Knowing God (Part 2)

Seeing God’s Creation

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

The Bible begins with the account of the creation of the world. Creation is the action or process of bringing something into existence. The creation account reveals that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Gen 1). Creation is the action or process of bringing something into existence. God said everything he  created was ‘very good’ (Gen 1:31).

Nothing existed until God began to create. He created the heavens and the earth… When he spoke things began to come into existence.  God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God said, “Let there be ^[an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” He called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning¹ (Gen 1:6 NASB).

God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it happened.  He called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters seas.  God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so² (Gen 1:6-9 NASB).  

God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and again it happened. God saw that it was good³ (Gen 1:14 -16 NASB). 

God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth”   God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good⁴ (Gen 1:20-25 NASB). 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen 1:26). God said everything he  created was ‘very good’ (Gen 1:31). Nothing in creation even comes close to His masterpiece (Eph 2:10). The crown of creation (Gen 1:29-31).

God wanted a family.  He created man to have a love relationship with Him and with one another. He placed them in the garden and said, “them,“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Gen 1:28). In wisdom he made everything to fill the earth with his goodness. The filling of the earth shows forth his glory as Creator. The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made! (Ps. 104:24, 31; Isa. 6:3).

He gave Adam and Eve dominion of everything he made with a warning not to eat from one particular tree knowing the impact it would have on his creation and humanity once they ate from it. Yet, the world’s misery, chaos, ignorance, wickedness, destruction and sorrow can not extinguish the true light that emanates from the Son (John 1:1-5).

God created mankind (man and woman). He positioned them in the Garden to rule using the authority he entrusted to them. Man willingly surrendered that authority to the devil. The Son of Man willingly reclaimed that authority from the devil through his atonement and resurrection. We, God’s sons and daughters, have been given a commission to “go and make disciples of all nations”(Matt 28:19).

Read Knowing God

May the grace, joy, and peace of God be yours through Jesus Christ our loving Lord. To Him be glory, now and forever.

Blessings,

Dr. Francine

Endnotes:

1. New American Standard Bible.
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Ibid

Note: All Scriptures are taken from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.