And God Separated...

Before I move on to Day 2, I want to make a short (well, short is a relative word right?) note here concerning the period of time each “day” of creation may take. Scholars have long argued over the time period indicated as the evening and the morning—the first (or second, etc.) day. The idea that God’s creative days were actually 24 hour periods became popular after the publication of The Annals of the World, published in 1650. Today, most Jewish scholars and many Christian scholars believe that the physical time period is not a 24 hour solar day, but rather indeterminate time periods. The entire creation process is also referred to as a Day (singular time period) in Gen 2:4 This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, (NKJV).

Further, the time period for Adam and Eve’s death was indicated as a day (same Hebrew word) in Gen 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (NKJV). We know that the entire process of their death took a long time (much longer than one solar day). Also, it seems reasonable to me that the days of creation are not to be determined as 24 hour periods of time, considering our solar method of time telling was not established until Day 4.** Either way, God’s miraculous, creative power is the most important aspect of the creation account (not how long He chose to accomplish each step)!


Onward Christian soldier…(if you know about my musical talents you will really appreciate that you cannot hear me singing this line as I am typing!)

Gen 1:6-9 And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning--the second day. (NIV)

God called an “expanse” or atmosphere into existence in verse 6. This expanse separates two sets of waters. Have you ever thought about where all that water came from that poured out of the sky during the 40 day Flood? It is possible that our earth was encapsulated in a shroud of water vapor in our outer atmosphere. This would have created a “greenhouse” effect, moderating the climate over all the face of the earth. Further, it would have filtered out the radiation that affects our aging process. Just a thought…

As I mentioned in my last blog, I want to consider the spiritual parallels between God’s creation story and our own story of creation as Children of God. After God brings Light into our lives, He starts a process of separation in our life. He calls us to live as light and salt in the world (Mat. 5:13).  Concerning His disciples, Jesus prayed this prayer: John 17:15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Jesus asks God to keep us separate from sin and the atmosphere of the evil one. We are instructed to live in the midst of a crooked nation, but to keep our lives separate from sin, holy and consecrated to God (Phil.2:15).

Sometimes the process of purification in our lives will also create a separation from those in our atmosphere that are involved in sin. This enables us to grow stronger in our commitment to living a consecrated life. The “waters “ drawn up into the heavens also rain down into the atmosphere creating a cleansing effect. Just close your eyes and imaging the atmosphere after a spring rain when the sun comes out and shines…is there anything better, cleaner and more uplifting?   Eventually (as we are purified and strengthened by God’s Light) we will be able to bring the Light of God into the atmosphere of our family and friends that are living in the darkness.

**For in depth study on this subject check out Keil & Delizsch Commentary or The Creation Account Unsnagged by Paul Porter; copyright 2008 Xulon Press