The Majesty of the Material Creation
Introduction. The wisdom and power revealed in the material creation far exceeds the beauty and function of each individual part. Viewed separately, the sun and moon are beautiful. But the complex relationship between the sun, the moon and the earth creates an amazing synergy. As the earth orbits the sun, the tilt of the axis creates seasons and as the moon orbits the earth it creates tides in the sea. These precise calculations have kept stability for all life. Yet the most awesome is that God was working with “things that are not visible.” The finished product that we now see was framed and formed out of things we can’t see. God planned every aspect of this creation out of things we can’t see, then created it perfectly and flawlessly in six days.
The magnitude of this statement takes a few moments to process. God planned an entire universe with each individual part prepared to work cohesively with the whole and then created it with no flaws and no need to change or modify anything. The power of the heavens declaring His glory is only magnified as our science slowly unlocks more and more of these intricacies.
God had to assess every body He created to be certain that the work He designed for each to do would perfectly interact with everything else in the creation. Not only plants, birds, animals, fish, and sea creatures, but the body of the earth itself. Everything done on the first two days of creation needed to perfectly match the creatures who would later inhabit it.
First, He made the fresh water, salt water, arctic, arid, jungle, desert, fertile fields, mountains, valleys, rivers and streams. Next came seed-bearing plants and photosynthesis. After this was completed, He added the creatures who would inhabit each of these ecosystems. The body of the earth was surrounded by oxygen for all living creatures to breath and the carbon dioxide they would exhale allowed photosynthesis to keep plants growing.
The difficulty grows exponentially with the countless multitudes of each kind of animal (reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, insects, mammals, etc.) and plant life in the different environments in which they were designed to flourish. The more God made the more amazing the perfect relationship between it all becomes, the multitudes of living creatures made on the third, fifth and sixth days of creation all fitting harmoniously together. Any flaw in any function of any single thing would have created a problem affecting the whole. There were none! No flaws or mistakes because of God’s everlasting power and divine nature.
At the very center and zenith of the material creation is man. As God began His creation on the first day, everything was designed so the completed creation would give man the dominion and ability to subdue it to his will. As God created light, it was to work with man’s eyes allowing to him to see all that God made for him in all of its colors and textures. As God created the seas, the land, and all living things, it was all done to allow man to subdue and take dominion. All the laws of physics operating in the material creation were designed to allow man to live and work within them. The number of elements that would be the basic building blocks for all the molecules, the chemistry that gives life to all cells, and the energy sources such as fire, electricity, natural gas, and oil were all designed by God so we could have the dominion over all the technology we possess today.
On the final day, God created man “in His image and after His likeness.” The body God made for man was designed to accomplish all the work God had planned for him to do in this creation. There is so much we can accomplish because of God’s wisdom and forethought. This includes our five senses, our ability to learn to speak, read and write, along with the ability to pass knowledge down from one generation to the next all that had been previously learned. We have the muscles, dexterity and skill to produce things like a car, airplane, rocket, computer, camera, and plastic. Our deductive reasoning has brought all our medical technology bringing health and longevity to millions.
That and so many other things were designed into our mind and body to give those “created in the image and likeness of God” the abilities necessary to accomplish all that exists today and the potential to do so much more!
In an interesting addendum to the initial account in Genesis, God revealed the unique manner in which the man and the women were created. He purposefully made man so “it was not good for man to be alone.” God designed man and woman to supplement and strengthen one another so they would be “comparable to”, “suitable for”, and “fit for” one another. The intricacies of this extend far beyond the body of the male and the female. The emotional makeup of each is “comparable to” so they would complement one another. The strengths of man perfectly match and make up for the needs of a woman, while at the same time strengths of the woman perfectly match and make her “suitable and fit for” man. Thus, though man was made first and later the woman, God’s final act of creation which changed it from “not good” to “very good” was done when he gave marriage first to Adam and Eve and all their children until the end of this age.
Conclusion. With precision and wisdom, with forethought and a comprehensive overview of all that God sought, the creation unfolded perfectly. Every law of physics, every element of chemistry, every plant, bird, fish and animal and the environment they live in, everything was given a role and a work that would perfectly fit with every other thing that was created. At the apex stood man, created to take control and dominion over it all. What a beautiful and perfectly functioning creation man was given before he chose to sin and brought the curse into this world.
