1. God is the Lord of creation, His authority is unique
Relevant Words of God:
God Uses Words to Create All Things
Gen 1:3–5 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Gen 1:6–7 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 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.
Gen 1:9–11 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth: and it was so.
Gen 1:14–15 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth: and it was so.
Gen 1:20–21 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:24–25 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps on the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
On the First Day, the Day and Night of Mankind Are Born and Stand Fast Thanks to the Authority of God
Let us look at the first passage: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen 1:3–5). This passage describes God’s first act at the beginning of creation, and the first day that God passed in which there was an evening and a morning. But it was an extraordinary day: God began to prepare the light for all things, and, furthermore, divided the light from the darkness. On this day, God began to speak, and His words and authority existed side-by-side. His authority began to show forth among all things, and His power spread among all things as a result of His words. From this day onward, all things were formed and stood fast because of the words of God, the authority of God, and the power of God, and they began to function thanks to the words of God, the authority of God, and the power of God. When God said the words “Let there be light,” so there was light. God did not embark upon any program of works; the light had appeared as a result of His words. This was the light that God called day, and which man still depends on for his existence today. By God’s command, its essence and value have never changed, and it has never disappeared. Its existence shows forth the authority and power of God, and proclaims the existence of the Creator. It confirms, over and over, the identity and status of the Creator. It is not intangible, or illusory, but is a real light that can be seen by man. From that time onward, in this empty world in which “the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep,” there was produced the first material thing. This thing came from the words of the mouth of God, and appeared in the first act of the creation of all things because of the authority and utterances of God. Soon after, God ordered the light and the darkness to separate…. Everything changed and was completed because of the words of God…. God called this light “Day,” and the darkness He called “Night.” At that time, the first evening and the first morning were produced in the world God intended to create, and God said that this was the first day. This day was the first day of the Creator’s creation of all things, and was the beginning of the creation of all things, and was the first time that the authority and power of the Creator had been shown forth in this world that He had created.
Through these words, man is able to behold the authority of God and of God’s words, as well as God’s power. Because only God is possessed of such power, so only God has such authority; because God is possessed of such authority, so only God has such power. Could any man or object possess such authority and power as this? Is there an answer in your hearts? Apart from God, does any created or non-created being possess such authority? Have you ever seen an example of such a thing in any book or publication? Is there any record that someone created the heavens and earth and all things? It does not appear in any other books or records; these are, of course, the only authoritative and powerful words about God’s magnificent creation of the world, which are recorded in the Bible; these words speak for the unique authority and identity of God. Can such authority and power be said to symbolize the unique identity of God? Can they be said to be possessed by God, and God alone? Without a doubt, only God Himself possesses such authority and power! This authority and power cannot be possessed or replaced by any created or non-created being! Is this one of the characteristics of the unique God Himself? Have you witnessed it? These words quickly and clearly allow people to understand the fact that God is possessed of unique authority, and unique power, of supreme identity and status. From the fellowship above, can you say that the God you believe in is the unique God Himself?
On the Second Day, God’s Authority Arranges the Waters, and Makes the Firmament, and a Space for the Most Basic Human Survival Appears
Let us read the second passage of the Bible: “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 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” (Gen 1:6–7). What changes occurred after God said “Let there be a firmament in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters”? In the Scriptures it says: “And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament.” What was the result after God had spoken and done this? The answer lies in the last part of the passage: “and it was so.”
These two short sentences record a magnificent event, and describe a wonderful scene—the tremendous undertaking in which God governed the waters, and created a space in which man could exist …
In this picture, the waters and the firmament appear before the eyes of God in an instant, and they are divided by the authority of God’s words, and separated into an “above” and a “below” in the manner appointed by God. This is to say, the firmament created by God not only covered the waters below, but also held up the waters above…. In this, man cannot help but stare, dumbfounded, and gasp in admiration at the might of His authority and at the splendor of the scene in which the Creator moved and commanded the waters, and created the firmament. Through the words of God, and the power of God, and the authority of God, God achieved another great feat. Is this not the might of the Creator’s authority? Let us use the scriptures to explain the deeds of God: God spoke His words, and because of these words of God there was a firmament in the middle of the waters. At the same time, a tremendous change occurred in this space because of these words of God, and it was not change in an ordinary sense, but a kind of substitution in which nothing became something. It was born of the thoughts of the Creator, and became something from nothing because of the words spoken by the Creator, and, furthermore, from this point onward it would exist and stand fast for the sake of the Creator, and would shift, change, and renew in accordance with the thoughts of the Creator. This passage describes the second act of the Creator in His creation of the whole world. It was another expression of the authority and power of the Creator, another pioneering undertaking by the Creator. This day was the second day that the Creator had passed since the foundation of the world, and it was another wonderful day for Him: He walked amongst the light, He brought the firmament, He arranged and governed the waters, and His deeds, His authority, and His power were put to work in the new day …
Was there firmament in the middle of the waters before God spoke His words? Of course not! And what about after God said “Let there be a firmament in the middle of the waters”? The things intended by God appeared; there was firmament in the middle of the waters, and the waters separated because God said “Let it divide the waters from the waters.” In this way, following the words of God, two new objects, two newly-born things appeared among all things as a result of the authority and power of God. How do you feel about the appearance of these two new things? Do you feel the greatness of the Creator’s power? Do you feel the unique and extraordinary force of the Creator? The greatness of such force and power is due to the authority of God, and this authority is a representation of God Himself, and a unique characteristic of God Himself.
Did this passage once more give you a profound sense of the uniqueness of God? In fact, this is far from enough; the authority and power of the Creator extend far beyond this. His uniqueness is not merely because He is possessed of an essence unlike that of any creature, but also because His authority and power are extraordinary, limitless, superlative to all, and stand above all, and, moreover, because His authority and what He has and is can create life, produce miracles, and create each and every spectacular and extraordinary minute and second. At the same time, He is able to govern the life that He creates and hold sovereignty over the miracles and each and every minute and second that He creates.
