummate. What does the meaning of completed in English say about the Creation in the 6 days as recorded in Genesis 1? The answer should be obvious! But let's not stop with the meaning in English, but go on to observe the words in the original languages, Hebrew and Greek!
Words mean something, and the word completed in verse 1 and 2 is extremely significant. The Hebrew word for completed is kalah which conveys the basic meaning of to cease or to stop, to finish, to come to the end of an event (cf "finished" in Ex 40:33+, Nu 7:1+) which in the present context speaks of God's act of Creation! The Septuagint translates kalah in Ge 2:1 and Ge 2:2 with the verb sunteleo which means to bring to an end, complete, finish. In both verse sunteleo is in the aorist tense which speaks of a past completed act or action (i.e., "finis")! When used of an event (like Creation), sunteleo means to be accomplished or carried out fully. Sunteleo speaks of an activity which is brought to an end, completed or finished. Now, if you are a believer and are considering the possibility that the process of evolution played any role whatsoever in God's creation by proclamation of His Word on 6 days, what is the honest conclusion from both the Hebrew and Greek verbs?
- Exodus 20:11+ “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
- Exodus 31:17-18+ “It is a sign (Sabbath - Ex 31:16) between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased (shabath) from labor, and was refreshed.” When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.
COMMENT - Notice first that this is not Moses speaking but it is Yahweh, the LORD God speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. And here he repeats the description He had given in Exodus 20:11, so clearly the LORD believes in six creation days and there is no reason from the context to allegorize or spiritualize the word days (unless you do not take God at His Word). The days were literally six days. God even wrote it down with His own finger on a table of stone. All Scripture is divinely inspired, but this was divinely inscribed. Note the verb ceased in Hebrew is shabath and in the Greek (Septuagint) is pauo which means to stop, cause to stop or keep from happening and is in the aorist tense which describes PAST COMPLETED action, or as they say in Latin finis! This begs the question -- What did the LORD "keep from happening?" In context, clearly the creation ceased! Creation did not keep on "happening!" God's Word irrefutably demolishes the lie of evolution! God grant us all the faith to take God at His Word! Amen.
Henry Morris adds that "To attempt to stretch these days into ages of evolution would destroy the very basis of God's supremely important day of rest and commemoration. That His work of creation is not still continuing, but was completed in the six days, is not only indicated by the past tense ("God rested," rather than "is resting") but also by the fact that He "was refreshed" as He contemplated the marvelous universe He had created."
- 1 Samuel 2:8 “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, And He set the world on them.
COMMENT - Set the world on them reflects God's creation of the world. The phrase pillars of the earth figuratively describes the earth’s stability (cf. Ps 75:3; Ps 104:5). The point is that Elohim created the earth and gave it stability. God's power in creation of the earth/world explains His sovereignty over the events of life. To question His role as Creator of the heavens and earth could cause one to question His sovereign control over every event in our lives. Conversely, belief in Elohim as the Creator, would undergird the belief that He is also the sovereign Sustainer.
One is reminded of the wonderful invitation to "Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." (Ps 55:22)
Belief in the One Who can Create all things and Sustain all things allows one to confidently say like David "I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Ps 16:8)
Holman Study Bible - The argument of this verse is from the greater to the lesser; if God controls the earth’s foundational pillars, He controls the status of its citizens.
Henry Morris explains "The “pillars of the earth” is a unique term, used nowhere else in Scripture. The concept seems to be one of “firm summits,” subsurface geologic structures strong enough to maintain the general stability of the earth’s surface. This is the first occurrence in the Bible of the word for “world” (Hebrew tebel), referring to the earth’s habitable lands, as created and controlled by God."
- 2 Kings 19:15-16 Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim (Ge 3:24+), You are the God, You Alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made Heaven and Earth. 16 “Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God....19 “Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”
COMMENT - In his weakness King Hezekiah came boldly to cry out to the LORD, acknowledging His sovereign power, in particular recalling the truth that He made Heaven and Earth. Can you see how belief in Yahweh's power as the Creator of the Universe gives us assurance that we can, in our weakness, bring anything to Him and that He has the same power to come to our aid? Jehovah's power did not evolve but was manifest fully in a moment, spread out over 6 days of creative power. Have you ever acknowledged God as the Creator of Heaven and Earth as you supplicate before Him? Hezekiah gives us a good practice to imitate! It is notable that this passage records that Hezekiah went to the Temple and prayed, the first king of Judah to do so in about 250 years, since the time of Solomon!
The God who made the firmament,
Who made the deepest sea,
The God who put the stars in place
Is the God who cares for me.
-BergHenry Morris - Despite the insulting blasphemies of Rabshakeh, insinuating that Jehovah was only one "god" among the many "gods" of the heathen, Hezekiah realized that He is the very Creator of the universe.
John Butler - Hezekiah recognized God as the Creator. (ED: NOT THE "EVOLER!") Many so-called intellects do not recognize this fact (ED: AND SADLY MANY SO-CALLED EVANGELICALS DO NO BELIEVE GOD CREATED BY DIVINE FIAT BUT BY SOME OTHER MEANS!). But that does not change the fact. It only makes a fool of those who refuse to believe God created the world (Ro 1:22). It is absurd to devise any other creed for creation than the one Hezekiah embraced. But schools continue to teach evolution and other like creeds and they do so because they reject God. However if you want God to help you in a crisis, you need to honor Him as the Creator of the Universe.
- 1 Chronicles 16:25-26 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols (elil = worthless, vain, no value, naught), But the LORD made the heavens.
