CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES

THE CREATION

DAY FOUR:

Psalm 136:8-9 “The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever; 9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever.”

1 Corinthians 15:41 “There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.”

Fourth Creative Day:

Having perfected the main structural arrangements by the elimination of primal chaos; God established the four fundamental elements: light, air, water, and land. God will now move forward to permanently establish, set in place for purpose, and give order to the light created in day one.

Text:

Genesis 1:14-19 “Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”

1.  Lights.

The word light comes from the Hebrew “Or ” and the Greek “Phos ”; and denotes natural light. Here, the reference in not the original creation of the phenomenon of the matter that represents these lights, which was performed at the beginning; but to the permanent appointment of these to the place, or point of radiation for the latter mentioned purposes.

It is revealed that for the earth, this had three purposes:

I.  To divide the day and the night. To render permanent the separation and distinction effected on the first day.

II.  For signs and seasons and for days and years. These celestial lights were to serve man.

First, as a mark or sign (Hebrew “Othoth ”). Signs have purpose in warning and in instruction. Here they are marks or signs of important changes.

Second, for seasons (Hebrew “Ya'ad ” – to indicate, define, or fix). It is used of yearly returning periods (Genesis 17:21).

Third, for days and years. For the calculation of time. To indicate repetitious time for planting, navigation, etc… To record time (“Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch” Genesis 5:18).

III.  For lights in the firmament, to give light to the earth. Not to introduce light, but to serve as a new and permanent arrangement for the distribution of light.

Note: As God made the stars a permanent fixture of the night sky, there is no difference rendered between suns and planets as the source of these lights. It is given in universal form to denote that no body of heavenly light is excluded from the creation and order of God.

Deuteronomy 4:19 “And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.”

Isaiah 40:25-26 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.”

2.  Set.

On this creative day, the astronomical arrangements for the illumination of the globe and the measurement of time were permanently settled.

3.  Firmament of the Heavens.

Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”

Psalm 50:6 “Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge.”  Selah 

Psalm 89:11 “The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.”

Psalm 103:11 “For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him”

Many ask why such an expanse, why the vastness? The psalmists declare that this very expanse speaks of God's omnipotence; mentioned here as His glory, His righteousness, His possession, and His mercy!

This very similar language to that of Paul, when He described the love of Christ, which was the fullness of God, note:

Ephesians 3:17-19 “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

4.  It Was Good.

God examined and judged; investigated everything's nature, tested its properties, contemplated the use, admired the excellence in correspondence to His Divine plan, and pronounced it GOOD!

Summary: So the evening and the morning now permanently fixed were the fourth day. Another day closer to the perfect abode for the great creation of God; man!