by Creation took place over seven days. But what did God make during each day? As the holiest of books for believers, the Bible contains everything humanity needs to lead a life true to its Creator, the Almighty God.
The creation story is described first at the beginning of the Book of Genesis as part of the Old Testament. Later on, it is expanded on in Genesis 2. Both books tell of the creation of everything happening over one week.
Even if you are familiar with some of the story of creation, below you can read about each thing created on individual days.
God’s Creation: Everything from Nothing
The books of Genesis 1 and 2 hold a detailed account of God creating the universe and everything in it over the span of seven days. Genesis 1 tells us that God first created the Heavens and the earth before the seven days of creation.
The creation of the Heavens implies the entire physical universe, in which the earth was only water without any form. Shrouded in darkness, the earth was devoid of anything but water. God created everything ex nihilo, Latin for “from nothing”.
Ex nihilo is a term used to refer to the Lord creating everything from nothing. There was only darkness before the creation of the Heavens and earth, meaning God created from scratch. While it is not mentioned explicitly that God created from nothing, it is implied.
In Hebrews 11:3 (ESV), we read that everything we can see is not made from visible things. Many theological scholars interpret this passage to mean the universe’s existence is solely due to divine command. Visible things were not made from preexisting materials. Thus creation ex nihilo.
What Did God Create on Each Day?
During the seven days of creation, God created everything with incredible organization and precision, including his most beloved humanity. During each day of the creation period, the eternal and all-powerful God made specific facets of physical existence as we know it today.
The things the Lord created each day are as follows:
- The First Day – Light (Genesis 1:1-5 ESV)
- The Second Day – The Sky and Firmament (Genesis 1:6-8 ESV)
- The Third Day – Dry Land, Vegetation, and Seas (Genesis 1:9-13 ESV)
- The Fourth Day – The Stars, the Moon, and the Sun (Genesis 1:14-19 ESV)
- The Fifth Day – Sea Creatures and Birds (Genesis 1:20-23 ESV)
- The Sixth Day – Land Creatures and Humans (Genesis 1:24-31 ESV)
- The Seventh Day – The Sabbath, God Rests (Genesis 2:1-3 ESV)
Day 1 of the creation of the World: “Let there be Light”
The almighty God spoke light into existence after creating the heavens, a term representing the entire universe and earth. The Lord saw the light as something good and pure, and He created the light to distinguish from the darkness.
The light God named day, while the darkness He named night. This means there was an evening and morning, representing the first day. During the first day, the earth was without any form, only a mass of water and void.
Day 2 of the creation of the World: The Sky and Firmament
On the second day, Genesis reads that God separated the water from the waters and commanded an expanse (the sky). The separated waters were over and under the expanse with it in the middle.
The expanse, or the sky, separated the earth from the heavens, which God called Firmament. The “Firmament” scholars believe it refers to the earth’s atmosphere, which offers the planet protection from space.
Day 3 of the creation of the World: Dry Land, Vegetation, and Seas
The third day of creation marks the emergence of dry land on Earth. God spoke for all the waters under the Heavens to gather in one place and the dry land to appear. The dry land that appeared, God named Earth while the waters gathered.
After the dry land appears, God creates vegetation. He creates all the plants to be self-sustaining and reproduce. The trees are to be fruitful. The vegetation God commands to be in many kinds. Now that the earth is green and rich with plant life, God also declares this creation to be good.
Day 4 of the creation of the World: The Heavenly Bodies
On day four, the Lord created the heavenly bodies, the stars, etc. But most importantly, He created the sun and the moon on the fourth day. God commanded the sun and the moon to “give light on the earth” and separate the day from night, and vice versa.
It may confuse some believers why the division of night and day is mentioned once again. But even though the light was present from the first day along with the day and night. It is important to remember that there was only darkness during the night.
So, by creating the moon and the stars, God provided a little light even during the night so the earth is not shrouded in complete darkness.
Day 5 of the creation of the World: Sea Creatures and Birds
The fifth day was for more life. God, on this day, creates all the sea creatures and the birds in the sky. But, more importantly, it is on the fifth day that the blessing of the Lord enters the world.
After creating the sea creatures and birds, God blessed them. He told them to be fruitful and multiply, with the sea creatures filling the waters and the birds the skies. The fifth day of creation concludes with the passage of another day and evening.
God once again declares the work good.
Day 6 of the creation of the World: Land Creatures and Humans
On the sixth day, the rest and the biggest part of creation take place. The almighty God creates all the creatures that live on dry land. This includes all creatures that were not already created.
