Dallas Willard has an excellent explanation of how the Word of God operates. He asks us to think about how our mind functions with a fully functional body.
All it has to do is think, and our body moves in response to a thought. For example, if I want my hand to move, my mind just thinks that it moves.
In the universe, God operates in a similar way. He thinks and speaks, and what he desires takes place. On day three, two things took place. The earth was created, and vegetation appeared.
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.
God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so.
The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the third day (Genesis 1:9-13).
As already noted, what exists takes place because God speaks it into existence by His creative word.
Another thing we should note is that His word grants a means of self-perpetuation to the plants. They are going to grow because He has designed them to grow.
The account of creation is helpful because it shows important principles to us. Here is one: nothing exists without God’s will.
Second, God involves what he creates in a partnership. The plants partner with God, and we will soon see humans partnering with God in the tilling of the garden.
Over the years, I have prepared thousands of sermons and lessons. I conducted research, studied some of the most insightful authors I could find, prayed for guidance on what to say, and delivered these messages to an audience I hoped to help.
At the same time, I noticed the power of the Holy Spirit working through me on certain occasions in ways I could never achieve on my own. I did my part, but God did His.
He invites us to join Him as partners in His work. He joyously involves all of creation in His work.
Creation: Day 4
The first five books of the Old Testament are referred to as the Books of Moses because he is traditionally considered their author. Moses likely wrote these books after the Exodus, when God delivered the Hebrew people from 400 years of slavery.
Part of his purpose in writing was to inform his audience that the creation narratives held by the Egyptians and other nations were incorrect.
The prevailing worldview at the time was that the Earth was formed as the result of a war between gods, where one god was split in half—one part becoming the heavens and the other the Earth.
Moses challenges this view, declaring that the Earth was created by God, who simply spoke it into existence.
Day four of creation provides another counter to the dominant worldview. The sun, moon, and stars, which were worshiped as gods by the neighbors of the Hebrew people, are addressed.
Remarkably, they are not mentioned until the end of the account, and even then, they are described merely as creations of God, not deities in their own right.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky 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 lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.
God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.
God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19).
People of the Exodus
The people who first heard Moses’ account of creation were those who had experienced the Exodus or were descendants of those who had. They had witnessed or learned about the parting of the sea, walking through it on dry ground, the giving of the law, the establishment of a covenant with God, and many other profound events.
Through these experiences, they came to understand that their personal God was far more powerful than the gods of the surrounding nations.
He loved them, called them to Himself, and gave them a mission: to live in a relationship with Him and to reflect His character to the people around them.
Although I am centuries removed from the story of the Exodus, I find myself challenged by the creation story, much like I imagine Moses’ original audience was. It calls me to reflect on God’s majesty and power, especially when I pray.
During those moments, I intentionally focus on Him, directing my attention to His greatness and awe-inspiring might.
Like the Hebrew children, I am an Exodus person. I have been set free from sin and self-centeredness to know the awesome Creator God.
I have an opportunity to partner with Him. He does His work and I do mine. That is the awesome opportunity we have from our loving Creator-God.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 