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The Created Order Revealing God's Majesty and Human Response

The created order serves as a profound revelation of God's majesty, demonstrating His power, wisdom, and goodness to humanity [9, 11, 12]. The Bible consistently attributes the formation of all things to God, emphasizing that creation had no prior existence before His divine act [1, 6]. This act involved the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, working in concert [1, 4].

The creation account in Genesis describes God bringing forth light from darkness, separating waters, and forming the earth and its inhabitants over six days [1]. This process was not arbitrary but was executed according to God's eternal purpose and for His pleasure [1, 7]. The creation of living beings, including animals and humans, is specifically noted as God's work [3, 4]. Angels were also created by God and Christ, serving to worship God and execute His purposes [8].

The heavens, in particular, are presented as an arena of God's wisdom, prompting reflection on His majesty [9]. Psalm 19:1-4 highlights the created order as a source of wisdom, with the heavens declaring God's glory and the expanse proclaiming the work of His hands [9]. Similarly, Psalm 65:9-13 indicates that the created order provides clear evidence of God's power and love, with nature itself praising the Lord through its harmonious operation and regularity [11]. The "river of God" and other natural elements demonstrate God's victorious power and goodness through the order in nature and the predictability of harvests [11]. Proverbs 8:27-29 further reinforces this idea, stating that God used His wisdom to establish the created order, allowing wisdom to reveal how the world functions and to testify to God's greatness [10].

Athanasius of Alexandria emphasized that creation is a revelation of God, particularly through the order and harmony that pervade the universe [12]. He argued that because God is invisible and incomprehensible by nature, He ordered the universe through His Word to make Himself known to humanity [12]. This natural revelation is so pervasive that "every part of creation manifests the glory of God" [14].

Humanity's response to this divine revelation is crucial. God made mankind upright, but humans have since devised many schemes [2]. Despite this, humans were created in the image and likeness of God, male and female, on the sixth day, from the dust of the earth [4]. They were made for God and cannot profit Him, yet they are unworthy of His favor [4]. God's purpose in creation was completed by the making of man [4].

The appropriate human response to God's self-revelation in creation and through His Word is faith [15]. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that through His revelation, God invites humanity into His company, and the adequate response to this invitation is faith [15]. This faith involves a complete submission of intellect and will to God, an "obedience of faith" where one assents to God as the revealer with their whole being [15].