COMMENT - See note on Ps 96:5. Note the striking contrast -- Idols versus Yahweh. And what distinguishes them in this passage? Creation by the living God, not by dead gods, the Hebrew word elil describes "Idols as nothings!" And so here the writer states clearly that Creation sets God apart from pagan idols! Take your choice, but don't say that failure to believe in a literal creation has no effect on how you relate to God. Notice that verse 26 begins with "for" explaining why God is great, greatly to be praised and greatly to be feared! Why? Because "the LORD made the heavens" If we have a weak "evolution tainted" view of God's creation of the universe, we will naturally have less reason to fear Him and praise Him (cf Ps 96:4). It follows that how one interprets Genesis 1-2 will impact how one worships Elohim. Evolution implies God just needed a "little help" to get this universe rolling! Wrong! God made it "ready for use," "fully assembled" with "no assembly necessary" (as many of our products today state)! Albert Mohler quipped that "The Universe looks old because the Creator made it whole!" (Source)
All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing Alleluia, Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam:
O praise Him, O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
--Francis of AssisiHenry Morris says "The God of the Bible is not merely one among many gods who are worshipped by pagans as the host of heaven. The one true God--the God of creation--made these heavens and all their hosts, including the idol "gods," the fallen angels (Psalm 96:5)
Ken Hemphill - Have you ever wondered why the Bible talks so often about the creation of the heavens and the earth? Creation is not a minor doctrine confined to the first few chapters of Genesis. It is a bedrock truth. God is King of all the earth and its people groups because he is their Creator. He desires to be their Redeemer, and therefore He calls people to Himself to become the means by which He is declared among all peoples. (But God Kingdom Promises)
Gotquestions.org adds an interesting note that the authoritative Scripture "speaks against those who would serve idols instead of the one true God (1 Chronicles 16:26)—which liberal Christianity does in that it creates a false god according to its own liking rather than worshiping God" Who is "the LORD made the heavens."
- 2 Chronicles 2:12 Then Huram (Huram / Hiram - a pagan king) continued, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, Who has made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the LORD and a royal palace for himself.
Who has made heaven and earth - This declaration by the King of Tyre does not mean that Hiram/Huram was "believer" in Yahweh. for "this was the common identification of the true God when pagans spoke of or were told of Him (cf. 2Ch 36:23; Ezra 1:2; 5:11, 12; 6:10; 7:12, 21, 23; Jer 10:11, 12; Ac 4:24; 14:15; 17:24–26; Col 1:16, 17)." (The Macarthur Study Bible) It is sad to think that some pagans had a higher view of God as Creator than some who claim to be believers in God!
- Nehemiah 9:5-6 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and ever! O may Your glorious Name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise! 6 “You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host (Angelic Creation) bows down before You.
COMMENT - Notice the importance the Levites attach to the fact that Yahweh is the Creator. "The prayer begins with an acknowledgment of the Lord’s incomparability. Only Yahweh is the true God of creation Who preserves everything and receives the worship of heavenly beings. While several biblical psalms allude to creation (Ps. 8; 19; 95; 104), only in Ps. 136 does the theme of creation begin the psalm, as it does here." (Holman Study Bible)
Henry Morris - This is one of the great affirmations of faith in Scripture, recognizing publicly that the God of Israel was, first of all, the Creator of the entire cosmos and everything in it...Not only is God the Creator of all things, but also their Sustainer (compare Colossians 1:16–17; Hebrews 1:2–3). This principle of universal conservation of the created universe is recognized scientifically in the most basic of all scientific laws, the Law of Conservation of Mass and Energy.
THOUGHT - What effect would it have on our faith in our day to day life struggles with the world, the flesh (sin) and the devil, if we began our days acknowledging God as the Creator and Sustainer of all? (This question is rhetorical of course).
- Job 26:7 “He stretches out the north over empty space And hangs the earth on nothing.
Henry Morris - empty place. The “empty place” (Hebrew tohu) probably refers to the just-created earth, which was initially “without form” (Genesis 1:2: same word, tohu). As the earth received its spherical form in response to the gravitational force systems activated when the Spirit “moved” in the presence of the primeval waters, then the north direction was defined when the earth began rotating about its axis. The north was surely “stretched out,” without limit, far into the infinite heavens. Earth on nothing. Not only was the earth rotating, but it also began orbiting in space, suspended from the sun by “nothing” except the mysterious force of gravity acting at a distance. This verse was written at least 3500 years before Isaac Newton identified and described this force.
Rod Mattoon - Ancient Greeks believed that Atlas, their mythical god, held the earth upon his shoulders. The Hindu's thought the earth rested upon the back of two elephants with tails tied together and heads facing outward. God told Job in 2250 B.C. that the earth hangs upon nothing. It wasn't until 1543 A.D. that Copernicus made the statement that the earth hung in space and that it was round.
Adrian Rogers - Ancient cultures did not always know that the Earth was suspended in space. The ancient Egyptians believed it was supported by pillars. The ancient Greeks thought it was carried by Atlas. The Hindus held that it was resting on the backs of gigantic elephants, who were standing on a tortoise, who was standing on a coiled serpent swimming in a cosmic sea. So how did Job—whose book that bears his name is perhaps the oldest piece of literature known to man —understand that the Earth is hanging "on nothing"? He could only have known through divine inspiration.
Belief in Elohim as Creator can stabilize your faith - Vance Havner writes:
Nothing before, nothing behind,
The steps of faith
Fall on the seeming void
And find the rock beneath.Havner continues "How often have we seemed to "step out on nothing," to find underneath the Everlasting Arms. Well, God hangs the earth on nothing (Job 26:7), and surely He will sustain us on what seems a void."The Rock beneath" is Christ, "whom having not seen" we love, and in whom, though now we see Him not, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. We cannot see Him now, and yet by faith we do see Jesus (Heb. 2:9). What seems a void is oft the darkness that veils His lovely face, but faith rests on His unchanging grace."
- Job 26:13 “By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.
- Job 38:4-7 “Where were you when I laid the foundation (yasad) of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5 Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? 6 “On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
COMMENT - God' is questioning Job to show Job his ignorance on one hand and the wondrous aspects of God's creation on the other. Where were you was rhetorical! Job was not present when God created the earth. This is a good reminder (?rebuke) to all who seek to find some explanation for creation, other than the truth that God was present at the beginning and laid the foundation of the earth. Beloved follower of Christ who is being enticed by the mental machinations of the Darwinian, atheistic scientists, you do not need to listen to the vain speculations of world-famous (generally godless) thinkers to find answers to the question of Creation. You simply need to humbly and reverently read the Word of God, which describes His act of creation from Genesis to Revelation (which is the goal of this page to demonstrate). There and there alone you will find rest for your mind and peace for your soul. He Who is the Creator is also the Sustainer, and if He has that degree of power over the universe, you can be assured He has sufficient power to come to the aide of those who cry out to Him for help.
