Topical Bible: The Earth: God: Created

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The concept of the Earth as a creation of God is a foundational element in the biblical narrative, emphasizing God's sovereignty, power, and intentionality in the formation of the world. The Bible begins with the account of creation, establishing the Earth as a deliberate act of divine will.

Creation Account in Genesis

The opening chapters of Genesis provide the primary biblical account of the Earth's creation. Genesis 1:1-2 states, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters." This passage introduces the Earth as part of the initial act of creation, highlighting the presence and activity of God from the very beginning.

The subsequent verses describe the six days of creation, during which God systematically brings order and life to the Earth. On the third day, God commands the dry land to appear and vegetation to sprout, as recorded in Genesis 1:9-13 . This act underscores the intentional design and purpose imbued in the Earth's formation.

The Earth as God's Handiwork

Throughout Scripture, the Earth is frequently depicted as a testament to God's creative power and majesty. Psalm 24:1-2 declares, "The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters." This passage affirms God's ownership and authority over the Earth, rooted in His role as Creator.

Similarly, Psalm 104 offers a poetic reflection on the beauty and complexity of creation, attributing the Earth's features to God's wisdom and care. Verses 5 and 24 state, "He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved... How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures."

Theological Implications

The belief in God as the Creator of the Earth carries significant theological implications. It affirms the inherent goodness of creation, as seen in Genesis 1:31 , where God observes all He has made and declares it "very good." This goodness reflects God's character and establishes a framework for understanding humanity's relationship with the Earth.

Furthermore, the creation narrative underscores the concept of stewardship. Humanity, created in the image of God, is given the responsibility to "fill the earth and subdue it" and to "rule over" the creatures (Genesis 1:28). This mandate implies a caretaking role, where humans are to manage the Earth in a way that honors God's creative intent.

New Testament Affirmations

The New Testament reaffirms the belief in God as Creator, often linking it to the person and work of Jesus Christ. John 1:3 states, "Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made." This verse attributes the act of creation to the Word, identified as Christ, emphasizing His divine nature and involvement in the creation process.

Colossians 1:16 further elaborates, "For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him." This passage highlights the comprehensive scope of Christ's creative work and His ultimate purpose in creation.

Eschatological Perspective

The biblical narrative also points to a future renewal of creation, where the Earth will be restored to its intended glory. Romans 8:19-21 speaks of creation's eager expectation for liberation from "bondage to decay" and its participation in "the freedom of the glory of the children of God." This eschatological hope underscores the enduring significance of the Earth in God's redemptive plan.

Revelation 21:1 envisions a "new heaven and a new earth," signifying the culmination of God's creative and redemptive work. This future reality affirms the enduring value and purpose of the Earth within the biblical worldview.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nehemiah 9:6
You, even you, are LORD alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and you preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

From the Formless Earth God Created Another Heaven and a visible ...
... Book XII. Chapter XII."From the Formless Earth God Created Another Heaven
and a Visible and Formed Earth. 15. Which things considered ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xii from the formless earth.htm

Of the Creation of Heaven and Earth. "In the Beginning God Created ...
... Part I."Exegetical. Section I. Of the Creation of Heaven and Earth. "In the Beginning
God Created," Etc. Of the Creation of Heaven and Earth. ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/section i of the creation.htm

The vision of Creation
... and guided the processes? And the only answer is the ancient declaration,
'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.'. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the vision of creation.htm

Heaven and Earth Cry Out that they have Been Created by God.
... Book XI. Chapter IV."Heaven and Earth Cry Out that They Have Been Created
by God. 6. Behold, the heaven and earth are; they proclaim ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter iv heaven and earth cry.htm

After the Scripture.
... Thus far the image of God was lacking in the earth. When God had created man, the
lack was supplied: for that image was man, upon whose being the Lord God had ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/viii after the scripture.htm

The Rashness of those who Inquire what God did Before He Created ...
... Book XI. Chapter X."The Rashness of Those Who Inquire What God Did Before
He Created Heaven and Earth. 12. Lo, are they not full ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter x the rashness of those.htm

God in Christ
... (Septuagesima Sunday.) Genesis 1. I. In the beginning God created the heaven and
the earth. ... 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.'. ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon i god in christ.htm

The Constitution of the World and the Disposition of The
... CHAPTER 1. The Constitution Of The World And The Disposition Of The. Elements.
1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 the constitution of.htm

God's Approbation of his Works
... Gen.1:31. 1. When God created the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein,
at the conclusion of each day's work it is said, "And God saw that it was good ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 56 gods approbation of.htm

Proofs of the Resurrection from Isaiah and Ezekiel; the Same God ...
... 1. Now, that He who at the beginning created man, did ... manifest in him." [4581] Now
the work of God is the ... And the Lord took clay from the earth, and formed man ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xv proofs of the resurrection.htm