LESSON 36 – MAN HIS ORIGINS AND CREATION
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STUDY
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TEXTS
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36
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Man His Origins and Creation
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Genesis 1:1-3
John 1:1
2 Peter 3:12
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INTRODUCTION
The first verses in the Bible Genesis 1: 1-3 are very profound as they start with "In the beginning". The Hebrew scholar’s today marvel at this as it brings them face to face with eternity. In the beginning God created! No matter how far you go back in time God is there, coming out of eternity past to meet you. This is saying more than God was there in the beginning, God created the beginning, God already was. Here we have the unity of God, the tri-unity of God, three manifestations with unity, one essence, one character designing and creating. Both the concept of the tri-unity and that of the creation are things far beyond our senses.
CREATION
"Bara" means to create something out of nothing, not to use anything physical. What you have in Genesis is Einstein's formula. This is what happened that energy created material, the power of God created matter. In the Hebrew it says that God created the heavens and the earth. What we have here is the mystery of mankind, creation and the smallness of us. The mystery of our own nature and our own being confronts us here; the smallness of ourselves and the fact that our mind cannot comprehend it. There was a point before there was anything but God. You look at the stars and you think they go on forever but there is a limit to space. There is a limit to time itself. What is beyond it? This is where we are confronted like the Old Testament writer who asked, "What is man that you are mindful of him.
As a creature we must be aware that creation occurred and also the companion fact that all that was created will go out of existence. God is beyond space and time; we are within it. Our brains cannot handle a thought other than in terms of space and time. Heaven for instance is beyond space and time. It is a different realm, a different category of thought. Paul caught a glimpse of this in 1 Corinthians 13 where he said that now we see in a glass darkly and then face to face.
When we pass through to this new dimension we will realise new knowledge and understand. We have to have new resurrection bodies because our existing bodies cannot handle it. We should start this study, as with all study of God and his work with absolute humility. There are certain things that are discussed in theology which cannot be fully understood.
This is one of the major flaws in John Calvin's work, where as a young man of 26, he thought he could understand the Sovereignty of God. You will find that people who say that they can understand everything are arrogant, belligerent people, or just too enthusiastic. Beware in this area, as in others in theology, of all who claim to have a system that answers all questions; we are but dust, we often do not even know the right questions to ask.
With the study of theology, at the end of each session, you should be able to give thanks for everything you have understood and leave with the Lord those things which you still do not understand, but giving thanks for the plan as a whole. There will be certain things that you will not understand until you see Him face to face. We must be dependent on the Holy Spirit and rely on the Bible and the Bible alone. We need to walk out of all classes in the spirit of humility and then God can use us.
We have to recognise that we are limited and do not know the answer to every question. We need to recognise that no human being was there at creation. God has told us what happened but did so in a limited way. We have to be careful when we speculate beyond what the Bible tells us and stick with the revelation of God.
EVOLUTION
The basis of evolution is pride and not God. Man's philosophy is that man can understand all things. Genesis 1:1 says that you cannot understand all things, for you are a creature in a creation. You are not like God. Satan's big lie is that man could be like God. This is what is behind all pagan philosophy and the theory of evolution. If you trust God it is not a leap in the dark by faith, without reason, for what God says makes sense.
What is your soul and spirit, what is your nature, who are you? As the Bible teaches you, you have to think about these things so that you can shortcut all the long arguments that the unbeliever will use to distract you and get to the Biblical solution. The Bible is full of the most profound statements in any literature in any language. It begins with the right assessment as to where man is and God is and how the whole world came into being.
John 1:1 - En arche - in the beginning, in the status quo of the beginning God always "was". Go back as far as you can go with history and you find God coming out of history and pre-history to meet you. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is coming out of history. We are faced with our limits as human beings. We are creatures of space and time of matter and spirit. Coming out of eternity is the Creator who is Spirit not matter. - John 6:63
WHO IS GOD?