"A group of distinguished scientists and theologians gathered in Washington, DC, to participate in the Cosmic Questions Conference (see example). They discussed issues such as these: “Is there a God?” and “Can we believe that there is purpose and design in the universe?” Some of the participants answered those questions emphatically, “No!” No God, no design, no purpose. But others, like John Polkinghorne, a British scholar and former president of Queens College at Cambridge, held staunchly to the opposite opinion. A noted physicist, Polkinghorne argued that the answers lie “beyond physics.” Without the Bible, scientists are baffled. They can guess and they can speak dogmatically, but they have no authoritative answers to the cosmic questions. The Bible alone tells us where everything came from, why everything exists, and what lies ahead. As Job learned, it was God who “laid the foundations of the earth” (Job 38:4)." (from Our Daily Bread Devotional)
Henry Morris - This first question is a rebuke to those who try to explain origins by present processes—that is, by uniformitarianism (note also 2 Peter 3:3–6). The creation of the entire universe had been completed in all perfection by God Himself, by processes no longer in operation (Genesis 2:1–4). Ever since Nimrod, however, men have tried to explain origins by innate evolutionary processes, and this is impossible as well as blasphemous.
- Psalm 8:3-9 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him (CREATED. NOT EVOLVED!) a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your Name in all the earth!
When we reflect on the power of God’s creation,
we see the power of His care for us.COMMENT - David believed in the creation by the Creator and His creation of man!
Creator of the universe
Who reigns in awesome majesty:
How can it be You love and care
For such a one as me?
-
Psalm 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. (ALL CREATION IS GOD'S HANDIWORK!)
Spurgeon's comment - The heavens declare the glory of God. The book of nature has three leaves, heaven, earth, and sea, of which heaven is the first and the most glorious, and by its aid we are able to see the beauties of the other two. Any book without its first page would be sadly imperfect, and especially the great Natural Bible, since its first pages, the sun, moon, and stars, supply light to the rest of the volume, and are thus the keys, without which the writing which follows would be dark and undiscerned. Man walking erect was evidently made to scan the skies, and he who begins to read creation by studying the stars begins the book at the right place.
The heavens are plural for their variety, comprising the watery heavens with their clouds of countless forms, the aerial heavens with their calms and tempests, the solar heavens with all the glories of the day, and the starry heavens with all the marvels of the night; what the Heaven of heavens must be hath not entered into the heart of man, but there in chief all things are telling the glory of God. Any part of creation has more instruction in it than human mind will ever exhaust, but the celestial realm is peculiarly rich in spiritual lore. The heavens declare, or are declaring, for the continuance of their testimony is intended by the participles employed; every moment God''s existence, power, wisdom and goodness, are being sounded abroad by the heavenly heralds which shine upon us from above. He who would guess at divine sublimity should gaze upward into the starry vault; he who would imagine infinity must peer into the boundless expanse; he who desires to see divine wisdom should consider the balancing of the orbs; he who would know divine fidelity must mark the regularity of the planetary motions; and he who would attain some conceptions of divine power, greatness, and majesty, must estimate the forces of attraction, the magnitude of the fixed stars, and the brightness of the whole celestial train. It is not merely glory that the heavens declare, but the "glory of God, "for they deliver to us such unanswerable arguments for a conscious, intelligent, planning, controlling, and presiding Creator, that no unprejudiced person can remain unconvinced by them. The testimony given by the heavens is no mere hint, but a plain, unmistakable declaration; and it is a declaration of the most constant and abiding kind. Yet for all this, to what avail is the loudest declaration to a deaf man, or the clearest showing to one spiritually blind? God the Holy Ghost must illuminate us, or all the suns in the milky way never will.
The firmament sheweth his handywork; not handy in the vulgar use of that term, but hand work. The expanse is full of the works of the Lord''s skilful, creating hands; hands being attributed to the great creating Spirit to set forth his care and workmanlike action, and to meet the poor comprehension of mortals. It is humbling to find that even when the most devout and elevated minds are desirous to express their loftiest thoughts of God, they must use words and metaphors drawn from the earth. We are children, and must each confess, "I think as a child, I speak as a child." In the expanse above us God flies, as it were, his starry flag to show that the King is at home, and hangs out his escutcheon that atheists may see how he despises their denunciations of him. He who looks up to the firmament and then writes himself down an atheist, brands himself at the same moment as an idiot or a liar. Strange is it that some who love God are yet afraid to study the God declaring book of nature; the mock spirituality of some believers, who are too heavenly to consider the heavens, has given colour to the vaunts of infidels that nature contradicts revelation. The wisest of men are those who with pious eagerness trace the goings forth of Jehovah as well in creation as in grace; only the foolish have any fears lest the honest study of the one should injure our faith in the other. Dr. Macosh has well said, "We have often mourned over the attempts made to set the works of God against the Word of God, and thereby excite, propagate, and perpetuate jealousies fitted to separate parties that ought to live in closest union. In particular, we have always regretted that endeavours should have been made to depreciate nature with a view of exalting revelation; it has always appeared to us to be nothing else than the degrading of one part of God''s work in the hope thereby of exalting and recommending another. Let not science and religion be reckoned as opposing citadels, frowning defiance upon each other, and their troops brandishing their armour in hostile attitude. They have too many common foes, if they would but think of it, in ignorance and prejudice, in passion and vice, under all their forms, to admit of their lawfully wasting their strength in a useless warfare with each other. Science has a foundation, and so has religion; let them unite their foundations, and the basis will be broader, and they will be two compartments of one great fabric reared to the glory of God. Let one be the outer and the other the inner court. In the one, let all look, and admire and adore; and in the other, let those who have faith kneel, and pray, and praise. Let the one be the sanctuary where human learning may present its richest incense as an offering to God, and the other the holiest of all, separated from it by a veil now rent in twain, and in which, on a blood sprinkled mercyseat, we pour out the love of a reconciled heart, and hear the oracles of the living God."
- Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world (tevel - inhabited world), and those who dwell in it. 2 For (EXPLAINS WHY HE OWNS IT ALL) He has founded (yasad) it upon the seas And established (Heb - kun - made it firm) it upon the rivers.
COMMENT - One consequence or implication of God creating everything is that He is in essence the Owner of everything (Dt 10:14, Ps 50:12, Ps 89:11). "Paul quotes Ps. 24:1 in 1 Cor. 10:26 to explain that since God owns everything, foods are included, and thus may be enjoyed without qualms." (ESV Study Bible)
Spurgeon - Providence and Creation are the two legal seals upon the title-deeds of the great Owner of all things. He who built the house and bears up its foundation has surely a first claim upon it.
George MacDonald wrote, “If the world is God’s (Ps 24:1), every true man and woman ought to feel at home in it. Something is wrong if the calm of the summer night does not sink into the heart, for it embodies the peace of God. Something is wrong in the man to whom the sunrise is not a divine glory, for therein is embodied the truth, the simplicity, and the might of the Maker.”
- Psalm 33:6-9 (NOTE CAREFULLY THAT GOD SPOKE CREATION INTO EXISTENCE) By the WORD OF THE LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host (COULD GOD HAVE STATED IT MORE CLEARLY?). 7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He SPOKE, and it was done; He COMMANDED, and it stood fast.
COMMENT- Beloved, do you see any hint of evolution in the preceding passage? Look at the repeated words - word... breath... spoke... commanded. How did God create? By evolution or simply by speaking? (cf Heb 11:3+) Let the Word of Truth speak for itself. As Henry Morris affirms "Psalm 33:6-9 emphasizes the instantaneous creative acts of God in the beginning."
Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him Sir John Frederick Herschel, an English astronomer who discovered over 500 stars, stated: “All human discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirming more and more strongly the truths that come from on high and are contained in the Sacred Writings.” His father, Sir William Herschel, also a renowned astronomer, insisted, “The undevout astronomer must be mad.”
- Psalm 74:17 You have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.
- Psalm 78:69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has founded (yasad), forever.
- Psalm 89:11,12 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.
- Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
Take a moment and worship Elohim as your Creator (cf Jer 1:5) singing Isaac Watts' beautiful hymn to Him....
I Sing the Mighty Power of God"...
I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures with the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that man can be, Thou, God, art present there.
Amen! - Psalm 95:5 The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land.
- Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.
COMMENT - See Notes above on 1 Chr 16:26
Spurgeon - The reality of His Godhead is proved by His works, and foremost among these the Psalmist mentions that matchless piece of architecture which casts its arch over every man’s head, whose lamps are the light of all mankind, whose rains and dew fall upon the fields of every people, and whence the Lord in voice of thunder is heard speaking to every creature. The idol gods have no existence, but our God is the Author of all existences; they are mere earthly vanities, while He is not only heavenly, but made the heavens. This is mentioned as an argument for Jehovah’s universal praise. Who can be worshipped but He? Since none can rival Him, let Him be adored alone.
- Psalm 102:25 “Of old (Lxx = arche) You founded (yasad) the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
COMMENT - Think about the statement that the heavens are the work of Your hands. They are God's handiwork in a moment of time, not the production of eons and eons! Note that old in the Septuagint is arche and careful study of some of the uses of arche in the New Testament further undergirds and substantiates the truth that in Genesis 1:1 God created at a point in eternity (because there was not yet time). For example, note the use of arche by the apostle John in the "beginning" (pun intended) of his Gospel...
"In the beginning (arche) was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (go to Jn 1:14+). He was in the beginning (arche) with God. 3 All things (HOW MANY) came into being (this Greek verb ginomai give absolutely no support to the lie of evolution, the aorist tense indicating Jesus' creative work occurred in the past at a point in time!) through Him (JESUS WAS CREATOR), and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." (John 1:1-3+; See note below).
- Psalm 104:5 He established the earth upon its foundations (yasad), So that it will not totter forever and ever.
- Psalm 104:8 The mountains rose; the valleys sank down To the place which You established (yasad) for them.
- Psalm 104:24; 30 O LORD, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. 30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.
- Psalm 115:15 May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.
- Psalm 119:90-91 Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. 91 They stand this day according to Your ordinances, For all things are Your servants.
- Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
- Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
- Psalm 134:3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.
COMMENT - The psalmist bases his prayer for blessing from the LORD on the truth that He is the Creator of everything! Thus He (and He Alone) is able to bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3+, WHICH HE CREATED) in Christ (THE CREATOR!).
- Psalm 136:5 To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
- Psalm 146:6 Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;
- Psalm 148:1-6 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! 2 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! 4 Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created. 6 He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away.
COMMENT - Commanded picks up on the repeated phrase: "Then God said" in Genesis 1 (Ge 1:3, 6 , 8, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29). Note that in the Septuagint the Greek verbs for commanded (entellomai) and created (ktizo) are both in the aorist tense indicating a definite event occurring at a point of time in the past! This negates beliefs such as progressive creationism and theistic evolution.. God spoke the Word and the act of creation took place with no suggestion of a delay and certainly no suggestion of evolution! The truth of verse 5 is affirmed by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 11:3+. It is not simply that Elohim created; it is the fact that He required no intermediary means to create. What God’s mind conceived, God simply spoke into existence. God’s power in the Genesis 1 record of creation is total and absolute. When we accept Elohim as the all powerful Creator of everything (needing no help from anyone including evolution, etc), it will stir in a spirit of praise in our hearts and put a joyful song on our lips (and a tap in our feet!) Play this Maranatha Singers song based on Psalm 148 and worship (and see if you can keep from tapping your foot!)
- Proverbs 3:19; 22-30 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. 23 Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.
- Proverbs 8:24-27 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. 25 “Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth; 26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world. “When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
COMMENT - Established in Hebrew (kun) means to make firm or to prepare and in context means God created the Heavens. The Lxx translates kun with the verb hetoimazo which means to cause something to be ready or to put in readiness. The point is that the Heavens were "ready made" so to speak. They did not not need any help from evolution!