On the sixth day, God also creates man. As His favorite creation, God paid even more attention to the creation of humankind. The Lord started by first taking counsel with Himself, as evidenced in Genesis 1:26 (ESV).
God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness”. By making humanity in His own image, God shows his favor towards humanity as His most beloved creation.
While the rest of creation, God has only spoken their existence into being, with humans, He takes a different approach. God is the sole Creator of man. He created the substances He used to make man’s physical body.
Breath of life
The Creator made man from a unique combination of earthly and natural material and brought to life with the breath of life from God, Himself. The first man created is Adam, who the all-knowing Creator made from the dust on the ground and breathed life into his nostrils.
The breath of life set man apart from the rest of the creatures He made. In Genesis 2, we read that man became a living soul once God breathed life into him. But as Adam was alone, God knew he would need a companion.
God put the first human in the Garden of Eden and sent him into a deep sleep. While Adam was sleeping, God took one of his ribs and made a woman, Eve, from it. God leaves Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with dominion over Earth and all other creatures.
God also blesses and commands Adam and Eve to reproduce, fill the earth, and have it under their stewardship as authorized by Him.
Day 7 of the creation of the World: The Sabbath, God Rests
The seventh day of creation, the Sabbath, is considered a day of divine rest. After God finished making his creation on the sixth day, He took the seventh to rest and blessed this day.
This is why the seventh day, Sabbath, or as we know it today, Sunday, is a day of divine rest. As the Sabbath is a blessed and holy day, Exodus 20:8–20:11 reads that believers should do all their work during the six days while reserving the seventh for rest. The verse says the rest is for all male and female servants or livestock.
For six days, the almighty Lord created everything from nothing. On the seventh day, God finished with His work, stopped, and took a rest from His creation. As God rested on the Sabbath, so should humanity, and no one should work on this holy day.
Bible Verses Referencing Creation and the Days of Creation
Many parts of Scripture reference the days of creation and creation with the almighty Lord as the only Creator of everything. You can find references to creation in books that are part of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Some Bible Verses referencing creation and God as the Creator of all are the following.
- Genesis 1:1-2 ESV – the first verses of the story of the days of creation.
- Psalm 139:13-14 ESV – Psalm praising God as the Creator of humanity.
- Hebrews 3:4 ESV – verse referencing how even though humans build houses, the Creator of everything is the Lord.
- Genesis 2:3 NIV – the blessing of the seventh day as a divine day for rest, the Sabbath.
- Romans 11:36 NIV – expressing gratitude and worship to God for the creation of everything.
- Psalm 121:1-2 NIV – encouragement from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth.
- Isaiah 40:28 NRSV – the everlasting God, Creator of all, never grows tired, as he is almighty.
- Psalm 33:6 NRSV – God created the Heavens and everything in them with a verbal command.
- Genesis 1:3 NKJV – Bible verse referencing the creation of light.
- Genesis 2:18 ESV – the creation of the female as the opposite of the male humans for companionship and help.
Humanity as God’s Favorite Creation
According to Scripture, humans are distinguished from all other creatures. The almighty Lord holds humanity as special and His favorite creation.
- God created people in his likeness. God distinguished mankind as special by making people “in His own image” (Genesis 1:27 NIV), unlike plants, trees, aquatic animals, birds, and terrestrial animals.
- Given that God is a spirit, fashioning in His image does not imply that humans physically resemble Him (John 4:24 RSV). Rather, men and women resemble God in their capacity to love, reason, and make wise choices.
- God blessed the initially created man and woman, granted them control over all other animals, and entrusted them the command to procreate after creating them. As intended by God, all He created was first perfect and “good”.
- The Lord forbade the first humans from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17 ESV). This directive illustrated Adam and Eve’s moral obligation. Unlike the other species, they possessed free will and the ability to make moral choices.
- Humans were the pinnacle of creation, created to represent in this world the traits and essence of the Lord. Although everything in God’s creation somewhat reflects His majesty, only man is fashioned in His likeness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did God create the other planets too?
Yes, there was nothing before God created the world, only darkness. With the command of the Almighty Lord, everything came into existence, including the planets.
Are humans allowed to consume meat?
When God created Adam and Eve, he commanded them only to eat plants and fruit. This command God lifted after the great flood and told Noah which animals were clean and for human consumption.
Conclusion
So, what did God create on each day? As you can see, everything that surrounds us and exists in the universe is God’s creation. God is the Almighty Creator of light, night and day, and life itself.
Among His creations, God gave the first human life from His own breath, while everything else He created with a verbal command. This tells us that humanity is special and that is the Lord’s favorite creation.
