THIS IS THE HISTORY OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED, IN THE DAY THAT THE LORD GOD MADE THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS, BEFORE ANY PLANT OF THE FIELD WAS IN THE EARTH AND BEFORE ANY HERB OF THE FIELD HAD GROWN. FOR THE LORD GOD HAD NOT CAUSED IT TO RAIN ON THE EARTH, AND THERE WAS NO MAN TO TILL THE GROUND; BUT A MIST WENT UP FROM THE EARTH AND WATERED THE WHOLE FACE OF THE GROUND. (NKJV)
Notice verse 4 says that, This is the history of the heavens and the Earth when they were created, in the "DAY" that the Lord God made the Earth and the heavens,...
We know from studying Genesis 1 that God did not create the Heavens and the Earth in one "DAY". Notice in verse 4 the Hebrew "yom" "day" is used again. This is another little hint as to the meaning of the word "yom" "day" used throughout the Genesis account.
Verse 4 is certainly using this term to mean a long period of time (the length of which is not definitely defined) but it makes sense that the meaning here is probably the same as that used in Genesis 1. God is using the word here to cover the whole period of time from Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 1:31. We may say the "DAY" of the Romans and we know we are not talking about a 24 hour period. This is the same usage of the term in Genesis.
Genesis 1 dealt with the creation of the entire universe including the Earth. In Genesis 2 God is preparing a special home for Adam & Eve, the Garden of Eden.
Verse 5 is simply reminding us of a time when the Earth was void of plants, rain, and man. God is contrasting the past condition of the Earth with the beauty he had in the garden. It is not written for time sequence.
This verse does not say that rain never fell on the Earth up until the time of the flood (which is taught be some). It simply says that there was a time (in the past) that there were no plants or shrubs because there was no rain. There was also no man to till the ground.
There was no water cycle before "day" 2 the second creation day. God created the water cycle on "day" 2.
Verse 6 does tell us that this area around Eden was watered by streams and mist. It does not necessarily mean the whole Earth was watered in this manner. Most likely with the water cycle already in place, rain fell upon the Earth. However, this area around Eden apparently got its water from these streams and mist.
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