Page 54 - Foundations

This Scripture describes perfectly the doctrine of the ruin and reconstruction of the earth. The
mountains were removed in God’s anger. The earth was overthrown and the sun and stars
commanded not to shine. When did this occur, since Job is one of the most ancient books of the
Bible? There is no account of such an event from the time of Adam’s creation. It must have occurred
before Adam. The sun and stars were still in the heavens, but God placed a seal upon them that they
might not give forth light.

Is it not puzzling that God would say “Let there be light” on Day One if the sun and stars did not
exist until Day Four? This is a problem for those who deny that the heavens and earth already
existed, having suffered the effects of a divine judgment. The natural act of God on the first day of
the reconstruction of the heavens and earth is to remove the curse of darkness. He therefore removes
the seal that He has placed upon the sun and stars as He declares “Let there be light!”

Since God is beginning a new work, and it involves new creatures, and a divine plan for their
perfecting as sons of God, it is fitting that on Day Four He should rearrange the heavenly bodies to
perfectly declare the glorious plan and the work He will accomplish. His arrangement was so
perfectly ordered that thousands of years later, at the right moment, heavenly signs would be
observed to mark key events in His work among the new creation. The star declaring the Savior’s
birth appeared at the precise time for the wise men of the East to perceive its message. Some thirty
years later the sky was darkened at the very hour that the Son of God was offering up His life on the
cross. Christ also prophesied that the heavens would announce His return at the end of the age.

Luke 21:25, 27
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars... And then they will see the Son of Man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Even as God had to reorder an earth that had been made waste and void and covered by water, He
had to reorder the heavens that they might serve as signs, and for seasons, and to give light upon the
earth at the proper time. This ordering of the heavens was on Day Four, but its initial work had to
begin with God removing the seal He had placed upon the heavens that they might once more give
forth their light upon the earth. This was accomplished on Day One.

One of the most profound Biblical evidences of the ruin of the initial earth is observed in the
description that is given to the earth in verse two of Genesis.

Genesis 1:2
But the earth became formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep...

We have three descriptors here of the earth’s condition. It was formless (tohu). It was void, or empty
(bohu). It was sealed in darkness. If we could find these same three descriptors in another passage
of Scripture, and this passage spoke of Yahweh judging and destroying the earth, then we could
reasonably conclude that these words are also used in Genesis chapter 1 to describe an earth that had
been judged. Does such a passage exist? Yes, it does.