There's A New Day Dawning!

Introduction

You have no doubt heard of the simpleton who decided one evening that he would figure out what happened to the sun when it went down. Well, he stayed awake all night trying to figure out this mystery until finally it dawned on him.

In our text we find the record of the dawn of the first day. As we have come again to the dawn of a new year, the thought that I want to convey in the message is this, "There's A New Day Dawning!"

The Psalmist said... (Psalms 19:2) "Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge."

Therefore I believe that there are some lessons we can learn as we consider the night of this old year and the coming day of the new year.

First in our text, we learn of...

I. AN ELEMENT OF TIME GENESIS 1:1

A. TIME AND ITS ADVENT OR COMMENCEMENT  - in the beginning

B. TIME AND ITS AUTHOR OR CREATOR  - God

1. HE HAS ESTABLISHED THE PARAMETERS OF TIME

(Isa 46:9-10) "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, {10} Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"

2. HE HAS ESTABLISHED THE PASSAGE OF TIME

(Dan 2:20-21) "Daniel answered and said, 'Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: {21} And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:'"

C. TIME AND ITS CONTINUATION

(2 Pet 3:4) "And saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.'"

II. AN ELEMENT OF TURMOIL GENESIS 1:2

A. HOW THE TURMOIL IS PRESENTED

1. THE DESOLATION without form

tohuw, to'-hoo; from an unused root mean. to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), i.e. desert; fig. a worthless thing; adv. in vain:--confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.

2. THE DESTITUTION void

bohuw, bo-hoo; from an unused root (mean. to be empty); a vacuity, i.e. (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin:--emptiness, void.

"When we consider the earth without form and void, methinks it is like the valley full of dead and dry bones. Can these live? Can this confused mass of matter be formed into a beautiful world?

"Yes, if a spirit of life from God enter into it, Ezekiel 37:9." (MATTHEW HENRY)

3. THE DARKNESS darkness was upon the face of the deep

B. WHAT THE TURMOIL IS PORTRAYING

1. THE UNREGENERATED HUMAN SOUL

2. THE UNRELENTING HUMAN SITUATION

III. AN ELEMENT OF TRANSITION

A. THE MOVING OF THE HOLY GHOST GENESIS 1:2

LIKE THE MOTHER HEN MOVES IN THE NEST

(Deu 32:11) "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:"

"FLUTTERETH" IN DEUT 32:11 IS THE SAME WORD AS THE WORD "MOVED" IN GENESIS 1:2.

B. THE MESSAGE OF THE HOLY GOD  -  And God said

IV. AN ELEMENT OF TERMINATION

THE EVENING HAS COME TO AN END

SINCE WE ARE APPLYING THIS TO THE HUMAN SITUATION LET ME MENTION...

A. THE REQUEST FOR NIGHT'S END

(Job 7:4) "When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone?' and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day."

B. THE REJOICING AT NIGHT'S END

(Psa 30:5) "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

V. AN ELEMENT OF TRANSFORMATION

A. GOD DEALS WITH THE DARKNESS  -  GENESIS 1:3-5

B. GOD DEALT WITH THE DISORDER  - GENESIS 1:6-10

C. GOD DEALS WITH THE DEADNESS - GENESIS 1:11-13

FROM THAT POINT GOD BRINGS INTO EXISTENCE ALL THE DIVERSITIES OF LIFE. GOD DIDN'T JUST USHER IN THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY, BUT A NEW WEEK IN THE WHICH HE USHERS IN THE DAWN OF A NEW WORLD!

ILLUSTRATE: SAMUEL'S BIRTH

JUST HOLD ON! IN THE COURSE OF THIS NEW YEAR GOD MAY DO THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THE LIKES OF WHICH HE HAS NEVER DONE BEFORE!

IN THE BEGINNING OF TIME, GOD USHERS IN THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY.

IN THE END OF TIME, GOD USHERS IN THE DAWN OF A NEVER-ENDING DAY.

(Rev 22:5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.