God's Work Week
Genesis • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Text: Genesis 1:1-2:3
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.”
7 So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so.
8 God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so.
10 God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so.
12 The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years.
15 And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.
16 God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.
17 God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth,
18 to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.”
21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every bird of flight after its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.
25 God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
29 Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.
30 And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2 And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.
PRAY
Introduction
Have you ever thought about where our week came from? Who decided that every 7 days we start counting over?
We have weekdays and weekends, work weeks and sometimes a week off. Where did the concept of the week come from?
Throughout history, different civilizations have had different methods of keeping track of days. Some civilizations have used an 8-day week, others a 10-day week, but for the last 1500 years or so most of the world has settled on a 7-day week. Where did that come from, and why is that important?
Moses’s point in Genesis 1-2 wasn’t primarily to tell us where the idea of a week came from, but that is one thing we learn from this passage. The week was God’s idea, based on His creation of the world. God made everything in 6 days and then rested on the 7th, setting the pattern for our work and rest.
Repeated words/phrases
Before we look through the passage, I want to mention something that may be helpful for your own Bible study. When studying a book or passage of Scripture, it is helpful to look for repeated words, phrases or ideas that are expressed. When an author of Scripture wanted to emphasize something, one of the main ways was by repeating it. So by looking for repetitions, we’ll come away with some of the big ideas and main points that the author wants us to see.
For example, in this passage (Genesis 1:1-2:3), here are some of the repeated words or phrases and what they’re indicating to us:
God, earth, create/make, God said, According to their kinds, And it was so, God saw that it was good, And there was evening and there was morning, seed, called
God - (Elohim - 35x in Hebrew text); Subject in all but one place (v. 27); this indicates to us that the passage is all about God and revealing who God is as the creator of all.
earth - 20x - this indicates the centrality of the earth in God’s creation. Of all the planets and stars, the earth receives His special attention and creative activity.
create/make - 11x - sometimes Moses uses the verb create, and other times he uses the verb make to indicate God’s active involvement in the creation process.
God said - 11x - every part of God’s creation involves His speaking, though most parts involve other actions as well. This shows the power of God’s Word to create what God desires.
According to their kinds - 10x - this indicates what’s called the self-perpetuating nature of creation - that is, that the things God created will go on reproducing themselves
And it was so / and there was - 7x - this phrase accompanies almost all of the occasions where God speaks His creative commands, and it shows us that what God commands happens. God said it, and it happened.
God saw that it was good -7x - this indicates to us that everything God makes is good. Everything in the world God made was beautiful, reflecting the glory of the Creator.
And there was evening and there was morning - 6x - indicates the order of the days and the sequence of the creation; interestingly, this phrase is not used in the 7th day.
Seed - 6x - seed is a very important word in Genesis, and it is prominent in God’s promises to Adam and Eve and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Called - 5x - God names different parts of His creation, but in ch. 2 He leaves the naming of the animals and the woman to Adam.
The repetition of these words and phrases indicates intentional and orderly design. This world didn’t get here by accident or chance. It is the good design of a good and great Creator.
I don’t always come up with a good alliterated outline, but I’ve got one for you this week:
4 Fs for you this morning:
Foundation (1:1-2),
Form (1:3-13),
Fullness (1:14-31),
Finale (2:1-3)
Foundation: God Created the Heavens and the Earth (1:1-2)
Foundation: God Created the Heavens and the Earth (1:1-2)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
We already looked at these verses last week, and one of the things we talked about was how this reveals the character or nature of God to us. God is eternal, He is powerful, and He is the sovereign Creator of all.
God has always existed, and He did not create out of some need, but rather out of a desire to display His glory for the good of His creation. God created all things for His glory.
How do v. 1-2 relate to the rest of the chapter?
There are at least a couple possibilities of how this relates to the rest of the creation account.
Summary - v. 1-2 may be a summary of creation that is explained in more detail in the rest of the chapter.
