4. “  And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament  .”  10  Gen. i. 6, 7. Before laying hold of the meaning of Scripture let us try to meet objections from other quarters. We are asked how, if the firmament is a spherical body, as it appears to the eye, its convex circumference can contain the water which flows and circulates in higher regions? What shall we answer? One thing only: because the interior of a body presents a perfect concavity it does not necessarily follow that its exterior surface is spherical and smoothly rounded. Look at the stone vaults of baths, and the structure of buildings of cave form; the dome, which forms the interior, does not prevent the roof from having ordinarily a flat surface. Let these unfortunate men cease, then, from tormenting us and themselves about the impossibility of our retaining water in the higher regions.

Now we must say something about the nature of the firmament, and why it received the order to hold the middle place between the waters. Scripture constantly makes use of the word firmament to express extraordinary strength. “The Lord my firmament and refuge.”  11  Ps. xviii. 2, LXX. “I have strengthened the pillars of it.”  12  Ps. lxxv. 3, LXX. “Praise him in the firmament of his power.”  13  Ps. cl. 1. LXX. The heathen writers thus call a strong body one which is compact and full,  14  ναστός (fr. νάσσω, press or knead)=close, firm. Democritus used it as opposed to κενόν, void. Arist. fr. 202. to distinguish it from the mathematical body. A mathematical body is a body which exists only in the three dimensions, breadth, depth, and height. A firm body, on the contrary, adds resistance to the dimensions. It is the custom of Scripture to call firmament all that is strong and unyielding. It even uses the word to denote the condensation of the air: He, it says, who strengthens the thunder.  15  Amos iv. 13, LXX. Scripture means by the strengthening of the thunder, the strength and resistance of the wind, which, enclosed in the hollows of the clouds, produces the noise of thunder when it breaks through with violence.  16  Pliny (Hist. Nat. ii. 43) writes: “Si in nube luctetur flatus aut vapor, tonitrua edi: si erumpat ardens, fulmina; si longiore tractu nitatur, fulgetra. His findi nubem, illis perrumpi. Etesse tonitrua impactorum ignium plagas.” cf. Sen., Quæst. Nat. ii. 12. Here then, according to me, is a firm substance, capable of retaining the fluid and unstable element water; and as, according to the common acceptation, it appears that the firmament owes its origin to water, we must not believe that it resembles frozen water or any other matter produced by the filtration of water; as, for example, rock crystal, which is said to owe its metamorphosis to excessive congelation,  17  ᾽Εμπεδοκλῆς στερέμνιον εἶναι τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐξ ἀ& 153·ρος συμπαγέντος ὑπὸ πυρὸς κρυσταλλοειδῶς, τὸ πυρῶδες καὶ ἀερῶδες ἐν ἑκατέρῳ τῶν ἡμισφαιρίων περιέχοντα. (Plutarch περὶ τῶν ἀρεσκόντῶν τοῖς φιλοσόφοις, ii. 11.) Pliny (Hist. Nat. xxxvii. 9) says that crystal is made “gelu (vide Sir T. Browne, Vulgar Errors, ii. 1) vehementiore concreto…glaciem que esso certum est; unde et nomen græci dedere.” So Seneca, Quæst. Nat. iii. 25. Diodorus Siculus, however, asserts it “coalescere non a frigore sed divini ignis potentia.” (Bibl. ii. 134.) or the transparent stone  18  i.e. the “Lapis Specularis,” or mica, which was used for glazing windows. cf. Plin., Ep. ii. 17, and Juv., Sat. iv. 21. which forms in mines.  19  Mica is found in large plates in Siberia, Peru, and Mexico, as well as in Sweden and Norway. This pellucid stone, if one finds it in its natural perfection, without cracks inside, or the least spot of corruption, almost rivals the air in clearness. We cannot compare the firmament to one of these substances. To hold such an opinion about celestial bodies would be childish and foolish; and although everything may be in everything, fire in earth, air in water, and of the other elements the one in the other; although none of those which come under our senses are pure and without mixture, either with the element which serves as a medium for it, or with that which is contrary to it; I, nevertheless, dare not affirm that the firmament was formed of one of these simple substances, or of a mixture of them, for I am taught by Scripture not to allow my imagination to wander too far afield. But do not let us forget to remark that, after these divine words “let there be a firmament,” it is not said “and the firmament was made” but, “and God made the firmament, and divided the waters.”  20  Gen. i. 7. Hear, O ye deaf! See, O ye blind!—who, then, is deaf? He who does not hear this startling voice of the Holy Spirit. Who is blind? He who does not see such clear proofs of the Only begotten.  21  With Christian associations it is startling to read at the end of the Timæus that the Cosmos is the εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ, or, according to another reading, itself Θεός,… μονογενὴς ὤν. “Let there be a firmament.” It is the voice of the primary and principal Cause. “And God made the firmament.” Here is a witness to the active and creative power of God.

