Why Did God Create The World?

What was God’s purpose for creating the world and everything in it? Can we find the answers in Scriptures?

The Heavens Declare God’s Glory

The psalmist had it exactly right, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1) and “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” as “Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Psalm 19:2, 4). There are some very important points in these verses. The heavens declare or announce God’s glory. The sky or heavens announce or proclaim God’s creative work. Every day the heavens pour “out speech” and “reveals knowledge” like “God exists! Just look at the universe!” Those who chose to disbelieve in God still must see that “Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse” (Rom 1:20) although they are quick to make them.

Creation Conclusion

In the Book of Job, considered to be part of what is called wisdom literature, Job said “ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you” (Job 12:7-8) and Job’s conclusion was “Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this” for “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:9-10) and of this Creator, it is written “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col 1:17). And Who is it that is holding all things together? We know that it is “by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16) and “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Heb 1:3).

The Glory of God

Nothing is more important than the glory of God which is why we pray through Jesus’ name and so we pray through His name so that He will be glorified. When Isaiah beheld a taste of the glory of God he saw three angels over the throne of God proclaiming “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (6:3) and someday (soon?) “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14) but before that happens every eye “will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt 24:30) and just as the time of Jesus’ birth they will once again say “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased” (Luke 2:14). Paul acknowledges that the heavens and the earth have glory and that glory comes only from the Glorious One Who created it, and so Paul writes, “There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another” (1st Cor 15:40).

Conclusion

We know the creation glorifies God but even the people of God were created for that purpose as Isaiah writes that “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7). The time is coming and may be near to now that we will hear “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever” (Rev 5:13) and then “Nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory” (Psalm 102:15) so may we pray today “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth” (Psalm 108:5) and “Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen” (Psalm 72:19).

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.