God is not an old fellow with a beard who lives in the sky. When we as human beings try and capture the concept of God and his plan in eternity for time we have to be careful. We cannot make God to be like us, we in Christ are made like Him. We talk about the essence or character of God. When you talk about His essence your words are not going to match the reality. The best we can do is to try not to confuse.
Many people make God far too small by anthropropathism and anthropomorphism. We talk about God as if He is a man, talking about Him as a human being. God is not angry as you are angry though the Bible talks about the anger of the Lord. It is not your type of anger. It talks about the love of God, but it is not your type of love. Only by the Word becoming flesh can we ever talk about God. All our talk about God must be rooted and grounded in the person and work of the Lord Jesus, for in him we see the best view of the character of God that we will have this side of eternity. What we must guard against is the so called category mistake. That is to speak of God, who is in a different category to man, as if he was man. This is all right as long as we recognise the anthropropathism, and are guarded with our language. We are limited by space and time. God is not limited that way. He is the creator of space and time.
The question will often come from a careless theologian whether sovereignty or election come first. Here this person has committed a category mistake as they have taken God's decisions in the way that you as a man make decisions, in terms of space and time. God is the creator of before and after. When you get a resurrection body you are released from time but until then we must remember God does not think as we think. My thoughts are not your thoughts nor my ways your ways, says the Lord (Isaiah 55:10, 11). He entered our category in the form of Christ then he returned to His own category. Calvin and Arminius both failed in this area, in their discussions of election and free will. They spoke of categories of God’s actions as if they were categories of man’s actions!
About 90% of evangelical Christians are confused on this difficult area of man and God and the difference in our viewpoints. Most do not study systematic theology and do not study anthropology and so do not know their own limits. If you are humble you recognise you hold the election and free will in balance and go on your way rejoicing.
The great tragedy is that Calvin burnt people at the stake and Zwingli drowned people who did not agree. They did not realise their limitations and therefore lost their humility and started to think they knew more than they could know. If you start with the wrong base your superstructure will be wrong even though you may say a lot of things that are right. We will learn a great deal both positive and negative from these men when we look at church history.
Evolution is another example which has as a basis that there is no God. David Attenborough for instance deifies evolution, saying that evolution created us, thereby making a process a person/god.
They do not explain how this occurred, when or why. People follow it because they do not want a personal God who may tell you what to do. He may call you a sinner in need of a Saviour.
Evolution starts from the basis that matter is all there is. The Bible starts from energy, the mighty God who created matter. Scientists speculate and do not know the origin of matter nor how it is held together. They talk about chemical reactions but do not know what starts them in the human body so that we can function. What happens at death? How was it that language developed? How did thought develop from matter? What is life? Most of these people worship Mother Nature rather than Father God; but it’s not a matter of sexual gender politics. The Satanic lie from the beginning was that man can replace God. What you know about God is what God has given you. The universe which looks so solid will one day go. Even as you look at it now it is composed of energy in dynamic movement; what is solid is just energy organised in shape and form.
DOCTRINES
SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE
1. The fall of Satan and the resultant angelic conflict apparently led to the destruction of planet earth. (Genesis 1:2)
2. The earth was covered for a time by an ice pack. The ice pack was the result of freezing waters by darkness (the complete absence of heat).
3. With regard to the antiquity of the earth, neither science nor the Bible gives us a clear picture. We have some methods of measuring age, such as carbon dating and carbon 14, but these are not accurate in determining the antiquity of the earth.
4. There is never a conflict between what the Bible says in the original languages and the TRUE OBSERVATIONS of such sciences as cosmology, geology, astronomy, chemistry, anatomy, anthropology and psychology.
5. However, actual scientific data and information in the Bible is extremely limited. The Bible is NOT a scientific text book, nor was it designed to be one.
6. Being a Book of God's doctrines and filled with spiritual phenomena, it is obvious that the Bible will occasionally allude to or comment on what we classify as scientific subjects.
7. Wherever the Bible comments on scientific subjects, the Bible is always accurate in the original languages. God is the origin of all the laws and all the phenomena which science is based upon.
8. Therefore, science does not confirm the Bible but occasionally the Bible confirms scientific data or some scientific classification.