On the Third Day, the Words of God Give Birth to the Earth and the Seas, and the Authority of God Causes the World to Brim With Life
Next, let us read the first sentence of Genesis 1:9–11: “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear.” What changes occurred after God simply said, “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear”? And what was there in this space apart from the light and the firmament? In the Scriptures, it is written: “And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was good.” This is to say, there was now land and seas in this space, and the land and seas were separated. The appearance of these new things followed the commandment from the mouth of God, “and it was so.” Does the Scripture describe God rushing about while He was doing this? Does it describe Him engaging in physical labor? So, how did God do this? How did God cause these new things to be produced? Self-evidently, God used words to achieve all of this, to create the entirety of this.
In the three passages above, we have learned of the occurrence of three great events. These three great events transpired and were brought into being through the words of God, and it is because of His words that, one after the other, these events appeared before the eyes of God. Thus it can be seen that the words: “God speaks, and it will be accomplished; He commands, and it will stand fast” are not hollow. This essence of God is confirmed the instant that His thoughts are conceived, and when God opens His mouth to speak, His essence is fully reflected.
Let us continue to the final sentence of this passage: “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth: and it was so.” While God was speaking, all these things came into being following the thoughts of God, and in an instant, an assortment of delicate little life forms were unsteadily poking their heads up through the soil, and before they had even shaken the bits of dirt from their bodies they were eagerly waving to each other in greeting, nodding and smiling to the world. They thanked the Creator for the life that He bestowed upon them, and announced to the world that they were a part of all things, and that they would each devote their lives to showing forth the authority of the Creator. As the words of God were spoken, the land became lush and green, all sorts of herbs that could be enjoyed by man sprang forth and broke through the ground, and the mountains and plains became thickly populated by trees and forests…. This barren world, in which there had not been any trace of life, was rapidly covered by a profusion of grass, herbs and trees and overflowing with greenery…. The fragrance of grass and the aroma of the soil spread through the air, and an array of plants began to breathe in tandem with the circulation of the air, and began the process of growing. At the same time, thanks to the words of God and following the thoughts of God, all the plants began the perpetual life cycles in which they grow, blossom, bear fruit, and multiply. They began to strictly adhere to their respective life courses and began to perform their respective roles among all things…. They were all born, and lived, because of the words of the Creator. They would receive the unceasing provision and nourishment of the Creator, and would always tenaciously survive in every corner of the land in order to show forth the authority and power of the Creator, and they would always show forth the life force bestowed upon them by the Creator …
The life of the Creator is extraordinary, His thoughts are extraordinary, and His authority is extraordinary, and so, when His words were uttered, the final result was “and it was so.” Clearly, God does not need to work with His hands when He acts; He merely uses His thoughts to command and His words to order, and in this way things are achieved. On this day, God gathered the waters together to one place, and let the dry land appear, after which God caused grass to sprout forth from the land, and there grew the herbs yielding seeds, and trees bearing fruit, and God classed them each according to kind, and caused each to contain its own seed. All this was realized according to the thoughts of God and the commands of the words of God, and each appeared, one after the other, in this new world.
When He had yet to commence His work, God already had a picture of what He intended to achieve in His mind, and when God set about achieving these things, which was also when God opened His mouth to speak of the content of this picture, changes in all things began to occur thanks to the authority and power of God. Irrespective of how God did it, or how He exerted His authority, all was achieved step by step according to God’s plan and because of the words of God, and, step by step, changes occurred between heaven and earth thanks to the words and authority of God. All of these changes and occurrences showed forth the Creator’s authority, and the extraordinariness and greatness of the power of the Creator’s life. His thoughts are not simple ideas, or an empty picture, but an authority possessed of vitality and extraordinary energy, and they are the power to cause all things to change, revive, renew, and perish. Because of this, all things function because of His thoughts, and, at the same time, are achieved because of the words from His mouth …
Before all things appeared, in the thoughts of God a complete plan had long ago been formed, and a new world had long ago been achieved. Although on the third day there appeared all sorts of plants on the land, God had no reason to halt the steps of His creation of this world; He intended to continue to speak His words, to continue to achieve the creation of every new thing. He would speak, would issue His commands, and would exert His authority and show forth His power, and He prepared everything that He had planned to prepare for all the things and the mankind that He intended to create …
On the Fourth Day, the Seasons, Days, and Years of Mankind Come Into Being as God Exerts His Authority Once Again
The Creator used His words to accomplish His plan, and in this way He passed the first three days of His plan. During these three days, God was not seen to be busy, or to exhaust Himself; on the contrary, He passed a wonderful first three days of His plan, and achieved the great undertaking of the world’s radical transformation. A brand-new world appeared before His eyes, and, piece by piece, the beautiful picture that had been sealed within His thoughts was finally revealed in the words of God. The appearance of each new thing was like the birth of a newborn baby, and the Creator took pleasure in the picture that had once been in His thoughts, but which had now been brought to life. At this time, His heart gained a sliver of satisfaction, but His plan had only just begun. In the blink of an eye, a new day had arrived—and what was the next page in the Creator’s plan? What did He say? How did He exert His authority? Meanwhile, what new things came into this new world? Following the guidance of the Creator, our gaze falls on the fourth day of God’s creation of all things, a day which was yet another new beginning. Of course, for the Creator, it was undoubtedly another wonderful day, and it was another day of the utmost importance for the mankind of today. It was, of course, a day of inestimable value. How was it wonderful, how was it so important, and how was it of inestimable value? Let us first listen to the words spoken by the Creator …
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light on the earth” (Gen 1:14–15). This was another exertion of God’s authority that was shown forth by creatures following His creation of dry land and the plants upon it. For God, such an act was just as easy as what He had already done, because God has such power; God is as good as His word, and His word will be accomplished. God ordered lights to appear in the heaven, and these lights not only shone in the sky and upon the earth, but also served as signs for day and night, for seasons, days, and years. In this way, as God spoke His words, every act that God wished to achieve was fulfilled according to God’s meaning and in the manner appointed by God.
