Resting

We have just went through the first chapter of Genesis, and were introduced to God who existed before He created time and place (In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1). We watched as He built a foundation (heavens and earth, v.1) and then began adding to that foundation the building blocks of this habitation. He created light so that all could function and as a marker of time (God called the light day and the darkness He called night and evening and morning were the first day, v.5). On top of that, He created atmosphere so that the proceeding creation might thrive (expanse or firmament v.6) on the second day. Then He provided a place to stand and to live (Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. v.9). The next block that was laid was herbs and trees and grass (grass , the herb bearing fruit, the fruit trees v. 11) so that now there was food for the following blocks on the third day. Time now for, hmm how to tell time again? Oh thats right. He created the sun, moon and stars not simply to shed light (although that is a function the perform) for light was already here, but to be for tracking time (let them be for signs and for seasons, for days and for years. v. 14). Who is it that is to use them for such purposes?

Now He needed to create something that would use what He had built to the present so He began on the fifth day to fill creation with moving life. the water was filled with fish and whales; the air with birds according to their species(v. 21) and told them to multiply. Then dawned the sixth day and He continued to create mobile life, this time to fill the dry land. He created living creatures, beasts, and reptiles according to their species.

Finally, He created His final block of this creation, the crown of the roof one might say. He created man. What was so special about man? Well, God created man in His own image, He created a male and a female, and then God gave man dominion over all creation!! Man is the steward of all that God created. This means then that the entire creation was made to support man!

While man was the last on the list of the creation, creating Him was not the last thing God did, for Genesis 1:31 says that God surveyed creation and saw that it was good or pleasing. And to whom was it pleasing? God of course. Thus, as verse 1 of Genesis chapter 2 says, the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

After such a climactic ending to the sixth day of creating, The Creator begins the seventh day a whole new way. He rested. Does that mean that He took a day off? No, it says that ended His work that He was making and rested from that job. In other words, He stopped creating. But still He careth for the creation (Psalm 104). And as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 6:24-34 God careth for all.

Christian

Top This!!

We had not finished the sixth day of creation when we left off in the last post. It was for this reason: since the Bible deals specifically with the next creation as a separate event even though it is a part of the sixth day. Why is this important? Let me point out that if we were descended from animals as many out there insult us with, there would be any need to mention man in creation. But praise God that we are not descended from animals but are as you read about.

And God (the creator) said (commanded), Let us make (make or accomplish) man (adam = mankind/human being) in our image (resemblance), after our likeness (similitude): and let them have dominion (subjugate) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle (dumb beasts), and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
I love going back to the Hebrew language to read verses. It makes some verses come more clearly into focus. For instance, this verse literally translated reads: said/commanded God "Make mankind resemblance similitude subjugating fish sea, birds heaven, dumb beasts every/whole earth, reptile creeping upon earth. I can then see that this is an explanation of man's creation. God commanded, "Make mankind resemble My likeness subjugating (bringing under rule) fish in the sea, heavenly birds (birds in the heavens), every dumb beast of the earth, and reptile (creeping thing) creeping upon the earth. As you read this, what strikes you about how we are in the likeness of God? My answer at the end.

So God created man in his own (self/entity/even) image, in the image of God created he him (self/entity/even); male and female created he them (entity/self/even).
God created man resembling himself, resembling God created male entity and created female entity.

And God blessed them (entity/self/even), and God said unto them, Be fruitful (bear fruit), and multiply (increase), and replenish (fill) the earth, and subdue (conquer) it: and have dominion (rule/reign) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
God blessed the entity He created. God commanded them, "Bear fruit, increase, and fill the earth, conquer and reign over the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, and every alive thing crawling upon the earth. Therefore, we as humans are to control all of the world around us which includes what? Ourselves.