9. If scientific speculation does not line up with the Bible then such speculation is inaccurate. If there is a true conflict between scientific speculation and what the Bible says, the Bible is right. Just as when there is a conflict between some historical interpretation and what the Bible says, the Bible is right. In other words where the Bible comments on science, science must agree with the Bible, the Bible is not required to agree with science.
10. The continuation of the universe and the earth, including man, animal life, plant life, the stable state of the atmosphere with its various components all depends on the all-powerful and unchangeable characteristics of Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3)
11. 'Scientific laws' is a misnomer. Scientific laws as such, do not exist because science did not develop these laws and science cannot enforce them. For example in chemistry God promises that when certain elements are combined, certain results will follow. This is a DIVINE LAW, not a scientific law.
12. So-called scientific laws are based on the assumption that the universe, which operates according to a fixed norm, will continue to do so. Science can observe and classify certain divine laws and then apply them productively, but only God in His sovereignty can guarantee the continuation of these laws.
13. The universe, with its function of matter and energy will not always exist as it does at the present time. (2 Peter 3:10-12, Revelation 20: 11)
14. Known scientific laws and phenomena, which man has been able to observe, classify and apply depend entirely on the faithfulness of God. (Colossians I: 17)
15. The reason for preserving the universe is to resolve the perpetual conflict in human history, and to bring many sons into glory. (Hebrews 2:10)
16. The Word of God will survive the destruction of the universe for the Word of God and Bible doctrine will exist forever. (Psalm 119:89)
17. Regenerate man in resurrection body will live forever and survive the changes in the universe, even surviving the destruction of the present universe.
18. It is Jesus Christ who holds the universe together by the power of His Word. (Hebrews 1:3). At the same time He is holding back eternity in order for the human race to have the opportunity to believe in Jesus Christ.
19. Many scientific phenomena are elucidated in the Bible.
a) The Movement of Planets (Job 38:31, 32). In the 19th century M. Medler discovered that Aleyone the brightest star in the Pleides is the centre of gravity of the solar system. The Hebrew word for Pleides is KIMAH which means hinge, pivot or axle.
b) Static Electricity (Jeremiah 10:13) This states that static electricity may be formed by the condensation of vapour.
c) The Earth is Spherical (Isaiah 40:22, Proverbs 8:27) The words translated circle in Isaiah and compass in Proverbs should be translated spherical.
d) The Earth rotates on its Axis ( Luke 17:24 )
e) Air has weight (Job 28:25) - "discovered" in 1630 by Galileo.
f) Winds have circuits (evaporation and precipitation). (Ecclesiastes 1:6) "Discovered" in 1630 by Galileo.
g) Radiation and Polarisation of Lights. (Psalm 65:8)
h) Messages are sent by Lightning. (Job 38:35) - Who invented telegraphy? - God did.
i) The Circulation of the Blood. (Ecclesiastes 12:6) - "discovered" by Englishman Dr. Harvey
j) Quarantine for Communicable Diseases (Leviticus 13:45-46) "discovered" in recent years by medical research.
SCIENCE AND CREATION
1. The following are brief comments which support the creationist view of life and confirm the Biblical statements on science. Science supports creation rather than the theory of evolution.
2. Genesis 1 and 2 tell the correct sequence of created matter and life.
3. Atmosphere
a) Carbon 14. Scientists say that the production of Carbon 14 should reach equilibrium with Carbon 12 when the atmosphere is 40,000 years old. Modern calculations show that Carbon 14 is being produced at 3 1 greater rate than it is decaying. This indicates the atmosphere is less than 10,000 years old. Carbon dating is based on the speed of light which has been found not to be constant but gradually reducing in speed.
b) Helium. Produced by the action of cosmic rays on the atmosphere the amount of helium present in the atmosphere indicates an approximate age of 10,000 years. No atmosphere 10,000 years ago - no life thus fossils and men are contemporaries.
