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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 In the beginning of God's preparing the heavens and the earth |
In the beginning – Not of the universe, but of our planet. F17
In the beginning of the first day of the creative week. F18
The Bible is the only book in the world which in a logical and rational manner sets forth the order of creation in respect to earth. OV8:4
Refers to the work accomplished by divine power in bringing the waste and lifeless earth into condition for man's use. R5139:2
The purpose which God had has never changed. R5057:6
God created – A distinction is made between the creation of the heaven and the earth, and the subsequent regulation, or ordering, of these. F18
And the earth – The most advanced of all the worlds yet created. R3920:6
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| 2 the earth hath existed waste and void, and darkness [is] on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttering on the face of the waters, |
And the earth was – It already existed before the six days began. R5139:3, R4386:3; F18, F23
We are not told when God began to make the earth. Q633:1; PD2/8
The account of the days of creation given in Genesis relates not to the construction of our globe, but to the ordering of it for human habitation. PD2/8
The Vailian theory harmonizes with the Bible. It assumes that Saturn's rings and Jupiter's belts illustrate earth's development as a planet. PD2/8; F23
Without form and void – Shapeless, empty. PD2/8; R4386:3
Waste and void (Revised Version). R5139:5
There were neither mountains nor valleys, trees nor shrubs, rivers nor oceans. PD2/8
And darkness – There was no light in the earth prior to the time when divine energy brooded on the surface of the waters; because of an impenetrable fog and an upper canopy of water and minerals. R5140:1
And the spirit – The power or energy. E175
Moved upon – Fecundated, rendered fruitful or prolific. E175
This manifestation of God's spirit is easier to understand than its transforming power. E183
The brooding of holy (divine) energy developed a light, probably resembling the Aurora Borealis. PD2/8; R5140:1
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| 3 and God saith, 'Let light be;' and light is. |
And there was light – Possibly electrical, as Aurora Borealis. F30; R5140:1
Thus are briefly summed up the results of 7000 years, styled the- first day. PD2/8
The first day of 7000 years, under the divine energy, gradually increased the electrical light and prepared for the next epoch. R5140:1
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| 4 And God seeth the light that [it is] good, and God separateth between the light and the darkness, |
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| 5 and God calleth to the light 'Day,' and to the darkness He hath called 'Night;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning day one. |
Called the light day – Days, marked by a dull, grayish light, became more distinct. Possibly enough sunlight penetrated to the earth to distinguish day from night. F34
And the evening – The obscure beginning. F31
And the morning – The perfect completion. F31
As with the Hebrew solar days, so with these epoch days, the evening came first. F31
Were the first day – The Azoic or lifeless age of 7000 years. F31
The word "day" may be applied to any period or epoch. F19; R5139:3; PD3/8
Not a sun day, for the sun itself was not visible until the fourth creative day. PD3/8; F19; Q758:2
Each of these ages of creation was a period of 7000 years; the whole period of creation up to the time of man was six periods, or 42,000 years. Q633:1; R5768:2
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| 6 And God saith, 'Let an expanse be in the midst of the waters, and let it be separating between waters and waters.' |
Be a firmament – An expanse of atmosphere. F31 Circumambient air. PD3/8
Doubtless the light had to do in a natural way with bringing about this secondary feature of the earth's preparation. R5140:1
In the midst – Between the. F31
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| 7 And God maketh the expanse, and it separateth between the waters which [are] under the expanse, and the waters which [are] above the expanse: and it is so. |
Made the firmament – The atmosphere, composed of gasses given off after the fall of the first canopy. F31
Divided the waters – The strongly mineralized waters above the earth, held off by the firmament and centrifugal force, greatest at the equator, concentrated them at the two poles. PD3/8
And it was so – God accomplishes great and wonderful operations by reasonable methods, called the "course of nature." PD4/9
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| 8 And God calleth to the expanse 'Heavens;' and there is an evening, and there is a morning day second. |
Were the second day – The Paleozoic age, Silurian period, 7000 years. F31; PD3/8
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| 9 And God saith, 'Let the waters under the heavens be collected unto one place, and let the dry land be seen:' and it is so. |
The dry land appear – The weight of the seas caused the earth to buckle as it cooled, gradually forcing portions of its crust above water. F32; PD4/9
Under divine direction earthquakes took place and mountain ranges were thrown up. R5140:1
Similar paroxysms of nature will probably occur soon, for we are in another transition period-the opening of the Millennial age, for which changed conditions are requisite. F32
Probably the American continent was thrown up much later than were Europe, Asia and Africa. PD4/9
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| 10 And God calleth to the dry land 'Earth,' and to the collection of the waters He hath called 'Seas;' and God seeth that [it is] good. |
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| 11 And God saith, 'Let the earth yield tender grass, herb sowing seed, fruit-tree (whose seed [is] in itself) making fruit after its kind, on the earth:' and it is so. |
Bring forth grass – Vegetation began on the third day, though it did not reach its perfection until after the light of the sun penetrated. PD4/9