The lights in the heaven are matter in the sky that can radiate light; they can illuminate the sky and the land and the seas. They revolve according to the rhythm and frequency commanded by God, and light up different time periods upon land, and in this way the revolving cycles of the lights cause day and night to be produced in the east and west of the land, and they are not only signs for night and day, but through these different cycles they also mark the feasts and various special days of mankind. They are the perfect complement and accompaniment to the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—issued forth by God, together with which the lights harmoniously serve as regular and accurate marks for the lunar terms, days, and years of mankind. Although it was only after the advent of farming that mankind began to understand and encounter the division of lunar terms, days, and years caused by the lights created by God, in fact the lunar terms, days, and years that man understands today began to be produced long ago on the fourth day of God’s creation of all things, and so too did the interchanging cycles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter experienced by man begin long ago on the fourth day of God’s creation of all things. The lights created by God enabled man to regularly, precisely, and clearly differentiate between night and day, and count the days, and clearly keep track of the lunar terms and years. (The day of the full moon was the completion of one month, and from this man knew that the illumination of lights begins a new cycle; the day of the half moon was the completion of one half of a month, which told man that a new lunar term was beginning, from which it could be inferred how many days and nights were in a lunar term, how many lunar terms were in a season, and how many seasons were in a year, and all this was revealed with great regularity.) So, man could easily keep track of the lunar terms, days, and years marked by the revolutions of the lights. From this point onward, mankind and all things unconsciously lived amongst the orderly interchange of night and day and alternations of the seasons produced by the revolutions of the lights. This was the significance of the Creator’s creation of the lights on the fourth day. Similarly, the aims and significance of this action of the Creator were still inseparable from His authority and power. And so, the lights made by God and the value that they would soon bring to man were another masterstroke in the exertion of the Creator’s authority.
In this new world, in which mankind had yet to make an appearance, the Creator had prepared evening and morning, the firmament, land and seas, grass, herbs and various types of trees, and the lights, seasons, days, and years for the new life that He would soon create. The authority and power of the Creator were expressed in each new thing that He created, and His words and accomplishments occurred simultaneously, without the slightest discrepancy, and without the slightest interval. The appearance and birth of all these new things were proof of the authority and power of the Creator: He is as good as His word, and His word will be accomplished, and that which He accomplishes lasts forever. This fact has never changed: so it was in the past, so it is today, and so it will be for all eternity. When you look once more at those words of scripture, do they feel fresh to you? Have you seen new content, and made new discoveries? That is because the deeds of the Creator have stirred your hearts, and guided the direction of your knowledge of His authority and power, and opened the door to your understanding of the Creator, and His deeds and authority have bestowed life upon these words. So, in these words man has seen a real, vivid expression of the Creator’s authority, truly witnessed the supremacy of the Creator, and beheld the extraordinariness of the authority and power of the Creator.
The Creator’s authority and power produce miracle after miracle; He attracts man’s attention, and man cannot help but stare transfixed at the astounding deeds born from the exertion of His authority. His phenomenal power brings delight after delight, and man is left dazzled and overjoyed, gasping in admiration, awestruck and cheering; furthermore, man is visibly moved and there is produced in him respect, reverence, and attachment. The authority and deeds of the Creator have a great impact and cleansing effect upon the spirit of man, and, moreover, they sate the spirit of man. Every one of His thoughts, every one of His utterances, and every revelation of His authority is a masterpiece among all things, and is a great undertaking most worthy of the created mankind’s deep understanding and knowledge. When we count every creature born from the words of the Creator, our spirits are drawn to the wonder of God’s power, and we find ourselves following the footprints of the Creator to the next day: the fifth day of God’s creation of all things.
Let us continue reading the Scripture passage by passage, as we look at more of the Creator’s deeds.
On the Fifth Day, Life of Varied and Diverse Forms Exhibits the Authority of the Creator in Different Ways
Scripture says, “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Gen 1:20–21). Scripture clearly tells us that, on this day, God made the creatures in the waters and the birds of the air, which is to say that He created the various fish and birds, and classed them each according to kind. In this way, the earth, the skies, and the waters were enriched by God’s creation …
As God’s words were spoken, fresh new life, each with a different form, instantly came alive amidst the words of the Creator. They came into the world jostling for position, jumping, frolicking for joy…. Fish of all shapes and sizes swam through the water; shellfish of all kinds grew out of the sands; scaled, shelled, and spineless creatures hurriedly grew forth in different forms, whether great or small, long or short. So too did various kinds of seaweed begin to briskly grow, swaying to the motion of the various aquatic life, undulating, urging the stagnant waters, as if to say to them: “Shake a leg! Bring your friends! For you’ll never be alone again!” From the moment that the various living creatures created by God appeared in the water, each fresh new life brought vitality to waters that had been quiescent for so long, and ushered in a new era…. From that point onward, they nestled against each other, and kept each other company, and kept no distance between themselves. The water existed for the creatures within it, nourishing each life that resided within its embrace, and every life existed for the sake of the water because of its nourishment. Each conferred life upon the other, and at the same time, each, in the same way, bore testament to the miraculousness and greatness of the Creator’s creation, and to the unsurpassable power of the Creator’s authority …
As the sea was no longer silent, so too did life begin to fill the skies. One by one, birds, big and small, flew up into the sky from the ground. Unlike the creatures of the sea, they had wings and feathers covering their slim and graceful figures. They fluttered their wings, proudly and haughtily displaying their gorgeous coat of feathers and their special functions and skills bestowed upon them by the Creator. They soared freely, and skillfully shuttled between heaven and earth, across grasslands and forests…. They were the darlings of the air, they were the darlings of all things. They would soon become the tie between heaven and earth, and would pass on the messages to all things…. They sang, they joyfully swooped about, they brought cheers, laughter, and vibrancy to this once empty world…. They used their clear, melodious singing, used the words within their hearts to praise the Creator for the life bestowed upon them. They cheerfully danced to display the perfection and miraculousness of the Creator’s creation, and would devote their whole lives to bearing testament to the authority of the Creator through the special life that He had bestowed upon them …
Regardless of whether they were in the water, or of the skies, by the command of the Creator, this plethora of living things existed in the different configurations of life, and by the command of the Creator, they gathered together according to their respective species—and this law, this rule, was unalterable by any creatures. Never did they dare to go beyond the bounds set forth for them by the Creator, nor were they able to. As ordained by the Creator, they lived and multiplied, and strictly adhered to the life course and laws set for them by the Creator, and consciously abided by His unspoken commands and the heavenly edicts and precepts that He gave them, all the way until today. They conversed with the Creator in their own special way, and came to appreciate the meaning of the Creator, and obeyed His commands. None ever transgressed the authority of the Creator, and His sovereignty and command over them was exerted within His thoughts; no words were issued forth, but the authority that was unique to the Creator controlled all the things in silence that possessed no language function, and which differed from mankind. The exertion of His authority in this special way compelled man to gain a new knowledge, and make a new interpretation, of the Creator’s unique authority. Here, I must tell you that on this new day, the exertion of the Creator’s authority demonstrated once more the uniqueness of the Creator.
