Today we're going to continue in the Genesis 1. We are going to look at the this thing in verses 6 through 7, the expanse where God is providing protection. So we are going to look at these three verses 6, 7 and 8. And learn and get a glimpse of what this all means. Genesis 1, 6, 7 and 8. And God said, let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters. And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the water that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning the second day. So we see here the Usual pattern here in Genesis 1. First we see that God speaks. It says in verse 6, And God said, Let there be. Before he said, God said, Let there be light. And there was light. And now it's a new day. And there's a new thing he's going to create by speaking. He speaks, God said, let there be an expanse or some translation says a firmament or a vault or something. It is hard for people to understand exactly what this word means. But let us remember that God used the language for the original audience. He used words so that they would understand what he was talking about, get some kind of idea of what this is. So the Hebrew is using a word that means a layer, of metal that has been hammered out, a thin layer of something that's hammered out, and of course the people back then only had their frames of reference to understand things, so he's using the word of a thin layer something, and it can be understood as a an expanse or a vault even, made of something. It would be hard for them to understand the atmosphere, how that worked, how the air up there, how there were different layers of air in the atmosphere, the different things. God is not revealing all the scientific facts. of how the atmosphere is built. But we understand that this agrees with the facts now that we know that there are layers in the atmosphere. Specifically, there's the stratosphere, which literally means it's a layer shaped like a ball around the globe of the Earth. the stratum, the layer. So we know that there are several layers in the atmosphere. We may not know exactly which layer he's talking about here or if he's even talking about the entire three or four dimensional layer that is thin air. The space between Earth and the water above and the water below. So he says, in the midst of the waters. So let's remember that first, the earth was covered with water. It was full of water. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. There was no dry land. It was all covered in water. But God had a plan to make land visible He had the plan to make land where animals could walk, where people, humans could walk, where plants could grow. So he had this plan, and in order to do this, he needed to separate between the waters. There was too much water in order for the land to become visible. And even today we know that the earth is covered mostly with water, and you don't need much water to really drown the whole earth. So there was this necessary thing to separate between the waters, so that there would be water above and water below. And this expanse, this atmosphere, this air, this layer had to be here to separate between the water so that there would be water above and water below and be separated. So God speaks this into existence with the intention to make land visible. So we see that God speaks and it happens. Verse 7 is basically a repetition. And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. So God speaks. It happens. and God made or so in this way God made by speaking it into existence and it was so. God speaks and what God says happens and calls into existence that which doesn't exist. God calls that which is not. so that it is. Creation obeys God. And then lastly in verse 8 we see that God gives it a name as he did before. He gives it a name and then he rests. So just like before with the light, he saw that the light was good and then it's evening and morning God, after creating during the day, He is finished. He rests, just like every day. And it's evening. 24 hours, as we've said earlier, even if there was no sun. Still, there's no sun here. But time still exists, because God says so. Light still exists because God says so. It's not dependent on the sun or anything. So it's a regular day, 24-hour day. Nothing in this world as many people assert that the Hebrew word for day can mean thousands of years or a long period of time. But it's wrong, it's false, it doesn't. If you look up the Hebrew word Yom in a Hebrew dictionary, it says a 24-hour period. And then you have all the examples from the Bible where it means a 24-hour period. There's nowhere where this can be interpreted as thousands of years or a long time, many ages. It's a literal 24-hour day. And since God is almighty, of course, he can create faster than one day even, or six days. But he chose to do this for our sake, to show us how he created in order and everything. And also our need for work during the day and rest in the evening until morning. So that's that. Verse 7. So we read here about how God provides. We read about God's providence. How he provides to sustain life. To sustain life. We know about God's providence in creation. God has provided this expanse, this atmosphere or this layer. Whatever it refers to exactly. But we know that God has provided a protection above us, above earth. In his providence. The creation of this expanse was miraculous. So there's a difference between how God works in Providence and how God works by miracles. First, we understand that the very creation of this was miraculous. God spoke and it came to being. But now this expanse This layer is a part of the natural order. It works and functions according to the laws of nature. They no longer require God's direct miraculous divine intervention. This expanse exists. by God's providence and works, continues to work by God's providence and he has provided this as a protection, a shelter for the earth and those creatures who are going to be there. He is setting up something, he plans this to be in place and to work according to his will, when he creates life, so he's providing this protection. And this operates under the laws of nature and the laws of nature operate under God's providence where God is continuously upholding all creation and everything and orders it and allows it to function and makes it function according to his divine will. We shouldn't think of it as a divine watchmaker who's Winding up a clock like the deists believe that he's winding up the clock of creation and then it all runs by itself. We still understand that God's providence is where God is still upholding and makes all things come to pass. as he intended according to his will and still upholding the laws of nature and everything and this expanse. So God is here providing shelter, providing protection. These waters would be dangerous to land