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Genesis 1:6 6. And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." ~ Genesis 1:6 ESV Creation Day 2: The Stretching of the Raqia
Genesis 1:6 states that at the beginning of Creation Day Two, God made the "expanse " ( raqia ) . Genesis 1:7 goes on to state that God made the expanse ( raqia ) by separating the waters (mayim) that were under the expanse ( raqia ) from the waters ( mayim ) above the expanse ( raqia ). Creation Day Two ends ( Genesis 1:8) when God names His newly created expanse Heaven ( shamayim ). The Hebrew word raqia , which is translated to mean " to beat or spread out thinly ", is used only nine times in the Bible, all in Genesis 1. To understand what happened next to the expanse ( raqia ), we must go outside the book of Genesis and allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Observe the following representative verses. There are some 17 in all ( ESV ): • Job 9:8 - He (God) seals up the stars; He alone stretched out the heavens ( shamayim ).. • Isaiah 45:12 - It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens ( shamayim ) with My hands... • Isaiah 51:13 - That you have forgotten the LORD your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens ( shamayim )... • Jeremiah 10:12 - It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens ( shamayim )... • Zechariah 12:1 - Thus declares the Lord, Who stretched out the heavens ( shamayim )...
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