Henry Morris - There is an important reference to the initial formless condition of this watery suspension in Proverbs 8:24, 27: “When there were no depths [same word as ‘deep’], I was brought forth.… when he set a compass upon the face of the depth [or ‘deep’].” This section of Proverbs 8 is a remarkable summary of the work of the Second Person of the Godhead on each of the first three days of creation. It was He who existed before there was an “earth” or a “deep” (Proverbs 8:23, 24), and it was He who “set a compass upon the face of the depth [deep]” (Proverbs 8:27). The word “compass” is the Hebrew chug, which also occurs in Isaiah 40:22 (“… He sitteth upon the circle of the earth …”) and Job 22:14 (“… He walketh in the circuit of heaven …”). It is thus a striking reference to the earth’s sphericity, especially referring to the shape of the ocean, the spherical form of whose surface is everywhere the standard of measurement in the vertical—that is, from sea level.
- Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;
- Isaiah 37:16 “O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
- Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.
COMMENT - Notice what Isaiah tells us to do -- lift up and look at the Creation. The omnipotent God Who holds the stars in space holds His frail people in His loving hands. What will that do to you faith, if you look up and see His supernatural creation and ponder His supernatural power, power which is available to you to enable you to life a supernatural life.
- Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.
- Isaiah 42:5 Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it,
- Isaiah 44:24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, “I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens by Myself And spreading out the earth all alone,
- Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), “I am the LORD, and there is none else.
COMMENT - Note the parenthetical statement by the inspired prophet! It's as if he knows some will be skeptical and others will doubt His power to create the heavens, so he makes it very clear in his explanation and here even gives one of the purposes for God's creating it (that it might be inhabited). Notice also He did not create it a waste place! This demolishes and obliterates the foolish notion of evolutionary drivel that life forms came forth from some barren waste place of lifelessness, some postulated "primordial soup." As Paul says "Professing to be wise, they became fools!" (Ro 1:22+) Don't be foolish. Believe in the literal 6 day Creation by Elohim!
- Isaiah 48:13 “Surely My hand founded (yasad) the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together.
COMMENT - This passage surely begs the question "Who are you O man (scientist, evolutionist, theistic evolutionist, etc) to question the fact that Elohim created the earth and the heavens?" And how did He accomplish this miracle of creation? He called to them (cf Heb 11:3+)! Believe Him beloved!
- Isaiah 51:13; 16 That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations (yasad) of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor? 16 “I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found (yasad) the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’” |
- Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
- Jeremiah 10:11-12 Thus you shall say to them, “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.” 12 It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.
COMMENT - It is notable that verse 11 is the only verse in the entire book of Jeremiah that is in Aramaic instead of Hebrew. God obviously wants the pagan nations to hear His indictment against idolatry. Wikipedia states that "Over three thousand years,[2] Aramaic served as a language of public life and administration of ancient kingdoms and empires and also as a language of divine worship and religious study (ED: aka the Lingua Franca)." In reality one could substitute the words "evolutionary theory" for "gods" in verse 11! So why is a literal interpretation of the Creation important from this verse? Divine Creation simply, but profoundly substantiates that He Alone is God, and thus He Alone is worthy of worship. If we "tamper" with the fact that God literally spoke and created, we sully His omnipotence (He who made the earth by His power) and His wisdom (Who established the world by His wisdom) and His understanding!
- Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,
COMMENT - From this passage can you see why belief in a God Who could create everything six literal days is important? This verse says if God could make the universe, which He did, He can do anything! So a belief in creation exalts and proclaims God's omnipotence which has practical importance for our daily lives. If He could simply call into existence the infinite expanse of the heaven and the infinite complexity of the earth, then beloved, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING "too difficult" for Him to accomplish in your life (Genesis 18:14; Luke 1:37). Do you see how questioning His literal creative power adds a hint of doubt about His ability to intervene powerfully in our life? And what about His power to save a soul that is dead in trespasses and sins? Spurgeon addresses this latter point in his sermon entitle "Creation- An Argument for Faith" based on Jeremiah 32:17 (Audio also available - if you are a believer being attracted by evolution tainted explanations of creation, this might be a great sermon to listen to.). Abraham was looking at his barren wife and the LORD (Ge 18:13) asked him a question "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?" (Ge 18:14) Let Jeremiah answer that question, and do so with full assurance that if God could create out of NOTHING, then NOTHING is too difficult for Him! This is what belief in God's creation of everything out of nothing (ex nihilo) in Genesis 1:1-31 will do to your faith!
The corollary application is that if your faith is WEAK, then take a WEEK and meditate on the "Creation Passages" on this page (avoid my notes and allow the Spirit to teach you, and then you can take a look at the notes. First, look at the inspired Word of Truth!)
Spurgeon - Remember, in the first place, that the world was created from nothing. You have often said, “Mine is a very hard task, for I address myself to men in whom I see nothing hopeful. I batter against a granite conscience, but it is not moved; I thunder forth the law, but the dead and callous heart has not been stirred; I talk of the love of Christ, but the eye is not suffused with tears; I point to hell, but no terror follows; and to heaven, but no holy desire is kindled! there is nothing in man that encourages me in my work, and I am ready to give it over.” Brother, come thou back with me to the world’s creation. Of what did God make the world? Was there any substance ready to his hand out of which to mould this round globe? What saith the Scripture? Did he not make it of nothing? Thou hast never yet grasped the idea of nothing. The eye cannot see it; it might peer into space, but space itself is something. We look up, and yonder is the blue ether, though we know not what it is; but the eye could not look on nothing; it would be blinded. Nothing is a thing which the senses cannot grasp, and yet it is out of this awful nothing that God made the sun, and moon, and stars, and all things that be. Had he spoken before creation, there would have been no voice to answer him; had he cried, there would have been no echo to repeat his voice. Nought was there anywhere, and yet he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast! The case of the sinner is a parallel one. You say there is nothing in the sinner. Ay, then, there is room here for a recreating work. Inasmuch as that heart is now empty and void, there is space for the Eternal God to come, and with his outstretched arm to create a new heart and a right spirit, and put his grace where there was none before. If you had to convert the sinner, then, indeed, your task were as hopeless as to create new orbs out of nothing; but, inasmuch as it is not you but your God who worketh all things, you may console yourselves with this thought, that he who hath created all this marvellous earth, and had nothing to begin with, can give life, and fear, and hope, and faith, and love, where there were no heavenly ingredients upon which he might work. Take that, then, for your joy.
