Genesis 1.
MY DEAR CHILDREN,—I know that you have heard that God made the world. Could a man have made the world? No; a man could not have made such a world as this.
Men can make many things, such as boxes and baskets. Perhaps you know a man who can make a box. Suppose you went to shut him up in a room, which was quite empty, and you were to say to him, "You shall not come out till you have made a box"—would the man ever come out? No—never. A man could not make a box, except he had something to make it of. He must have some wood, or some tin, or some pasteboard, or some other thing. But God had nothing to make the world of He only spoke, and it was made.
Making things of nothing is called "creating." No one can create anything but God.
Do you know why God is called the Creator? It is because He created all things. There is only one Creator. Angels cannot create things, nor can men. They could not create one drop of water, or one little fly.
You know that God was six days in creating the world. I will tell you what He did on each day.
Day 1
On the first day, God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Day 2
On the second day, God spoke again, and there was water very high; that water is called the clouds. There was also water very low. There was nothing but water to be seen. God filled every place with air; but you know the air cannot be seen.
Day 3
On the third clay, God spoke, and the dry land appeared from under the water; and the water ran down into one deep place that God had prepared. God called the dry land Earth, and He called the water Seas. We walk upon the dry land. We cannot walk upon the sea. The sea is always rolling up and down; but it can never come out of the great place where God has put it. God spoke, and things grew out of the earth. Can you tell me what things grew out of the earth? Grass, and corn, and trees, and flowers.
Day 4
On the fourth day God spoke, and the sun and moon and stars were made. God ordered the sun to come every morning, and to go away in the evening, because God did not choose that it should be always light. It is best that it should be dark at night, when we are asleep. But God lets the moon shine in the night, and the stars also; so that if we go out in the night, we often have a little light. There are more stars than we can count.
Day 5
On the fifth day, God began to make things that are alive. He spoke, and the water was filled with fishes, and birds flew out of the water, and perched upon the trees.
Day 6
On the sixth day, God spoke, and the beasts came out of the earth; lions, sheep, cows, horses, and all kinds of beasts came out of the earth, as well as all kinds of creeping things, such as bees, ants, and worms, which creep upon the earth.
At last, God made a man. God said, "Let us make man in our likeness." To whom did God speak? To His Son the Lord Jesus Christ; His Son was with Him when He made the world. God made man's body of the dust, and then breathed into him. The man had a soul as well as a body. So the man could think of God. Afterward, God made the woman of a piece of the flesh and bone from the man's side, as you have heard before.
God gave all the other creatures to Adam and Eve; and He blessed them, and put them into the Garden of Eden, and desired Adam to take care of the garden.
When God had finished all His works, He saw that they were very good. He was pleased with the things He had made. They were all very beautiful. The light was glorious; the air was sweet; the earth was lovely, clothed in green; the sun and moon shone brightly in the heavens; the birds and beasts, and all the living creatures, were good and happy, and Adam and Eve were the best of all, for they could think of God, and praise Him.
Day 7
You know there are seven days in the week: Now, on the seventh day, God did not make anything; but He rested from all His works. He called the seventh day His own day, because He rested on it. This is the reason people rest on the seventh day, and call it God's day. It is the Sabbath day. It is the great day for praising God.
None of the creatures that God lad made in the six days could praise Him with their tongues, except Adam and Eve.
Angels in heaven can praise God, and men upon earth.
My little children, do you ever praise God? You have learned little hymns in His praise. Perhaps you know the hymn that begins:
"And now another day is gone,
I'll sing my Maker's praise.”
Does God like to hear you praise Him? Yes; when you think of Him, and love Him, while you are praising Him.
Angels always praise God with their hearts, and so should we.
Let us now count the things that God made or each day:—
First day, Light.
Second day, Air and Clouds.
Third day, Earth and Sea, and the things that grow.
Fourth day, Sun, Moon, and Stars.
Fifth day, Fishes and Birds.
Sixth day, Beasts and Creeping Things, and Man.
Seventh day, Nothing; God rested.
Hymn 1.
All things the mighty Lord
Created by His word;
And all His creatures are,
From worm to brightest star;
His wonders none can imitate,
Or out of nothing can create.
Were angels to unite
Their heavenly skill and might,
How vainly they would try
To make one little fly I
For life they never could bestow,
Nor cause the meanest flower to grow,
Angels so fair and Strong
Unto the Lord belong:
From Him their beauty came;
'Tis He sustains their frame;
They could not live one single hour,
Unless supported by His power.
And this the angels know;
Around God’s throne they bow
And humbly they confess
Their own unworthiness;
And still the King Of kings admire,
And praise Him with their tongues of fire.
Far lower should I lie
Before the Lord Most High;
For how can I compare
With angels strong and fair?
I who am made of sinful clay,
And like the grass must fade away.