Next, let us take a look at the last sentence of this passage of scripture: “God saw that it was good.” What do you think this means? God’s emotions are contained within these words. God watched all things that He had created come into being and stand fast because of His words, and gradually begin to change. At this time, was God satisfied with the various things that He had made with His words, and the various acts that He had achieved? The answer is that “God saw that it was good.” What do you see here? What does it represent that “God saw that it was good”? What does it symbolize? It means that God had the power and wisdom to accomplish that which He had planned and prescribed, to accomplish the goals that He had set out to accomplish. When God had completed each task, did He feel regret? The answer is still that “God saw that it was good.” In other words, not only did He feel no regret, but was instead satisfied. What does it mean that He felt no regret? It means that God’s plan is perfect, that His power and wisdom are perfect, and that it is only by His authority that such perfection can be accomplished. When man performs a task, can he, like God, see that it is good? Can everything that man does accomplish perfection? Can man complete something once and for all eternity? Just as man says, “nothing’s perfect, only better,” nothing that man does can attain perfection. When God saw that all that He had done and achieved was good, everything made by God was set by His words, which is to say that, when “God saw that it was good,” all that He had made assumed a permanent form, was classed according to type, and was given a fixed position, purpose, and function, once and for all eternity. Moreover, their role among all things, and the journey that they must take during God’s management of all things, had already been ordained by God, and were immutable. This was the heavenly law given by the Creator to all things.
“God saw that it was good,” these simple, underappreciated words, so often ignored, are the words of the heavenly law and heavenly edict given to all creatures by God. They are another embodiment of the Creator’s authority, one that is more practical, and more profound. Through His words, the Creator was not only able to gain all that He set out to gain, and achieve all that He set out to achieve, but could also control in His hands all that He had created, and rule all things that He had made under His authority, and, furthermore, all was systematic and regular. All things also proliferated, existed, and perished by His word and, moreover, by His authority they existed amidst the law that He had set forth, and none was exempt! This law began at the very instant that “God saw that it was good,” and it shall exist, continue, and function for the sake of God’s plan of management right up until the day that it is repealed by the Creator! The unique authority of the Creator was manifested not only in His ability to create all things and command all things to come into being, but also in His ability to govern and hold sovereignty over all things, and bestow life and vitality upon all things, and, moreover, in His ability to cause, once and for all eternity, all things that He would create in His plan to appear and exist in the world made by Him in a perfect shape, and a perfect life structure, and a perfect role. So too was it manifested in the way that the thoughts of the Creator were not subject to any constraints, were not limited by time, space, or geography. Like His authority, the unique identity of the Creator shall remain unchanged from everlasting to everlasting. His authority shall always be a representation and symbol of His unique identity, and His authority shall forever exist side-by-side with His identity!
On the Sixth Day, the Creator Speaks, and Each Kind of Living Creature in His Mind Makes Its Appearance, One After Another
Imperceptibly, the Creator’s work of making all things had continued for five days, immediately following which the Creator welcomed the sixth day of His creation of all things. This day was another new beginning, and another extraordinary day. What, then, was the Creator’s plan on the eve of this new day? What new creatures would He produce, would He create? Listen, that is the voice of the Creator …
“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps on the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Gen 1:24–25). What living creatures are included? The Scriptures say: cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind. Which is to say that, on this day there were not only all sorts of living creatures upon the earth, but they were all classified according to kind, and, likewise, “God saw that it was good.”