Play (and sing) the catchy Jeremiah 32:17 based chorus "Nothing is to difficult for Thee" and then live in light of the truth of His great creative power! Absolutely nothing is too difficult for the same God Who created the Heavens and the Earth in Genesis 1!
Henry Blackaby - Exactly how powerful is the God we serve, anyway? We talk about his power. We hear about his power. We even sing about his power. Jeremiah 32:17 has been made into a chorus and sung in churches all over North America. But do we really experience his power? Jeremiah needed a miracle. He was in prison for confronting the king of Judah with a word from God, just as God had told him to do. Everyone was angry with Jeremiah. From the heads of state down to the peasants, everyone in Judah hated him and mocked him for saying unpopular things. But that’s exactly what God had told him to do! As Jeremiah was praying, he looked at the sky and contemplated how powerful God must be to have created the heavens and the earth. Then he reviewed in his mind all the miracles God had done through the ages. Jeremiah had heard about the mighty miracles in the history of God’s people, but now he needed to see one for himself. He needed to experience God’s power. God was faithful to Jeremiah. Not only was Jeremiah freed from captivity, but everything God had predicted occurred exactly as he said they would. Don’t settle for mere talk about God’s power—or books and songs about his power. Ask him to show you for yourself. If God has given you a task that looks impossible, do it anyway; then you can experience his power accomplishing his will through your life. Don’t consider your own inadequacy. That’s irrelevant. (ED: BUT IS A GOOD TEMPLATE ON WHICH GOD CAN THEN WORK - cf 2Cor 12:9-10). Remember, nothing is impossible for God! (The Experience: Day by Day with God)
Henry Morris - God, being omnipotent, simply called into existence the infinite expanse of the heaven and the infinite complexity of the earth. There is nothing too hard (same word as “wonderful”) for Him to accomplish (Genesis 18:14; Luke 1:37). The concept of instantaneous, perfect creation by Almighty God is far more reasonable than that of a billion-year trial-and-error naturalistic evolutionary growth from primeval chaos to the complex cosmos and its inhabitants.
- Jeremiah 51:15 It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom, And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.
- Zechariah 12:1+ The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD Who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation (yasad) of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him,
COMMENT - Keep in mind that Zechariah chapters 12-14 is a "unit" of an eschatological promise(s) that will be fulfilled when Messiah returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom. That said, it is most notable that Zechariah begins this incredible description of prophecy by emphasizing that Yahweh is the Creator of the Heaven, the Earth and Mankind. He has the power to redeem His chosen people from several millennia of disobedience and to save the remnant who place their faith in Him (cf Zech 12:10+, Zech 13:1, 8+, Ro 11:26+). Only One Who could create everything out of nothing could create a believing nation of Israel out of unbelief! He Alone is God!
- Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.
- John 1:3NET All things were created by Him (CHRIST), and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.
COMMENT - The verb ginomai (came into being - NAS) describes that which comes into existence (out of nothing) or originates and is used for example of a person who is born, coming into existence (Ro 1:3). The first two uses of ginomai in John 1:3 are in the aorist tense meaning that the creative event occurred at a given point in time in time in the past and the indicative mood signifies it was a real event! The third use of ginomai is perfect tense indicating it was created at a point in time and stands created. It is notable that it is not the present tense (ongoing action) which would suggest continually come into being, and would support the theory of evolution. In short, three uses of the same verb leave absolutely no question that the Lord Jesus Christ created everything at a point in time in the past. Genesis 1 indicates His creation was spread out over 6 literal days. The tenses absolutely do not support the thought of evolution in any form, whether the Day-Age Theory or so-called theistic evolution. These both simply represent attempts by the unbelieving mind to take creation out of the hands of Elohim and put it into the hands of evolutionists. Neither of these two postulates are compatible with the verbs of creation in John 1:3. You can choose not to believe it but the truths of Scripture leave not one doubt that creation was a miracle wrought by Jesus Christ creating "everything out of nothing" with no long time periods. One has to ask why genuine believers would accept the lie of evolution, knowing that it steals from the glory of the Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ. If he could create life in Lazarus without evolution, it is absurd to belief He could not create everything at the beginning.
John Butler on John 1:3+ - Here we especially focus on Christ's relationship to the Galaxies. He is the great Creator of the Galaxies. He made it all. All things were made by Him." Our schools and colleges do not teach this blessed and sensible truth. They are so mired down in evolution, they must pass laws to prohibit teaching Divine truth. The only way error can keep going is to pass laws to prohibit the opposition from speaking the truth. But when men's unbelief becomes so belligerent, God will bring judgment. "All" includes everything (ED: "ALL" IN GREEK MEANS JUST THAT - ALL WITH NO "EXCEPTION CLAUSES" OR TO MAKE A PUN "NO EVOLUTION CLAUSES!"). Christ was not a specialist only creating a few things and then evolution took over. He created "ALL" things...The word translated "MADE" means to bring into existence. Matter is not eternal. It is created substance. Job speaks of God stretching the north over an empty space and hanging the earth on nothing. (Job 26:7). God can do that. Evolution cannot..."ALL" does not leave room for evolution of any kind. If God did not make it, it does not exist. The world hates this dogmatic declaration, but they want to be so dogmatic that nothing but evolution is permitted in the classroom. However, nothing but the creation by Jesus Christ is seen in the Bible. We much prefer the Bible to our educational classrooms who reject good logic in creation. (Sermon Starters)
- Acts 4:24; 14 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM, (4:14) And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.
- Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
- Romans 1:19; 20 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
COMMENT - Note that in natural revelation (creation) we can know the power of God by observing His creation, but we cannot know His love. For this we need the Bible.