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
God commands, Give to them even all grass sowing seed upon the face of whole earth even every tree, trees sowing seed whose fruit in himself, exists to them food. This again shows the providence of God for His creation (Psalms 145:15). He gives them sustenance so that they might be able to carry out His commands. This also shows that He does not give commands without providing the means to fulfill those commands.

And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
All alive thing on earth, all birds of heaven, all creeping thing upon earth, breathing and alive creatures even all green grass food exists likewise.

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
God saw all which He made. Behold it existed wholly good. Evening and morning existed the sixth day.


What a climatic ending to the sixth day!! God created mankind in His image, commanded mankind to produce offspring, increase, and fill the earth and to conquer and reign over all the earth (including man himself). then God gave man sustenance to be able to carry out those commands. Having finished that, God looked upon His creation and saw that it was very good, literally vehemently good/perfect.

Now, dear readers, I asked a question of you earlier and said I would answer it. Since the Bible claims we are made in the image of God, how are we the image of God? All can see that we each have physical differences, so that would rule out the physical resemblance. Having ruled that out, that leaves the spiritual. Verse twenty six actually explains how we are made in God's likeness. Just as God has dominion over all, man has been given dominion over all that God created. Other points to ponder, how can mankind rule over creation without the ability to think, make choices, and adapt to the situations that come his way? Is that also not inherent in God? The book of Hebrews in the New Testament declares that the Old Law (Mosaical Law) was a shadow of the New Law. The word resemblance also can be translated "shade" and so I submit to you that we are indeed but a shadow. Some might then say, "Well then, doesn't that mean we are mini-gods?" I ask them and you, dear readers, "Are our shadows human? Do they have the same abilities that we do?" The obvious answer is "No".

So now we set forth having brought the Creation to its climactic ending.

Christian

The Suspense Builds

As we saw last time, the fifth day built upon the fourth day which built upon the third day's creation that in turn built upon the second day's work and that one built upon the first day's foundation. Now as our suspense builds to the ultimate creation, we again take up our reading.

And God (THE Creator) said (commanded), Let the earth (the firm land) bring forth (produce) the living (alive) creature (breathing creature) after his kind (species), cattle (literal translation: dumb beast), and creeping thing (literal translation: reptiles), and beast (alive/living thing) of the earth (firm land) after his kind (species): and it was so (it happened).
Here God commanded the earth: "Firm land, produce alive, breathing creatures sorted by species, dumb animals, reptiles and living things of the firm land sorted by species." And it did so. Something for your pondering: " There is no being verb in the Hebrew language therefore was in this verse as in the previous ones means 'exist'" Now put that thought with the fact that the Hebrew Scriptures record two words after the word 'species', those being 'exist' and 'uprightly/so'. 'It' is implied in this sentence making this sentence translated: "It existed uprightly" or "It existed so". How magnificent is our Creator who commands and it exists.

And God (God's self) made (made) the beast (alive things) of the earth (firm land) after his kind (species), and cattle (dumb beast) after their kind (species), and every thing (wholly) that creepeth (crawling) upon the earth (soil) after his kind (species): and God (the Creator) saw (perceived) that it was good (pleasing).
God, Himself, made alive things on the firm land according/sorted by species, dumb beasts sorted by species, and all (wholly) the soil's crawling things according to species, God joyfully perceived it pleasing.

Readers, notice that to date in the creation record, everything created so far was found pleasing to God. This is an important point to note for it tells us that, at this point, sin was not a part of the creation. Makes one think doesn't it? God, the perfect Creator, created a world perfectly. How wise is our God!?!

Christian

Time, Tide & SEA MONSTER!?!

And so the Fourth day ended and the fifth day begins:

And (in addition to) God said (commanded), Let the waters (remember that God bound them into seas yesterday) bring forth abundantly (this phrase means to swarm) the moving creature (the swarm or an active mass of minute animals) that hath life (live or breathe), and fowl (birds!) that may fly above the earth in the open (unused plural noun always used in singular form meaning face or the part which turns) firmament (expanse) of heaven (the sky). Something that has always struck me as interesting about this verse is that the birds came not from the land but from the sea. Another side curiosity that I have is: "Is this where evolution got its theory that all life came from a primordial sludge?" But then I return to the reading. So God commands and lets see what happens.