As during the previous five days, the Creator spoke with the same tone and ordered the birth of the living creatures that He desired, and that they appear upon the earth, each according to their kind. When the Creator exerts His authority, none of His words are spoken in vain, and so, on the sixth day, each living creature that He had intended to create appeared at the appointed time. As the Creator said “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind,” the earth was at once filled with life, and upon the land there suddenly emerged the breath of all sorts of living creatures…. In the grassy green wilderness, stout cows, swishing their tails to and fro, appeared one after the other, bleating sheep gathered themselves into herds, and neighing horses began to gallop…. In an instant, the vast expanses of silent grassland exploded with life…. The appearance of these various livestock was a beautiful sight upon the tranquil grassland, and brought boundless vitality…. They would be the companions of the grasslands, and the masters of the grasslands, each mutually dependent on the other; so too would they become the guardians and keepers of these lands, which would be their permanent habitat, and which would provide them with all they needed, a source of eternal nourishment for their existence …
On the same day that these various livestock came into being, by the Creator’s word, a plethora of insects also appeared, one after the other. Even though they were the smallest of the living things among all creatures, their life force was still the miraculous creation of the Creator, and they did not arrive too late…. Some fluttered their little wings, while others slowly crawled; some hopped and bounced, others staggered; some barreled forward, while others quickly retreated; some moved sideways, others hopped high and low…. All were busy trying to find homes for themselves: Some pushed their way into the grass, some set about burrowing holes in the ground, some flew up into the trees, hidden in the forests…. Though small in size, they were unwilling to endure the torment of an empty stomach, and after finding their own homes, they rushed to seek food to feed themselves. Some climbed upon the grass to eat its tender blades, some grabbed mouthfuls of dirt and swallowed it down into their stomachs, eating with much gusto and pleasure (for them, even dirt is a tasty treat); some were hidden in the forests, but they did not stop to rest, for the sap within the glossy dark green leaves provided a succulent meal…. After they were sated, still the insects did not cease their activity; though small in stature, they were possessed of tremendous energy and limitless exuberance, and so of all creatures, they are the most active and the most industrious. They were never lazy, and never indulged in rest. Once their appetites were sated, still they toiled about their labors for the sake of their future, busying themselves and rushing about for their tomorrows, for their survival…. They softly hummed ballads of various melodies and rhythms to encourage and urge themselves on. They also added joy to the grass, trees, and every inch of soil, making each day, and each year, unique…. With their own languages and with their own ways, they passed on information to all the living things upon the land. Using their own special life course, they marked all things, upon which they left traces…. They were on intimate terms with the soil, the grass, and the forests, and they brought vigor and vitality to the soil, the grass, and the forests. They brought the exhortations and greetings of the Creator to all living things …
The Creator’s gaze swept across all things that He had created, and at this moment His eyes paused upon the forests and mountains, His mind turning. As His words were uttered forth, in the dense forests, and upon the mountains, there appeared a type of creatures unlike any that had come before: They were the wild animals spoken by the mouth of God. Long overdue, they shook their heads and swished their tails, each with their own unique face. Some had furry coats, some were armored, some bared fangs, some wore grins, some were long-necked, some short-tailed, some wild-eyed, some possessed of a timid gaze, some bent over to eat grass, some with blood about their mouths, some bouncing along on two legs, some pacing about on four hooves, some looking into the distance atop trees, some lying in wait in the forests, some searching for caves to rest, some running and frolicking upon the plains, some prowling through the forests…; some were roaring, some howling, some barking, some crying…; some were soprano, some were baritone, some were full-throated, some were clear and melodious…; some were grim, some were pretty, some were disgusting, some were adorable, some were frightening, some were charmingly naive…. One by one, they each came forth. See how high and mighty they are, free-spirited, idly indifferent to each other, not bothering to spare a glance for one another…. Each bearing the particular life bestowed upon them by the Creator, and their own wildness, and brutishness, they appeared in the forests and upon the mountains. Contemptuous of all, so completely imperious—who made them the true masters of the mountains and forests? From the moment that their appearance was ordained by the Creator, they “laid claim” to the forests and to the mountains, for the Creator had already sealed their boundaries and determined the scope of their existence. Only they were true lords of the mountains and forests, and that is why they were so wild, so contemptuous. They were called “wild animals” purely because, of all creatures, they were the ones which were truly wild, brutish, and untamable. They could not be tamed, so they could not be reared, and could not live in harmony with mankind or labor on behalf of mankind. It was because they could not be reared, could not work for mankind, that they had to live at a distance from mankind, and could not be approached by man. In turn, it was because they lived at a distance from mankind, and could not be approached by man, that they were able to fulfill the responsibility bestowed upon them by the Creator: guarding the mountains and the forests. Their wildness protected the mountains and guarded the forests, and was the best protection and assurance of their existence and propagation. At the same time, their wildness maintained and ensured the balance among all things. Their arrival brought support and anchorage to the mountains and forests; their arrival injected boundless vigor and vitality to the still and empty mountains and forests. From this point onward, the mountains and forests became their permanent habitat, and they would never lose their home, because it was for them that the mountains and forests appeared and existed; the wild animals would fulfill their duty and do everything they could to guard them. So, too, would the wild animals strictly abide by the exhortations of the Creator to hold on to their territory, and continue to use their beastly nature to maintain the balance of all things established by the Creator, and show forth the authority and power of the Creator!
Under the Authority of the Creator, All Things Are Perfect
All things created by God, including those which could move and those which could not, such as birds and fish, such as trees and flowers, and including the livestock, insects, and wild animals made on the sixth day—they were all good in God’s eyes, and, furthermore, in the eyes of God, these things, in accordance with His plan, had all attained the acme of perfection and had reached the standards that God wished to achieve. Step by step, the Creator did the work He intended to do according to His plan. One after the other, the things He intended to create appeared, and the appearance of each was a reflection of the Creator’s authority, a crystallization of His authority; because of these crystallizations, all creatures could not help but be thankful for the grace and the provision of the Creator. As the miraculous deeds of God manifested themselves, this world swelled, piece by piece, with all of the things created by God, and it changed from chaos and darkness into clarity and brightness, from deathly stillness to liveliness and limitless vitality. Among all things of creation, from the great to the small, from the small to the microscopic, there was none which was not created by the authority and power of the Creator, and there was a unique and inherent necessity and value to the existence of each creature. Regardless of the differences in their shape and structure, they had but to be made by the Creator to exist under the authority of the Creator. Sometimes people will see an insect, one which is very ugly, and they will say, “That insect is so horrible, there’s no way such an ugly thing could have been made by God—there’s no way He would create something so ugly.” What a foolish view! What they should say is, “Though this insect is so ugly, it was made by God, and so it must have its own unique purpose.” In the thoughts of God, He intended to give each and every appearance, and all sorts of functions and uses, to the various living things He created, and so none of the things God made were cut from the same cloth. From their exterior to their internal composition, from their living habits to the location that they occupy—each is different. Cows have the appearance of cows, donkeys have the appearance of donkeys, deer have the appearance of deer, and elephants have the appearance of elephants. Can you say which is the best looking, and which is the ugliest? Can you say which is the most useful, and which one’s existence is the least necessary? Some people like the way elephants look, but no one uses elephants to plant fields; some people like the way lions and tigers look, for their appearance is the most impressive amongst all things, but can you keep them as pets? In short, when it comes to the myriad things of creation, man should defer to the authority of the Creator, which is to say, defer to the order appointed by the Creator to all things; this is the wisest attitude. Only an attitude of searching for, and obedience to, the original intentions of the Creator is the true acceptance and certainty of the authority of the Creator. It is good in God’s eyes, so what reason does man have to find fault?
