When most people think about the Bible and nature, what comes to mind is Genesis and the creation story. Period. But the Bible says a whole lot more!
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…”
Genesis 1:1
The author of Genesis (Moses) goes on for the first two chapters describing the creation process, culminating with Adam and Eve.
But did you know nature is a theme interwoven throughout the Bible? It resurfaces in both the Old and New Testaments constantly—dozens of times.
Let’s take a close look at what the Bible says about creation:
Creation in the Books of Moses
The entire first two chapters of Genesis give the creation account, as already mentioned. I’m not going to quote it all here, but please read it for yourself!
(By the way, all the scriptures in this post are from the American Standard Version, which is public domain. I’ve modernized some of the language and capitalized pronouns that refer to God.)
Genesis 2:3 gives us the end cap, before it goes on to re-tell the creation of Adam and Eve in detail:
“So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.”
A few more passages in Moses’ books (the Bible’s first five books) refer to God’s creative works:
“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he Him.” Genesis 5:1
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man.” Genesis 9:6
“For in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day…” Exodus 20:11
Deuteronomy 10:14 speaks of God’s authority over creation:
“Behold, to Jehovah your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is in them.”
Nature in the Wisdom Books and Psalms
The Book of Job
The book of Job talks about the creation of the natural world in great detail in chapters 38-41 (which you can read on your own) starting with this question:
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”
(Job 38:4)
God continues speaking to Job at length, putting him humbly back in his place as a man who knows and can do virtually nothing compared to his Maker.
(We’re wise to listen and apply this to ourselves!)
Here are a few more excerpts from Job
“But ask now the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fishes of the sea will declare to you. Who knows not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah has wrought [made] this? In Whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind? Job 12:7-10
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4
Psalms
The Psalms are full of references to nature and creation. Here are a few of them:
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained—What is man, that You are mindful of him?” Psalm 8:3-4
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament [the skies, the heavens] shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2
“The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fullness in it; the world, and they that dwell there. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.” Psalm 24:1-2
“By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Psalm 33:6
“The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours. The world and its fullness, You have founded them.” Psalm 89:11
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:2
“Of old did You lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of Your hands.” Psalm 102:25
“O Jehovah, how manifold [many and various] are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your riches.”
Psalm 104:24
(All of Psalm 104 is a tribute to God’s creative work, actually!)
“The works of Jehovah are great, sought out [studied, investigated] by all them that have pleasure in them.” Psalm 111:2
“Blessed are you of Jehovah, Who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 115:15
“To Him that by understanding made the heavens…that spread forth the earth above the waters…that made great lights…The sun to rule by day…the moon and stars to rule by night; For His lovingkindness endures forever.” Psalm 136:5-9
Here’s one of the most beautiful passages in literature describing God’s intimate knowledge of each of us, and the value of each of us—born and unborn:
“For You formed my inward parts, You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; And that my soul knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book they were all written, even the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Psalm 139:13-16
Proverbs
Proverbs 8:22-31 describes creation from Wisdom’s point of view. Here are verses 27 and 28—and I encourage you to read the rest…
“When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there. When He set a circle upon the face of the deep, When He made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong…”
Creation in the History Books & Prophets
Let’s move on to the history (stories) of God’s people and what the prophets had to say…
Chronicles and Nehemiah
“Yours, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty. For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and You are exalted as head above all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11
“You are Jehovah, even You alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things on it, the seas and all that is in them. And You preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships You.” Nehemiah 9:6
Isaiah
“O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, that dwells between the cherubim [angels], You are the God, even You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; You have made heaven and earth.” Isaiah 37:16
“Lift up your eyes on high, and see Who has created these [the stars], that brings out their host by number. He calls them all by name. By the greatness of His might, and His strong power, not one is missing.” Isaiah 40:26
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary. There is no searching of His understanding.” Isaiah 40:28
“Thus says God Jehovah, He that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; He that spread abroad the earth and that which comes out of it; He that gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk in it…” Isaiah 42:5
“…every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made.” Isaiah 43:7
“Thus says Jehovah, your Redeemer, and He that formed you from the womb: I am Jehovah, that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth…” Isaiah 44:24
“I [Jehovah] have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded.” Isaiah 45:12
“For thus says Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:18
Jeremiah
“He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom. And by His understanding has He stretched out the heavens.”
Jeremiah 10:12
“I have made the earth, the men and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by My great power and by My outstretched arm; and I give it unto whom it seems right to Me.” Jeremiah 27:5
“Ah Lord Jehovah! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You!” Jeremiah 32:17
“He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding has He stretched out the heavens.” Jeremiah 51:15
Amos and Zechariah
“It is He that builds His chambers in the heavens, and has founded His vault upon the earth; He that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth—Jehovah is His name.” Amos 9:6
“Thus says Jehovah, Who stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him…” Zechariah 12:
Creation of the natural world in the New Testament
Let’s move into the New Testament now…
John’s Gospel
One of the most amazing descriptions of Jesus, by His close friend:
“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him; and without Him was not anything made that has been made.” John 1:1-3
Acts of the Apostles
“We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them… Acts 14:15
“The God that made the world and all things in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands. Neither is He served by men’s hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. And He made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation.” Acts 17:24-26
Romans
“For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity…”
Romans 1:20
“For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit. Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:22-23
“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.” Romans 11:36
Other Epistles of Paul and Peter
“Yet to us there is one God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we unto Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and we through Him.” 1 Corinthians 8:6
“For in Him [Jesus] were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers—all things have been created through Him, and unto Him.” Colossians 1:16
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God.” 2 Peter 3:5
Hebrews
“[God] has at the end of these days spoken to us in His Son, Whom He appointed heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds; who being the effulgence [dazzling brightness] of His glory, and the very image of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His power…” Hebrews 1:2-3
“You, Lord, in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands.” Hebrews 1:10
“For every house is built by someone; but He that built all things is God.” Hebrews 3:4
“By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which appear.”
Hebrews 11:3
Revelation
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power. For You created all things, and because of Your will they were, and were created.” Revelation 4:11
“And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him that lives forever and ever, Who created the heavens and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer…” Revelation 10:5-6
“And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, having eternal good tidings to proclaim to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. And he said with a great voice: Fear God, and give Him glory; for the hour of His judgment is come. And worship Him that made the heavens and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6-7
(Special thanks to OpenBible.info. These folks already compiled a bunch of these scriptures!)
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