living life. And God had the plan to create life on land. They needed a land to live on. So therefore needed protection from these dangerous waters that would cover the earth. So he allowed an expanse to be in between the waters above and the waters below. And as I mentioned, there was so much water on the earth that covered the entire surface that they needed to be divided. And we know even today that water is dangerous. We can't survive underwater, of course. We know that people today are afraid of water covering the earth. There's still this understanding that if water would cover all the earth, If that could happen, and people are scared of that happening, where the polar caps would melt. Although these polar caps, the ice and everything is below the expanse, they are still afraid that this might happen. There is this understanding that something could... suddenly or happen so that the entire earth would be covered in water and that would be very bad, very destructive, it would be chaos, it would be a disaster for all life on land. So people know this and we know this And we read that God has provided a protection from this water above the expanse. So that animals and humans could have land to walk on and eat from. And also air to breathe. This expanse, he talks about how this is called heaven. He calls this expands heaven, the sky or the air, luft, something that we could breathe. We couldn't breathe underwater. We needed air so that we could breathe all the animals, land animals. We see also that God this water in the sky can come down to rain to water plants to actually help with life come down occasionally and water the plants although during this time I'm not gonna spoil it too much but during this time there was a lot of water above the expanse a lot more than there is now And all this water, if all that water would come down, the whole earth would be flooded again. And those of us who have read the whole Bible know what happened in the future or from this. But so mostly during this time there was not rain that came down toward the plants, but there was a mist that came up to water the plants in Genesis 2 verse 6. So it is a protection from what is above, what exists above and what can fall down, the atmosphere. Even today we have the atmosphere, a layer Many layers of things that protect us, not only from water falling down, but from things that are out in space. Radiation from the sun. You know why people put on a sunblock? Because the sun is dangerous, the sun sends radiation and some of us become very, very burned if the sun shines on us for too long time. We get radiation damage, we could even die. People have died from being out in the sun too long. and very, very badly sick. But this atmosphere, this expanse layer, provides protection from solar radiation. If that was gone, we would die from the radiation. Just like if you would walk into a nuclear power plant or into a nuclear bomb without protection. be burned to death, radiated to death. The astronauts who go out in space wear spacesuits, not only because it's very cold to keep them warm, but also to protect them from the radiation of the sun. So we know that God is protecting us by this expanse to this day, from everything that can come. Meteors, stones, rocks that are flying around in space, it protects. If they come down, they start burning, burn to ashes, so that the Earth can't be destroyed by meteors and all those things. We are protected by God's Providence. He has provided us protection from everything that is above and can fall down. It used to be also a protection from the waters above. So some people say that there is a theory that all these waters were above in liquid form. It was actually liquid water above the expanse. So that they would have extra much protection from the sun and everything. And there would actually be like a big ocean around the earth. And that came down during the flood. during the great flood of Noah. So that's one explanation why, how that could happen, so much water could drench the entire earth, that actually there was liquid water above everything that came down, that came heavily down. But again, one of the Psalms talks still about the waters that are above the expanse. So it doesn't necessarily have to be like that. But we know that there was a lot more water in the atmosphere above us. Today, if all the water vapor that exists in the atmosphere would fall down, If it would all condense, become liquid and fall down like rain, we would get very heavy rainfall, but we wouldn't drown, it wouldn't drench the entire earth. So we understand that before the flood there was a lot more water. Either if it was in vapor form or if it was liquid. Doesn't matter. But we know that that fell down and that's no longer there. But we understand still that rain, too much rain is bad for us. God has provided a protection from the water but also sometimes allows rain to fall down by His goodness. Of course, He allows the rain to fall down on the godly and ungodly in a good way, because it waters the plants, it provides irrigation to the plants, to all life. But we know also today, still to this day, that too much of this water is bad. It causes floods, but not only then, but also it keeps us shut inside our homes. When it rains a lot, it is as if God is prisoning us in our homes, keeping us inside because we don't enjoy too much rain. So God has provided this. In God's providence, it rains and God keeps us alive by rain, but also keeps us shut indoors, imprisoned sometimes by rain. But God, it's no longer a protection from a judgment in form of a great flood that will ruin the whole earth or devastate all life, kill all life. We read in 2 Peter, verse 3 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 4 and onward this water God created They will say, where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. For they deliberately overlook this fact that the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God. and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. Once these waters were a manifestation of God's judgments when they came down and drenched and destroyed that world that was then. And this expanse was a protection against God's judgment until he allowed the windows of heaven to open, as it says, to allow all these waters to come down. He removed this protection for a while to allow the great waters to fall down and drench the earth cover the earth, kill all life and that was a judgment by God. But now second Peter tells us there is a new manifestation of judgment. God has promised never to drench the world, judge the world by water again. But there is a new manifestation of God's judgment where he says By means of these, the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. Then verse seven, but by the same word, the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. So