Thus, all things under the authority of the Creator are to play a new symphony for the sovereignty of the Creator, are to commence a brilliant prelude for His work of the new day, and at this moment the Creator will also open a new page in the work of His management! According to the law appointed by the Creator of fresh shoots in spring, ripening in summer, harvest in autumn, and storage in winter, all things will echo with the Creator’s plan of management, and they will welcome their own new day, new beginning, and new life course. They will live on and reproduce in endless succession in order to welcome each day under the sovereignty of the Creator’s authority …
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I
From when He commenced the creation of all things, the power of God began to be expressed and revealed, for God used words to create all things. Regardless of in what manner He created them, regardless of why He created them, all things came into being and stood fast and existed because of the words of God; this is the unique authority of the Creator. In the time before mankind appeared in the world, the Creator used His power and authority to create all things for mankind, and employed His unique methods to prepare a suitable living environment for mankind. All that He did was in preparation for mankind, who would soon receive His breath. This is to say, in the time before mankind was created, the authority of God was shown forth in all creatures different from mankind, in things as great as the heavens, the lights, the seas, and the land, and in those as small as animals and birds, as well as in all sorts of insects and microorganisms, including various bacteria invisible to the naked eye. Each was given life by the words of the Creator, each proliferated because of the words of the Creator, and each lived under the sovereignty of the Creator because of His words. Although they did not receive the breath of the Creator, they still showed forth the vitality of life bestowed upon them by the Creator through their different forms and structures; although they did not receive the ability to speak given to mankind by the Creator, they each received a way of expressing their life that was bestowed upon them by the Creator, and which differed from the language of man. The authority of the Creator not only gives the vitality of life to seemingly static material objects, so that they will never disappear, but He also gives the instinct to reproduce and multiply to every living being, so that they will never vanish, and so that, generation after generation, they will pass on the laws and principles of survival endowed to them by the Creator. The manner in which the Creator exerts His authority does not rigidly adhere to a macro or micro viewpoint, and is not limited to any form; He is able to command the operations of the universe and hold sovereignty over the life and death of all things, and, moreover, He is able to maneuver all things so that they serve Him; He can manage all the workings of the mountains, rivers, and lakes, and rule all things within them, and, beyond that, He is able to provide that which is needed by all things. This is the manifestation of the unique authority of the Creator amongst all things besides mankind. Such a manifestation is not just for a lifetime; it will never cease, nor rest, and it cannot be altered or damaged by any person or thing, nor can it be added to or reduced by any person or thing—for none can replace the identity of the Creator, and, therefore, the authority of the Creator cannot be replaced by any created being; it is unattainable by any non-created being. Take God’s messengers and angels for example. They do not possess the power of God, much less the authority of the Creator, and the reason why they do not have the power and authority of God is because they are not possessed of the essence of the Creator. The non-created beings, such as God’s messengers and angels, although they can do some things on behalf of God, cannot represent God. Although they possess some power not possessed by man, they do not possess the authority of God, they do not possess the authority of God to create all things, to command all things, and to hold sovereignty over all things. So, the uniqueness of God cannot be replaced by any non-created being, and, similarly, the authority and power of God cannot be replaced by any non-created being. In the Bible, have you read of any messenger of God that created all things? Why did God not dispatch any of His messengers or angels to create all things? It is because they did not possess the authority of God, and so they did not possess the ability to exert the authority of God. Just like all creatures, they are all under the sovereignty of the Creator, and under the authority of the Creator, and so in the same way, the Creator is also their God and their Sovereign. Among each and every one of them—whether they be noble or lowly, of great or minor power—there is not one which can surpass the authority of the Creator, and so among them, there is not one which can replace the identity of the Creator. They shall never be called God, and shall never be able to become the Creator. These are immutable truths and facts!
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I
In the development of mankind today, the science of mankind can be said to be flourishing, and the achievements of man’s scientific exploration can be described as impressive. Man’s ability, it must be said, is growing ever greater, but there is one scientific breakthrough that mankind has been unable to make: Mankind has made airplanes, aircraft carriers, and the atomic bomb, mankind has gone into space, walked on the moon, invented the Internet, and come to live a hi-tech lifestyle, yet mankind is incapable of creating a living, breathing thing. The instincts of every living creature and the laws by which they live, and the cycle of life and death of every kind of living thing—all these are beyond the power of mankind’s science, and cannot be controlled by it. At this point, it must be said that no matter what great heights are attained by the science of man, it is incomparable to any of the thoughts of the Creator, and is incapable of discerning the miraculousness of the Creator’s creation and the might of His authority. There are so many oceans upon the earth, yet they have never transgressed their limits and come upon land at will, and that is because God set boundaries for each of them; they stayed wherever He commanded them, and without God’s permission they cannot move around freely. Without God’s permission, they may not infringe upon each other, and can only move when God says so, and where they go and stay is determined by the authority of God.
