How the Sabbath was “Changed” Part 1

The great and terrible God, whose form is beyond comprehension, scintillates His glory on the waters in the midst of the darkness. And perhaps, God, thinking some light would be good here, speaks the words: “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).

And now, what never was, in obedience to divine command, appears.

God, did not just stop there, but He separated this light from the darkness. See what God creates, He controls. So, He called the light Day and the darkness Night (Genesis 1:4, 5).

“And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:5).

So, day one has past, and the evening marks the beginning of day two. There, God creates the firmament, which is the atmosphere, to divide earthly waters from the heavenly (Genesis 1:6-8).

“And the evening and the morning were the second day” (Genesis 1:8).

Now, God once again creating order, decides that on day three, waters under the firmament will be in one place, which He called Seas, so that the dry land could appear, which He called Earth. With this, Earth, God founded agriculture, as he commanded, “the earth to bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself…and it was so” (Genesis 1:9-12). As the tender grass, grains, and fruit trees appeared, God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:12).

“And the evening and the morning were the third day” (Genesis 1:13).

On day four, God foresaw that animals and humans would not only need food, but to keep track of time. So, God put lights in the atmosphere that would differentiate between day and night. The greater light would rule the day and the lesser light the night. “[He] made the stars also” (Genesis 1:16). For these lights, shining upon earth would “be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Genesis 1:14-18). And God saw that this was good (Genesis 1:18).

“And the evening and the morning were the fourth day” (Genesis 1:19).

Now, that heterotrophs not only have a source of food, but are oriented in time, God begins day five calling aquatic and flying creatures into existence. He tells the waters to, “bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life,” and out of the ground God forms the, “fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven,” and breathes the breath of life into them (Genesis 2:19; 1:20; 6:17; 7:21-23; Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20).  The great whales, with other moving aquatic creatures begin to appear and the fowls of the air begin to fly therein, and God commissions them to, “[b]e fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and…multiply in the earth…[A]nd God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:20-22).

“And the evening and the morning were the fifth day” (Genesis 1:23).

So, the waters below and the firmament were made first, and thus populated first. On the sixth day, God turns to His attention to populating the dry land, Earth. To the earth He says, “bring forth, the living creature, after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so” (Genesis 1:24). For the Lord God, had formed the terrestrial animals from the dust of the earth, and into their nostrils breathed the breath of life (Genesis 2:19; 6:17, 7:21-23; Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20). But God was not done yet.

After creating the animals in sea, earth and sky, the Three Person Godhead had a conference. And they said, “[l]et us make man in our image, after our likeness,” (Genesis 1:26) which would have dominion over all the animals. “So God created man[kind] in [H]is own image, in the image of God created [H]e [mankind]; male and female created [H]e them” (Genesis 1:27). And humanity, like the animals, were to, “[b]e fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,” but to them God added the responsibility of subduing the earth, and having dominion over all the animals (Genesis 1:28).

Now, all beings God created from the dust of the earth – flying creatures, land creatures, and humans- were to eat from the produce thereof. Humans were to eat nuts, grains and fruits (Genesis 1:29). And the animals were to eat vegetables (Genesis 1:30)*. And when God saw all He made, “behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

And the evening and the morning were the sixth day (Genesis 1:31).

We have covered the six creative days of the week. Stay tuned as we crown the week with the Sabbath day.

Thank you Jesus!

Amen!

*Only after sin, when the ground was cursed, were humans to eat vegetables (Genesis 3:17, 18).

**Words italicized in quotes are supplied words in the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.