The free act of God based on his own wisdom and power, forming the whole natural order by his word.
God is Creator of the universe and everything in it
Nehemiah 9:6 See also Genesis 1:1, Genesis 2:1; Psalm 24:1–2; Proverbs 8:22–31; Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 11:5; Isaiah 66:1–2; Jeremiah 10:16, Jeremiah 51:19; John 1:3; Acts 4:24, Acts 7:50, Acts 14:15, Acts 17:24
You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.
Light and darkness
Genesis 1:3–5 See also Isaiah 45:7
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.
The heavens
Psalm 136:5 See also Genesis 1:6–8; Psalm 33:6, Psalm 96:5; Amos 5:8; Revelation 14:7
By His insight He made the heavens. His loving devotion endures forever.
The land
Genesis 1:9–10 See also Psalm 95:5, Psalm 102:25, Psalm 104:5–6; Genesis 1:14; Exodus 20:11; Psalm 74:17, Psalm 118:24
And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
The sea and sea creatures
Psalm 95:5 See also Genesis 1:20–22
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.
Birds
And God said, “Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed according to their kinds, and every winged bird after its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
Land animals
Genesis 1:24–25 See also Job 40:15
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that crawls upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
The human race
Genesis 1:26–27 Genesis witnesses to order and progression in God's creative activity. The creation of Adam and Eve is not merely the end point, but the climax to the sequence. See also Genesis 2:7, Genesis 2:21–22, Genesis 5:1–2; Deuteronomy 32:6; Psalm 100:3, Psalm 139:14; Proverbs 14:31, Proverbs 17:5, Proverbs 22:2; Ecclesiastes 12:1, Ecclesiastes 12:7
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
The role of Jesus Christ in creation
John 1:3 See also John 1:10; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
The role of the Spirit in creation
Job 33:4 See also Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30; Isaiah 40:12–13
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The creation of the world
Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3 See also Psalm 33:9, Psalm 148:5; Romans 4:17
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
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.
The original creation was complete and perfect
Its completion
Genesis 2:1 See also Genesis 2:2–3; Exodus 20:11; Isaiah 48:12–13; Hebrews 4:3
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
Its perfection
Genesis 1:31 See also Genesis 1:10, Genesis 1:12, Genesis 1:18, Genesis 1:21, Genesis 1:25; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Isaiah 45:18; 1 Timothy 4:4
And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day.
The witness of creation
Creation should cause people to worship God
Revelation 4:11 See also Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 19:1–4, Psalm 95:6, Psalm 148:5, Psalm 148:13; Romans 1:20 God's power and deity is witnessed through the created order.
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and were created.”
Sinners refuse the witness of creation
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 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.
Believers receive the witness of creation by faith
Hebrews 11:3 See also Genesis 6:6
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.
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.