Beginning of creation - the initial creative act of God before the week of creation began (not millions or billions of years before as some have suggested, but perhaps the beginning of day 1). I think this is more likely because of the pattern we see here:
In v. 2, he mentions that the earth was formless and void, and in the rest of the creation account he explains how God gave form to His creation and then filled it with creatures, so that the earth would be formed and filled rather than formless and void.
In days 1-3, God is forming the universe, and in days 4-6 He fills it.
Form: God Structured the Heavens and the Earth (1:3-13)
Form: God Structured the Heavens and the Earth (1:3-13)
Day 1
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
Notice again the power of God’s Word in v. 3. God simply spoke, and light came into being. One thing to keep an eye out for in the rest of the creation story is that although God continues speaking, in most of the other days, God is also taking other actions. In the other days we’ll find that God also said, Let there be… but then God made/created…
Here on Day 1 God provides the structure of the separation between light and darkness. On Day 4, He’ll fill that structure with the sun, moon, and stars.
God saw that the light was good. The beauty of God’s creation reflects His own beauty and glory.
Day 2
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, to separate the waters from the waters.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated the waters beneath it from the waters above. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.
We don’t know for sure what this expanse or firmament or dome is that is referred to here. What’s clear is that God is again making a separation, structuring the waters so that there are waters above the expanse and waters below.
Some have suggested that the waters above the expanse were a canopy of water that protected the earth from the sun’s rays and other harmful things outside the earth, and that this canopy of water was dumped on the earth at the time of the flood to create the worldwide flood. We just read Psalm 148 last week though, and v. 4 references the waters above the skies as something that is still there, well after the flood. So it would seem that even if some of this water fell in the flood, some of it is still there above the expanse.
So again, God is structuring the world He has created. He is giving it the form He wants it to have.
Interestingly, there is no mention on this day that God saw that it was good.
If Creation started on Sunday, the first day of the week, this would be Monday. I have heard it said jokingly that this means God doesn’t like Mondays either since He didn’t say it was good. (Not really true!)
Day 3
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so. 12 The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.
Twice in this section we find God saying that it was good, making up for the lack of this phrase on Monday.
Again on this day there is a separation - the separation of land and water. God is providing the structure for the earth He has created.
Notice that God’s method of creation seems to be different on this day than the other days. Rather than directly bringing plants or trees into existence, He commands the earth to bring forth plants and trees. And the earth does as it is commanded.
The structure God has provided means that the earth will go on producing vegetation.
So in days 1-3, God has structured the heavens and the earth. Now it’s time to fill them. That’s what days 4-6 are about:
Fullness: God Filled the Heavens and the Earth (1:14-31)
Fullness: God Filled the Heavens and the Earth (1:14-31)
Day 4
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years. 15 And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so.
16 God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well. 17 God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, 18 to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
God creates the sun, moon, and stars to fill His creation and give light to the earth. Notice the correspondence with day 1 when God spoke light into being.
Some have asked, on the first day, Where did the light come from if there was no sun, moon, or stars yet?
Answer: Where does the light come from at the end in the new heavens and new earth? God Himself is the light - He causes light to shine from Himself.
Interestingly, neither the sun nor the moon is mentioned directly, and the stars (billions upon billions of them) only receive a brief mention.
One reason for this is that Moses is seeking to keep the people of Israel from worshiping these heavenly bodies as the Egyptians and the people in Canaan did - and rather to see the glory behind the glory - the greatness and goodness of the one who created all these things.
Day 5
20 And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every bird of flight after its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
After God fills the universe with lights, He fills the water and sky with creatures.
Day 5 corresponds to day 2 with the creation of the sky and the separation of waters above and below. Now God fills the sky and the waters below with living creatures.
Day 6
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
29 Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Day 6 corresponds to day 3, as God fills the land He has created with all kinds of animals and people. The plants and trees He created on day 3 are their food.
Day 6 receives the longest section of any of the days of creation, and for good reason. Chapter 2 will go into more detail regarding the creation of man and woman and their relation to the land animals, but clearly mankind is the crowing point of God’s creation.
