“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” Psalm 8:1

The Bible story of creation was written 3,500 years ago in the Hebrew language (Hebrews were also called Israelites or Jews). The King James Bible was first printed in the year 1611. The scholars who translated the Hebrew words into English tried to help the readers understand what was meant by the writers, but sometimes they made mistakes.

For instance: the King James translators wrote in Genesis 1:16, “And God made two great lights . . . he made the stars also.” The Hebrew word translated “made” does not mean “to create,” but one of its meanings is “to appoint” or “cause to shine.”

We can now understand that the work of God on Day Four was causing the sun, moon, and stars to shine upon the earth. They had been in the heavens long before that, but their light could not get through the heavy fog and the carbon-laden air. But, as we understand it, another ring of water and minerals had broken and fallen to the earth so that the earth’s atmosphere was clearer than ever before. Now the sunlight, moonlight, and the light of the stars could break through.

The rays of the sun and the moon began to prepare the earth for higher forms of plant and animal life. God was now going to use these great lights to have an influence upon the earth. The sun would mark time for man and beast. It would also begin to oxygenate the air to prepare it for breathing animals. The moon would influence the tides and mark time in the night for man. Long before there were calendars people regulated their ceremonies and seasons by the moon. Psalm 104:19

The increased influence of the sun and moon brought many advances. Plant life progressed and many more varieties came into being. There was also an abundance of insects, snails, crabs, and fish. The creative days show the wonderful design and planning of our great God of the universe!

The sun, moon, and stars, created earlier, finally shone upon the earth.

Link to supplemental lesson worksheet: www.blessedbible.com/linked/a2z-lesson-5.pdf