.... be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.... Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed. Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees that bear fruit whose seed is in itself .... And God saw that it was good.”(Genesis 1:9, 11). We continue observing how well so much of the Genesis creation story fits with what is currently know in science. There are many more illuminating details in the references! From the internet “Chemical signatures in the ancient ocean crust point to a planet without continents” ( see 'the deep' 1:1). Ross (The Genesis Question p. 27) writes “Theory and observation confirm that ..... islands and continents arise gradually as a result of volcanic activity and plate tectonics (movement large crustal sections relative to one another). From the internet “About 300 million years ago, Earth didn't have seven continents, but instead one massive supercontinent called Pangaea, which was surrounded by a single ocean (one place verse 11).”
Among other explanations of our current globe, is the theory of continental drift. There is a fascinating verse that says “in his days the earth was divided” (Genesis 10:25). But to continue, the newly formed land then brings forth vegetation. As so often English translations of the Hebrew fail to capture the richness of meaning. The meaning of the text could include any plant species that ever existed and certainly includes “the relatively primitive plant species scientists have identified as the first land vegetation” (Ross p. 39). The text does not say all land vegetation appeared at this time, but in any case as Schaeffer points out in “Genesis in Space and time” there's no claim that the Bible gives complete knowledge, only that what it gives is true!
The phrase “whose seed is in itself” is significant. Not only does life appear at this point, it is self propagating life. This to me is the second of several radical discontinuities that proceed to the pinnacle, the existence of human life. No matter where you stand with respect to evolution, the basis principle of change over time nowhere explains these radical discontinuities. So far we have something out of nothing, and here not just life, but self propagating life out of non-life. Science has not even begun to explain these things. And I am not at all sure it ever will. In terms of this second discontinuity, the cell that makes up the building blocks of life are turning out to be far more complicated that was first supposed. I would recommend “Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design” by Stephen Myer.
Concerning the phrase “And God saw that it was good,” we have from Pool's commentary “This clause is so often added, to show that all the disorders, evil, and hurtful qualities that are now in the creatures, are not to be imputed to God, who made all of them good, but to man’s sin, which has corrupted their nature and perverted their use” (Genesis 3:17, 18).
Father, before I knew you I uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me (Job 42:3). But today I see that great and marvellous are your works, and your ways are past finding out. It is Your glory Lord to conceal a matter, but our glory to suss it out (Proverb 25:2). Help us Lord to love You with all of our minds in this way (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) in Jesus Name Amen
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