Then God divided (separated) the light from the darkness, making the day and the night. Each night is followed by another day, but when time comes to an end, as it will someday, there will be eternal day for the saved ones, and eternal night for the lost. Remember the separation will be eternal. Will it be eternal day with Jesus in Heaven, or eternal night in Hell for you? If you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you can gladly answer that you know you will be with Him in Heaven. If not, it is just as certain that you will be in that awful place of judgment.
On the second day God made a firmament which He called Heaven, and it separated the water in the clouds above from the water on earth. There are three heavens mentioned in the Bible. The first heaven is where the clouds are, and where the birds fly. The sun, moon, and stars are in the second heaven. The third heaven is where God dwells (2 Corinthians 12:2).
The Dry Land
God made the dry land appear on the third day. Up to this time all the earth was under water, but when the dry land appeared, God set the bounds of the seas (or oceans, Proverbs 8:29). How easily God could make the waters cover the earth again, as He did at the time of the flood. They are kept in their place by His mighty power, and He has promised they will never cover the earth again. Think of the majesty and greatness of God, and then of how wonderful it is that He thinks about us, who are so small and helpless, and loved us enough to send His Son to die for us.
God also made the grass, the vegetables, the trees, and all kinds of plant life on the third day. Each one has its seed, or seeds, in it, from which to grow new plants. Men can make wonderful things, but they cannot make life. They cannot make a single seed, or give life to the tiniest insect. Life is entirely in the hands of God, and this is one secret men will never be able to find out. When God sent the plague of lice in Egypt, even the heathen magicians had to say, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).
We always reap what we sow, too, for a pumpkin seed will always grow pumpkins, and turnip seeds will always grow turnips. This can be applied to our lives, too (Galatians 6:7). If we are disobedient to our parents, we may have children someday who will be disobedient to us. There is also a brighter side to it, for if we live to please the Lord, we will reap a good harvest in having His blessing on our lives. Which kind of seed are you sowing?
Further Meditation
1. What are the three heavens mentioned in the Bible?
2. How did king David both “reap” for his disobedience and for his obedience?
3. If you are meditating on the subject of reaping and sowing, you may enjoy related thoughts in the booklet God’s Grace and God’s Government by P. Wilson.