- By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Heb. 11:3)
The magnitude of this statement takes a few moments to process. God planned an entire universe with each individual part prepared to work cohesively with the whole and then created it with no flaws and no need to change or modify anything. The power of the heavens declaring His glory is only magnified as our science slowly unlocks more and more of these intricacies.
- The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. (Ps. 19:1-2)
God had to assess every body He created to be certain that the work He designed for each to do would perfectly interact with everything else in the creation. Not only plants, birds, animals, fish, and sea creatures, but the body of the earth itself. Everything done on the first two days of creation needed to perfectly match the creatures who would later inhabit it.
- God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, ... 25 He gives to all life, breath, and all things. (Acts 17:24)
First, He made the fresh water, salt water, arctic, arid, jungle, desert, fertile fields, mountains, valleys, rivers and streams. Next came seed-bearing plants and photosynthesis. After this was completed, He added the creatures who would inhabit each of these ecosystems. The body of the earth was surrounded by oxygen for all living creatures to breath and the carbon dioxide they would exhale allowed photosynthesis to keep plants growing.
- There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. (1Cor. 15:40)
The difficulty grows exponentially with the countless multitudes of each kind of animal (reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, insects, mammals, etc.) and plant life in the different environments in which they were designed to flourish. The more God made the more amazing the perfect relationship between it all becomes, the multitudes of living creatures made on the third, fifth and sixth days of creation all fitting harmoniously together. Any flaw in any function of any single thing would have created a problem affecting the whole. There were none! No flaws or mistakes because of God’s everlasting power and divine nature.
- For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” (Rom. 1:20)
At the very center and zenith of the material creation is man. As God began His creation on the first day, everything was designed so the completed creation would give man the dominion and ability to subdue it to his will. As God created light, it was to work with man’s eyes allowing to him to see all that God made for him in all of its colors and textures. As God created the seas, the land, and all living things, it was all done to allow man to subdue and take dominion. All the laws of physics operating in the material creation were designed to allow man to live and work within them. The number of elements that would be the basic building blocks for all the molecules, the chemistry that gives life to all cells, and the energy sources such as fire, electricity, natural gas, and oil were all designed by God so we could have the dominion over all the technology we possess today.
- Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Gen 1:26)
On the final day, God created man “in His image and after His likeness.” The body God made for man was designed to accomplish all the work God had planned for him to do in this creation. There is so much we can accomplish because of God’s wisdom and forethought. This includes our five senses, our ability to learn to speak, read and write, along with the ability to pass knowledge down from one generation to the next all that had been previously learned. We have the muscles, dexterity and skill to produce things like a car, airplane, rocket, computer, camera, and plastic. Our deductive reasoning has brought all our medical technology bringing health and longevity to millions.
- I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. (Ps. 139:14)
That and so many other things were designed into our mind and body to give those “created in the image and likeness of God” the abilities necessary to accomplish all that exists today and the potential to do so much more!
- For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet (Ps. 8:5-6)
In an interesting addendum to the initial account in Genesis, God revealed the unique manner in which the man and the women were created. He purposefully made man so “it was not good for man to be alone.” God designed man and woman to supplement and strengthen one another so they would be “comparable to”, “suitable for”, and “fit for” one another. The intricacies of this extend far beyond the body of the male and the female. The emotional makeup of each is “comparable to” so they would complement one another. The strengths of man perfectly match and make up for the needs of a woman, while at the same time strengths of the woman perfectly match and make her “suitable and fit for” man. Thus, though man was made first and later the woman, God’s final act of creation which changed it from “not good” to “very good” was done when he gave marriage first to Adam and Eve and all their children until the end of this age.
- And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to (“suitable for” NAS; fit for) to him.” (Gen. 2:18)
Conclusion. With precision and wisdom, with forethought and a comprehensive overview of all that God sought, the creation unfolded perfectly. Every law of physics, every element of chemistry, every plant, bird, fish and animal and the environment they live in, everything was given a role and a work that would perfectly fit with every other thing that was created. At the apex stood man, created to take control and dominion over it all. What a beautiful and perfectly functioning creation man was given before he chose to sin and brought the curse into this world.
- Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, (Job 38:4-6)
- Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb; 9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band; 10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors; 11 When I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!' (Job 38:8-11)
- Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, 20 that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? (Job 38:19-20)
- Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, 23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, 24 By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth? (Job 38:22-24)
- Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt, 26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass? 28 Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? 29 From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth? 30 The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen. (Job 38:25-29)
- Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? (Job 38:33)
- Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young? Or can you mark when the deer gives birth? 2 Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they bear young? (Job 39:1-2)