8. BIBLICAL CREATIONISM

BY DR. EARL PARVIN

June 4, 2019

LESSON EIGHT: GOD CREATED: FIRMAMENT      PowerPoint: Firmament

I. OUTLINE

A.  Gen. 1:6-8 “AND GOD SAID, LET THERE BE A FIRMAMENT IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS, AND LET IT DIVIDE THE WATERS FROM THE WATERS. V.7 AND GOD MADE THE F. AND DIVIDED THE WATERS WHICH WERE UNDER THE F. FROM THE WATERS WHICH WERE ABOVE THE F.: AND IT WAS SO. V. 8 AND GOD CALLED THE F. HEAVEN.”  [DAY 2]

V.14 And God said, Let there be lights in the F. of the heaven… to divide the day from night for signs, seasons, days & years.

V. 15 …lights in the F. of heaven to give light on the earth… v.16 two great lights; greater & lesser. He made the stars also. V.17God set them in the F. of the heaven… [Day 4]

V.20 …birds fly above the earth in the open F. of heaven. [8X]

B. Displays: GOD’S CREATIVE GENIUS

C. GOD CREATED  FIRMAMENT [KJV] EXPANCE [NIV] = “fixed space” Boundary, Plane  

D. MEN OF SCIENCE OBSERVE: DEDUCE BY EVOLUTIONARY FAITH

E. CONCLUSION BY CREATION FAITH

II. LESSON

INTRODUCTION: We have established:

1. That our God, Elohim, is a Godhead, which means He exists in three distinct Personalities, all of whom were active in the Creation week.

2. Our ETERNAL God started the clock of time for HIS cosmos.

3. Then He created Space [heaven] as a place to put HIS cosmos

4. Next He created Elements [earth] in suspension / solution in sphere water

5. Next He [HS] interjected Energy: that which in the U. could neither be created nor destroyed, yet necessary for the operating cosmos.

6. The introduction of Light as necessary for life forms + E.S.--- FIRST DAY

A. GOD PREPARES THE FIRMAMENT [KJV] OR EXPANSE [NIV].

1. The Hebrew is [N. raqiya / V. raqa = to pound out plane, flat]

2. The Latin ‘firmament’ = firm support, fixed in place, boundary

3. There are at least two usages for the term in this passage: [Both usages imply multiple ‘prescribed divisions within their realm] = NOTE first of all something about the term ‘waters’ [H = mayim is in the ‘dual mode’ which indicates there is expanded meaning to be found in the term. Water can exist in three states: liquid, gas & solid. God is intent on details!

a. There is the obvious dividing of the liquid waters in the sphere of water ‘below’ [already created] and a new creation of a gaseous ATMOSPHERE of waters ‘above’. Where the birds fly according to [v.20]. Job uses the term: “…spreading out the SKIES as a mirror…” [Job 37:18] We conclude, God is now preparing an ATMOSPHERE in preparation for life to be placed on a planet to be created. A clear division is needed. A plane to divide the waters below from the waters above which appear to be a ‘sophisticated or stratified’ ATMOSPHERE to PROVIDE FOR life on earth being formed. The only privileged planet to be so endowed… to be inhabited.

b. In Gen 1:14-17 the sun, moon & stars are placed in the ‘f. of heaven’ [KJV] or ‘space’ [NIV].  This phrase is always used to indicate the new area. Obviously, the celestial bodies are not to be placed in the ATMOSPHERE of planet earth. The celestial bodies will have their own ‘FIXED PLACE’ [firmament] or plane already predetermined by God in ‘HEAVEN’ or SPACE. [Ps 148:6 all heavenly hosts are to praise Him, He commanded and they were created [v.5] “He set them in place…v.6]”

B. THIS FIAT IS DISPLAYING GOD’S CREATIVE GENIUS. He is dividing His SPACE [heaven] into ‘DESIGNED SPACES’ to receive two different aspects of HIS Creation: 1. ‘Galactic Space’ to receive the Celestial Bodies, each in their Firmament or ‘Plane’, & 2. The ‘Solar Bubble’ to receive ‘Planet Earth’ with its life-sustaining environment [ATMOSPHERE] in its ‘Firmament’ or ‘Plane’ the Milky Way Galaxy which may well be the ‘center’ of the U. because scientists can focus their celestial or orbiting instruments in all directions seeking the measure of the U.

