What happened on each of the days of Creation?

Answer

The creation account is found in Genesis 1—2. Most of God’s creative work was done by speaking, indicating the power and authority of His Word. Let’s examine each day of God’s creative work:

Creation Day 1 (Genesis 1:1-5)

God creates the heavens and the earth. “The heavens” refer to everything beyond the earth, outer space. The earth is made but not formed in any specific way, although water is present. God then speaks light into existence. He separates the light from the dark and names the light “day” and the dark “night.”

Creation Day 2 (Genesis 1:6-8)

God creates the sky. The sky forms a barrier between water on the surface and the moisture in the air. At this point, the earth has an atmosphere.

Creation Day 3 (Genesis 1:9-13)

God creates dry land. Continents and islands rise above the water. The large bodies of water are named “seas” and the ground is named “land.” God declares that all this is good.

God creates all plant life. He creates this life to be self-sustaining: plants can reproduce. The plants are created in great diversity (many “kinds”). The land is green and teeming with plant life. God declares that this work is also good.

Creation Day 4 (Genesis 1:14-19)

God creates all the stars and heavenly bodies. The movement of these will help man track time. Two great heavenly bodies are made in relation to the earth. TheFirst is the sun, which is the primary source of light, and the moon, which reflects the light of the sun. The movement of these bodies distinguishes day from night. This work is also declared to be good by God.

Creation Day 5 (Genesis 1:20-23)

God creates all life that lives in the water, in all of its marvelous diversity. God also makes all the birds. The language of the passage suggests that this may be the time God made flying insects as well; if not, they are made on Day 6. All these creatures have the ability to perpetuate their species by reproduction. The creatures made on Day 5 are the first creatures blessed by God. God declares this work good.

Creation Day 6 (Genesis 1:24-31)

God creates all the creatures that live on dry land. This includes every type of creature not included on previous days. God also creates man. God declares this work good.

When God was creating man, He took counsel with Himself. “God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness’” «And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. », (Genesis 1:26). This is not an explicit revelation of the Trinity but is part of the foundation for such, as God reveals an “us” within the Godhead. God makes mankind in His own image, and thus mankind is special above all other creatures. He makes them male and female and places them in authority over the earth and over all the other creatures. God blesses them and commands them to reproduce, fill the earth, and subdue it (bring it under the rightful stewardship of mankind as authorized by God). God announces thatHumans and all other creatures are meant to eat plants exclusively. God will not revoke this dietary restriction until Genesis 9:3–4.

God’s creative work is completed at the end of the sixth day. The entire universe, in all its beauty and perfection, was fully formed in these six periods labeled as “days.” Upon the completion of His creation, God declares that it is “very good” «And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.», (Genesis 1:31).

Creation Day 7 (Genesis 2:1-3)

God rests. This does not imply that He was weary from His creative efforts; rather, it signifies that the creation is complete. He ceases to create. Additionally, God is establishing a pattern of one day in seven for rest. Observing this day will eventually become a distinguishing characteristic of God’s chosen people, Israel (Exodus 20:8-11).

Many Christians interpret these “days” of creation as literal, 24-hour periods, a position known as Young-Earth Creationism. It is worth noting that certain other interpretations of these “days” suggest they were indeterminate periods of time. The Day-Age Theory and Historical Creationism are two theories that interpret the biblical data in a manner that allows for an older earth. Nevertheless, the events and achievements of each “day” remain the same.