Genesis Sermon 3: The Origin Of Water

A. INTRODUCTION

The origin of atmosphere and hydrosphere. The earth uniquely has a great body of liquid water (oceans) and an extensive blanket of oxygen - nitrogen gaseous mixture (air); both are necessary for life. These never developed on other planets, but the earth has them by special creation.

B. SECOND DAY

"And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

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. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day." Genesis 1:6-8

1. Air. "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters" (v.6). Means expanse, space, heaven(s).

2. Division. "Divide the waters from the waters" (v.6). Some waters were placed high above the rotating globe (protective canopy), i.e., a vast blanket of water vapor. The second body of water was on the earth (seas).

a. Saturn. A system of rings, i.e., ice particles.

b. Venus. A dense cloud cover (believed to be carbon dioxide, rather than water).

3. Heaven. "God called the firmament heaven" (v.8). One of three heavens, i.e., (1) the atmospheric heaven. (2) the ionosphere.

(3) God’s dwelling place, i.e., God’s localized presence.

C. CONDITIONS ON EARTH

1. Global greenhouse effect, since water can transmit solar radiation and retain/dispense radiation.

2. Uniform weather, i.e., inhibit air-mass movement, storms unknown.

3. No rain, i.e., no hydrologic cycle. "for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth . . . and there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground" (Gen. 2:5,6).

4. Uniform temperature, i.e., comfortable uniform humidity.

5. Extensive vegetation, from warm temperature and moisture. No barren deserts and ice caps.

6. Longevity and health. Canopy filtered out ultraviolet rays, cosmic rays, etc.

7. The canopy would provide the water reservoir for the world-wide flood in Noah’s day.

8. Restored in the millennium. "Waters that be above the heavens" (Psa. 148:4).

D. SEPARATION OF LAND FROM THE SEAS

"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. And God called the dry land

Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:9-10).

1. Shoreless Ocean. The earth was a sphere, i.e., a great mud ball.

First: divide light from darkness.

Second: Waters above divided from water below.

Third: Dry land divided from the waters.

2. The power of the Word. "Let the dry land appear" (v.9).

Dirt, rocks and minerals appeared.

Earth’s crust, mantle, and core (heavier substance sinking and light materials floating).

Basin appeared to contain oceans, seas, lakes.

Network of channels (rivers, creeks) drained waters off rising land mass.

3. Land. "God called the dry land earth" (v.9). The formless matter originally created by God is used to constitute dry land.

4. Plural. " . . . the gathering together of the water, called He Seas" (v.10).

(Job 38:4-11 NIV)

4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 "Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

9 When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;

10 When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

11 When I said, ’This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’

E. APPLICATION

1. Sea is terrifying. "Raging waves of the sea" (Jude 13). "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest" (Isa. 57:20).

2. Symbol of Gentiles. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea" (Rev. 13:1).

3. Place of Punishment. " . . . both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Rev. 19:20).

4. Sea is source of life. "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea (Gen. 1:26,28). "Bring of the fish which ye have now caught" (John 21:10).

5. Sea is symbol of purity and peace. "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal" (Rev. 4:6).

6. Why? "There was no more sea" (Rev.21:1). "He showed me a stream of pure water that was crystal clear that flowed out of the throne of God down the middle of the new heaven" (Rev. 22:1,2 ELT).