What did God create on the fourth day of creation?

Answer  
  

On the fourth day of creation, God created the sun, moon, stars, and the other heavenly bodies (Genesis 1:14–19\). The number of things God created on the fourth day is staggering. Scientists currently estimate there to be 2 trillion galaxies in the universe, with about 100 million stars in each galaxy. That would mean the number of stars is somewhere around 10 to the 20th power (“How Many Stars Are in the Universe?” by Tia Ghose, *Live Science* online, updated 5/24/18, accessed 10/28/20\).  
  

*Sun and moon:* “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night.’ . . . God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night” (Genesis 1:14, 16\). Among the other “lights” God commanded into being on day four of creation, He set the sun and moon in the “vault of the sky” as the two prominent sources of light for Earth. During the day, the sun provides light and heat to the earth, while the moon reflects light from the sun to illuminate the darkness of night. Like the stars, the sun and moon also serve as “signs to mark sacred times, and days and years” (verse 14\).  
  

*Stars:* “He also made the stars” (Genesis 1:16\). Such a simple statement, but such a vast creation. There are trillions of stars in the universe, and God has personally named them all (Isaiah 40:26; Psalm 147:4\). Importantly, stars indicate seasons and time (Genesis 1:14\) and provide guidance for navigation. The stars also [display God’s glory](heavens-declare-glory-God.html): “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1, ESV).  
  

*Heavenly bodies:* Although Genesis 1 does not refer to other heavenly bodies specifically, the fourth day of creation also includes the many planets, nebulae, galaxies, and other things present in the universe. From a human standpoint, the sheer number of the many planets and galaxies is breathtaking, but creating it all was an easy task for the Lord God (Jeremiah 32:17\).  
  

On day four of creation, God continued His creative work. The creation of the sun, moon, stars, and other heavenly bodies distinguished day from night and separated light from darkness (Genesis 1:18\). God declared the sun, moon, and stars as “good” as sources of light and as ways to mark the passage of time, and He divinely set them in place for His glory (Genesis 1:18–19; Psalm 74:16\).  
  

