Genesis 2:1-3 God’s Creative Work Demonstrates His Great Power

Genesis 2:2 repeats a little phrase three times, “the work that He had been doing.” God had been doing the work of creation. He is the One who was working.

When we attribute the creation to evolution, we diminish the role of God in creation. Sure, some people claim that God established the world in such a way that evolution could occur. Therefore, God is responsible; He merely used evolution as the mechanism to do the creating.

That argument may satisfy those who wish to find a way to make evolution compatible with the Bible. However, it does not easily fit with this text.

The plain reading of Genesis 1 would lead one to believe that God did the work in seven 24-hour days without the use of evolution. In fact, that understanding has been the standard interpretation of this passage for more than 3000 years.

Also notice that God finished the work in six days and rested on the seventh. If each day is composed of millions of years, as many evolutions like to argue, then God must have rested during the following millions of years. There would be no reason to change the meaning of “day” in the midst of this passage.

In Genesis 2:3 we learn that God blessed the seventh day, because in it He rested from all His work which He had created and made. Again, the seventh day is not a period of millions of years. The seventh day is 24-hour time period that was to become very important in the life of Jewish people.

Exodus 20:8-11 confirms the 24 hour understanding of the word day,

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

But the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

The Lord did not make some primordial soup and wait a few million years to watch it create life by chance. He made the heavens and the earth and “all that is in them.” And He did it in six 24-hour days.

To this day Jewish people still observe the Sabbath. They do it on the seventh day of the week, corresponding to that seventh day in which the Lord rested. The length of the days is the same in Genesis 1 and Exodus 20:11.

As we read Genesis 1 and 2 we should marvel at the greatness of God who is able to create the beautiful and wonderful world in which we live. As scientists learn more about the mysteries of life, our love of the Lord should only increase.
Are you discouraged today? Do you need an assuring word?

He has given us His Word, the Scripture. As we read it we come to know Him and trust in Him. We realize that He is sufficient for all of our needs.

He knows all of our concerns. Peter tells us to cast all our anxiety upon Him because He cares for you” (1 Pe 5:7).

I remember having a difficult time that lasted for almost 2 years. As I used to think about that situation I took great comfort in knowing that the Lord who created everything and sustains it from day to day, knew all about my situation. I would think to myself “If the Lord can do those things, then surely He can handle this situation in my life.”

That’s just what He did. At just the right time the Lord took care of the problem. In the meantime I was able to trust Him for help.

If you are discouraged, I trust that you will draw comfort from the Lord as you read these chapters in Genesis that tell of God’s creative work. His same power is available to help you in your time of need.