4. Oceans
Cosmic dust enters the atmosphere at 14.3 million tons per annum. If the earth was 4.5 billion years old the earth should have a dust blanket in excess of 100 feet in depth. This doesn't allow for the greater rate of dust deposit which most scientists believe occurred in ancient times. The dust is not evident. This dust has been subject to rain translating the dust from the land via the new system to the oceans.
a) Nickel. Assuming that the oceans were initially of absolutely pure water we would expect a certain amount of nickel deposits in the ocean as though somewhat rare on earth nickel is common in cosmic dust. There should be 950 pounds of nickel per square foot of ocean floor if the earth is 4.5 billion years old. The amount of nickel present in the ocean indicates an age of 9,000 years for the ocean.
b) Uranium and Silicon. Similar readings with uranium and silicon give ocean ages of approximately 10,000 years only.
5. The Earth's Crust
a) Magnetic Field
The magnetic field of the earth has a half-life of 1,400 years. This means that 1,400 years ago the magnetic field was twice as strong, 2,800 years ago four times as strong, etc.
By continuing this process back into history by 8000 BC it has been calculated that the magnetic field would be the same as a magnetic star precluding life on the planet. A magnetic star maintains its field by thermo-nuclear reaction.
Projecting forward by 3100 AD the magnetic field decaying at its present rate will collapse causing the Van Allan belt to disintegrate allowing massive radiation of the earth which will end life on this planet. (This excludes divine intervention in the Millennium). The magnetic field is less than 10,000 years old.
b) Earth's Molten Core
The famous scientist Lord Kelvin calculated the heat loss from the molten core of the earth through the earth's crust and showed that the earth was far younger than its estimated 4500 million years. He also estimated the age of the sun as being young.
6. Biology
a) Mules. Mules are formed by crossing horses and donkeys. Whilst male mules are always infertile, occasionally a female mule can produce offspring. By crossing a male horse with the mule a horse will always result. Similarly a male donkey will produce a donkey. Nature will revert back to its own kind.
b) Cereals. Hybrid grains can be grown but are generally infertile. With the re-crossing of wheat or oats with the hybrid wheat or oats are formed, never the hybrid.
7. Geology
a) The Geological Column according to evolutionary theory ranges from Pleistocene in the Age of Mammals to Pre Cambrian of 570 million years or more. There are 15 subdivisions in this column. Nowhere in the world does the geological column exist in its correct order in nature.
b) In the column Trilobites are in the Cambrian period of 500 to 570 million years. In recent years a fossil of a trilobite has been found with a human sandal print superimposed over it showing trilobites and man coexisted on the earth at the same time.
c) In the Paluxy River, Texas, along the river bed are lines of dinosaur foot prints, foot prints of man and children together with giant foot prints 18" long. (Genesis 6:1-6). Giants in the land.
d) In the Appalachian Mountains from Maine to Georgia are human foot prints in granite.
e) Supposed "missing links" in humanity.
i) Neanderthal Man is now considered to be modern man. The famous French general Lafayette
ii) Cro-Magnon Man had a brain capacity of 1450 cc towards the upper limit of human craniums nowadays which range from 900 cc to 1500 cc. Cro-Magnon had a skull exactly like Charles Darwin.
iii) Piltdown Man, found in East Sussex was found to be an elaborate hoax which fooled the scientific community for over 40 years.
iv) Nebraska Man was created from a tooth. The tooth was eventually identified as a pig's tooth.
v) Java Man was constructed from a cranium and jaw found many metres apart in a gravel bed in Java.
8. Astronomy
a) Jupiter and Saturn both give out 21/2 times the heat received from the sun showing they are young bodies.
b) One of the moons of Jupiter; not only has an atmosphere but has active volcanoes.
c) Titan, the largest moon of Saturn also has an atmosphere. This indicated that the moon is less than 10,000 years old.
d) The rings of Saturn are undulating not smooth. By the gravitational pull of Saturn it is estimated that the rings would have smoothed out completely between 10,000 and 100,000 years.
e) Astronomers agree that comets have a life of no more than 10,000 years. Assuming that comets are not being created this shows a solar system of less than 10,000 years.
f) When the first space ships landed on the moon NASA expected that there would be a 28 mile thick layer of dust of the consistency of icing sugar. NASA spent $1,000 million experimenting for a successful soft landing. When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon he found the dust on the surface averaged 3" in thickness indicating some 8,000 years in age.
g) Space probes were sent to Mars and Venus to try to find life. Both were unsuccessful.