C. GOD CREATED THE FIRMAMENT OR PLANE IN SPACE, TO RECEIVE HIS CREATED ELEMENTS IN A SPECIALLY DESIGNED ORDER. First…

1. Galactic Space

a. Each of the Celestial bodies is to occupy Galactic Space, & will be made up of myriads [millions] of orbiting masses [stars], organized into Galaxies. These systems will each operate in its own firmament or ‘plane’. Ps 8:3 “When I consider your heavens [space]…the moon and stars which you have SET IN PLACE” = plane. This really expresses the gist of the meaning of ‘raqiya’.[Ps 148:6; Pr 3:19;8:27; Is 51:16]

b. For instance, a galaxy [such as our Milky Way] will have a ‘galactic plane’. This means the stars and planets orbiting in this galaxy are doing so in a special orderly manner, in a flat plane, not helter-skelter, as if by an explosion. [Exactly as designed]. Girdlestone intones: “ The interplanetary spaces are measured out by God, &, though the stars are ever moving, they generally preserve fixed relative positions; their movements are not erratic, not in straight lines, but in orbits, and thus, though ever changing, they are always the same.” [Synonyms of the O.T. p.269]. He further states: “they are regulated by a law which can’t be passed over”.

c. The Milky Way’s stars in our Galaxy are being mapped by the European Space Agency’s Gaia Satellite [2013] in 3-D. It has mapped 1.7 Billion stars and 14,000 Asteroids, each in its own plane.

d. It can be noted that the shape of the whole U is also established as a firmament or ‘plane’ at this time.

- Scientists have sought to determine the shape of the whole U.:

- a. The shape of an infinite Sphere

- b. The shape of a Saddle = Hyperbolic

- c. The shape of a Doughnut = Toroidal     [Taurus]

- c. An Infinite Flat Plane = It would seem the Hebrew term ‘raqa’ has made the choice obvious “pounded out plane”..

- NOTE 1: As we transition to the Solar Bubble [#2 below] note that within our Solar Bubble located in our Milky Way Galaxy is our Solar System orbiting in a flat Galactic Plane [firmament].  In February 2016 our Moon and 5 Visible Planets were visible in a line across the night sky.

- NOTE 2: The Scriptural order of Creation is 1. God created Space [Heavens], 2. He created Fixed Planes [firmaments] or planes in which He would ‘Place’ the celestial bodies TO ORBIT. Isaiah mentions the circling of these celestial bodies as in [Is.40:22; Job22:14] using the Hebrew noun [chug] which means: circle or orbit, not a ball or sphere which would be [H. dur]..  Finally 3. He placed the Celestial bodies in the ‘Places’ He had prepared.

- NOTE 3: Is it possible these ‘planes’ God created are the missing matter scientists have dubbed “Dark Matter or Dark Energy”? It seems the DM or DE act like forms of Gravity with Mass.

2. Solar Bubble. We now consider the ATMOSPHERE mentioned above [A3a].

a. God creates the ‘Firmament In the Midst of the Waters dividing [creating?] those ABOVE from those below’. We are suggesting these waters would be the ATMOSPHERE needed when Planet Earth is created. That ATMOSPHERE is a very special creation to sustain life. It is the only planet in the cosmos which will have such an atmosphere. However, scientists are making extensive efforts to discover ‘Other Universes’ & ‘earths’ existing in the ‘green zone’ or ‘habitable zone’ [HZ]. The makeup of the HZ will be discussed in the next lesson.

b. A number of finely tuned factors will be necessary to make life possible on planet Earth. [See article: Planet Earth One of a Kind]. One of these is the Atmosphere above the firmament, also called Heaven [Space] [v.8] This ‘Part of Space’ received special attention in God’s creation, because He planned all along for the “Earth to be inhabited”  [Is 45:18]. “He who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited”. That will be a real challenge: for we shall see that:

-It will need to be finely tuned

-It will need to be self-regulating

-It will need to be protected from ‘high-energy radiation’ from the Sun & the frigid air of ‘outer space’& wandering asteroids.

-The ATMOSPHERE of earth will be in multiple ‘Layers’ as described by the Prophet Amos: “It is HE that buildeth HIS STORIES in the heaven…” [KJV]; “HE who builds HIS LOFTY PLACES … [NIV 9:6… footnote: ‘meaning unclear’!] The Hebrew is clear: ‘alah’ is a verb meaning ‘to ascend’. In Gen 6:16 the word is used to speak of the ascending decks of the Ark. We will see that the ATMOSPHERE is a “blanket which surrounds the earth up to 348 miles”, described as ‘ascending layers’. Each is divided by a ‘pause’ between the layers = Firmament , held in place from escaping by Gravity.

c. The earth’s atmosphere is also important to aviators, for their barometric altimeter measures the weight of the atmosphere, and tells him how far to ground. He must set the instrument for his airport.

d. CLIMATE CHANGE / GLOBAL WARMING = caused by sunspots. God has built into His created earth atmosphere marvelous self-healing. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime & harvest, cold & heat, summer and winter, day & night will never cease” [ Gen 8:22]. [Take note alarmists, God is taking care of our atmosphere without your help? Or destroying economies]. Numerous scientists, including Dr. Roy Spencer PhD, are aware of climate change, but notes that man-made climate change is minimal in the cycles.

D. MEN OF SCIENCE HAVE OBSERVED THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE [A]:

1. TROPOSPHERE: from earth upwards 5 to 9 miles: [The Lower A.]

 -90% of earth’s atmosphere resides here

                     -99% is made up of water vapor [“water above”, “water from water” [1:6]

    -Temperature decreases as elevation rises; therefore, clouds

    form allowing for the Hydrologic Cycle.