After God makes the animals to fill the earth, He makes people in His image, according to His likeness, to represent Him and rule on His behalf over the creation.
And when we get to the end of chapter 1, the end of day 6, God says that it all is very good. Everything from day 1 to day 6 - the lights, the waters, the sky, the land, and everything in them is good, it is beautiful, reflecting the great glory and beauty of the Creator.
Finale: God Finished the Heavens and the Earth (2:1-3)
Finale: God Finished the Heavens and the Earth (2:1-3)
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on that day He rested from all His work.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished.
God’s work of Creation was done. “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested.” (Ex. 20:11)
When it says that God rested from His work on the seventh day, that’s from the Hebrew word Shabbat, sabbath.
Did God rest because He was tired? Creating all those things is a lot of work, but the LORD neither slumbers nor sleeps. He did not rest because He was tired but because He was done. When it says He rested it simply means He stopped His work of Creation because it was done.
When you’re done with a project you’re working on, you don’t keep working on it. You’re done. You stop.
But does this mean that God just made the world and then walked away and let it keep going on its own?
No. Jesus said in John 5:17, “To this very day my Father is at His work, and I am working too.” He created all things and He sustains all things, as Hebrews 1:2-3 tells us:
2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
He created all things, He sustains all things, and He owns all things, and so we can trust Him to make good on His promises to us.
Lord willing, in the next couple of weeks, we’ll take time to dive deeper into some things from this passage, including what it means to be created in the image of God, and how the Sabbath and God’s rest applies to us today.
Applications
Applications
For now as we consider this passage, let’s apply this to our lives.
God alone is the Creator of all things, and He alone is to be worshiped.
God alone is the Creator of all things, and He alone is to be worshiped.
Though the Creation is beautiful and glorious, its glory and beauty come from its creator, who alone is worthy of eternal praise. (Maybe Moses telling the Israelites to worship God rather than the deities of Egypt, such as the sun god or others). Creation exists to serve, not to be served.
Now we are more sophisticated and intelligent than those people back then, and we would never think about bowing down to the sun, moon, stars, or any statue or idol, right?
But the fact is that idolatry is a matter of the heart. Ezekiel, writing over 2500 years ago, spoke against the people of Israel who were setting up idols in their hearts. Even back then, idolatry was a matter of the heart.
Idolatry is not just about bowing down to statues, but more importantly, idolatry is valuing or loving anything more than God - whether that is a person, some physical possession, or any other created thing. If anything is more valuable or important to me than God, that thing is an idol.
We must beware worshiping and serving the creature rather than the Creator. The Creator alone is worthy of our worship and service and praise. Let us love and treasure our Creator more than the things He has created.
25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
The one who has the power to make all things also sustains all things
The one who has the power to make all things also sustains all things
The NT reveals to us that it is Jesus, the eternal Son of God, who is the agent of Creation and the one who even today sustains all of Creation. He is sustaining each one of us. Let’s put our trust in Him.
15 The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.
16 You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
He is the source and sustainer of all things, and we can trust Him to provide what we need today - whether that’s food, or money, a job, a friend, encouragement, whatever you need today, turn to Him. He is the all sufficient source of all things, and He loves to meet the needs of His people.
Maybe you’re worried about the upcoming election or the results or what’s going to happen with our country.
Keep in mind that the same God who created all things sets up and tears down kingdoms. He is the King of Kings, “His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation… All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ” Daniel 4:3, 35.
Acts 4:24: "Sovereign Lord, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them."
Psalm 147:5: Great is our Lord, and mighty in power.
Psalm 22:28: For dominion belongs to the LORD and He rules over the nations.
Jeremiah 32:17 "Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!"
Whatever the outcome, no matter what happens, we can trust our God to do what is best for us, and in good times and bad, He continues to rule and reign, and we have His promise that He will work all things together for good for those who love Him.
Trust Him today for all that you need, and you’ll find Him to be a good and great Creator who satisfies all your needs.
