Opening your Bibles to Genesis chapter one. Probably a good place to start. The topic tonight is, concerns article number 59, article 59, and I'd like to read that. The article is God created all things. God created all things. Wanna know what that means? And all of us, know this already. That article reads, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and all that is in them, including man, in six literal 24-hour days. At Genesis 1-1, time began with the creation of light and the evening and the morning were the first day. Therefore, The theory of evolution with its millions of years and a supposed past is a lie, an untruth generated by men professing themselves to be wise, but who are fools. And there are a string of texts of scriptures that you can refer to, and I won't refer to a number of these. But anytime you have a desire to know this, be reminded about all of these truths. As a matter of fact, I hope you'll refer to our confession of faith. And these messages by Brother King and myself are posted online and the notes are there. We're providing both there in audio and written media. And you can refer to that. I do hope it'd be a blessing to you. In Genesis chapter one, verse one, it reads like this. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And it goes on. God is eternal. Time is not a God. And matter is not a God. God is God. God, by this verse alone, must have preceded everything, time and matter, that which was created by him. Well, Colossians chapter one, verse 17, and we have a number of scriptures, we're just gonna make some simple statements and go to these scriptures. In Colossians, just the first, clause says this much, that God created, He preceded everything that is created. It says this, and He is before all things. It's a simple statement, not hard to understand. John, the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 3. John 1, verse 3. says the same thing. All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. So he necessarily preceded time and matter. So if I can say it like this, before God there was nothing. Then God spoke and created something from nothing. He alone did this. In Psalm 148, beginning with verse one, read from verse one to verse five, I think it'll give us everything we need, it ends with this statement that he commanded, and they, the creation, was made. In verse one, it's in this particular context, it's speaking about those things in the heavens and it'll go on, but enough is made by verse five to prove our point that he did it all himself alone. Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens. Praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels. Praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him. sun and moon. Praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them, all of this, let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. You don't have to turn there, but Malachi, the prophet, in chapter 2, verse 10, says, hath not one God created us? It's true. They knew that, or they should have known that. They did reject it. In Hebrews, chapter 1, verses 1 and 2, we have the same thing, that he made the worlds, or the ages of this world. In Hebrews 1 verse 1, God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath, God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he, the Father God, by his Son made the worlds, the ages of this time. The things created include both material and immaterial things, visible and invisible. There are a couple of scriptures that say this, and one of them I'll refer to in a minute. So let me just mention Colossians chapter one, verse 16. Beyond question, what God created can be seen and it might be invisible, whether either way, God is the one who created it all. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by him and for him. Now creation then is a direct or immediate act of God. He personally created the heaven and the earth. And he not only created but he also sustains what he has created. Now this point is actually going to carry on into the next topic, which the Lord willing next time is about global warming. The fact is that what God brought into existence, he continues to cause it to exist. He supports excuse me, he supports what he has created or else it would not continue. Again, it's Colossians, this time verse 17, probably the same verse I referred to earlier, just that last part of that verse, the last clause, it says, by him all things consist. That is, they are made to stand together. They consist. In Acts chapter 17, verse 28, Paul citing to those at Mars Hill, Areopagus, for in him or by him we, referring to God, live and move and have Our being, or are we simply are? Nehemiah chapter nine, verse six. Nehemiah chapter nine, verse six. He sustains what he has created. Thou, even thou art Lord alone. Thou hast made heaven the heaven of heavens. That'd be a very interesting study if you've ever looked at that. With all their hosts, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all. And the host of heaven worshipeth thee. In Psalm 36, The same thing is said, verses five and six, Psalm 36, beginning with verse five. Lots of scriptures, we just wanna point out a few here. Thy mercy. O Lord is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reaches unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains. Thy judgments are a great deep. O Lord, thou preservest man and beast. And one more, again, Hebrews chapter one, and the third verse. Who, the pronoun, Hebrews chapter one, verse three. The pronoun who refers to the son. The son being the brightness of his glory, of the father's glory, of God's glory, and the express image of his person, that is his very character, and upholding, notice that, all things by the word of his power. So he created it, Something from nothing, and he maintains it. It all, by his power, continues to exist, consists. The fact that God exists, and that he is creator of heaven and earth, of seen and unseen things, requires no faith. I want you to understand, it doesn't require faith to understand this. It's the fool that says there is no God. But this fact that God is creator requires no faith to understand because. So when somebody says, I believe God created, I believe there's a God, and I believe he created the heavens and the earth, that doesn't mean they're a Christian. It requires no faith to understand because God chose to reveal himself through the things that he's created. So I saved this verse, it also talks about invisible things as well as visible. But Romans chapter one verse 20 is particular on this point. That through nature, through the created order, God has chosen to reveal himself to natural man, natural