And God created (brought from nothing) great whales (a land or sea monster), and every living (alive) creature (breathing creature) that moveth (to glide or crawl), which the waters brought forth abundantly (the swarm), after their kind (species), and every winged fowl (birds) after his kind (species): and God saw (beheld) that it was good (pure/perfect/pleasing). Notice that God commanded in the previous verse and it was created. God commanded the waters to produce swarms of animals and fowls. The waters produced great monsters, and creatures that were alive and breathing and gliding, as well as birds. Notice here that these were fully functioning entities and that they had offspring that were just like themselves. the whales did not have bird offspring neither did the birds produce fish. Finally, notice that what God created was pure and pleasing.


And God (the creator) blessed them, saying (appointing or charging), Be fruitful (bear fruit/grow/increase), and multiply (increase), and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. An interesting word study of the word "blessed" shows that the same word is used for blessing and cursing (Job 1:5), one descriptive of benefit, the other of cursing authority (whether God or a king) in other words treason. So God blessed them by charging them to bear fruit and increase to the point of filling the seas and He laid a charge on the birds to increase in the firm land.

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Another day ends with the created pleasing God and following His directives. Not only that, they received a blessing and a charge from God. Each of the days of creation have, to this point, built upon one another. First there was the planet, next came light, followed by atmosphere. Then came dry land in the midst of the sea, next was grass, herb, and trees (which birds delight in inhabiting). Finally today was the inhabitants of the seas and the air. God really plans on a grand scale!!!

A dear Christian sister of mine whom my family fondly referred to as our "little mother" had an exercise that she preformed every day. Every morning she would list the days of creation and then detail an example of each that she saw that morning. For example, for the fifth day of creation, she would detail that she saw a robin and if she went to visit the ocean she would list that as what she saw for the third day. That exercise has stayed with me ever since and I believe it is a good tool for showing us the glory and power of God and bringing home the personal nature of the creation. How many days can you see?

Christian

Which Came First??

Imagine, if you will, the blackest night wherein you can not see your hand in front of your nose. The next thing you know, its bright day. How do you tell time? As each night suddenly gives way to bright day without any real distinction, soon you would loose track in the monotony of the cycle. God had a plan for that.


And God said (God commanded), Let there be lights (luminous bodies) in the firmament (expanse) of the heaven (sky) to divide (to distinguish between) the day from the night; and let them be (exist) for signs (signals), and for seasons (spring, summer, fall winter), and for days, and years: We see here the answer to an age old question, though in different terms: "Which came first, the light or the stars?" This is also describing space (the firmament of the heaven) which is the place that God placed the lights.
And let them be for lights (luminous bodies) in the firmament (expanse) of the heaven (sky) to give light (lumination) upon the earth: and it was so. Notice, here in these last couple of verses, that God has explained the purpose of His work. He has been doing this since day two. Thought question for you, dear readers. Who would need the luminous bodies, signs, seasons, days, and years? The answer is yet to come.
And God made (meaning Himself made) two great lights (luminous bodies); the greater (great or mightier) light to rule (have dominion over) the day, and the lesser (diminutive) light to rule the night: he made the stars also. For our benefit, God describes His actions. God, Himself, made two great luminous bodies: the mightier to oversee the day, and the smaller to oversee the night and along with them He made stars. This shows what an awesome and powerful architect our God is.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. God commanded, God created, God accomplished His will, and God was pleased with the perfect/pure/complete results.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Now Day and Night were more than just a Darkness, pitch black and cool, that gives way to a Brightness, brilliant and warm. It was beautiful. It was pure. It was the end of the fourth day. Light came before the luminous bodies in space. How Awsome and Powerful is OUR God!!

Christian