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| 12 And the earth bringeth forth tender grass, herb sowing seed after its kind, and tree making fruit (whose seed [is] in itself) after its kind; and God seeth that [it is] good; |
Grass and herb – Carbonic and nitrogenous gasses caused extraordinary plant growth during the third creative day, storing carbon for coal deposits and purifying the atmosphere for later animal life. F33
Seed after his kind – Reproducing its own kind only. F32
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| 13 and there is an evening, and there is a morning day third. |
Were the third day – The Carboniferous era of 7000 years. F33; PD4/9
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| 14 And God saith, 'Let luminaries be in the expanse of the heavens, to make a separation between the day and the night, then they have been for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years, |
Let there be lights – The appearance of the sun and moon implies that another ring broke at that time. PD5/10
We are not to assume that the sun and moon shone on the earth as now; but they were discernible. PD5/10
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| 15 and they have been for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth:' and it is so. |
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| 16 And God maketh the two great luminaries, the great luminary for the rule of the day, and the small luminary and the stars for the rule of the night; |
And God made – Literally, "caused to shine," not "created." F33; PD5/10
Two great lights – The sun, moon and stars were created long before, but had never before cast their light upon the earth because of the impenetrable veil. PD5/10
Symbolically, the moon represents the Law covenant rule, and the sun the New covenant rule. PD5/10
The greater light – Said by Pope Gregory VII to represent the pope. B308
To rule the day – To indicate the time of day. F34[F33:4]
Said by Pope Gregory VII to represent spiritual things. B308
The lesser light – Said by Pope Gregory VII to represent civil power. B308
To rule the night – Said by Pope Gregory VII to represent temporal affairs. B308
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| 17 and God giveth them in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth, |
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| 18 and to rule over day and over night, and to make a separation between the light and the darkness; and God seeth that [it is] good; |
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| 19 and there is an evening, and there is a morning day fourth. |
Were the fourth day – The Triassic period of 7000 years. F34
Volume One editions up to 1911 state "Devonian. "
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| 20 And God saith, 'Let the waters teem with the teeming living creature, and fowl let fly on the earth on the face of the expanse of the heavens.' |
Waters bring forth – This is in harmony with scientific findings that the beginning of life came from the waters. PD6/11
This implies a gradual process of nature. CR119:5
The Bible does not assert that God created separately and individually the myriad kinds of fish and reptiles, but merely that divine influence, or spirit, brooded, and by divine purpose the sea brought forth. F35
A measure of evolution is suggested. R5140:4
Abundantly – The untellable trillions of shellfish which absorbed the excess of hydrocarbons. F35, F37
The moving creature – The protoplasm of the Paleozoic slime may have come into existence through chemical action of the highly mineralized waters. F35
The creeping creature. E324
That hath life – Nephesh, soul, sentient being. R5325:6; E324
Hebrew, "a living soul." The life principle is no different in mankind from what it is in all other creatures whose breath is taken in through the nostrils, as distinguishing them from the fish. HG331:2
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| 21 And God prepareth the great monsters, and every living creature that is creeping, which the waters have teemed with, after their kind, and every fowl with wing, after its kind, and God seeth that [it is] good. |
Living creature – Nephesh, soul, sentient being, as of man. E324, E334
After their kind – Apparently the various orders of creation were brought to a state of development and fixity of species not to be thereafter altered. F36; PD6/11
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| 22 And God blesseth them, saying, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and the fowl let multiply in the earth:' |
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| 23 and there is an evening, and there is a morning day fifth. |
Were the fifth day – The Reptilian age of 7000 years. F36
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| 24 And God saith, 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind:' and it is so. |
Let the earth bring forth – A remarkable form of expression leaving ample room for the theory of spontaneous generation which is yet one of the mooted questions in biology. F54*
Living creature – Nephesh, soul, sentient being. E324, E334
Cattle – Domestic animals as distinguished from others. F36
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| 25 And God maketh the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, and God seeth that [it is] good. |
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| 26 And God saith, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth.' |
Let us – The plural form calls our attention to the fact that "The Word was in the beginning with God." (John 1:2) R1609:3
In our image – With similar mental powers of reason, memory, judgment and will; and moral qualities of justice, benevolence and love. A174; F722; PD7/13
God's law was written in Adam's heart. R5286:3
He was perfect morally and mentally. CR140:5; CR326:3; R4965:1, R5284:1
God was manifested in the flesh of Adam. Q452:2; R5286:3
Not in the sense that man is of the divine nature. Q503:2
Not with a mere first glimmer of moral sense as claimed by Evolutionists. R2835:3
The object of making man an earthly image of his Creator was that he might be a suitable ruler of earth. R2836:4