man. For the invisible, the unseen things of him, of God, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. The invisible God is comprehended by the things that are seen, by the things that are made, even as eternal power in Godhead, so that they're without excuse. He has chosen to do that. Now, this kind of revelation is called a general revelation. God chose to reveal himself to mankind generally, without any other special circumstances or conditions. All men should know that, they should. There's no excuse. Had God not chosen to reveal himself in this way, man in his natural state could not have known the most basic truth concerning God that he is the creator. That God has been understood generally by men is proved by the histories that you've read about by mankind. Though the accounts that they make are certainly corrupt, they do show that the heavens and the earth were of their divine origin. Genesis, Jeremiah chapter 10, I'll read verse 11, but if you go there, verse 2, the Lord there commanded Israel not to learn, I want you to know, the way of the heathen, which part included their rejection of the truth that is of the world, that God alone is the creator, rather than their deities being the creator of some sort. But their history shows the idea that there's a God, and that the things that are, he created. Their deities all have a little play in all of that. So Jeremiah 10 verse 11, thus shall you say unto them, Israel, the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they, those gods, shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens." Now, even the angels understand that the Lord is creator. In Revelation chapter 10 verses 5 and 6, Revelation 10 verses 5 and 6, And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven and swear by him that liveth forever and ever who created heaven and the things that are therein are and the earth and the things that therein are and the sea and the things which are therein that there should be time no longer. Now given this general revelation of God to mankind, I have to admit that it's very difficult to understand how a child of God can continue long under the heretical teaching of evolution. The Savior that redeemed us by his own blood is the same that created everything. Hebrews chapter 1 we read. Verse two, where it says, by whom also he made the world, referring to the Son of God. In Ephesians, chapter three, verse nine, it says the same thing. And in John, chapter one, verse three, Ephesians, chapter three, verse nine, it says the very same thing. To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. John, all things were made by him. We read that. Against the truth of creationism stands various theories. Evolution, for example, is a theory of the eternity of matter. Now, you talk to them, they can't tell you where it came from. They just say that there was a oozy-goozy primordial pool out there somewhere, but they can't tell you, well, it came about after millions of, they've never answered the question. They can't answer the question. All that they ever do, if you listen, is push the problem further back as if, oh, oh, I'm impressed. There's nothing to prove it at all. And evolution is a theory that there is an eternity in matter through a series of chance circumstances. That's what they tell you. which occurred over an indeterminate period of time, there was a spontaneous generation that finally resulted in what all of this has become today. I know not a one of you believe that. It's ridiculous, I'm telling you, but that's what evolution is. But there's another one, another theory that's a bit more sly, and I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it. Whether we go to the doctrine that's called the old earth, there was a gap. This one does the same thing. There is another theory called theistic evolution. Just the name tells you it's an attempt to merge creationism and the doctrine, the heresy of evolution. Theistic evolution ought to say, whoa, wait a minute, what's going on here? This theory is called theistic evolution, and it's an attempt to merge the theory of evolution with the biblical doctrine of creation. In this theory, God necessarily comes in. He has to do something. He comes in at periodical intervals to help nature bridge gaps that otherwise It was incapable of bridging. So God has to do something, but he just didn't do it all. So evolution and his cousin, theistic evolution, are lies. They're just theories. These cannot, they can't be proved. They can't reduplicate it. It's simply a theory and a lie. it will never be proved true, because there's no truth to them. But creation isn't a theory. It's the truth that the word of God teaches. The Bible is not, like some say, wrongly, a digest of the opinions of men, be they good men or not. It's God's word. It matters, it doesn't matter whether men receive the truths of God's word or not, the truth remains the same. Now in chapter one of Genesis, the word day appears several times, and we'll bring this to a close as we consider this, very briefly. But here, the word day is used several times, and here, day means, If we pay attention to what's written, it means a literal 24-hour period of time. There's no way around it. It's the way it's written. We shouldn't even look for a way around it. There are some that advocate a day could mean thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of years, eons. But to read just Genesis chapter one, verse one through five, In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said, let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day, In the darkness he called night. And here it is. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Now I take this entire verses one through five to be the first day. But what does it mean by saying the evening and the morning were the first day? Is there any proof that the phrase the evening and the morning means more than a single day. There's not a single instance in scripture that says otherwise. Nothing. It always means what it says. An evening and a morning is a day. We're constrained to take it literally, simply, a 24-hour period of time. That phrase is only found here, it's not only here, it's six times here in this chapter, in evening and morning, and it gives you the number of the day. One other time, and it's in Daniel 8, 26, I'm not quoting it, there it uses that term and it means the same thing. And the only other closest phrase like that is found in Psalm 55, verse 17, and it regards prayer. The psalmist said, evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice. What's that tell me? that every single day David was going to pray three times in that day. It's not hard to understand. These are literal days. That's what this means. So it's incontrovertible to say that the Lord created everything in six successive 24-hour days and then on the seventh day he rested. In Genesis chapter 2 verses 1 through 3, Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made. And he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he made. And he blessed, God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. The law is given, the Ten Commandments is given in Exodus chapter 20 verse 11. So what does it mean there when he speaks of these days? Days one through six and then seven. Well it means the same thing. