The Dawn of Creation: A Narrative and Study of Genesis Chapter 1
The Dawn of Creation
Table of Contents
Introduction: The Beginning of All Beginnings
Section 1: The Empty Expanse – “Let There Be Light”
Section 2: The Division of Waters – The Sky and the Sea
Section 3: The Rising Land and the Birth of Green Life
Section 4: The Celestial Lights – Time and Seasons Begin
Section 5: The Filling of Waters and Skies – Life in Motion
Section 6: The Creation of Animals and Humanity – Dominion and Image
Section 7: The Completion and Blessing – The Seventh Day
Conclusion: The Majesty of the Creator
References
Reference Bible Text:
Genesis Chapter 1 (King James Version)
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
7 And 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.
8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Introduction: The Beginning of All Beginnings
Before the first dawn, before time, before atoms or energy — there was only God. Infinite, eternal, self-existent. The Bible begins with a profound declaration:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” — Genesis 1:1 (KJV)
This verse sets the foundation of all theology: God is the source of everything. There was no chaos beyond His control, no rival power, and no accident. Out of nothing (ex nihilo), He called the universe into being.
COMMENTS:
For more information on the Godhead see our Bible study on the subject of the Trinity.
Section 1: The Empty Expanse – “Let There Be Light”
“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” — Genesis 1:2
The scene opens upon a formless void — a vast, dark, watery abyss. Yet, even here, the Spirit of God hovers over the deep like a mighty eagle brooding over her young (Deuteronomy 32:11).
Then comes the first word of creation:
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” — Genesis 1:3
In that instant, light burst forth, scattering the primal darkness. The divine word became reality — God spoke, and it was (Psalm 33:6,9).
Light, the symbol of goodness, knowledge, and life, now divided the day from night. God named the light Day and the darkness Night.
Thus, the first day was born — a cycle of light and darkness, evening and morning.
Section 2: The Division of Waters – The Sky and the Sea
On the second day, God continued shaping the cosmos.
“And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” — Genesis 1:6
The “firmament” (raqia in Hebrew) refers to the expanse, or sky. God divided the cosmic waters — separating the misty vapor above from the liquid depths below. The firmament became the heavenly dome, a vast canvas across which clouds would drift and rain would fall.
Even in this act, God demonstrated order — a separation for purpose. Creation was being structured for habitation and harmony.
Section 3: The Rising Land and the Birth of Green Life
The third day brought transformation beneath the waters.
“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear.” — Genesis 1:9
The seas withdrew at God’s command, revealing continents, mountains, and valleys. He named the dry land Earth and the gathered waters Seas — and God saw that it was good.
Then, for the first time, the earth brought forth life:
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind.” — Genesis 1:11
Green vegetation burst from the soil — from grass to towering trees, each reproducing “after its kind,” revealing the principle of order and reproduction. Life was purposeful and self-sustaining.
Section 4: The Celestial Lights – Time and Seasons Begin
On the fourth day, God filled the heavens with brilliance.
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night.” — Genesis 1:14
Two great lights appeared:
The greater light to rule the day — the Sun.
The lesser light to rule the night — the Moon.
And also the stars, countless in their splendor (Psalm 19:1).
These celestial bodies served more than beauty — they marked seasons, days, and years. Time itself was now measurable. Humanity would later use these rhythms for agriculture, festivals, and worship (Leviticus 23:4).
Section 5: The Filling of Waters and Skies – Life in Motion
The fifth day brought movement and sound.
“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth.” — Genesis 1:20
The seas swarmed with fish, great and small — from the massive whales to tiny minnows. The skies filled with birds — eagles soaring, doves cooing, sparrows darting.
God blessed them, saying:
“Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.” — Genesis 1:22
This was the first blessing — a divine empowerment to flourish and reproduce.
Section 6: The Creation of Animals and Humanity – Dominion and Image
On the sixth day, creation reached its climax.
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind.” — Genesis 1:24
Beasts of the field, cattle, and creeping things appeared. Each “after its kind,” maintaining divine order.
Then, the narrative slows — something momentous is about to occur.
God speaks in divine counsel:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” — Genesis 1:26
Humanity was not spoken into being like the others; it was deliberately formed in the image and likeness of God — capable of reason, morality, creativity, and relationship.
Male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27).
God blessed humanity with authority and responsibility:
“Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion...” — Genesis 1:28
This dominion was stewardship, not tyranny — a call to govern creation as God’s representative.
Food was provided: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees for humans, and green plants for animals (Genesis 1:29–30).
And as the sixth day ended, God surveyed His work:
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” — Genesis 1:31
Perfection and harmony filled creation.
Section 7: The Completion and Blessing – The Seventh Day
Though Genesis 2:1–3 concludes the creation narrative, it completes Chapter 1’s rhythm.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” — Genesis 2:1
On the seventh day, God rested — not from fatigue, but to sanctify time itself. He blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Exodus 20:11). Rest became a divine pattern — a rhythm of working and then resting/worship.
COMMENTS:
For more information on the Study of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
Conclusion: The Majesty of the Creator
Genesis 1 is more than an origin story — it is a declaration of divine sovereignty, order, and goodness.
It reveals:
God as the Creator (Psalm 100:3).
The world as purposeful and good (1 Timothy 4:4).
Humanity as image-bearers and stewards (Psalm 8:4–6).
From darkness to light, chaos to order, emptiness to abundance — the narrative reflects God’s power to bring life, beauty, and meaning out of nothingness.
Even today, the echoes of “Let there be light” still resound — in every sunrise, in every spark of inspiration, in every soul awakened by God’s Word.
References
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)
Genesis 1:1–31; Genesis 2:1–3
Psalm 33:6, 9 – “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.”
Psalm 19:1 – “The heavens declare the glory of God.”
Psalm 8:4–6 – Humanity’s dominion and dignity.
Exodus 20:11 – The pattern of the Sabbath.
1 Timothy 4:4 – “For every creature of God is good.”
Deuteronomy 32:11 – Imagery of the Spirit hovering.
Additional Scholarly References
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Genesis (1706).
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Cross-reference edition).
John Calvin’s Commentary on Genesis (1554).
The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary – “Creation, The Doctrine of.”
Merrill F. Unger, Bible Handbook (Moody Publishers, 1984).