2.  STRATOSPHERE: 9 to 31 miles up:

             -The Ozone layer resides here, which filters out the Ultra Violet,  

             dangerous rays of the sun.

             -It also helps the body create vitamin D which is essential for the

              absorption of calcium for the formation of bones.

              -Airplanes fly here around 30,000 feet

             3.   MESOSPHERE: 31 TO 53 MILES made up of clouds [Middle A.]

              -Most meteors vaporize here.

        4.  THERMOSPHERE: 53 TO 372 MILES: earth orbiting  spacecraft are

             located here. [This is the upper A.]

             -The International Space Station is here at 200 miles

             5.  EXOSPHERE: continues to Outer Space which starts at 620 miles.

    -This the traditional transition from earth’s atmosphere to outer space.

       6.  IONISPHERE: allows for radio communication

       7.   MAGNETOSPHERE: Earth’s Magnetic Field [EMF], deflects Solar

Wind from Sun protecting earth, but some EMF creates the Van Allen      Belts, and the beautiful Aurora Northern Lights. The EMF’s intensity, according to the law of Entropy, is decaying. The present intensity would account for about 6000 years; therefore, a wonderful proof for a ‘young earth’ model of Creation.

NOTE: Between each of the ‘shells’ of the stratified layers of atmosphere is what is called a ‘PAUSE’  as in stratopause between stratosphere and mesosphere. This ‘pause’ I suggest is a Firmament or Plane

  8.Let us examine the importance of the HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

a. We have already established the importance of WATER in God’s creation of earth to be inhabited by living creatures. In lesson 5, God created Earth [elements] and placed them in a sphere of water, either in suspension or solution. Thus, water is demonstrated to be the Universal Solvent.

b.  We have established that earth will be the only planet to have a Hydrosphere or great supply of water in all three states: solid, liquid and gas.

-It is the paramount substance in the Biosphere = zone of life.

-Three fourths of the earth’s surface will be covered by water --other will be found vaporized in the atmosphere

-other in the aquifers of the ground [Gen 7:11”springs great deep”].

c. Water is great stabilizer of the earth’s temperature. It stores heat, and then releases it as needed. It can also vaporize and thus remove heat.

d. Water can freeze and form snow flakes which are always 6 sided

e. Water is critical for human life. He can live only days without it.

f. The Hydrologic Cycle is God’s meticulous plan to keep earth’s

water supply available and clean for consumption. The atmosphere contains 37.5 million billion gallons of H2O which is recycled 40 times / year.

h. -Evaporation causes the water to become a gas, leaving

    behind impurities. This process is fueled by the sun. 96% of 

       evaporation comes from the oceans. This process keeps the

     planet temperature constant ;within specific limits established by God.

i. –The water vapor can gather in clouds to return as rain.

j. -Plant transpiration is also a part of the cycle

9. Let us return to the Biosphere, where we live for a quotation from Wikipedia “The biosphere is called the zone of life on Earth, a closed (apart from solar and cosmic radiation) and self-regulating system”.
Read more: http://www.scienceclarified.com/knowledge/Biosphere.html#ixzz3OGbQQPUn

       E. CONCLUSION: The creation of the Firmament prepared the ‘planes’ into which the various parts of the creation will be placed or divided. All according to the Blueprint of God’s detailed plans. We also noted that God divided the waters above from the waters below by several firmaments scientists call ‘pauses’., meaning liquid water below and water as gas above in the atmosphere. The H. for water =  mayim which is ‘dual’, suggesting that water is special: existing in 3 forms, liquid, solid & gas. The National Geographic magazine [Vol 229 No.5 April 2016] has an interesting article on the 500 geysers in Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful is the most famous ‘water below’ heated by geothermal activity to perform every 90 minutes. There are also some 10,000 hydrothermal features supporting microbial bacterial life living in water heated to 180’ F.

                            Scientists still declare that God is not needed. Random selection will suffice to put it all together. The question remains, how can this evolving all come together at the same time and in the proper sequence? How did it become self-regulating?

                            The Gaia Satellite mapping project mentioned above has as one of its goals to “reconstruct the Evolution of the MW’s history, to rewind time’.

God’s design of the Earth being a habitation for mankind is so meticulous. Scientists realize that liquid water is critical for that life; therefore, go looking for the Green Zone as they call it, in other Earth-like places.

The Psalmist poetically speaks of “God’s care for the land and waters it: you enrich it abundantly. The River of God is filled with water to provide the people with grain, for you have so ordained it” [Ps 65:9 NIV]. I note that the Hebrew for [Streams –KJV] is ‘peleg’, which the Lexicon defines as “irrigation channels”. It is not just streams or river, but irrigation channels which suggests food production to provide for all mankind. [That will take some doing on Mars!]