So that man might enjoy the Creator and the fruits of his righteousness to all eternity. R5210:6
Sin has made us to differ from the original image of God. R5290:6, R5124:5, R5284:1
After our likeness – King of earth, as God is of the universe. A174; F39
God being love, Adam was implanted with the quality of love. R5757:2
Adam and Eve were created in the divine likeness. R5154:6
With no bias, no tendency toward sin, no imperfection of judgment. CR500:2
Evolution denies that Adam was fit for a trial; ever had one; or failed and fell from grace; therefore he needed no redemption. R4792:2
And let them – Not Adam alone, but all men together. A245
Have dominion – Not over each other, but as stated. A246
The Bible shows man as earth's Lord and ruler with divine authority over the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea. OV8:4; SM154:T
None of the angels was ever set over anything. R5290:3
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| 27 And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them. |
So God created man – Not merely man's body; but man, an intelligent being. R5611:1
It does not say, "the earth brought forth man," or, "the waters brought forth man." F39; R5140:5
In no sense implying evolution of man. R5140:3
In his own image- An earthly image of himself. A171; OV376:2; PD7/13; R5290:3
Like God in that man, too, had a dominion. R5290:6
A free moral agent. OV15:1; R5082:4
The lowest form of man has twice the physical brain capacity of the highest ape. R3921:4
In us the image is blurred, indistinct. R5082:4; SM428:1
With reasoning faculties and the sense of justice, right and wrong. HG508:6; F39
In the image of God – Man was created perfect, upright, in the divine image. OV8:4, OV145:3; R4611:3
If Adam were imperfect, this language is vain. F40
Would a man take pleasure in sending out a blurred and defaced painting and widely announce it as an image of himself, or would he delight in owning and blessing a simple or idiotic son? R1266:3
Created he them – The glory and honor not being in its full sense represented by one of the sexes, but by them both unitedly. R2836:4
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| 28 And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.' |
God blessed them – With everlasting life at their command if they continued in harmony with God. R4963:3
Earthly dominion was for both man and woman. R1552:2
The divine blessing is given only to that which is perfect. R3922:4
Said unto them – The necessity for written language, we believe, lies in the fact that Adam's race has fallen from the original, perfect state. R1717:3
Be fruitful – For 6000 years the divine command has been in process of fulfillment. OV137:2
The sex division was merely for the propagation of the race and not permanent. OV383:1
Propagation of the race was not in any sense a transgression or the transgression of our first parents. R2836:5
God gave this instruction before man transgressed; thus it would be no transgression to bring forth children. HG733:2
These words were addressed to the natural man, not to the Church. R3922:5
Replenish the earth – Fill the earth. OV137:2; D648; R2344:6, R2836:5
When the earth has been filled, procreative powers will be eliminated and the race will be composed of perfect units, as Adam was before Eve was created. R2836:5
God's ultimate purpose did not contemplate filling the earth with a dead race. R1516:1*
And subdue it – Develop it. SM414:2
The garden of Eden only had been subdued. CR425:1
Had our first parents not sinned they would have been able to complete the subjugation of the earth without losing their Edenic home. CR429:4; R3922:5
The subduing of the earth has been accomplished by convict labor-all mankind. CR66:5
And have dominion – Like God. PD7/13; R5290:6
Adam and the Logos were the only ones who were in any sense over anything. R5290:6
Illustrated by Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a tree. (Dan. 4) B93
See similar language of the passage in which Nebuchadnezzar was made representative head of human dominion. (Dan. 2:37, 38) B96; HG49:1
Every living thing – No intimation that the animals were wild, vicious, at enmity with man. R5574:3
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| 29 And God saith, 'Lo, I have given to you every herb sowing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which [is] the fruit of a tree sowing seed, to you it is for food; |
Shall be for meat – Presumably animal food, now eaten with the Lord's sanction and necessary because of human weakness, will not be eaten in the coming age. R2836:6
It was not until after the flood that the Lord sanctioned the eating of animal food. (Gen. 9:1-4) R2836:6
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| 30 and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to every creeping thing on the earth, in which [is] breath of life, every green herb [is] for food:' and it is so. |
There is life – Nephesh, soul, sentient being, as of man. E325; HG331:2
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| 31 And God seeth all that He hath done, and lo, very good; and there is an evening, and there is a morning day the sixth. |
That he had made – Adam was "the son of God." R1609:6
Not merely commenced to make, but completed. A174
It was very good – Adam was physically, mentally and morally perfect, satisfactory to God. A174; E406; CR427:3; HG578:3; HG131:2
Contrary to Evolutionists. R5154:3
Crowning masterpiece of mundane creation. R5140:3
No specimen of remote antiquity yet discovered is inferior to the lowest of existing men, showing conclusively that there has been a fall. R3921:4
The garden of Eden was brought to full perfection; the rest of the earth was in the condition in which God intended it to be. Q232:1
The physical earth is a good storehouse of blessings, a good place for the exercise of man's powers, for his discipline and development and for his everlasting home and dominion. R1609:3
Were the sixth day – It was toward the close of the sixth day that God created man. PD7/13
Each of these ages of creation was a period of 7000 years, the whole period up to the time of man was six periods, or 42,000 years. Q633:1; R5768:2
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