To put it plainly, “the authority of God” means that it is up to God. God has the right to decide how to do something, and it is done in whatever way He wishes. The law of all things is up to God, and not up to man; neither can it be altered by man. It cannot be moved by the will of man, but is instead changed by the thoughts of God, the wisdom of God, and the orders of God; this is a fact that is undeniable to any man. The heavens and earth and all things, the universe, the starry sky, the four seasons of the year, that which is visible and invisible to man—they all exist, function, and change without the slightest error, under the authority of God, according to the orders of God, according to the commandments of God, and according to the laws of the beginning of creation. Not a single person or object can change their laws, or change the inherent course by which they function; they came into being because of the authority of God, and perish because of the authority of God. This is the very authority of God. Now that this much has been said, can you feel that the authority of God is a symbol of the identity and status of God? Can the authority of God be possessed by any created or non-created being? Can it be imitated, impersonated, or replaced by any person, thing, or object?
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I
The power of God is able to create things of any form that have life and vitality, and this is determined by the life of God. God is life, so He is the source of all living beings. Furthermore, the authority of God can make all living beings obey every word of God, that is, come into being according to the words from God’s mouth, and live and reproduce by God’s command, after which God rules and commands all living beings, and there shall never be a deviation, forever and ever. No person or object has these things; only the Creator possesses and bears such power, and so it is called authority. This is the uniqueness of the Creator. As such, regardless of whether it is the word “authority” itself or the essence of this authority, each can only be associated with the Creator, because it is a symbol of the unique identity and essence of the Creator, and it represents the identity and status of the Creator; apart from the Creator, no person or object can be associated with the word “authority.” This is an interpretation of the unique authority of the Creator.
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I
“I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.” These are the original words spoken by the Creator to mankind. As He said these words, a rainbow appeared before the eyes of man, and it has remained there until this very day. Everyone has seen such a rainbow, and when you see it, do you know how it appears? Science is incapable of proving it, or of locating its source, or identifying its whereabouts. That is because the rainbow is a sign of the covenant established between the Creator and man; it requires no scientific basis, it was not made by man, nor is man capable of altering it. It is a continuation of the Creator’s authority after He spoke His words. The Creator used His own particular method to abide by His covenant with man and His promise, and so His use of the rainbow as a sign of the covenant that He had established is a heavenly edict and law that shall remain forever unchanged, whether in regard to the Creator or the created mankind. This immutable law is, it must be said, another true manifestation of the Creator’s authority following His creation of all things, and it must be said that the authority and power of the Creator are limitless; His use of the rainbow as a sign is a continuation and extension of the Creator’s authority. This was another act performed by God using His words, and was a sign of the covenant that God had established with man using words. He told man of that which He resolved to bring about, and in what manner it would be fulfilled and achieved. In this way the matter was fulfilled according to the words from God’s mouth. Only God is possessed of such power, and today, several thousand years after He spoke these words, man can still look upon the rainbow spoken from the mouth of God. Because of those words uttered by God, this thing has remained unaltered and unchanged right up until today. None can remove this rainbow, none can change its laws, and it exists solely for the words of God. This is precisely the authority of God. “God is as good as His word, and His word will be accomplished, and that which He accomplishes lasts forever.” Such words are clearly manifested here, and it is a clear sign and characteristic of the authority and power of God. Such a sign or characteristic is not possessed by or seen in any of the created beings, nor is it seen in any of the non-created beings. It belongs only to the unique God, and distinguishes the identity and essence possessed only by the Creator from that of the creatures. At the same time, it is also a sign and characteristic that, apart from God Himself, can never be surpassed by any created or non-created being.
God’s establishment of His covenant with man was an act of great importance, one that He intended to use to communicate a fact to man and tell man His will. To this end He employed a unique method, using a special sign to establish a covenant with man, a sign which was a promise of the covenant that He had established with man. So, was the establishment of this covenant a great event? Just how great was it? This is exactly what is so special about the covenant: It is not a covenant established between one man and another, or one group and another, or one country and another, but a covenant established between the Creator and the whole of mankind, and it shall remain valid until the day that the Creator abolishes all things. The executor of this covenant is the Creator, and its maintainer is also the Creator. In short, the entirety of the rainbow covenant established with mankind was fulfilled and achieved according to the dialogue between the Creator and mankind, and has remained so right up until today. What else can the creatures do apart from submit to, obey, believe, appreciate, witness, and praise the authority of the Creator? For none but the unique God is possessed of the power to establish such a covenant. The appearance of the rainbow, time and time again, is an announcement to mankind and calls his attention to the covenant between the Creator and mankind. In the continual appearances of the covenant between the Creator and mankind, what is demonstrated to mankind is not a rainbow or the covenant itself, but the immutable authority of the Creator. The recurring appearance of the rainbow demonstrates the tremendous and miraculous deeds of the Creator in hidden places, and, at the same time, is a vital reflection of the Creator’s authority that will never fade away, and will never change. Is this not a display of another aspect of the Creator’s unique authority?
