Creation

God created light and separated it from the darkness, establishing the first day-night cycle. This foundational act brought order to the formless void and set the stage for all subsequent creation.

“And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”

— Genesis 1:3-5

God created the expanse (firmament) to separate the waters above from the waters below, forming the sky and establishing the atmospheric heavens.

“And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.”

— Genesis 1:6-8

God gathered the waters to form seas, revealing dry land. He then commanded the earth to produce vegetation—plants, trees, and seed-bearing flora of every kind.

“And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so.”

— Genesis 1:9-13

God created the sun, moon, and stars to serve as lights in the sky, to mark seasons, days, and years, and to govern the day and night.

“And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.”

— Genesis 1:14-19

God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves in the waters, along with every winged bird, filling both the seas and the skies with abundant life.

“And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky." So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."”

— Genesis 1:20-23

God created land animals—livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals—each according to their kinds. Then, as the crown of creation, God made mankind in His own image, male and female, giving them dominion over all the earth.

“Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

— Genesis 1:26-27

God completed His work of creation and rested on the seventh day, blessing and sanctifying it. This established the pattern of Sabbath rest for all of creation.

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

— Genesis 2:1-3