Creation’s Wordless Book

19 March 2017 PM – Psalm 19:1-6 – Scott Childs

Introduction: Commentator Warren Wiersbe was absolutely right when he said, “Creation is a ‘wordless book’ that everybody can read because it needs no translation.” Creation’s Wordless Book truly describes the first six verses of Psalm 19. Read Psalm 19:1-6.

Transition: This evening I want us to examine the “wordless book” of creation.

1.        The Declaration (v.1)

a.         The heavens
1)         The heaven here is the sky. It is the place where the stars are. It is the vast universe beyond our atmosphere.
2)         The heavens declare the glory of God.
a)         The glory of God is His greatness, His awesomeness, His beauty, His power, His creativity, and every quality that makes Him superlative. (Superlative means the highest level or degree attainable.)
b)         The glory of God also refers to what He deserves. He deserves our praise, our awe, our wonder and our worship. (Psalms 29:2) “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
b.         The firmament
1)         The firmament is the atmosphere around the earth. It is the air between outer space and the earth. It is the home of the wind and the clouds.
2)         The firmament shows God’s handiwork. It declares or announces God’s handiwork.
3)         His handiwork is the work that God had done.
4)         Before the flood, the firmament divided the waters of the vapour canopy from the waters of the earth. (Genesis 1:7) “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.” During the flood, God removed the original canopy which had made the earth like a greenhouse. This created the seasons which we now have.

2.        The Disclosure (v.2)

What does this tell us about God’s creation?

a.         Day
1)         Day unto day could be translated day by day. In other words, during the daytime we are able to see God’s “wordless book” of creation in the heavens and in the firmament.
2)    Each day the heavens and firmament utter or pour out speech about God. They tell us of His glory and of all his handiwork.
a)         During daytime we see many types of beautiful clouds – soft, fluffy, round, long, bright, faint, etc.
b)         Daytime reveals the magnificent sunrises and sunsets in brilliant colours and amazing shades.
c)         Daytime reveals the awesomeness of thunder storms. According to the National Severe Storm Laboratory, a single lightning bolt can have 100 million to 1 billion volts, and it contains billions of watts.
d)         During daytime we can see the fury of the wind as it pushes and sometimes spins the clouds.
e)         Daytime reveals the light and heat of the sun.
f)          Sometimes you can see the moon in the daytime.
b.         Night
1)         Night unto night could be translated night to night. Each night enables us to see God’s “wordless book” of creation that is not visible during the daylight hours.
2)    Each night shows or declares God’s knowledge (i.e., His skill, His wisdom, His discernment).
a)         The night sky reveals the moon which reflects the light of the sun.
b)         The night sky reveals trillions of stars that sparkle like diamonds. Astronomers estimate that there are 10 billion galaxies in the observable universe! The number of stars in a galaxy varies, but assuming an average of 100 billion stars per galaxy means that there are about 1 billion trillion stars in the observable universe!
c)         The night sky reveals planets.
d)         The night sky reveals awesome flashes of lightening.
e)         The night sky occasionally reveals a falling star or a passing comet.

3.        The Description (v.3-6)

a.         They are soundless (v.3)
1)         The heavens and firmament have no speech or language.
2)         Yet, they speak loudly of the glory of God and of his awesome handiwork. Their size, their orbits, their mind-blowing number all point to an Almighty Creator.
b.         They are universal (v.4)
1)         Their line (measuring line) reaches worldwide. A string used by a builder as a tape measure is limited in length. The length of the expanse of the heavens and firmament is around the whole earth.
2)         They can be seen from any position on the entire earth. Whether you are on the South Pole or at the equator, the heavens and firmament are always visible.
c.          They house the sun (v.4-6)
1)         They are a tabernacle for the sun. In other words, the sun abides in the heavens beyond the firmament.
2)         The sun is absolutely essential for life on earth. It provides light. It gives needed heat. It gives energy for plants to make food through photosynthesis.
3)         Let’s notice how the Psalmist describes the sun.
a)         The sun is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. He is gloriously dressed in shinning clothes for his wedding day. Every day, the sun arises with its brilliant light (even if it is hidden behind the clouds).
b)         The sun is like a strong man ready to run a race. The sun follows a set course. The sun never gets tired or slows down. It comes up and goes down at predictable times. It moves quickly. The sun is strong in that its brightness so powerful that it will blind anyone who gazes at it. It will burn your skin if exposed to it too long.
c)         The sun reaches from one horizon to the other (v.6).
d)         There is nothing hid from the heat thereof. This simply means that the sun’s heat penetrates every portion of the globe. Though thousands of kilometres away, we still feel its heat. If it was any closer, we would be roasted to death. Obviously, some areas are hotter than others, but all areas receive its heat.

Conclusion: Creation truly is a “wordless book” that tells everyone of the glory of God and of His handiwork. As you go outside this evening, look up into the sky and take a few minutes to look at creation’s “wordless book” that declares the glory of God and shows His handiwork.

(Romans 1:20) “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Song: How Great Thou Art 37