The created order also points towards a future hope. The psalmist anticipates a new creation where the Lord will renew the created order into a world without sinners [13]. Romans 8:19 speaks of the "eagerly expecting creation" awaiting "the revelation of the sons of God" [5]. This suggests that creation itself yearns for the full manifestation of God's redemptive work, which will ultimately bring about its renewal and further reveal God's glory [13].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Creation — The formation of things which had no previous existence -- Ro 4:17; Heb 11:3. Effected By God. -- Ge 1:1; 2:4,5; Pr 26:10. By Christ. -- Joh 1:3,10; Col 1:16. By the Holy Spirit. -- Job 26:13; Ps 104:30. By the command of God. -- Ps 33:9; Heb 11:3. In the beginning. -- Ge 1:1; Mt 24:21. In six normal days. -- Ex 20:11; 31:17. According to God's purpose. -- Ps 135:6. For God's pleasure. -- Pr 16:4; Re 4:11. For Christ. -- Col 1:16. By faith we believe, to be God's work -- Heb 11:3. Order of First day, making light and dividing it from darkness. -- Ge 1:3-5;”
  2. Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 7:29 (LEB) — Look! This alone I found: God made mankind upright, but they have devised many schemes.””
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: B — Created by God -- Ge 1:24,25; 2:19. Creation of, exhibits God's power -- Jer 27:5. Made for the praise and glory of God -- Ps 148:10. Differ in flesh from birds and fishes -- 1Co 15:39. Herb of the field given to, for food -- Ge 1:30. Power over, given to man -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:7. Instinctively fear man -- Ge 9:2. Received their names from Adam -- Ge 2:19,20. Given to man for food after the flood -- Ge 9:3. Not to be eaten alive or with blood -- Ge 9:4; De 12:16,23. That died naturally or were torn, not to be eaten -- Ex 22:31; Le 17:15; 22:8. Supply clothing to”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Man — Made for God -- Pr 16:4; Re 4:11. God's purpose in creation completed by making -- Ge 2:5,7. Cannot profit God -- Job 22:2; Ps 16:2. Unworthy of God's favour -- Job 7:17; Ps 8:4. Created By God. -- Ge 1:27; Isa 45:12. By Christ. -- Joh 1:3; Col 1:16. By the Holy Spirit. -- Job 33:4. After consultation, by the Trinity. -- Ge 1:26. On the sixth day. -- Ge 1:31. Upon the earth. -- De 4:32; Job 20:4. From the dust. -- Ge 2:7; Job 33:6. In the image of God. -- Ge 1:26,27; 1Co 11:7. After the likeness of God. -- Ge 1:26; Jas 3:9. Male and female. -- Ge 1:27; 5:2. A l”
  5. Romans “Romans 8:19 (LEB) — For the eagerly expecting creation awaits eagerly the revelation of the sons of God.”
  6. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Creation — (The creation of all things is ascribed in the Bible to God, and is the only reasonable account of the origin of the world. The method of creation is not stated in Genesis, and as far as the account there is concerned, each part of it may be, after the first acts of creation, by evolution, or by direct act of God's will. The word create (bara) is used but three times in the first chapter of Genesis-- (1) as to the origin of matter; (2) as to the origin of life; (3) as to the origin of man's soul; and science has always failed to do any of these acts thus as”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Angels — Created by God and Christ -- Ne 9:6; Col 1:16. Worship God and Christ -- Ne 9:6; Php 2:9-11; Heb 1:6. Are ministering Spirits -- 1Ki 19:5; Ps 68:17; 104:4; Lu 16:22; Ac 12:7-11; 27:23; Heb 1:7,14. Communicate the will of God and Christ -- Da 8:16,17; 9:21-23; 10:11; 12:6,7; Mt 2:13,20; Lu 1:19,28; Ac 5:20; 8:26; 10:5; 27:23; Re 1:1. Obey the will of God -- Ps 103:20; Mt 6:10. Execute the purposes of God -- Nu 22:22; Ps 103:21; Mt 13:39-42; 28:2; Joh 5:4; Re 5:2. Execute the judgments of God -- 2Sa 24:16; 2Ki 19:35; Ps 35:5,6; Ac 12:23; Re 16:1. Celebrate the”
  9. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:1: Ps 19 God’s wisdom is manifest in heaven (19:1-4), in nature (19:4-6), in his instruction (19:7-11), and in the life of the psalmist (19:12-14). Like Ps 8, this hymn uses creation to motivate reflection—it is a peaceful oasis after the drama of the lament and victory psalms. The psalm begins with creation as a source of wisdom, then moves to God’s word as the perfect source of wisdom, and ends with the human need for redemption. 19:1-4 The created order is an arena of God’s wisdom, and the heavens are the place of God’s dwelling (2:4; see 8:1; 57:5; 89:6; 115:3). ”
  10. Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 8:27: 8:27-29 God used his wisdom to establish the created order, so wisdom can tell us how the world works and testifies to God’s greatness.”
  11. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 65:9: 65:9-13 The created order provides clear evidence of God’s power (65:6-8). He shows his love by maintaining nature. Everything praises the Lord as all the parts fit together harmoniously. 65:9 The river of God and all rivers demonstrate God’s victorious power and goodness through the order in nature and the regularity of the harvests (see 1:3; 36:8; 46:4; Ezek 47:6-12; Zech 14:8; Rev 22:1).”
  12. CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 82: Part III. §35. Creation a revelation of God; especially in the order and harmony pervading the whole . For God, being good and loving to mankind, and caring for the souls made by Him,—since He is by nature invisible and incomprehensible, having His being beyond all created existence 153 153 Cf. below, 40. 2. , for which reason the race of mankind was likely to miss the way to the knowledge of Him, since they are made out of nothing while He is unmade,—for this cause God by His own Word gave the Universe the Order it has, in order ”
  13. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 104:31: 104:31-35 The psalmist moves from describing the known creation to anticipating the new creation, when the Lord will renew the created order into a world without sinners. 104:31 The Lord reveals his presence in the created order (see 8:1; 19:1-4; 24:7) and takes pleasure in his new creation (see Isa 65:19).”
  14. CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 142: §45. Thus once again every part of creation manifests the glory of God. Nature, the witness to her Creator, yields (by miracles) a second testimony to God Incarnate. The witness of Nature, perverted by man’s sin, was thus forced back to truth. If these reasons suffice not, let the Greeks look at facts. Consistently, therefore, the Word of God took a body and has made use of a human instrument, in order to quicken the body also, and as He is known in creation by His works so to work in man as well, and to shew Himself everywhere, ”
  15. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, CHAPTER THREE (part 1): CHAPTER THREE MAN'S RESPONSE TO GOD 142 By his Revelation, "the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own company."1 The adequate response to this invitation is faith. 143 By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God.2 With his whole being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, "the obedience of faith".3 1 DV 2; cf. Col 1:15; I Tim 1”
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