GENESIS–THE DAYS OF CREATION

THE SECOND DAY

 THE FIRMAMENT.

Genesis 1:6-8  “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.”

THE CREATION OF THE LOWER HEAVEN, CALLED THE FIRMAMENT.  THIS IS A DIVISION BETWEEN THE WATERS ABOVE AND THE WATERS BELOW.  WE CALL IT OUR “ATMOSPHERE.”

IT IS RELATED TO THE ATMOSPHERE AROUND A THING.  IN THIS CASE, AROUND THE EARTH.

Ezekiel 1:22-23, 25-26 “And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.  And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.”  Ezekiel 10:1 “Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.”

THE FIRMAMENT AS A DIVIDER:

(The firmament is sometimes called “heaven,” using various words to modify that word, and when that term is used, there are three distinct places it refers to).

—LOWER FIRMAMENT.  THE ATMOSPHERE.   Genesis 7:11   “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”  Genesis 8:2  “The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

—UPPER FIRMAMENT.  (CALLED “THE FIRMAMENT OF Heaven”).   THE HEAVENS, SPACE.  Isaiah 13:10 “For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.”

—HEAVEN ITSELF.  (A PLACE BEYOND THE FIRMAMENTS WHERE THE THRONE OF GOD IS LOCATED).  2 Corinthians 12:2  “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven”.   2 Chronicles 6:25  “Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.”  2 Chronicles 6:33 “Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the…”   Genesis 1:8  “And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”  Genesis 1:14-15  “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:  And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.”  Genesis 1:17 “And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,”  Genesis 1:20 “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”  Psalms 19:1 “« To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. » The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.”