The natural world is sustained by God and speaks of God.
God sustains the creation
He upholds the natural order
Hebrews 1:3 See also Job 38:33–37; Psalm 104:1–35, Psalm 135:6–7, Psalm 145:16–17; Matthew 10:29–30; Colossians 1:17
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
He sustains humanity
Acts 17:28 See also Job 33:4; Psalm 36:6; Daniel 4:34–35; 1 Corinthians 8:6
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
Creation is upheld for the good of humanity
Genesis 8:22 See also Genesis 9:12–16; Matthew 6:11
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”
God's sustaining power reserves the world for judgment
2 Peter 3:7 See also 2 Peter 3:9–12 Time is being given for sinners to repent.
And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
God has given humanity responsibility to preserve creation
Genesis 1:28 See also Genesis 2:15, Genesis 9:1–3; Psalm 8:6–8, Psalm 115:16; Hebrews 2:8; James 3:7
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
Creation is spoilt by sin
Genesis 3:17–19 See also Romans 8:20–22; Hebrews 6:8
And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground — because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Creation speaks of God's nature and character
His revelation of himself
Job 12:7–10 This is not to suggest that animals can talk to human beings, rather it is a poetic device to stress what can be learnt from created things.
But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
His eternal power and divine nature
Romans 1:20 See also Jeremiah 32:17
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
His authority
His glory and majesty
Psalm 19:1–2 See also Psalm 8:1–9
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
His love and faithfulness
Psalm 36:5 See also Matthew 6:30
Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.
His power
“To whom will you liken Me, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high: Who created all these? He leads forth the starry host by number; He calls each one by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and why do you assert, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my claim is ignored by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.
His wisdom
Psalm 136:5 See also Proverbs 8:27–29
By His insight He made the heavens. His loving devotion endures forever.
His unchangeableness and eternity
Psalm 102:25–27 See also Psalm 90:1–2; Hebrews 1:11
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.
His spiritual work in believers' lives
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.