Genesis 1:6 — ‘let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters’

Gen. 1:6 describes God’s action of creating the “firmament” by creating an expanse. In the original language, this process was “beating out,” like with metal or dough. What does God want to “pound out” in our lives to create what He wants in the world?

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Food for thought from the recorded discussion

A note about studying the Hebrew behind Genesis 1

God wants us to have wisdom and knowledge, to “get smart” (Prov. 4:5). Knowledge can be very dangerous if it has no love (1st Corinthians 13). Knowledge without charity/love can make us rude. Apostle Paul reminds us, “… if knowledge, it will be abolished” (verse 8). There’s going to come a time when we won’t need to know what we need to know now. The word which is translated as “love” in modern translations is translated as “charity” in older English versions. Charity is an act, something you do.

Now, back to Genesis

“Firmament” or raqiya ( Strong’s 7549) doesn’t mean “wide open space” like we typically think when we see this word translated with the English word “expanse.” One of the meanings is to “beat, stamp, beat out, spread, expand,” from the root verb raqa ( raqa Strong’s 7554) Imagine a metalworker beating a piece of metal to make a sword or a woman taking dough and using her rolling pin to spread it out. This is the sense of the meaning of the word raqiya.

Bible examples of raqiya

Ps. 150:1 — “Praise the LORD … in the firmament of His power.” Firmament here means the expansion of His power.

Eze. 1:21-24 JPS — “And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above….” The Septuagint uses the word krystos, or crystal.

We know the Messiah walked on water and calmed the storm. The elements and the weather obey Him. Yeshua created the water and the weather, which was good. That is why they obeyed Him.

Studies in the USA and Japan have shown that the words we speak for good or for evil affect not only people who can hear, but even water, which can’t hear. Good words make water pure and plants grow. Evil words distorts the water and kill plants. We are to speak of holy things and good things from God. We are not to ignore evil but by speaking truth and righteousness, we can affect the evil and change it into good with God’s help.

Dan. 12:2-3 JPS —those who are wise will “shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn the many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

“In the midst” means “severed like a knife.”

Num. 5:1-3 — The lepers were to be cast out from the midst of the camp.

“waters” mayim ()

This is the root of “the heavens” haShemayim (). haShemayim has shema, which means “to hear and obey” and mayim in the same word. Water has a dual purpose in Hebrew.