The Message of Creation Day 3
Day 3 of Creation saw the beginning of plate tectonics, with the God stated intention of creating dry land, and seeded land plants. Based on the Geological and Theological evidence, it would seem that God jumpstarted the land to naturally produce the earth’s plant life over the following 2 billion years. But, why only mention seeded plants?
God created several different kinds of plant life. Botanists divide them up based on their means of reproduction. Generally, plants reproduce via spores or seeds. Spores require the sperm of one plant to find the egg of another in order to reproduce. Seeds do not require this, containing all of the reproductive material required in just the seed. In Genesis 1:11, God spoke of seed bearing plants and trees, but said nothing of spores.
One possible reason God spoke only of seeds is because they were to appear last. Perhaps He was looking at the end game of plant development. This isn’t to say that no additional plants were ever created once seed-bearing plants appeared, but that once the seed-bearing plants did appear, it would represent the maximum level of plant-complexity God planned on creating. By pronouncing His plans for the final major link in the plant development chain, God was in essence pronouncing His plans for the entire chain.
Another geological detail to notice is that once plants were capable of reproducing via seeds, making way for forests and foliage to grow far away from direct water sources, it made it possible for animals on the land reproduce more easily than before.
The diversification and expansion of trachaeophytes from the Late Silurian through the Devonian transformed the landscape. Vegetation at the beginning of this interval consisted of low-lying plants restricted to a narrow zone along the ocean’s edge. By the Late Devonian, trachaeophytes expanded inland to form extensive marshes and extended upstream to form floodplain forests dominated by large trees. Plants may even have colonized drier habitats much farther from the water’s edge. Terrestrial plant production had increased to the point that now coal was being formed and natural fires could be sustained.
The ramifications of vegetational expansion were dramatic. These plants transformed the biosphere by transforming the terrestrial environment and linking it more closely with the aquatic realm. The first forests created a totally new biome. Terrestrial invertebrates responded to floral changes. Soil formation was accelerated and aquatic habitats became more diverse and stable. Freshwater and estuarine life became more diverse and productive. The effects of these plants are also implicated in global carbon cycling and the Devonian mass extinction.
These changes also set the stage for the evolution of tetrapods and their colonization of the land. – “Opportunity Knocked: The Devonian Transformation“, Devonian Times
In other words, once seeded plants came to fruition, the apparent focus of the development of life moved from the oceans to the land. This is fascinating if you think about it, because God’s action on Day 3 was to begin plate tectonics, so that the land could rise out of the ocean. Once He did that, He could have called it a day, but He didn’t. He pronounced the creation of plants first.
We already know one reason God didn’t wait for Day 4 to pronounce plants… it’s because their insurmountable hindrance was the same as dry land’s… the earth’s crust was still submerged under the ocean. But now we see another connection. The creation of land started the earth’s center of development moving from ocean to land, and the seeded land plants allowed animal life to follow.
Before leaving this point, it is important to notice that the development of life between Day 3 and the end of the Devonian period was not allowed to go unchecked. The article excerpt above mentions the “Devonian mass extinction“. I suggest reading about it, but the gist of it is that the maturation of the plant kingdom resulted in global cooling, hence killing much of the marine life at the time. Now, obviously, scientists who do not see God in anything will not present their theories in a manner allowing God to be introduced. In their opinion, God is unnecessary. However, I believe this event has God’s fingerprints all over it!
Why should we surprised if God’s first stated purpose of Day 3, the beginning of earth’s transition from ocean to dry land, is immediately followed by the chain of plant development ending with seeded plants? Why, the conclusion of that chain is the very trigger that would spur the center of earth’s future biomass to move from ocean to land. In my opinion, one cannot help but see the poetry of God’s grace, and the beauty in His plans.
Finally, I believe that the specific mention of seeded plants is also Theological. After Genesis 1, God’s next actions include the creation of the Garden of Eden, which was filled with fruit trees. Some time after, the fall of mankind would be over the eating of such fruit. The first prophecy of Jesus the messiah was Genesis 3:15a, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed.” When Jesus came, He warned us of false doctrines, telling us we would know such doctrines “by their fruit”. This brings us full circle, to Evolution.
So, is God’s pronouncement of fruit trees on Day 3 the beginning of Evolution on land? Or a warning against believing it is? Let me state for the record that the godless theory of Evolution has nothing but evil as its fruit, and that certainly implies an answer. Yet when I see that God’s actions on Day 3 were sufficient enough to call it a day, Evolution appears to be exactly what God did… a different answer?
To resolve this paradox, consider that Evolution as a theory is devoid of God. By definition therefore, Evolution did not occur. However, its mechanism of natural selection, the tendency of changes to accumulate over time into new species, is exactly what God appears to have started. As we have seen, God helped it along, as evidenced by the earth’s growth spurts; and He also reigned it in, as we see in the Devonian mass extinction. This wouldn’t seem to satisfy most of our preconceived notions, whatever they are, but in the end I think it answers a lot of our questions, including God’s focus on seeds and fruit on Day 3.
I propose that Creation Day 3 be viewed as a warning to avoid extreme thinking. A warning to look for God through science; a warning not to limit God through science. When you read Day 3 and you see God, but not the process He started, I think you’ve missed the warning; by the same token, if you see the process God started, but see no need for His involvement, you’ve missed all the more.