Question
Gramps,
Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus 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. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. What is meant by “let it divide the waters from the waters. How can water be separated from water?
Clynn
Answer
Clynn,
Thank you, and that is a good question to ask in order to more fully understand the creation. If we review our earth’s geography we can see places of water that are divided from (or separated from) other bodies of water. We have oceans which are separated from the lakes. We have streams, rivers, creeks which are separated from other streams, rivers, creeks, and lakes.
In this verse though, pay attention to the terms “under the firmament” and “above the firmament.” Under the firmament would describe the waters, previously mentioned, that are upon the earth, while above the firmament refers to condensation. Condensation is, ‘the process of water vapor turning back into liquid water, with the best example being those big, fluffy clouds floating over your head. And when the water droplets in clouds combine, they become heavy enough to form raindrops to rain down onto your head.” This form of water is divided from the waters that are under the firmament.
And yet, there is one further aspect of water being divided from water — within water itself. It truly amazes me what we have discovered in our pursuits toward more knowledge. In some areas we have two bodies of water that are together but separated and act independently of each other, which has spawned the question of how can a river be underwater? The answer given is the density of each body of water. The difference in density causes them to layer and act independently of each other. Amazing!
Gramps