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός: γενηθήτω στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα: καὶ διεχώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος ὃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ἐπάνω τοῦ στερεώματος. Καὶ πρό γε τοῦ ἅψασθαι τῆς διανοίας τῶν γεγραμμένων, πειραθῶμεν τὸ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀντεπαγόμενον διαλῦσαι. Ἐρωτῶσι γὰρ ἡμᾶς, εἰ σφαιρικὸν μὲν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ στερεώματος, ὡς ἡ ὄψις δηλοῖ, ῥυτὸν δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ περιολισθαῖνον τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς, πῶς ἂν ἐδυνήθη ἐπὶ τῆς κυρτῆς περιφερείας τοῦ στερεώματος ἱδρυνθῆναι; Τί δὴ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐροῦμεν; Ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν οὐκ εἴ τι πρὸς ἡμᾶς κυκλοτερὲς ὁρᾶται κατὰ τὴν ἔνδον κοιλότητα, τοῦτο ἀνάγκη καὶ τὴν ἔξωθεν ἐπιφάνειαν σφαιρικῶς ἀπηρτίσθαι, καὶ ὅλον ἀκριβῶς ἔντορνον εἶναι καὶ λείως περιηγμένον: ὅπου γε ὁρῶμεν τῶν τε λουτρῶν τοὺς λιθίνους ὀρόφους, καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀντρωδῶν οἰκοδομημάτων κατασκευὰς, ἃ κατὰ τὴν ἔνδον ὄψιν εἰς ἡμικύκλιον σχῆμα περιηγμένα, ἐν τοῖς ἄνω τοῦ τέγους ὁμαλὴν ἔχει πολλάκις τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν. Ὥστε τούτου γε ἕνεκεν μήτε αὐτοὶ ἐχέτωσαν πράγματα, μήτε ἡμῖν παρεχέτωσαν, ὡς οὐ δυναμένοις τὸ ὕδωρ κατασχεῖν ἐν τοῖς ἄνω. Ἑξῆς δ' ἂν εἴη λέγειν, τίς ἡ φύσις τοῦ στερεώματος, καὶ διὰ τίνα αἰτίαν μεσιτεύειν ἐτάχθη τῷ ὕδατι. Τὸ τοῦ στερεώματος ὄνομα σύνηθες τῇ Γραφῇ ἐπὶ τῶν κατ' ἰσχὺν ὑπερβαλλόντων τάσσειν: ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ, Κύριος στερέωμά μου, καὶ καταφυγή μου: καὶ, Ἐγὼ ἐστερέωσα τοὺς στύλους αὐτῆς: καὶ τὸ, Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν στερεώματι δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἔξωθεν στερεὸν λέγουσι σῶμα τὸ οἷον ναστὸν καὶ πλῆρες, ὃ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τοῦ μαθηματικοῦ λέγεται. Ἔστι δὲ τὸ μὲν μαθηματικὸν τὸ ἐν μόναις ταῖς διαστάσεσι τὸ εἶναι ἔχον, ἐν τῷ πλάτει, λέγω, καὶ τῷ βάθει, καὶ τῷ ὕψει: τὸ δὲ στερεὸν ὃ πρὸς τοῖς διαστήμασι καὶ τὴν ἀντιτυπίαν ἔχει. Τῇ δὲ Γραφῇ σύνηθες, τὸ κραταιὸν καὶ ἀνένδοτον, στερέωμα λέγειν, ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ ἀέρος πολλάκις καταπυκνωθέντος τῇ φωνῇ ταύτῃ κεχρῆσθαι: ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ: Ὁ στερεῶν βροντήν. Τὴν γὰρ στερρότητα καὶ ἀντιτυπίαν τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐναπολαμβανομένου ταῖς κοιλότησι τῶν νεφῶν, καὶ διὰ τὸ βιαίως ἐκρήγνυσθαι τοὺς κατὰ τὰς βροντὰς ἀποτελοῦντος ψόφους, στερέωσιν βροντῆς ἡ Γραφὴ προσηγόρευσεν. Καὶ νῦν τοίνυν ἡγούμεθα ἐπί τινος στερρᾶς φύσεως, στέγειν τοῦ ὕδατος τὸ ὀλισθηρὸν καὶ εὐδιάλυτον ἐξαρκούσης, τὴν φωνὴν ταύτην τετάχθαι. Καὶ οὐ δήπου, ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὴν κοινὴν ἐκδοχὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος δοκεῖ τὴν γένεσιν ἐσχηκέναι, ἢ ὕδατι πεπηγότι ἐμφερὲς εἶναι προσήκει νομίζειν, ἤ τινι τοιαύτῃ ὕλῃ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ὑγροῦ διηθήσεως τὴν ἀρχὴν λαμβανούσῃ, ὁποία ἐστὶν ἥ τε τοῦ κρυστάλλου λίθου, ὃν δι' ὑπερβάλλουσαν τοῦ ὕδατος πῆξιν μεταποιεῖσθαί φασιν, ἢ ἡ τοῦ σπέκλου φύσις ἐν μετάλλοις συνισταμένη. Λίθος δέ ἐστι διαυγὴς, ἰδιάζουσαν καὶ καθαρωτάτην τὴν διαφάνειαν κεκτημένος, ὃς ἐὰν κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν ἀκριβὴς εὑρεθῇ, μήτε κατεδηδεσμένος σηπεδόνι τινὶ, μήτε τὸ βάθος ὑπερρηγμένος ταῖς διαφύσεσι, μικροῦ τῷ ἀέρι τὴν διαύγειαν ἔοικεν. Οὐδενὶ οὖν τούτων εἰκάζομεν τὸ στερέωμα. Παιδικῆς γὰρ τῷ ὄντι καὶ ἁπλῆς διανοίας, τοιαύτας ἔχειν περὶ τῶν οὐρανίων τὰς ὑπολήψεις. Οὐ μὴν, οὐδὲ εἰ πάντα ἐν ἅπασίν ἐστι, πῦρ μὲν ἐν γῇ, ἀὴρ δὲ ἐν ὕδατι, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὡσαύτως ἐν ἑτέρῳ τὸ ἕτερον: καὶ μηδὲν τῶν αἰσθήσει ὑποπιπτόντων στοιχείων εἰλικρινές ἐστι καὶ ἀμιγὲς, ἢ τῆς πρὸς τὸ μέσον, ἢ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ἀντικείμενον κοινωνίας: τούτου ἕνεκεν καταδεχόμεθα, τὸ στερέωμα ἢ ἐξ ἑνὸς τῶν ἁπλῶν, ἢ τὸ ἀπὸ τούτων μίγμα φῆσαι ὑπάρχειν, δεδιδαγμένοι παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς, μηδὲν ἐπιτρέπειν ἡμῶν τῷ νῷ πέρα τῶν συγκεχωρημένων φαντασιοῦσθαι. Μὴ παραδράμῃ δὲ ἡμᾶς μηδὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀπαρασήμαντον, ὅτι μετὰ τὸ προστάξαι τὸν Θεὸν, Γενηθήτω στερέωμα, οὐκ εἴρηται ἁπλῶς, καὶ ἐγένετο στερέωμα: ἀλλὰ, Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα: καὶ πάλιν, Διεχώρισεν ὁ Θεός. Οἱ κωφοὶ ἀκούσατε, καὶ οἱ τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέψατε. Καὶ τίς κωφὸς, ἀλλ' ἢ ὁ μὴ ἀκούων οὕτω μεγαλοφώνως ἐμβοῶντος τοῦ Πνεύματος; Καὶ τίς τυφλός; Ὁ μὴ ἐνορῶν ταῖς οὕτως ἐναργέσι περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἀποδείξεσι. Γενηθήτω στερέωμα. Αὕτη ἡ φωνὴ τῆς προκαταρκτικῆς αἰτίας. Ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στερέωμα. Αὕτη τῆς ποιητικῆς καὶ δημιουργικῆς δυνάμεως μαρτυρία.