DEAR little readers, we were telling you a short time ago of how God created this world fair and beautiful; and not this world only, but the sun, the moon and the stars also; and how that He did not have to go through the slow process of building; He simply said, Let it be so, and it was so. When He spoke the word, worlds sprung into being. This proves Him to be God, for God alone can create.
Shall we have a little further talk about God’s wonderful works of creation? Although He could, and did, with a word, bring worlds into existence, yet He did not finish the creation in a moment of time. He chose to take six days in which to complete the work, and then rested on the seventh day.
But “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” That was before the six days began. How long before no one knows. God did not create it in vain (that is as a waste) but afterward it became “without form and void,” of which the second verse speaks. At this time there were no people on it; and there were no horses, nor dogs, nor animals of any kind; and there was no grass nor trees; there was not even any ground to be seen; there was only water—water everywhere. What a wild waste it was! But God did not leave it so, for He was going to place man upon the earth, and before doing this, He put everything in shape for man to enjoy. On the third day He gathered the waters into one place, and caused the dry land to appear. As the waters rolled together, He called them Seas; this made the great Oceans on which people travel in large ships from one country to another. On the dry land, with its hills, and valleys, and plains, God made the tender grass to spring up, and the fruit tree to grow, and the herb to yield its seed.
On the fourth day God made two great lights. The greater light was to rule the day, and from morning till night, all these thousands of years, this great light has been shining, carrying cheer and blessing all over the World. The lesser light was to rule the night; and how beautifully and gently it does its appointed work! I am sure you can all tell what this lesser light is! The wonderful stars, too, were a part of the work of the fourth day.
On the fifth day God created the great whales, and all the creatures that move in the waters, and the birds that fly in the air. Then the waters were full of life, and winged creatures were moving back and forth, and up and down, through the air; but on the earth there were no living creatures—only the grass and trees and flowers.
On the sixth day God made the cows and sheep and all the animals that live in the fields and in the woods. And, last of all, when everything was ready for man to enjoy, God created man and woman. He gave them food from the herbs and from the trees, and He gave them power over all the animals and the snakes and other creeping things; He gave them power, too, over the fish that were in the sea, and over the birds that flew in the air. All the creatures were to be subject to the man and the woman that God had made.
When all was done, and God looked over the creation, He saw that everything was good. No doubt the little birds carroled His praise, and the trees of the field clapped their hands for joy, and the great, roaring ocean spoke of His power. All was good; all was hay; but, alas! sin soon came into the scene and then all was spoiled.
If the Lord will, we will tell you more about this at another time. R.
ML 09/10/1899