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NASB | Genesis 1:16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:16 God made the two great lights--the greater light (the sun) to rule the day, and the lesser light (the moon) to rule the night; He made the [galaxies of] stars also [that is, all the amazing wonders in the heavens]. |
Bible Question: ON WHAT DAY IN THE BOOK OF GN.1.WAS THE TWO GREAT LIGHTS CREATED. |
Bible Answer: Hi, The first important thing when reading the creation account (the meaning of which is widely debated) is to notice exactly what the account does and does not say, whatever our view on it may be. The first thing to notice is that there are only three acts of creation (bara - creation out of nothing)). The first is the creation of heaven and earth. 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.' (Genesis 1.1) The second is the creation of living ceatures. 'So God created the great sea creatures, and every living creature that moves with which the water swarm, according to their kind ----' (Genesis 1.21). The third is the creation of man. 'So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them' (Genesis 1.27). Apart from those three cases the account speaks of things as either 'made, fashioned' or 'brought forth'. In these cases we may assume that previous material is used. The second thing to note is that Hebrew verbs are not specific as to tense. They do not strictly have a past tense or a future tense. They have a complete or definite tense, and an incomplete or indefinite tense (loosely called the 'perfect' and 'imperfect' although strictly they are not). That is why the prophets can use the definite tense about the future. It is because as it is what God is going to do it is definite, and there is no doubt about it (loosely called the prophetic perfect, but it is not). In other words Hebrew verbs are vague as to time. Especially important is it to notice that there is no pluperfect. The Hebrew cannot speak of what God HAD done. He uses the same tense for that as he would for any other past action. I stress this because it is relevant to your question. If you read the account carefully God's main purpose on the fourth day was not to create the great lights, but to utilise them for controlling the times and the seasons. They were brought into play to separate the day from the night (on earth) and to be for portents (the prophets often use them as portents), and for seasons, and for days, and for years. From now on they were to give light upon the earth. Then we read, 'and God made the two great lights --- and he made the stars also'. Now if we translate 'had made', which is quite legitimate, then it would be referring back to verse 1 where God created 'light'. After all the sun and moon are important givers of light. Some see the first day as also including the creation of the heavens and the earth. Others see verse 1 as a general heading. The Hebrews were more concerned that God had done it rather than when He did it. This helps us to understand the pattern of the account. Initially God creates the heavens, and on the first day creates light. On the fourth day, He brings the lights into use for man's benefit. On the second day He makes the waters below and the atmosphere, and on the fifth day he makes the creatures that live in the water below and the atmosphere (sea mammals, fish and birds). On the third day He produces vegetation, and on the sixth day the animals and man who will make use of the vegetation. So we could argue that God made these 'lights when He first created the heavens and the earth, or when He called forth light, and that what is described in verse 4 is how He brought them into use for the benefit of earth (and of course for the benefit of man). Others, however, see them as 'made' (not 'created') on the fourth day. The interpretation I will leave to you. It is, however, important to do it noticing the nuances of the languages, nuances which are clearly intended. In Him |
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Lionstrong | ||
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Lionstrong | ||
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Truthfinder | ||
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TRYINGHARD | ||
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Searcher56 | ||
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rabban |