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I
When God said “I will multiply your seed,” this was a covenant that God established with Abraham, and like the rainbow covenant, it would be accomplished for eternity, and it was also a promise made by God to Abraham. Only God is qualified and capable to make this promise come true. Regardless of whether or not man believes it, regardless of whether or not man accepts it, and regardless of how man views and regards it, all of this shall be fulfilled to the letter, according to the words spoken by God. The words of God will not be altered because of changes in the will or notions of man, and it will not be altered because of changes in any person, event or thing. All things may disappear, but the words of God will remain forever. In fact, the day that all things disappear is exactly the day upon which the words of God are completely fulfilled, for He is the Creator, He possesses the authority of the Creator, the power of the Creator, and He controls all things and all life force; He is able to cause something to come from nothing, or something to become nothing, and He controls the transformation of all things from living to dead; for God, nothing could be simpler than multiplying someone’s seed. This sounds fantastical to man, like a fairytale, but to God, that which He decides and promises to do is not fantastical, nor is it a fairytale. Rather, it is a fact that God has already seen, and which shall surely be accomplished. Do you appreciate this? Do the facts prove that the descendants of Abraham were numerous? How numerous were they? Were they as numerous as “the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the sea shore” spoken of by God? Did they spread across all nations and regions, to every place in the world? Through what was this fact accomplished? Was it accomplished by the authority of God’s words? For several hundreds or thousands of years after the words of God were spoken, God’s words continued to be fulfilled, and were constantly becoming facts; this is the might of God’s words, and proof of the authority of God. When God created all things in the beginning, God said “let there be light,” and there was light. This happened very quickly, was fulfilled in a very short time, and there was no delay in its accomplishment and fulfillment; the effects of God’s words were immediate. Both were a display of God’s authority, but when God blessed Abraham, He allowed man to see another side of the essence of God’s authority, as well as the fact that the Creator’s authority is beyond calculation, and moreover, He allowed man to see a more real, more exquisite side of the Creator’s authority.
Once the words of God are uttered, the authority of God takes command of this work, and the fact promised by the mouth of God gradually begins to become a reality. As a result, changes begin to appear amongst all things, much like how, at the arrival of spring, the grass turns green, the flowers bloom, buds sprout from the trees, the birds begin to sing, the geese return, and the fields teem with people…. With the arrival of spring all things are rejuvenated, and this is the miraculous deed of the Creator. When God accomplishes His promises, all things in heaven and on earth renew and change in accordance with the thoughts of God—none is exempt. When a commitment or promise is uttered from the mouth of God, all things serve its fulfillment, and are maneuvered for the sake of its fulfillment; all creatures are orchestrated and arranged under the dominion of the Creator, playing their respective role, and serving their respective function. This is the manifestation of the Creator’s authority. What do you see in this? How do you know the authority of God? Is there a range to God’s authority? Is there a time limit? Can it be said to be a certain height, or a certain length? Can it be said to be a certain size or strength? Can it be measured by the dimensions of man? The authority of God does not flicker on and off, does not come and go, and there is no one who can measure just how great His authority is. Regardless of how much time passes, when God blesses a person, this blessing will continue forth, and its continuation will bear testament to the inestimable authority of God, and will allow mankind to behold the reappearance of the inextinguishable life force of the Creator, time and time again. Each display of His authority is the perfect demonstration of the words from His mouth, which is demonstrated to all things, and to mankind. Furthermore, everything accomplished by His authority is exquisite beyond compare, and utterly flawless. It can be said that His thoughts, His words, His authority, and all the work that He accomplishes are all an incomparably beautiful picture, and for the creatures, the language of mankind is incapable of articulating its significance and value. When God makes a promise to a person, everything about them is as familiar to God as the back of His own hand, whether it be where they live, or what they do, their background before or after they receive the promise, or how great have been the upheavals in their living environment. No matter how much time elapses after God’s words have been spoken, for Him, it is as if they have just been uttered. This is to say that God has the power, and has such authority that He can keep track of, control, and fulfill every promise He makes to mankind, and regardless of what the promise is, regardless of how long it takes to be completely fulfilled, and, moreover, regardless of how broad the scope that its accomplishment touches upon—for example, time, geography, race, and so on—this promise will be accomplished and fulfilled, and, furthermore, its accomplishment and fulfillment will not require Him the slightest effort. What does this prove? It proves that the breadth of God’s authority and power is enough to control the whole of the universe, and the whole of mankind. God made light, but that does not mean God only manages light, or that He only manages water because He created water, and that everything else is unrelated to God. Would this not be a misunderstanding? Although God’s blessing of Abraham had gradually faded from the memory of man after several hundred years, for God, this promise still remained the same. It was still in the process of accomplishment, and had never stopped. Man never knew or heard how God exerted His authority, how all things were orchestrated and arranged, and how many wonderful stories occurred among all things of God’s creation during this time, but every wonderful piece of the display of God’s authority and the revelation of His deeds was passed on and exalted among all things, all things showed forth and spoke of the miraculous deeds of the Creator, and each much-told story of the Creator’s sovereignty over all things shall be proclaimed by all things forever more. The authority by which God rules all things, and the power of God, show to all things that God is present everywhere and at all times. When you have witnessed the ubiquity of the authority and power of God, you will see that God is present everywhere and at all times. The authority and power of God are unconstrained by time, geography, space, or any person, event or thing. The breadth of God’s authority and power surpasses the imagination of man; it is unfathomable to man, unimaginable to man, and shall never be completely known by man.
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I
Although God is possessed of authority and power, He is very rigorous and principled in His actions, and stays true to His word. His rigorousness, and the principles of His actions, show the unoffendableness of the Creator and the insuperability of the Creator’s authority. Though He is possessed of supreme authority, and all things are under His dominion, and although He has the power to rule all things, God has never damaged or disrupted His own plan, and each time He exerts His authority, it is in strict accordance with His own principles, and precisely follows that which was spoken from His mouth, and follows the steps and objectives of His plan. Needless to say, all things ruled by God also obey the principles by which God’s authority is exerted, and no man or thing is exempt from the arrangements of His authority, nor can they alter the principles by which His authority is exerted. In God’s eyes, those who are blessed receive the good fortune brought about by His authority, and those who are cursed receive their punishment because of God’s authority. Under the sovereignty of God’s authority, no man or thing is exempt from the exertion of His authority, nor can they alter the principles by which His authority is exerted. The authority of the Creator is not altered by changes in any factor, and, similarly, the principles by which His authority is exerted do not alter for any reason. Heaven and earth may undergo great upheavals, but the authority of the Creator will not change; all things may vanish, but the authority of the Creator will never disappear. This is the essence of the Creator’s immutable and unoffendable authority, and this is the very uniqueness of the Creator!
—The Word, Vol. 2. On Knowing God. God Himself, the Unique I