Creation Series

August 15, 2010

CREATION

Day 1- Day and Night

Genesis 1:3-5

1.  THE FIRST OF ALL BEINGS....LIGHT!

Matthew Henry makes the statement that the first "being" God created was "light".  The first question that came to mind was, "How can 'light' be a being".  With the help of my Pastor, D. Jason McNeese, the question was quickly answered.  We find that answer in John 1:4.  Thank God for the Preacher!

God created light for "us" to see his handiwork for "the darkness and light are both alike to Him"  ( John 9:4; 3:21 )  Matthew Henry goes on to explain that though we see God's wondrous works by it, we cannot completely understand it ( Job 38:19, 24; Romans 11:33 )

The "light" helps us to be "led to, and assisted in, the believing contemplation of him who is light, infinite and eternal light" ( 1 John 1:5; James 1:17...."...Father of lights,...1 Timothy 6:16..."an inaccessible light,"... ).  When we become a new creature, Henry says, the "first thing wrought in the soul is light:"  AMEN!

2.  LIGHT MADE BY THE WORD OF GOD'S POWER.  ..."let there be light"...Genesis 1:3

"Christ is the Word,"..and "Light"....John 1:1, word; vv. 4, 5, 7, -9....light; also 9:5 ).Matthew Henry says, "opening the understanding, scattering the mists of ignorance and mistake, and giving knowledge of the glory God in the face of Christ".  2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 John 5:20

3.  HE APPROVED THE LIGHT.  Genesis 1:4a

"It was "useful and profitable";".  ( Ecc. 11:7...sweet; Prov. 15:30...rejoiceth the heart

4.  GOD DIVIDED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.  Genesis 1:4b   

They can never have true fellowship again...."or reconciled"...2 Corinthians 6:14...yet darkness has a purpose...Job 7:2

"In heaven there is perfect and perpetual light, and no darkness at all; in hell, utter darkness, and no gleam of light."  Matthew Henry speaks of the great gulf between these two places...earth...where these to interchange with one another....that's good stuff!

5.  THE LIGHT "DAY"......THE DARKNESS "NIGHT".  Genesis 1:5

God gave each it's own name.....and is the Lord of both...Psalm 74:16....Henry asks us to be "working for Him every day and rest in Him every night..."

6.  THE EVENING AND THE MORNING WERE THE FIRST DAY...Genesis 1:5c       

 

 

Digging Again the Wells

August 8, 2010

CREATION INTRODUCTION

PART 2 - GEN. 1:2 

We looked last week at the creation of heaven and earth in its "EPITOME"...this week we will look at it in its "EMBRYO":

The first matter and the first mover:

1.  "A chaos was the first matter." ( earth ), created on the 3rd day ( Gen. 1:10 ).  Also known as the "deep"...Matthew Henry comments on its destitution, its vastness, and "because the waters which were afterwards separated from the earth were now mixed with it."  Through this gradual process Henry comments that God is showing us "the method of his providence and grace."

    

     a.  "nothing in it desirable"..."without form and void".  Isa. 34:11

     b.  "shapeless,...useless"..."shadow of things to come".  Heb. 10:1; Jer. 4:23

     c.  "darkness, was upon the face of the deep."  Gen. 1:2: representation of

          "an unregenerate graceless soul:...disorder, confusion,...every evil

          work...empty of all good,...."for it is without God;"

2.  "The Spirit of God was the first mover:" ( v. 2 )

     Matthew Henry, refers to the earth and recalls the valley of dead bones and

     asks can these live again? ( Ezekiel 37:9 ); Psalm 33:6; Job 26:13

     a.  Elijah upon the dead child is looked at as a hen gathering her chicks in

          Matthew 23:37.

     b.  The Eagle stirring up its nest in Deut. 32:11.

Matthew Henry states..."That God is not only the author of all being, but the fountain of life and spring of motion."   Amen!

Lastly, Henry speaks of how this same power to create something from nothing will be the same power that brings "our vile bodies" out of the grave of and will "make them glorious bodies."  ( Job 10:22 )

GOD'S THOUGHT FOR ME:  The mother's womb...empty, void, dark, yet through the act of love is created "chaos"...void and without form, a child.  Then as the mother nurtures herself and child, 9 months later through childbirth, the waters that were once mixed in and around us are separated from us...Amen!, a new creation of God comes forth from the pouring out of "blood and water" from the womb.

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION:  This same process is seen in the redemption of the lost sinner into the redeemed family of God.  In Genesis 3 we have man fallen into sin...doomed for eternity until an act of love on the cross of Calvary...through the out-pouring of "blood and water"... John 19:34...God caused us to become a new creature in Christ...2 Cor. 5:17...that aught to make us shout and we are just in the first two verses of the entirety of God's precious and Holy Word!