What Did God Create on the Fifth Day?
The fifth day of creation marks the moment when life fills the waters and the skies. After forming the physical environment in the first four days—light, atmosphere, land, seas, vegetation, and celestial bodies—God now turns His creative power toward living creatures. This day introduces motion, beauty, and diversity through marine life and birds.
1. Setting the Stage: Earth Before the Fifth Day
Before Day 5:
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The seas were formed (Day 3)
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The sky was created (Day 2)
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The sun, moon, and stars were set in place (Day 4)
Everything was ready for life to flourish. The conditions for living creatures were established—light, water, air, and natural cycles.
The fifth day marks the first time animals appear on earth.
2. God’s Command: Life in the Waters and the Sky
Genesis 1:20 begins the fifth day:
“And God said, ‘Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.’”
This command introduces two major categories of life:
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Creatures of the seas and waters
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Creatures of the sky
3. Creation of Marine Life
A. “The waters teem…”
The phrase “teem” suggests:
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Abundance
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Movement
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Diversity
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Life multiplying rapidly
God fills the oceans, rivers, streams, and lakes with innumerable forms of life.
B. Types of Water Creatures
Genesis 1:21 specifically mentions:
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Great sea creatures (“great whales” or “sea monsters”)
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Every living creature that moves in the water
These include:
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Fish of all sizes
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Whales
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Dolphins
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Sharks
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Sea reptiles
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Jellyfish and small organisms
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Anything that lives in the waters
The mention of “great sea creatures” emphasizes God’s power in creating enormous, majestic beings.
4. Creation of Birds and Flying Creatures
The second major group created on the fifth day is the birds.
A. “Let birds fly…”
God populates the skies with creatures capable of flight:
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Birds of every kind
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Insects that fly
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Bats and winged creatures
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All flying species
The skies, once empty, now become filled with motion, wings, sounds, and color.
B. Diversity and Beauty
This includes:
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Eagles, sparrows, doves
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Owls, parrots, and hummingbirds
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Ducks, swans, and seabirds
The beauty and variety of the sky reflect God’s creativity and joy in life.
5. “According to Their Kinds”
Genesis repeats the phrase “according to their kinds” to emphasize:
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Order in creation
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Stable biological categories
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The distinction between different forms of life
Each creature was created with the ability to reproduce within its own kind.
6. God Blesses the Animals
For the first time in the creation story, God blesses His creatures.
Genesis 1:22:
“And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’”
This blessing gives them:
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The power to reproduce
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The mandate to fill their respective environments
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A place in the ongoing life of the earth
The seas and skies were designed to be full and vibrant.
7. The Fifth Day Concludes
Genesis 1:23 ends the day:
“And there was evening and there was morning—the fifth day.”
On this day, the earth shifts from silent plant life to active, moving, multiplying creatures—transforming creation into a lively world.
Summary: What Did God Create on the Fifth Day?
✔ All sea creatures of every type
✔ Great sea creatures (large marine animals)
✔ All fish and ocean life
✔ All birds and flying creatures
✔ The first blessing in creation—‘Be fruitful and multiply’
✔ A world filled with movement, sound, and life
8. Importance of the Fifth Day
The fifth day marks several important milestones:
A. Introduction of Animal Life
This is the first appearance of creatures with mobility and complex behaviors.
B. Diversity and Abundance
God’s creation is not minimal—He fills the world with variety and beauty.
C. Blessing of Reproduction
Life is designed to grow, spread, and flourish.
D. Preparation for Day 6
The ecosystems formed today will support land animals and humans created the next day.
Conclusion
The fifth day of creation reveals God as the giver of life and abundance. By filling the waters and the skies with vibrant living creatures, God transforms a quiet world into one full of energy, movement, and beauty. This day showcases the richness and creativity of God’s design, setting the stage for the arrival of land animals and humanity on the sixth day.