One of the most important things we humans should know about ourselves is that we are made in the image of God. He created us and shared his likeness with us. But people are not all God created. Everything we see in the natural world was made by God as well, and it’s also important for us to know that. Genesis famously tells the story of creation, starting with “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). As the rest of the story goes, over the course of six days, God spoke and made light, sky, earth and plants, sun and moon, air and sea creatures, and land creatures and humans (Genesis 1:2–31). If this was the only place the Bible talked about the creative work of God, it would be enough for us to know that everything we see came from Him. But this theme is important enough that the biblical writers talk about it in other places as well.
We should pray this knowledge will lead us to marvel at the power and beauty of a God capable of setting everything we see into motion.
Mirroring Genesis 1, John 1:3 says, “All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.” Psalm 104, from beginning to end, is dedicated to talking about how God both created and cares for nature. Verses 5 and 6 give a clear indication of the power that is displayed in God’s creative work, saying, “He established the earth on its foundations; it will never be shaken. You covered it with the deep as if it were a garment; the water stood above the mountains.” Romans even tells us that we can come to know God because of what he has created, saying that “his eternal power and divine nature, have been seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made” (Romans 1:20). This knowledge of God as creator is so important, we even see in Revelation that the elders around the throne of God bow down and say, “Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11).
In the next two articles, we will look more closely at why it matters for us to know that God created nature. For now, we should pray this knowledge will lead us to marvel at the power and beauty of a God capable of setting everything we see into motion.
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3 Comments
good morning! thanks for this commentary! I enjoyed reading it. But could you please clarify this sentence:
“But people are not all God created”. I find this confusing since you quote a few sentences later verses that affirm that all things were created by God. thank you for clarifying.
That confused me at first too! I think what they’re saying is that God not only made people, but He also made everything else that we see around us.
Jessica! I read it out loud and it makes perfect sense thanks for clarifying!!