Henry Morris on since the creation - Since these things should have been seen and understood by men from the very time of the creation of the world, it is clear that the latter did not take place billions of years before men appeared on earth, as evolutionists and progressive creationists have alleged. Men and women have been in the world ever since its very beginning, and all should have recognized the reality of God, even before God gave His written revelation. Those who apply uniformitarian reasoning and natural processes to deduce a multi-billion year age for the world are merely seeking a means to avoid the overwhelming evidence of the special creation of all things in the beginning, and are “without excuse.”
- Romans 4:17+ (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, Who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
COMMENT - Paul's allusion to creation in this passage underscores how important the doctrine of creation is to one's faith. The ESV Study Bible note says "Calls into existence the things that do not exist underscores the doctrine of creation ex nihilo or “out of nothing.” Before God created the universe (Ge 1:1+), only God existed, nothing else. Paul uses this general truth to affirm the great power of the God Whom Abraham trusted: Abraham believed in a God Who could raise the dead and summon into existence what did not exist (e.g., new life in Sarah’s womb)."
Meditate on this passage in Romans 4:17 for a moment if you are still wrestling with evolutionary theories - Paul is equating the birth of Isaac with the creation of everything, for both required a miraculous act of God. This passage indicates that Abraham believed in a literal miraculous creation by God which buoyed his faith to believe that God could also miraculously give barren Sarah a child of promise. In a word, creation (sans evolution) was important to Abraham! How ludicrous would it be to say that "Isaac" evolved? No he was conceived in a moment just as was the birth of the universe (Ge 1:1+, Heb 11:3+)! Notice also that Paul places the miracle of Creation on the same plane as the miracle of the resurrection from the dead! It follows that this Ro 4:17 passage should clearly show the primary importance of the Creation in the mind and heart of God. It follows that belief in Creation ex nihilo should not be a secondary doctrine for believers but a central tenet of our faith. Is it any wonder that the enemy has worked so diligently and deceptively over the last 200 years to make a case for the role of evolution in Genesis 1? He knows that this is an doctrine, if demolished, will weaken one's faith in God as the Creator. A weakened faith can lead to a less obedient walk, and thus less glory for God (cf Mt 5:16+).
- Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
- 2 Corinthians 4:6 (see in depth commentary) For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
COMMENT - Paul says "is the One who has shone in our hearts” is the same God of creation who turned on the light physically and here turns on the light spiritually. Redemption is as much a divine operation as was creation and it’s as much a creative operation. Spiritual darkness covers the minds of men until God shines in their hearts. John MacArthur explains the point Paul is "making is creation and redemption are each works of God. God commanded the light to shine out of darkness at the creation. And the light which shined in a creative way has now begun to shine in a redemptive way. The light of creation has become the light of salvation. The light placed in the heavens has now become a light placed in the heart. The light which was material has become moral. The physical light of the sun, s-u-n, has become the spiritual light of the Son, s-o-n. The universal light has become the personal light. A sovereign God shines the gospel light into the human heart when the truth is preached and God designs to save....What is the light? It is to know who Christ is, that He is God incarnate, that He is the clearest revelation of God. He is the illumination of the truth about God revealed in Christ.
- Ephesians 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God Who created all things;
Henry Morris - Genuine spiritual fellowship thus should be enjoyed by all to whom has now been revealed the great truth of creation--that God has always had a wonderful creative purpose for all His people, whether Jew or Gentile.
Bible Knowledge Commentary - This secret had been hidden in God (cf. Eph 3:5), the Creator of the universe. Even before creating all things God had in mind this wonderful truth as part of His eternal plan (cf. Eph 1:4, 11).
- Colossians 1:16; 17 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
John Walvoord - Christ As The Creator - The doctrine of creation ex nihilo as the free act of God has been the generally accepted doctrine of the historic Christian church. It is opposed on the one hand to ancient theories of the eternity of matter and the theory that matter emanated from God and is of His substance. It is also opposed to modern theories of evolution as the means or process of creation. If philosophy cannot deal, in the last analysis, with ultimates, as is commonly admitted, then it cannot solve this problem of the truth or error of the doctrine of creation. It is a doctrine which can be made known only by a revelation of the Creator Himself. Concerning creation, the Scriptures give an adequate testimony for all who are prepared to receive it. From Genesis 1 to the book of Revelation, the universe is presented in the Bible as that which God created.
Creation is commonly considered a work of the Father rather than of the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures, however, in the work of creation attribute it to all three Persons of the Trinity. The use of Elohim and Jehovah for the triune God gives clear intimation of this even in the Old Testament. It is the Elohim who creates in Genesis 1, and already in Genesis 1:2 the Spirit of God is acting creatively. The Holy Spirit is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament as the Creator (Job 26:13; 33:4; Ps. 104:30; Isa. 40:12–13). The Father is also mentioned specifically in the New Testament (1 Cor. 8:6). It is therefore to be expected that a similar revelation will be given concerning the Son of God. (ED: SEE "TRINITY IN CREATION").
The Son of God is revealed to be the eternal Word of God of whom it is said: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). In 1 Corinthians 8:6 similar revelation is given: “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” The doctrine is given its fullest statement in Colossians 1:15–17RSV: “He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
Many attempts have been made to explain these citations as teaching something less than that the Son of God is the Creator. All such attempts fail before the plain intent of these passages. It can be seen at once that the name of no man or angel could be inserted in these descriptions without blasphemy. The work revealed is the work of God. There is no excuse either for Unitarian interpretations which make Christ merely a manifestation of God. The passages at once distinguish the Son of God from the other Persons of the Trinity and at the same time link the work of creation to all of Them. It may be that we can concede with Berkhof that there is a distinction in the form of Their work: “All things are at once out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. In general it may be said that being is out of the Father, thought or idea out of the Son, and life out of the Holy Spirit.” The Scripture does seem to make distinctions which are in keeping with the order of the Trinity, but even the distinctions do not carry through in all passages. Life is said to be in Christ (John 1:4), which seems to be the function of the Holy Spirit. Again it is said of Christ that all things are “in him” (Col. 1:16, RSV), which is ordinarily said of the Spirit. Again, “in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17, RSV). These distinctions do not divide the work of creation or make Christ or the Spirit mere agents. In all the work of creation there are manifest the power and activity of the triune God.
