What happened on the first day God created the earth?

Answer 1

There are actually two creation stories in Genesis: (1) verses 1:1 to 2:4a; (2) 2:4b to 2:25; therefore there should be two answers. The first of the creation stories (1:1-2:4a) is recognised by scholars as the work of the Priestly (P) source, based on a Mesopotamian myth encountered by the Jews in Babylon, while the second is from the Yahwist (J) source and is therefore older in Judaism.

Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a ( up to first sentence of 2:4)
Since the early centuries of the Common Era, tradition has held that Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning God created heaven and earth." But as long ago as the eleventh century CE, the influential Jewish scholar, Rashi, said that Genesis 1:1 should be read, "When God began to create" or "In the beginning of God's creation ". There was a pre-existing watery chaos. The ocean was already present and a wind moved across the surface. The seas rested on the dry land, which appeared on day 3 when God gathered the waters together.

On the first day, God created the light of day and separated the light from darkness. It is apparent that the ancients did not realise that the sun, which was created on day 4, is actually the source of our daylight.

Genesis 2:4b to 2:15
There was pre-existing dry land, but God had yet to make it rain for plants to grow. A spring arose and God took some moist clay and made Adam. After Adam, he made the creatures of earth, one by one, then finally Eve. In this account, there is no timescale provided for creation, so it can not be said what work was thought to have been completed on the first day.

For more information, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation

Answer 2

Look it up in an online bible. I think the second day is " and God created the day and the night and He saw it was good"

the text is this:Genesis chapter 1 verse 1." In the beginning God created the heavens and earth"

Answer:

There is much confusion as to the time period involved in the first 2 verses of the Genesis 1. It all focuses on the verb translated 'was' in verse 2. Some believe it should have been better translated as 'became' as it is in Genesis 19:26 (Hebrew is 'hayah'). This is sometimes related to the 'Gap Theory' of more recent times.

The supporting ideas behind this 'theory' is that God does not create 'without form and void' (Hebrew words 'tohu and bohu'). In Psalm 104:30, ' You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You RENEW the face of the earth.' And in Job 38, God boldly reveals His Omnipotence to Job and in verse 7 it says the 'sons of God' or the Angels shouted with joy for the creation of the Earth.

So to restate your question and answer it, it should read according to the above, 'What did God renew on the 1st day and what is the verse?' The answer is Light which God saw was good and He divided the light from the darkness calling the light Day and the darkness Night. "So the evening and the morning were the first day" (Genesis 1:3-5):

Genesis 1:3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Just a point to ponder: Note the order of a 'day' starts with the evening and ends with the day - just like the Hebrew calendar observes to this time.

Answer 3

Day by day, God created the universe and everything in it (Genesis ch.1).God created the universe out of nothing (Exodus 20:11, Isaiah 40:28; Rashi commentary to Genesis 1:14; Maimonides' "Guide," 2:30). Note that the Torah, in describing the Creation, deliberately employs brevity and ellipsis, just as it does in many other topics. See the Talmud, Hagigah 11b.

• On day 1: God created the universe in general, light, and this Earth (Genesis 1:1-4). The light was not the same as that of the sun. Rather, it was light that God created before the sun, and which emanated from a point in space without any physical source; like what we might term a "white hole."
  
• On day 2: God created the separation between the Earth and the upper atmosphere.
  
• On day 3: God separated the continents from the oceans, and created plants.
  
• On day 4: God created the sun, moon, and stars.
  
• On day 5: God created birds and fish.
  
• On day 6: God created animals and people.
  
• On day 7: God ceased creating, thereby creating the concept of rest.
  

See also:

Is there evidence for Creation?

Can you show that God exists?

Answer 4

Answer:
There is much confusion as to the time period involved in the first 2 verses of the Genesis 1. It all focuses on the verb translated 'was' in verse 2. Some believe it should have been better translated as 'became' as it is in Genesis 19:26 (Hebrew is 'hayah'). This is sometimes related to the 'Gap Theory' of more recent times.

The supporting ideas behind this 'theory' is that God does not create 'without form and void' (Hebrew words 'tohu and bohu'). In Psalm 104:30, ' You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You RENEW the face of the earth.' And in Job 38, God boldly reveals His Omnipotence to Job and in verse 7 it says the 'sons of God' or the Angels shouted with joy for the creation of the Earth.

So to restate your question and answer it, it should read according to the above, 'What did God renew on the 1st day and what is the verse?' The answer is Light which God saw was good and He divided the light from the darkness calling the light Day and the darkness Night. "So the evening and the morning were the first day" (Genesis 1:3-5):

Genesis 1:3 New King James Version (NKJV)
Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Just a point to ponder: Note the order of a 'day' starts with the evening and ends with the day - just like the Hebrew calendar observes to this time.

Answer 5

Now on the very first day of his creation God said let there be light.