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rest of the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." One more time in Exodus chapter 31 verse 17. Exodus 31 verse 17, saying the same thing. Another episode. It's a sign between me and thee, me and the children of Israel forever. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and in the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. Now, what are we to take from this? The Lord instructed Israel to apply the same interpretation to their work week. What he said about creation, is said about the work week, Israel's work week. They were to work six days and rest one, the seventh. And I think it was important that they did that because their lives depended on it. If, well, you know, it doesn't mean that. It means I can work maybe 10 days and take 10 off. Well, that wouldn't work because In Numbers chapter 15, verse 32, you have no choice. They have no choice but to take it as six days of work and one rest. A man disregarded this rule and was stoned to death. You have any, there's no option here. It means what it says. In Numbers 15, 32, and while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and unto all the congregation. And he put him in ward because it was not declared at that moment what should be done to him by the word of God. And the Lord said to Moses, the man should surely be put to death. So it was important that they understood a six day work week and a seventh day rest, very important. their lives hanged on it. It's very important to understand the literal meaning of the creation week in Genesis chapter 1. The leaders of Israel comprehended what it meant to work six and rest on the Sabbath in Luke chapter 13 verse 14. The ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, there are six days in which men ought to work. In them, therefore, come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. So, they understood. Creation fell within six days, and in the seventh, the Lord ceased from creating, it's that simple. Now, there are scriptures, I want to give you two, there are a lot of scriptures that do this, that use the word day as a reference to some special occasion. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5, to yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Zechariah 14.9, the Lord shall be king over all the earth. In that day shall there be one Lord in his name, one. I don't have a problem with that. Doesn't violate anything else here that we just considered about the literal 24 hour days. But if a day in the Genesis account doesn't mean literally the lapse of an evening and a morning, a single 24 hour period of time, then there's no other method to prove how long this creation is. One man's word is as good as another. One man's opinion is as good as any others. Now, there are likely more reasons, but there are, that I saw tonight, and even one as we read, there are at least four reasons why God created. First, because he was pleased to do so. Second, to show himself God. Third, to show his great wisdom. And fourth, to be worshiped. Because he's God. First, God created because he was pleased to do so. Revelation four, verse 11, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. I take that to mean worship. For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Isaiah 46, verses nine and 10. Remember the former things of old, for I am God. There is none else. I am God. There is none like me. Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Second, God created all things to reveal himself through that creation. Well, the real popular scripture is Psalm 19, verses one through three. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day utter his speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voices are heard. Romans 1, verses 19 and 20. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has showed it to them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even as eternal power of God had, so that they're without excuse. The next one is, the third reason is to show us great wisdom. That's given in Ephesians chapter three, verses nine through 11. Something wonderful is taking place in the churches of our Lord. and this is being manifested into the unseen realm of the principalities. Breaking into this, Ephesians 3.9, this reason to show his great wisdom, to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, to the intent That now unto the principalities, notice that, and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. And last, God created everything so that he would be worshipped. I thought maybe I'd read this before, maybe not. Nehemiah chapter 9 verse 6 and 7. Worship, that he might be worshiped. Thou, in Nehemiah 9 verse 6, even thou art Lord alone. Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their hosts, the earth and all that are therein, the seas and all that is therein. Thou preservest them all, and the host of heaven worshipeth thee. And I think the contrast is that they're not. Thou art the Lord, the Lord, the God. And as we just read in Revelation 411, he's worthy to receive glory and honor. because he created all things. And one more in chapter 14 of Revelation verses 6 and 7. I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him. For the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him that made heaven and earth and a sea and the fountains of waters. So all men can know enough from the facts revealed in creation that there's a God and that the creation is of divine origin, but Because the Bible contains an account of the creation, it is perfectly preserved for us, his people. This teaching constitutes a part of the whole body of truth called the faith of God's elect. Therefore, regardless of what the world says or does, we should believe it. We should preach it, we should stand for it, defend it, because it is a truth that our Lord Jesus committed to us for keeping. That's why we have it in our confession of faith. The world denies this on one hand and yet cannot deny it on the other. Thank you for your attention.