God’s Sovereign Care
2/16 Reading Portions: Genesis 49; Luke 2; Job 15; 1 Corinthians 3
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2/16 Reading Portions: Genesis 49; Luke 2; Job 15; 1 Corinthians 3
Genesis 1:20-23
And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
BIRDS
Yesterday, we ruminated upon the sea creatures and the resurrection from the fifth day of creation. Today, of the many truths we can glean from the birds of the air, we will focus upon two expressive truths from this creative act: God’s care and His sovereignty. As we recognize that one of the aspects of the six days of creation was to reflect the prophetic foreshadow in its first three days juxtaposed against the Christ-exalting fulfillment found in the last six days, therefore, again, we are reminded of the second day of creation. The expanse God called “heaven,” which separated the waters above (God’s glorious presence) from the waters below (God’s promises in Christ), the day did not receive God’s blessing that it was good; which again, was only a prophetic foreshadow of the results of man’s later fall from grace. Here, on the fulfillment day, our triune God creates birds to fly above the earth. The Lord Jesus gives us a tremendous insight into this creation truth, when He said,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” Matthew 10:29
First, our Lord Jesus expresses the truth about God’s care. Even creatures that are ordained to be used as the smallest sacrifices among the poorest of the poor are valuable in the Heavenly Father’s sight. Jesus explains this when He says later,
“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:31
The Lord Jesus also expresses the truth about God’s sovereignty concerning the sparrows. While the birds are winging in the air, God’s power upholds them. They cannot fall to the ground without heavenly permission. Absolutely everything in heaven and earth exists to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. If our heavenly Father would put together such details in the creation account in order to glorify Christ and His gospel, how much more would He love the unlovable, redeem the unredeemable, and preserve those whom He has saved until He comes again? Hallelujah! What a Savior!