Genesis 1:2 – The earth that the Lord created was unformed or un-finished and uninhabited.  It was the Spirit of God that began the process of creation.  The universe was in need of activation or energizing and this is the work of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of God.  The word “moved” in the Hebrew would be better translated shake, or flutter.  From a modern scientific perspective “vibrated” would be the word.  The Spirit of God is described as energizing God’s creation.  In scientific terms we measure energy in waves, like light, sound, heat and so on.

Genesis 1:3 “Let there be light” The first word that God spoke brought forth light.  There are varying opinions as to what this “light” was.  It couldn’t have been light from the sun for that was not created until the fourth day.  Light in Scripture is described as God’s garment (Psalm 104:2); Serving God is described as walking in His Light (Isaiah 2:5). In the New Testament Jesus is described as the light of the world (Matthew 5:14; John 8:12).

Probably the greatest illustration of the light in Genesis 1:3 is found in Revelation 21:23-25.In the Scriptures it is clearly a symbol of life and blessing.  Later in Genesis 1:3 God separated the Light from the darkness.  Darkness is the opposite of Light; it is used as a symbol of moral depravity and its punishment.  From the very beginning God set in motion the difference between what is of Him and what is not.  In the Scriptures darkness is the domain of evil (Psalm 82:5; Proverbs 2:13; John 3:19;Romans 13:12).

Then there was morning and evening the first day.  From this we understand that the day actually begins the evening before, or at sunset. This is why all Jewish Holy days and the Sabbath begin at sundown the night before.  Thus ends the first day of creation. Though not mentioned in Genesis 1 the angels were in all likelihood created at this time (Job 38:4-7). From Hebrews 1:14 we are told that they were created to minister to the heirs of salvation.

Genesis 1:6-8 – The waters are separated by an expanse or firmament. The word would be better translated as “space”.  God called this space “heaven”.  There are three heavens mentioned in Scripture.

1.  Atmospheric (Jeremiah 4:25)The word translated in the NIV is sky but the Hebrew word is Shawmayim or as translated in the KJV “heavens”.

2.  The constellation or stars (Isaiah 13:10)

3. The heaven of God’s throne (Hebrews 9:24).

The firmament is the atmosphere, which separated the two bodies of water. This was a vast blanket of water vapor forming a canopy that circled the earth.  There was no rain upon the earth in those days (Genesis 2:5).

This canopy provided a greenhouse effect allowing warm temperatures evenly over the earth.  There would not be the windstorms we now experience.  No rain, yet lush vegetation.  The canopy filtered out the harmful ultraviolet rays so that health and longevity was abundant.  The canopy was also the source of the waters necessary for the great flood and the resultant change in climate, health and longevity.