The creation story begins with the opening chapter of the Bible and these words: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (NIV) This sentence summarizes the drama that was about to unfold.
We learn from the text that the earth was formless, empty, and dark, and God's Spirit moved over the waters preparing to perform God's creative Word. Then began the seven most creative days of all time as God spoke life into existence. A day by day account follows.
Watch Now: A Simple Version of The Bible Creation Story
The Creation Day by Day
The creation story takes place in Genesis 1:1-2:3.
Day 1 - God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and darkness "night."
Day 2 - God created an expanse to separate the waters and called it "sky."
Day 3 - God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters "seas." On day three, God also created vegetation (plants and trees).
Day 4 - God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern and separate the day and the night. These would also serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.
Day 5 - God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them to multiply and fill the waters and the sky with life.
Day 6 - God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and woman (Adam and Eve) in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and cultivate.
Day 7 - God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day, blessing it and making it holy.
A Simple—Not Scientific—Truth
Genesis 1, the opening scene of the biblical drama, introduces us to the two main characters in the Bible: God and man. Author Gene Edwards refers to this drama as "the divine romance." Here we meet God, the Almighty Creator of all things, revealing the ultimate object of his love—man—as he concludes the stunning work of creation. God has set the stage. The drama has begun.
The simple truth of the biblical creation story is that God is the author of creation. In Genesis 1, we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation.
It Is Good
God was very pleased with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stopped, observed his handiwork, and saw that it was good. On final inspection of all that he had made, God regarded it as "very good."
This is a great time to remind ourselves that we are part of God's creation. Even when you don't feel worthy of his pleasure, remember that God made you and is pleased with you. You are of great worth to him.
The Trinity in the Creation
In verse 26, God says, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." This is the only instance in the creation account that God uses the plural form to refer to himself. It's interesting to note that this happens just as he begins to create man. Many scholars believe this is the Bible's first reference to the Trinity.
The Rest of God
On the seventh day, God rested. It's hard to come up with a reason why God would need to rest, but apparently, he considered it important. Rest is often an unfamiliar concept in our busy, fast-paced world. It's socially unacceptable to take an entire day to rest. God knows we need times of refreshing. Our example, Jesus Christ, spent time alone, away from the crowds.
The rest of God on the seventh day sets an example for how we ought to spend and enjoy a regular day of rest from our labors. We should not feel guilty when we take time each week to rest and renew our bodies, souls, and spirits.
But there is a more profound significance to God's rest. It figurately points to a spiritual rest for believers. The Bible teaches that through faith in Jesus Christ, believers will experience the delights of resting in heaven forever with God: "So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world."(See Hebrews 4:1-10)
Questions for Reflection
The creation story clearly shows that God enjoyed himself as he went about the work of creation. As noted previously, six times he stopped and savored his accomplishments. If God takes pleasure in his handiwork, is there anything wrong with us feeling good about our achievements?
Do you enjoy your work? Whether it's your job, your hobby, or your ministry service, if your work is pleasing to God, then it should also bring pleasure to you. Consider the work of your hands. What things are you doing to bring pleasure to both you and God?
On the second, He created the sky. Dry land and plants were created on the third day. On the fourth day, God created the sun, the moon and the stars. Water and sky animals were made on the fifth day, and on the sixth day, land animals and people were created.
The first creation account is divided into seven days during which God creates light (day 1); the sky (day 2); the earth, seas, and vegetation (day 3); the sun and moon (day 4); animals of the air and sea (day 5); and land animals and humans (day 6). God rested from his work on the seventh day of creation, the Sabbath.
On this second day of creation, God separated the water so that sky appeared above the seas. For the first time ever, the Earth would have experienced things associated with sky and water: clouds, wind, waves, etc. Bible verses used in this episode: Genesis 1:6-8.
Story Overview: On the third day of creation, God separated land and sea and caused dry land to appear. God also created vegetation on the third day. The creation must have begun to take on beauty and majesty.
On the first day, there was light; on the second day, the sky and the air; on the third day, there was land and plants; on the fourth day, there was the sun and moon; on the fifth day, there were birds and aquatic animals; and on the sixth day, there were animals and man. Interesting, right?
First, Jesus divided the light from the darkness to make day and night. On the second day, He organized the heaven and the earth. On the third day, He divided the land from the waters and created grass, flowers, trees, fruit, and herbs. On the fourth day, He created the sun, moon, and stars.
God created everything ex nihilo (out of nothing) and rules over all. His resting on the 7th day is also important; it is not to show that God was tired, but that his creating was over and complete.
the fifth day - creatures that live in the sea and creatures that fly were created. the sixth day - animals that live on the land and finally humans, made in the image of God were created. by day seven - God finished his work of creation and rested, making the seventh day a special holy day.
The 8th day was the first day of the following week. At that time, God turned his attention to other work projects, including the maintenance and oversight of his creation.
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
And there was evening, and there was morning--the fourth day. And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
On the 4th day of the 6 days of creation, God made stars. Moses said, Adam said, and God must have told Adam since Adam wasn't around on that day 4. In fact it could have been hundreds of years more even until God created again day 5 when He created life.
Whereas the first account (Gen 1) pictures God as more transcendent, speaking creation into being by his word, the second account (Gen 2) portrays God as more immanent, forming the human from the dust of the ground (like a potter working with clay), and conversing with humans.
The Sabbath. The Jewish Sabbath (from Hebrew shavat, “to rest”) is observed throughout the year on the seventh day of the week—Saturday. According to biblical tradition, it commemorates the original seventh day on which God rested after completing the creation.
Abu Haraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) took hold of my hands and said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created the clay on Saturday and He created the mountains on Sunday and He created the trees on Monday and He created the things entailing labour on Tuesday and created light on Wednesday ...
We read in the book of Genesis that God created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, which He called days: “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:2–3).
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Garden-of-Eden-58b5cae73df78cdcd8bc27a4.jpg "The Seven Days of Creation: What Happened on Each Day? (1)")