The significance of the work of creation as ascribed to Christ is that it reveals His eternity, power, wisdom and omnipresence. As the Creator He is specifically “before all things” (Col. 1:17), and therefore eternal. The nature of creation reveals His power, wisdom and presence in creation. The telescopic wonder of the heavens as well as the microscopic wonders of the world too small for human eyes to see combine in their witness to His power. It is such a God who became the Saviour (Jesus Christ Our Lord)
- Hebrews 1:2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
- Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
Ray Pritchard - Nothing was made by chance. Nothing “evolved” into being by a random mutation. God’s “understanding” stands behind the universe as we see it. If you leave God out, you’ve missed the fundamental truth about the universe! Since the universe as it is rests on God’s “understanding,” no one can understand the universe properly without knowing God. If you leave God out, you’ve missed the fundamental truth about the universe! In order to understand human origins and the true history of the universe, we must begin with God’s understanding as he has revealed it to us in his word. Start there and you start on firm ground. Start anywhere else and you sink into the quicksand of humanistic unbelief.
Hebrews 11:3 says "what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." In other words it was made out of "nothing." See Spurgeon's description of "nothing."
- 2 Peter 3:5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
- Revelation 3:14+ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
- Revelation 4:11+ “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
COMMENT - Note the phrase because of Your will they existed, that is continued to exist, which is a reflection of the fact that Jesus Christ "upholds (present tense = continually) all things by the word of His power." (Heb 1:3+), "and in Him all things hold together (perfect tense - they were "put together" [cf "created"] in the past and continue in that state) (Col 1:17+)
The verb created (ktizo) is used twice and both uses are in the aorist tense indicating PAST COMPLETED ACTION, which is exactly what transpired in Genesis 1! Creation was completed whole, not old! Evolution played absolutely no role in this past completed miraculous act of God.
Tony Garland adds "If there could have been any doubt about Who is seated on the throne, here it is removed. He alone is Creator, all else is creature. He alone is independent, all else is dependent upon Him. Recognition of this distinction is the foundation of all right worship, for worship of any other is directing to that which is dependent what is only for the Originator (Rev 22:8-9+). All worship directed elsewhere is idolatry. His role as Creator underwrites all worship of Him, for He alone is Creator and all else is creature and therefore, entirely dependent upon His will for continued existence (Heb. 1:3). “In Him all things consist” (Col. 1:17) “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Ro. 11:36).
Existed. The past tense emphasizes the creative act.
Were created, (ktizo) the aorist tense typically denotes past time. God finished creation and then rested (Ge 2:2-3; Ex. 20:11; 31:17). “When the NT refers to creation... it always refers to a past, completed event—an immediate work of God, not a still-occurring process of evolution.”57 Even if it were somehow possible for complex life forms to arise by chance,58 the notion is precluded by Scripture. Creation is not an ongoing process.59 (Faussett - "by Thy definite act of creation at a definite time.")
Here we need to alert the reader of the danger of allowing the chapter break between chapters 4 and 5 to destroy the flow of the text. There is an intimate connection between the words of the cherubim and elders concerning creation and the events of the next chapter where the Lamb takes the seven-sealed scroll. For here the subject is creation and there it will be redemption. Not redemption positionally which was accomplished at the cross, but experientially. Not just redemption of saved men, but of the entire created order (Ro 8:18-22) which has been subject to Satan since the fall (Mt 4:8; Luke 4:6; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2Cor. 4:4; 1Jn. 5:19; Rev. 13:1+; Rev 13:7+).
- Revelation 10:6+ and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer,
COMMENT - Tony Garland writes "Emphasis is placed upon the identity of God as Creator, for the declaration of the angel in this chapter is intimately connected with God repossessing the title to the earth (both land and sea, indeed the entire creation), which has been marred by the interposition of sin and Satan. Mention of God’s creative acts over both the earth and sea parallels his stance (Rev. 10:2+). God owns that which He has created (Ge.2:1; 1Cor. 10:26)!
- Revelation 14:6-7+ And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
COMMENT - Note that even in this final proclamation of "Good News" to the world, the truth of creation is a central doctrine, one that leaves all men without excuse for rejecting His natural revelation.
Tony Garland adds a note explaining how failure to believe in a literal Creation will radically impact the moral (immoral) behavior of those who are living in the turbulent times of the Revelation - The Creator-creature distinction is the basis for all worship (Ne. 9:6; Acts 14:14). Only the Creator is worthy of worship. Worship of all else is idolatry. . The angel declares an important truth which great portions of the Church now compromise. Although readily admitting God as Creator, their Creator God is not that of the Scriptures, but a god of their own creation. They endorse the belief that both the universe and the earth are billions of years old and that God used, and continues to use, blind processes (accidental mutation and natural selection) to bring about His creative work.42 Instead of upholding the clear Scriptural teaching of a six-day creation (Ex. 20:11), they accommodate flawed science and relegate the need for a Creator God into a smaller and smaller sphere, even embracing unscriptural ideas such as the existence of soulless pre-Humans before Adam.43 These naively contribute to the ultimate state of godlessness of the earth dwellers at the end. The blindness of the earth dwellers to the Creator in the book of Revelation can already be seen in our own times. Great effort and expenditure is underway to find life on Mars and to search the far reaches of space for signs of intelligence. All the while, here on earth, advances such as those in microbiology, bioengineering, and genetics shout “INTELLIGENCE!” Lacking a belief in a Creator, the creature naturally seeks to elevate something else in His place. Such is the pattern of idolatry which will manifest itself in the last times as worship to the image of the Beast when he is brought to life (Rev. 13:14-15‣).
Garland adds that those who hold to evolutionary explanations are "Ignoring the fact that accidents of mutation result in a net loss of information whereas evolution requires a gain in information!"
- Revelation 15:3+ And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!
COMMENT - God's great and marvelous works all men could see is clearly manifest in His creation of heaven and earth.
- Revelation 21:6+ Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
- Revelation 22:13+ “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”