The stars were made on the fourth day of creation, after the earth was created. Genesis Chapter 1 verses 1-19 recap the first four days of creation. In the interest of time and brevity, let’s refer to Chapter 1:1 and Chapter 1:16-19 for this particular discussion.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1
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He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven…. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1:16-19
However, skeptics attempt to use Job 38 to demonstrate a contradiction that doesn’t exist. They believe that Job Chapter 38 contains a passage of scripture that suggests the stars were created before the earth. Let’s visit this passage.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? … When the morning stars sang together. Job 38:4-7
And now, let us interpret. Always remember scriptures must be read with absolute care and attention to detail. Genesis 1:1 says “In the Beginning, God (who existed before time) created the heaven and the earth”. The following verse says “And the earth was without form and void”. Imagine any process of creation whether it’s art or construction. They all begin as formless and void.
All drawings start off as one indistinguishable scratch made by a writing instrument upon a surface. A complete drawing is one in which desired form has replaced a surface’s prior void or blankness. Construction projects begin with the laying of foundations.
Now…when we hear “In the beginning” we should immediately think about the six day time frame. The stars were made towards the end of that span. By then, God had already laid down the earth’s foundations. After making the stars, He set them in the firmament. At that time, mankind had not yet been created, let alone Job. So…when God asks Job in Job 38:4-7 “Where were you (my dear little man) when I laid the foundations of the earth?…when the morning stars sang together…” He is not suggesting that He made the stars on any other day than day four. On the first day when God began creating, there were no stars. There was a formless earth for which foundations were being laid. However, God did not ask Job “Where were you on the first day…”. Instead, He refers to the beginning (a week long time frame) during which He laid the foundations of the earth and set the stars that He made in the firmament of the heaven. With that said, any good question deserves a proper answer. In this case, the answer is implicit. Job hadn’t even been born yet!
SOUL HAVEN 