Did God Create Water?

In the creation story in the first book of the Bible, there is no reference made to the creation of water. Yet, water is mentioned.

Genesis 1:1–2(NKJV)

1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 - The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

This has made some scholars to argue that water existed before “the beginning” or that, perhaps, ultimately, God did not create water.

Is this so?

Genesis 1:6–10(NKJV)

6 - Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."

7 - 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.

8 - And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

9 - Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.

10 - And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

We can see clearly that even when God made the heavens and the earth in verse 1, it just may not be the way many have perceived it to be. There was no dry land at all.

• The heavens and the earth were filled with water (verse 6–7).

• Then God separated the waters in the heavens from the waters in the earth through the firmament (sky) (verse 6–8)

• Afterwards, God made the waters in the earth to gather to one place (seas) and called forth dry land. It was at this point that the earth began to look like what we know it to be.

Ultimately, what do we find?

We should learn to see the Bible as the source of absolute truth. So if the Bible says, “in the beginning,” it means that there was no beginning before then. The waters were a byproduct of the creation of the heavens and the earth, or, better put, the waters were part of what made up the heavens and the earth.

So the fact that the “creation” of water is not singled out does not exclude it from the creation “in the beginning.” This is just like the creation of the mountains here below, the clouds above, and even air.

So water is not excluded from the creation works, just like we see in the words God the Creator wrote Himself:

Exodus 20:8,11(NKJV)

8 - "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

11 - For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Talking about Jesus, Paul sums it up this way:

Colossians 1:16–17(NKJV)

16 - For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

17 - And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

So does water predate creation? No. Did God create water? Yes—as a constituent of the heavens and the earth.

Victor Ibosiola © 2024