Creation Week: Day Two and the Firmament's Significance

God forms a distinction between the waters above and below, establishing the firmament as a symbol of heavenly glory.

### The Creation of Light and the Formation of Heaven and Earth
* 🌌 On day two of the creation week, God transforms a formless and void earth by first creating **light to dispel darkness**.
* 🌊 This act of separation between light and darkness marks the **initial formation of the world**.
* ☁ God then creates the firmament, establishing a **distinction between the waters above and the waters below**, which is a recurring theme throughout the Bible.
* 🌧 The Israelites, as they enter Canaan, receive **water from heaven**, contrasting with the reliance on the **Nile in Egypt**, highlighting the significance of **heavenly waters**.
* 🔭 The Hebrew word "rekiah," meaning something that is **beaten flat**, describes the firmament as a **dome-like structure** resembling **solid blue material**.
* ⭐ The firmament is not merely a barrier; it possesses **depth**, as evidenced by the **Sun, Moon, and stars** placed within it on day four, symbolizing **God's glory**.
* 👼 The stars serve as representations of the **angels surrounding God**, creating a metaphorical connection between the **highest heaven** and the **earthly heavens**.
* 🌠 Thus, the creation narrative establishes an analogy between the **divine realm** and the **earthly firmament**, emphasizing the relationship between **God and His creation**.

[Music] Day two is part of the forming section of the creation week. God first creates an earth that's formless and void and dark. He creates light. He makes light to illuminate the dark world. Then he begins to form it, and then once it's formed, he begins to fill it. The first act of forming, you could say, is the creation of light in the separation of light and darkness. But then he creates the firmament and inserts the firmament between the waters above and the waters below, and that forms an above and below. It forms a world where there are waters in heaven and there are waters on earth, and that distinction runs through the entire Bible. When people go into heaven, they see a sea of glass in front of God's throne, and those are the heavenly waters. Sometimes the heavenly waters come down. We have a distinction in Exodus between the land that Israel was going into and Egypt where they came from, and the distinction is made in terms of waters above and waters below, the rain from

heaven. God waters the land, the land of Canaan that Israel is entering, rather than water coming up from the Nile, ground water, or rising from below to water the land of Egypt. They're going to get water from heaven that's going to water their own land. So, the first form that we have in the creation is this distinction between the waters above and the waters below. The Hebrew term for the firmament is rekiah, which means something that's beaten out, beaten flat. It's used to describe a piece of metal, for example, that's beaten into a sheet. And at least that's the appearance that the firmament has. If we look up to the sky, we look at a dome, that's the firmament, and it looks like a piece of blue material, solid material, that's been beaten flat. But when we actually look at the rest of the creation week, we see that the firmament is not just that barrier. The firmament has depth. That is a barrier, but it has depth. We know this from day four when

God inserts into the firmament the Sun, Moon, and the stars. The Sun and Moon, the stars become a symbol, visual, visible from Earth, a symbol within Earth, within the system of Earth that resembles the glories of heaven. That's one of the reasons why we're caught, why the firmament is called heaven after it's formed in day two. It's an earthly image of heaven, and the Sun, Moon, and stars that are put in there are an image of God and his glory, with the stars being symbols of the sons of God, the angels that are surrounding him. And so, in the creation week, we had this built-in analogy, this built-in metaphor between the highest heaven where God is enthroned and the earthly heavens, which are the firmament.

The Firmament: with Peter Leithart

Theopolis Institute

The Formation of the World in Creation Week

On day two of the creation week, God creates light to illuminate the formless and dark earth.

He then forms the firmament, creating a distinction between the waters above and below, which is a recurring theme in the Bible.

This separation of waters plays a significant role in various biblical narratives, including the distinction between Egypt and the Promised Land.

The land of Canaan, which Israel is entering, will be watered from heaven, in contrast to Egypt's water sources.

The Hebrew term "rekiah" describes the firmament as a beaten flat piece, resembling a solid dome in the sky.

The firmament not only serves as a barrier but also has depth, as indicated by its role in the creation week.

The Symbolism of the Sun, Moon, and Stars in the Firmament

God places the Sun, Moon, and stars in the firmament as a visual symbol of His glory and the heavenly realm.

The firmament is called heaven after its formation, creating an analogy between the highest heaven and the earthly heavens.

The stars symbolize the sons of God and the angels surrounding Him, establishing a metaphorical connection between God and the created order.