Thought For The Week

To appreciate Day 4, we must first set the stage. On Day 1, God created the spiritual heavens, radiant with His presence and angelic hosts, alongside the physical heavens—a dark, formless void. He formed the earth, cloaked it in water, and suspended it in the icy blackness of space. Then, with a word, He summoned light—not yet from sun or stars but a primal brilliance, possibly His own glory or a temporary divine dawn (Genesis 1:3). He declared it “good,” and the first day closed with evening and morning.

On Day 2, God carved out the atmosphere, separating the waters above from those below, creating a space for life to thrive. Day 3 saw the waters below gather into seas, birthing a single supercontinent. Vegetation erupted—mature plants, grasses, and trees laden with seeds and fruit, ready to sustain life. Twice, God proclaimed, “It was good,” marking the third day’s completion.

Now, on Day 4, the stage was set. The earth pulsed with life—land, seas, and plants thriving in the new air. God turned His attention to the heavens, declaring, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky” (Genesis 1:14). In an instant, the sun roared into being, a furnace of blazing gold; the moon awoke, casting a silver glow; and billions of stars sparkled across the cosmos. This was no cosmic afterthought but a divine symphony, as Psalm 33:6 proclaims: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”

The sermon emphasizes that Day 4 was a literal, 24-hour day, rooted in the unshakable foundation of God’s Word. Genesis 1, penned by Moses under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, uses the Hebrew word yom (day) paired with “evening and morning,” signaling an ordinary day, not a vague epoch. Exodus 20:11 reinforces this: “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.” The world may push theories of millions of years, but Scripture stands firm. God’s command was enough—no evolution, no slow burn, just instant creation.

A common question arises: What was the light of Day 1, before the sun? Genesis 1:3 describes light without “lights,” suggesting a divine or temporary source. Revelation 22:5 envisions a future where God Himself is the light, needing no sun. Some propose Day 1’s light was God’s glory, though the sermon notes a prior discussion (December 15th) suggesting God created darkness to veil the physical realm, fostering faith over sight. Regardless, Day 4 replaced this light with the sun, moon, and stars, all crafted in one day. As Psalm 148:5–6 declares, “At his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever.”

Genesis 1:14–19 reveals a threefold purpose for these celestial bodies, each verse pulsing with God’s intent. First, in verse 14, they separate day from night. Before Day 4, light and darkness existed (Genesis 1:4), but now the sun and moon govern them, bringing order. As 1 Corinthians 14:33 states, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” Every sunrise preaches His consistency, echoing Lamentations 3:22–23: “His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.”

Second, the lights serve as signs for “sacred times, days, and years.” In Israel, the moon marked festivals like Passover, and the sun set the Sabbath rhythm (Leviticus 23:4). Stars guided Abraham’s descendants; the sun told farmers when to sow. Even today, we tie Easter to the spring equinox—a legacy of Day 4. Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” God’s clock ticks in the sky.

Third, they give light on the earth (verse 15). The sun warms the soil, ripens harvests; the moon softens the night; stars guide sailors home. This practical gift foreshadows Jesus, the “light of the world” (John 8:12). The phrase “and it was so” underscores God’s power—He spoke, and creation obeyed.

Verse 16 highlights the “two great lights”—the sun to govern the day, the moon the night—and casually adds, “He also made the stars.” Scientists estimate 200 billion galaxies, each with billions of stars, yet God names each one (Isaiah 40:26). Verses 17–18 describe God setting these lights in the “vault” of the sky, delegating authority to govern and illuminate. Psalm 136:7–9 gives thanks for this mercy. Finally, verse 19 seals it: “God saw that it was good,” and the fourth day closed.

Day 4 wasn’t just about placing lights; God stretched the heavens themselves. Psalm 104:2, Isaiah 42:5, and Job 9:8 paint a vivid picture of God unfurling space like a tent. The universe spans 93 billion light-years, yet God crafted it in a day. Some creationists, like Dr. Russell Humphreys, suggest this stretching involved time dilation—Earth in a gravitational cradle as space expanded, starlight arriving instantly. Others propose God stretched light itself into place. Isaiah 55:9 captures the awe: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.”

Remarkably, this stretching connects to the cross. In John 12:32, Jesus says, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.” The heavens, stretched by God’s hand, mirror Christ stretched on the cross—both acts of divine love for humanity.

Day 4’s creation was a singular miracle, not repeated today. Genesis 2:1–3 states the heavens and earth were completed, and God rested. The sun doesn’t rebirth daily; stars aren’t remade. God now sustains, as Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:17 affirm. Scientists study today’s natural laws, but Day 4 was supernatural, beyond their scope. Job 38:4 challenges, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” Creation’s mystery is unveiled in Scripture, not labs. Every star is a Day 4 heirloom, glowing with God’s promise: “It was good.”

Day 4 shapes our faith and life in five practical ways: Trust God’s Word: Skeptics may scoff, but 2 Peter 1:21 assures us Genesis is God’s truth. Stand firm.