Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 2/27/2011

Question
My question is this - was the earth originally like a giant green  house and than God created seas and clouds with a separation of sky between the two? If not, what was it like....I dont quite get it. Thankyou

Answer
Hi Pete,

Thanks for this great question.  Let us look at the entire context here.

Genesis 1:6–10 (AV)
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.


There are two firmaments or separations.  One has water under and water over.  The space in between is heaven, or the atmosphere where the birds fly.  Before the flood there was a canopy of water that filtered out harmful rays from the sun, allowing people to live much longer.  This canopy also served to act as a covering over the earth creating a green house effect and tropical climate for most of the planet.  The other separation was waters from land.  This is where the sea was formed.  There was a sea before the flood, but I think that there may have been only one land mass.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don