Posted by
ValiantForTruth on Wednesday, January 05, 2011 8:18:17 PM
Peter’s Testimony of Genesis 1
Peter gives valuable commentary on Genesis 1. He speaks of the world standing out of water and in the water in the context of the heavens of old. Here is his statement in context…
‘Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men’ [2 Peter 3:1-7].
Now let’s look again at day 2 in Genesis 1…
Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. [Genesis 1:6-8]
We are not dogmatic in this interpretation, but offer it for consideration for those who love the Scriptures because they testify of God’s creative and redemptive works in Jesus Christ…
There is a process or a progression in the 6 days of creation that are introduced by the statement in Genesis 1:1 that in the beginning of time God created the heavens and the earth. The deep in Genesis 1:2 is liquid water and includes the unformed heavens and the earth. So at the end of day 1 there is a mass of water and a light source. The separation of day and night implies the deep was created with angular momentum.
On day 2 a firmament was made in the midst of the waters to separate the waters from the waters. Here is where Peter is helpful in that he says that ‘the earth standing out of water and in the water’ and further he adds ‘by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.’ We take the waters below the firmament as the same subterranean waters that were the source of the ‘fountains of the great deep’ in Genesis 7. This makes the firmament of day two that which became the dry earth of day 3.
On day 4 the ‘firmament of the heavens’ is introduced to distinguish it from the firmament of the earth’s crust. The firmament of the heavens contains the Sun, Moon and stars. In Genesis 1:20 the birds fly across the ‘face’ of the firmament of the heavens not in the firmament. So we take the atmosphere to be the face of the firmament of the heavens.
‘And God called the firmament Heaven’
Genesis 1:8 brings us from the realm of creation into the realm of ultimate purpose. We have identified the firmament of Genesis 1:8 as that which became the dry earth and the dwelling place of Adam. In the garden there was sinless fellowship between Adam and his bride and the God of creation. Was this not the original Heaven?
Peter’s Testimony of Final Judgment and New Heavens and a New Earth
‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells’ [2 Peter 3:10-13].
Note that the heavens ‘will be dissolved, being on fire’, but the great hope of the Christian is the promise of a new creation where righteousness dwells.
God’s Ultimate Purpose fulfilled in the New Heaven and New Earth
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John,saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” [Revelation 21:1-5]
The Lamb and His bride are together on the new earth. Heaven is in the presence of God.
Next: The firmament of the heavens has expanded. What are the implications?