The Truth of Christianity / Being an Examination of the More Important Arguments For and Against Believing in That Religion

by W. H. Turton

(1.) The earliest state of the earth.

Now according to Genesis, the earth was at first waste and void and in darkness, and apparently surrounded by the waters. And if we adopt the usual nebula theory, and refer this to the first period after it became a separate planet, and had cooled so as not to give out any light itself, these statements seem quite correct. For we know from geology that the earth was then waste and void as far as any form of life was concerned, while it was probably surrounded by a dense mass of clouds and vapours sufficient to produce darkness. Genesis then starts from the right starting-point, but again we must ask, how did the writer know this?

(2.) Light.

The first step in the development of the earth was, we are told, the introduction of light. That this is what Genesis means seems plain, for the light must refer to the darkness of the previous verse, and that referred to the earth. As to whether light previously existed in other parts of the universe, Genesis says nothing, it is only concerned with this earth. And in the development of this earth, light (which in nature always includes heat) must obviously have come first. For on it depend the changes in temperature, which lead to the formation of winds, clouds, and rain; while it also supplies the physical power that is necessary for the life of plants and animals; so in placing light as the first step, Genesis is certainly correct. Of course, the source of light at this early period was the remainder of the nebula from which our planet was thrown off. It was thus spread over an immense space, instead of being concentrated like that of our present sun; and probably only reached the earth through a partial clearing of the clouds just alluded to.

(3.) The firmament.

The next step was separating the waters above (i.e., these dense clouds) from the waters below which are stated to be the seas (v. 9-10) and forming between them a firmament or expanse (see margin), that is to say, the air. The idea that the writer thought this expanse meant a solid plane holding up the waters above (because it is perhaps derived from a word meaning firm or solid) is scarcely tenable. For the firmament was called heaven, and the upper waters, above this heaven, must mean the sources from which the rain usually comes, since it is called rain from heaven.[13] And these sources are easily seen to be clouds; and no one could have thought that a solid firmament was between the clouds, and the seas.

[13] Deut. 11. 11.

Moreover this same word heaven (though used in various senses) is translated air later on in this very narrative when it speaks of fowls of the air (verses 26-28, 30). And it also occurs in other passages, in some of which it cannot possibly mean anything but the air, e.g., 'any winged fowl that flieth in the heaven,' and 'the way of an eagle in the air,'[14] which is an additional reason for thinking that it means the air here.

[14] Deut. 4. 17; Prov. 30. 19.