Genesis 1:6-8
- Why do people believe in DARWINIAN EVOLUTION? One of the reasons is the intellectual shame that creationists are given.
- Richard Dawkins, one of the modern world-famous evolutionists, said, “It is safe to say that if someone does not believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid, or insane (or wicked, but I’d rather not consider that.)” Now, who wants to deal with that in an intellectual arena?
- Another reason is they do not want to submit to the Creator. Julian Huxley was asked why people believe in evolution and he responded, “The reason we accept Darwiniamism even without proof is because we do not want God to interfere with our sexual practices.”
- Yes, many do reject creationism and adopt evolutionary thinking because they do now want Divine Authority telling them how to live.
- On Day 2, God continues to shape the world into an inhabitable environment for the man that He will create, and He creates the ATMOSPHERE and SEPARATES or DIVIDES the waters from the earth, v.6-8:
- The Firmament is a God-Created: LIVING SPACE, v.6
A. The FIRMAMENT is a THIN SPACE:
Psalm 104:2 says God, “stretchest out the heavens like a curtain.”
Isaiah 40:22; It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
B. The FIRMAMENT is MADE by God: 1:7: “And God MADE (asah)…” (Asah is used in v.16, 25, 26, 31). The words “created” and “made” both refer to His creative power, 2:3.
Psalm 8:3; When I consider thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
Psalm 19:1 says, “The firmament showeth his handiwork.”
- The Earth’s atmosphere is composed of the following molecules: nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (1%), and then trace amounts of carbon dioxide, 0.039%, neon, helium, methane, krypton, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, xenon, ozone, iodine, carbon monoxide, and ammonia.
2. The Firmament is a God-Ordained: SEPARATING SPACE, v.6,7
- Twice we are told that the purpose of the firmament is “to divide the waters from the waters” and the firmament “divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament.”
- It is possible that the earth was a giant water vapor canopy. This is the view of Dr. John Whitcomb and Dr. Henry Morris. A vapor canopy could have:
A. It sustained life for incredible lengths of time before the flood.
B. It produced universally warm temperatures with lush vegetation filling the earth.
C. It was unleashed at the time of the flood, Genesis 7:11.
3. The Firmament is a God-Declared: GLORIFYING SPACE:
A. He has INCOMPARABLE Power: That God stretches out the heaven demonstrates His unique, unquestioned power over all the earth, Isaiah 40:22-31.
B. He has SEPARATING POWER:
C. The SEPARATING function of the firmament GLORIFIES God because God is a God of separation!
1.) The word “divide” (v.4, 6, 7) means to put a difference or to separate one thing from another to distinguish it. (Leviticus 10:10; 11:47; 20:24-26; 1 Chron.25:1). This action reminds us that God is a God of separation!
2.) Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1), but in grace Christ came to earth to die for our sins and in a sense separate us from our sins and call us back to God. The Gospel separates us from sin and this world unto God.
Romans 1:1; Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.
