Even in the Creation of the Universe and of All Things, Scripture By Unmistakable Marks Distinguishes the True God From False Gods.
Section 20: Greatness and Abundance of Creation.
While we do not know much about the creation and make-up of the spiritual order of angels and demons, "Meanwhile let us not be ashamed to take pious delight in the works of God open and manifest in this most beautiful theater," that is, physical creation. It is good, as God's creatures, to look about us at the world he created and to meditate on the work of his hands so as to know God more.
God created all things out of nothing, brought forth every kind of living thing and non-living thing, giving each its own nature, function, place and station. And each will be preserved until the Last Day.
In creating humankind, "and in adorning him with such goodly beauty, and with such great and numerous gifts, he put him forth as the most excellent example of his works."
Section 21: How Should We View God's Works?
"Indeed, if we chose to explain in a fitting manner how God's inestimable wisdom, power, justice, and goodness shine forth in the fashioning of the universe, no splendor, no ornament of speech, would be equal to an act of such great magnitude." We should ponder what he reveals of himself in his creation at length. To this end, "let all readers know that they have with true faith apprehended what it is for God to be Creator of heaven and earth, if they first of all follow the universal rule, not to pass over in ungrateful thoughtlessness those conspicuous powers which God shows forth in his creatures, and then learn so to apply it to themselves that their very hearts are touched."
The first part of this rule is to contemplate the God who has done all these wondrous works.
Section 22: The Contemplation of God's Goodness In His Creation Will Lead Us To Thankfulness and Trust.
The second part of the rule is "more closely related to faith." In this part we recognize that God, who has created all things, makes sure that they work for our good and salvation, "but at the same time to feel his power and grace in ourselves and in the great benefits he has conferred upon us, and so bestir ourselves to trust, invoke, praise, and love him."
Everything God created before he created man was "useful and salutary for him," and so dividing the work into six days, even though he could have done it in an instance, he shows his providence to us so that we might be moved to gratitude.
"To conclude once for all, whenever we call God the Creator of heaven and earth, let us at the same time bear in mind that the dispensation of all those things which he has made is in his own hand and power and that we are indeed his children, whom he has received into his faithful protection to nourish and educate. We are therefore to await the fullness of all good things from him alone and to trust completely that he will never leave us destitute of what we need for salvation, and to hang our hopes on one but him! We are therefore, also, to petition him for whatever we desire; and we are to recognize as a blessing from him, and thankfully to acknowledge, every benefit that falls to our share. So, invited by the great sweetness of his beneficence and goodness, let us study to love and serve him with all our heart."
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Reflection: It is interesting that Calvin says we are not passive with regards to general revelation (that which God reveals of himself in creation in general). For all those skeptics and atheists out there who say that God has not given enough evidence of his existence for us to reasonably or rationally believe in him, Calvin simply says that they are not looking properly. There is plenty of evidence, we just have to look for it in the right way: we have to appropriate what God reveals and apply it to ourselves so that our hearts are touched.
We are not simply passive recipients of God's general revelation in creation. Instead, we must take the time to understand and look at his creation properly. We cannot cloud the evidence, we cannot strive to understand creation without God, as many scientists do under the excuse of Occam's razor (the simplest explanation is the best). We are to make sure that our hearts are able and willing to receive what God shows of himself in the world around us and to use that knowledge to praise and thank God with our whole lives.
We have a great responsibility to ourselves, we have a great obligation to God, so we must prayerfully take up that task and see the great God who created all things, and so praise and thank him properly.
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