“And the evening and the morning were the third day.”
“Et factum est vespere et mane, dies tertius.”
“And the evening and the morning were the third day.”
“And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.”
“There was evening and there was morning, a third day.”
“And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.”
to wit, more glorious lights than that created the first day, which probably was now condensed and reduced into these lights; which are higher for place, more illustrious for light, and more powerful for influence, than that was. Note here, that herbs and trees were created before the sun, whose influence now is necessary for their production, to show that God doth not depend upon the means or upon the help of the creatures in his operations. i.e. the artificial day, reaching from sun-rising to sunsetting. for the designation and distincton of times, as months, weeks, &c.; as also for the signification of the quality of the weather or season, by the manner of their rising and setting, Mat 16:2; by their eclipses, conjunctions, &c. And for the discovery of supernatural and miraculous effects; of which see Jos 10:13 Isa 38:8 Luk 21:25-26 Act 2:19-20. And for seasons, and for days, and years: 1. By their motions and influences to produce and distinguish the four seasons of the year, mentioned Gen 8:22. And to show as well the fit times and seasons for sowing, planting, reaping, navigation, &c., as for the observation of set and solemn feasts, or other times for the ordering of ecclesiastical or civil affairs. 2. By their diurnal and swift motion to make the days, and by their nearer approaches to us, or further distances from us, to make the days or nights either longer, or shorter, or equal. He speaks here of natural days, consisting of twenty-four hours. 3. By their annual and slower motion to make years.
Verses 6-13 The earth was emptiness, but by a word spoken, it became full of God's riches, and his they are still. Though the use of them is allowed to man, they are from God, and to his service and honour they must be used. The earth, at his command, brings forth grass, herbs, and fruits. God must have the glory of all the benefit we receive from the produce of the earth. If we have, through grace, an interest in Him who is the Fountain, we may rejoice in him when the streams of temporal mercies are dried up.
“And he called the light Day, and the darkness Night; and there was evening and morning one day.”
“And God called the firmament, Heaven; and the evening and morning were the second day.”
“And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. And the evening and morning were the sixth day.”