Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Job 38:4
In today’s world men are still attempting to unravel the mystery of the earth’s origin with some actually saying that God merely spoke everything into being. No one of human origin could have witnessed the creation firsthand to know how God created the earth. Yet another group says that God created the heavens and earth from nothing and another group that denies the existence of God altogether. The fact is, God‘s opening statement of his word to man says in the beginning “God” created the heavens and the earth. It is a statement accepted by faith in a creator which no one has been able to dispute.
These words were inspired by our heavenly father enables mankind to agree through faith. God has made his existence plain through what was made so man is without excuse (Romans 1:20). Still there are a few godly men saying things about how God created man’s environment that are not derived from the knowledge given to man by God. One of the problems of interpretation is that men try to understand God and through man’s logic fill in the blanks to make their make sense of what they understand. Most of the time opinions are wrong because we don’t have or know all the facts.
On the other hand I don’t think an honest appreciates anything people say about them especially when they are not true. Rumors start when the person speaking does not know the whole story but their words affect the person because of certain allegations are incorrect. To bring out this point God asked Job where he was when he laid the foundation of the earth.
Taking God at his word is a part of the Christian belief system because we live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In addition we have reason to be fully persuaded that every word spoken by God is true. By the same token when we repeat the word of God before men we are telling everyone that we believe God. In other words, we have made room for God’s word in our heart and due to its nature God’s word has become a treasure more valuable than gold. God’s word is considered to be the truth worth cherishing and the word we treasure reflects the condition of our heart.
However there are some things God has not said but man has filled in the blanks in with his finite wisdom. Perhaps we need reminded that there were some things Paul was not permitted to talk about (2 Corinthians 12:4).
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Job 38:2
God was asking Were you there and what did you see to have personal knowledge in this matter?
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Job 38:4
In other words, filling the gaps with what the actions you think happened may be an insult to God who wants glory for what he has done.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Trusting God’s word is what faith is all about. The bible says.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Genesis 1:1-2
These are words that we accept by faith especially when God does not explain how the earth came into existence. In other words human beings did not witness the creation of the earth and any theory beyond that is hearsay impossible to prove. Faith is based on what we believe to be true; God reveals that the earth was in existence in verse two of Genesis without an explanation of how it came into being. The topic of creation came into dispute in Sunday school last week 7/7/2013 because of my views, I was asked to submit to agree with the church stand.
“It is our position that God created the world from nothing. God created everything by merely speaking it into existence.”
This created a he said – they said condition, so who are we to believe? The inspired word of God does not say that God created the world from nothing or that God created everything by merely spoke it into existence. So there are no biblical references to prove the church stand. The church stand was a matter of man’s interpretation of scripture. The scriptures and the pastor’s interpretation of the scriptures don’t appear to agree.
The bible says God created the heavens and the earth, but it also says
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalms 19:1
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
Should we ignore that God rested when he finished the work of creating.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2
The words God rested (reposed or desisted) from his work (labor) of creating reveals physical exertion in creating. If God created everything by merely speaking it into existence,” why would God rest?
Is it possible that God intended for men to understand the following.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. Psalms 148:5
For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. Psalms 33:9
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:3
Each of the verses above use the word command and reveals his command was completed. Commands are normally given to another person who accomplishes them. Since God is more than one person it’s entirely possible that one person of the divine gave the command and another person of the divine made the universe (Hebrews 2:2).
And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. Genesis 1:6-7
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Colossians 1:15-16
Psalms 33:9, Psalms 148:5 Hebrews 11:3 agree – God issued a command to create the heavens and earth. John 1:3, Colossians 1:15-16 reveals that Jesus, Our Lord created the heavens and earth.
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
"This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it — the Lord is his name: Jeremiah 33:2
“It is the churches position that God created the world from nothing. God created everything by merely speaking it into existence.” On the other hand, God said he is the origin of the earth without explaining how the earth was created in the creation account. In addition God’s word reveals a physical activity contrary to the churches stand.
Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord. Isaiah 66:2
With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. Jeremiah 27:5
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalms 19:1
It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts. Isaiah 45:12
For this is what the Lord says — he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited — he says: "I am the Lord, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:18
The Bible does not explicitly state "out of nothing" regarding creation. Nor should we go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6). How God created the earth is not known but its mystery gives God glory. At the same time through faith man marvels in the fact God created the heavens and the earth.
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Job 42:3
The evidence is overwhelming; God did more than speak what has been created to support man and his environment. Man lacks the firsthand knowledge to know or understand that God created the heavens and earth from nothing? For this reason no one can answer the question God asked of Job with certainty?
Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Job 38:4
September 30, 2013
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