this tells us of Another ultimate, final devastation and judgment of God. The judgment of fire and wrath. God's fiery wrath that can come down upon us any moment, any moment. Peter talks about this fact. People are asking, when will this happen? When is he coming to judge the world by fire? And all over he answers that we don't know. One day is as a thousand years, a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise. Jesus himself says, but that day, that date, no one knows. Not the angels, not even the son of man, only the father himself knows. So there's this understanding that at any time this wrath of fire can come down, if it's not for God's Providence for God's protection, God's will. Whenever it's God's will, these fires can come down. Fall down upon us at any moment. If it's not for His protection, not for His grace, not for His patience. The Lord is patient toward you. It says there in 2nd Peter. In God's patience, he allows the world to continue existing, continue operating by his providence in the natural laws, existing, protecting us all from being consumed by fire. So he provides this shelter from his own wrath. And he has provided one great shelter from his wrath that will protect us from his fiery wrath. We know about the tabernacle that he told them to build. He told Moses to build a tabernacle. And also there, there was a separation between the holy and the most holy. There was a veil in between, a layer of something in between. And they knew that if they walked inside that veil, the priests, If they walked inside that veil with false offerings or with something wrong, if it wasn't exactly according to as God had said, they would fall down and die. There was this veil separating the holiest of holy from death, from those to go inside. from what was inside the Ark of the Covenants where God himself was sitting in his presence. And now this veil in the tabernacle is also a shelter that was rent in two pieces when the Son of God died on the cross for sinners It was opened. It was satisfied. The wrath of God had been satisfied by the death, by the sacrifice, the offering up of the perfect Son of God. And ultimately this shelter, these veils, these layers, these shelters, were just pictures of something protecting us from God's judgment. They were pictures, they were shadows of things that were about to come that have been fulfilled in Christ. The true shelter is the Son of God. The propitiatory shelter who propitiated, appeased the wrath of God that now protects us from the wrath of God, from the fiery wrath of God that's going to consume the adversaries. For those whom Christ died for, He is a shelter for them that absorbs The wrath of God protects us from the wrath of God so that we will not be consumed by his fiery wrath on that day when he comes in judgment to judge the living and the dead. So this shelter shows us the Son of God who is our shelter from the judgment of God. Let us thank God. Thank God for sustaining our lives to this day. When you leave this building, look up to the sky. Look at this great expanse that is protecting us from things out in space, like a great force field. It's a real force field that protects, that even burns things that are trying to come down into the earth. It's a great protection from fire, even today. Let us thank God for that protection, for providing us air to breathe, providing us with rain in its time, providing us with life so that we can live. That he provides for us with life, air to breathe, food to eat, work, shelter, everything. Let us thank God for that and what the Expanse tells us about. And let us fear God also. Let's not fear the natural order itself, but let us fear God. Let us not fear the scare tactics of of the green politicians who are talking about a new flood that can come. Do not fear the polar caps melting. The world will not be destroyed by water again. or by natural causes, it will be destroyed by fire, by the wrath of God itself. And God can at any moment allow his wrath to burst out and consume the earth. And he has said that he will do that. one time in the future. We do not know when. At any time the great floodgates will be opened and the wrath, fiery wrath of God will go forth and burn and consume, destroy the earth and its inhabitants. It says that Christ himself will come with his holy angels with fire and punish those who do not fear God nor obey the gospel. He will come back and if you are outside Christ this is very important for you to understand If you are outside Christ, you are outside the only shelter that there is from the wrath of God. Outside Christ there is no shelter from God's wrath. So I want to tell you to repent of your sin and flee to Christ. Flee to Him. The only shelter. Like if you would hear a bomb alarm. You know you hear every first Monday of the month there is this siren that is calling. They are testing the siren if there is a gas leak so that people can run for shelter. And likewise there is a siren that will call if there is a nuclear bomb coming. The siren is calling for everyone to run for shelter. There are bomb shelters spread out through town where people are going to have to run to flee for shelter. And the call of the gospel is a siren. that calls everyone to run for shelter from the wrath of God, to run and flee to Christ. Peter says here that the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Why is this fiery wrath of God, this provoked and angry God that the Bible says God is angry with the wicked every day? Why doesn't he allow his fiery wrath to come down at any moment? It is because he is patient. He's not willing that anyone should perish, but to come to repentance. Don't test his patience too long, but one day it will be over. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. repent and flee to Christ who is the shelter from the fiery wrath of God. Amen. Let us pray. Lord our God, our Father, our Creator, we thank you. Thank you for your goodness, your patience, your providence in creation. How you provide shelter for us all. Shelter from the waters above. That they are not all just falling down and making life miserable for us. Allowing us to live. Allowing us to breathe. We're thankful to you for creating these things so that we could live here. But not only that, for giving us your Son, Jesus Christ, the true shelter, the true protection from the true destruction of your wrath. Thank you for providing eternal life, not only earthly, temporal life, but eternal life in heaven, in Christ, protected from your wrath forever, in your presence. We pray God that your words will speak to us, continue speaking to us, continue transforming us, make us ever thankful for both your providence, your sovereignty, your common grace, but especially for your special grace in Christ. Glorify yourselves. Amen.