Genesis 1

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:9-13

The third day 1:9-13 read more

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:10

"Good" indicates beauty as well as purpose and order. [Note: See von Rad, p. 50.] It was only when the land was ready for man that God called it good. This shows God’s loving concern for human beings. It was good for people. A good God provided a good land for good people.The separation of water from the land so that man could enjoy the land prepares us for the stories of the Flood (chs. 6-9) and the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14-15). God later used the waters as His instrument to judge those who... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:11

Since God created plants with seeds in them, the original creation evidently had the appearance of age. He created trees with rings and Adam an adult. [Note: See Whitcomb and Morris, pp. 232-39.] Why did Moses mention only shrubs and trees that bear seeds and fruits? Perhaps he did so because these are the ones that provide food for man. He created others, of course, but Moses was stressing God’s care for humans.Some feminists have restricted the use of "man" to males, but this is not the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:12

"Kind" (Heb. min) is not a biologically exact term. It indicates that God created several different families of plants as separate acts of creation (cf. Genesis 1:21; Genesis 1:24-25; Genesis 6:20; Genesis 7:14; Leviticus 11:14-29; Deuteronomy 14:13-18). All plants, therefore, did not evolve from one. Creationists generally affirm microevolution (the development of different varieties of plants and animals through crossbreeding) but deny macroevolution (the development of all plants from one... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:14-19

The fourth day 1:14-19The luminaries served four purposes.1. They distinguished day from night.2. They provided signs.3. They distinguished the seasons.4. They illuminated the earth."The narrative stresses their function as servants, subordinate to the interests of the earth. . . . This differs significantly from the superstitious belief within pagan religion that the earth’s destiny is dictated by the course of the stars." [Note: Mathews, p. 154.] "Here is a stern warning for our times for any... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:20-23

The fifth day 1:20-23"Great sea monsters" (Heb. tauninim, Genesis 1:21) were large fish, whales, squid, and all large creatures living in the water. The pagans worshipped these, but they are under God’s authority. The Old Testament writers adopted pagan imagery, but not pagan theology.Note that Moses wrote that God created both marine animals and birds on the same "day". Evolution claims that birds evolved from reptiles and that this process took millions of years."The blessing of God is one of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:24-25

"Creature" translates the Hebrew word nephesh, which is usually translated "soul" (e.g., Genesis 2:7). This Hebrew word and the English "soul" imply conscious life, in contrast to plants that have unconscious life. So in the sense of having conscious life, animals as well as people have souls."Cattle" refers to domesticated animals (that man could tame) and "beasts" to wild animals.What happened to the dinosaurs? Conservative Bible interpreters generally believe they existed but became extinct... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:24-31

The sixth day 1:24-31 read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:26-27

"Us" is probably a plural of intensification (see my comment on Genesis 1:1 above), though some regard it as a plural of self-deliberation (cf. Genesis 11:7; Psalms 2:3). [Note: E.g., Claus Westermann, Genesis 1-11 : A Commentary, p. 145.] Others believe that God was addressing His heavenly court (cf. Isaiah 6:8). [Note: The NET Bible note on 1:26.] This word involves "in germ" the doctrine of the Trinity. However, we should not use it as a formal proof of the Trinity since this reference by... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:28

Note that God’s blessing of man finds expression in terms of posterity that connotes the ideas of seed and life, two prominent themes as Genesis and the whole Bible unfold. [Note: Sailhamer, "Genesis," p. 38.] God’s blessing enables humanity to fulfill its twofold destiny: to procreate in spite of death and to rule in spite of enemies. "Blessing" denotes all that fosters human fertility and asists in achieving dominion. [Note: Waltke, Genesis, p. 67.] Interpreters have generally recognized the... read more

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:9-13

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:10

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:11

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:12

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:14-19

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:20-23

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:24-25

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:24-31

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:26-27

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 1:28

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