This seeming bible contradiction was sent by email:
How can Vegetation survive without sunlight?
The Bible says in Genesis, Ch. No.1, Verse No. 11 to 13 The vegetation, the herbs the shrubs, the trees – they were created on the 3rd day
And, Genesis, Ch. No. 1, Verses. 14 to 19, the sun was created on the 4th day.
How can the vegetation come into existence without sunlight, and how can they survive without sunlight?
Here are the verses in question (New American Standard):
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. Genesis 1:11-13
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19
Yes, it is clear that God made the vegetation before the sun and stars. It is also clear that God actually created light before both of these on day 1 of creation:
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. Genesis 1:3-5
Before God created the sun and stars, He had already created light. You may ask, how can there be light before a light source? The bible doesn’t mention a source for this light. However, in Revelation, we are told about the new heaven and new earth, and the new Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from God. This city will not need the sun or moon to shine on it:
And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:23
God Himself is the light for the New Jerusalem… how blessed are those who will be there! Will you be there? The very last line of the bible says that only those whose name is written in the lamb’s book of life shall be there:
and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:27