9. Thermodynamics
a) 1st Law - Energy is neither created nor destroyed. It changes from one state to another - this supports creation.
b) 2nd Law - When changes take place, the structure always becomes less organized, never more complex. Creation confirms this. Evolution is based on the opposite stance of simple systems becoming more organized or complex.
c) This very brief topic shows clearly how science supports the fact of creation rather than the theory of evolution with a likely date of original creation less than 10,000 years ago.
CREATION
1. The first verse in the Bible is one of the most attacked portions of scripture as many forms of false doctrine are refuted by this verse. There are 8 factors which disprove humanistic philosophy.
The first verse in Scripture is Genesis 1:1 where it clearly tells us the plain truth "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
"In the beginning God" - shows the existence of God - this opposes atheism, the concept that no God exists.
"God created" - shows the eternal creator. The creator we know from other passages is Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:16) – this opposes polytheism, the concept of many gods.
"created the heavens and the earth " – describes the creation of matter which opposes evolution.
"God created" – describes the omnipotence or all-powerful nature of God which opposes pantheism, the worship of many gods.
"God created" - describes the freedom of God and God's will, which opposes fatalism.
This verse requires supernatural revelation which opposes naturalism which states that natural or physical laws are sufficient to explain the universe without divine revelation.
This verse appeals to faith which has no human merit and opposes rationalism and empiricism.
This verse shows the utter helplessness of man which opposes human works or legalism.
2. How long did Creation take?
The original creation of the earth did not occur over a long period of time. Creation occurred at an instant in time (Psalm 33:6, Hebrews 11:3, 2 Peter 3:5).
3. Time of Creation
From the genealogies in the Bible, Adam was created about 4000 BC. The earth may have been originally created prior to Adam.
4. Words for creation in the Hebrew:
a) Bara means to create something out of nothing.
v.1 God created the universe out of nothing.
v.21 God created the souls of animals out of nothing,
v.27 God created the soul and spirit of man out of nothing.
b) Asah means to create something out of existing material.
v.7 God created the firmament out of existing material.
v.16 The two great lights were made out of material already in existence.
v.26 The body of man was constructed out of the dust of the ground.
c) Yatsar means to mould, as a potter moulds clay.
(Genesis 2:7) The body of man is shaped, head at one end, feet at the other.
d) Examples:
i) All three words for create are used in Isaiah 43:7, a verse on the creation of man. I have Baraed him (soul and spirit), I have Yatsared him (the shape of the body) I have Asahed him (out of earth).
ii) Isaiah 45:18 talks about the creation of the earth using all three words. Thus saith the Lord which Baraed the heavens; God Himself which Yatsared the earth (mountains, valleys, ridges, canyons etc.) and Asahed it out of material already in existence, He has created it not a waste (Tohu).
5. What happened after Creation?
Genesis 1:2 It was created originally perfect because God is perfect. It was changed after it was in existence (Hebrew) Tohu - without form - a waste or a dump. It became (Hebrew) Bohu, void or barren. How did the world become void or barren, a rubbish dump?
Isaiah 14:17 talks of Satan who made the world as a wilderness or rubbish dump. One concludes that the formation of the world as a waste was a result of Satan's rebellion.
6. Genesis 1:2b - Re-creation or Restoration
In order to have a perfect test for man's free will, man had to be created in innocence, he had to have perfect environment so that only his free will is tested. The author of restoration - The Holy Spirit "and the Spirit of God moved upon the waters." Man is created and placed on the earth on day 6; therefore there must be 6 days of restoration. Restoration in 6 days must be distinguished from initial creation in Genesis 1:1.
Ministry of the Holy Spirit is to restore life. (Psalm 104:30)
Regeneration - restoration of spiritual life.
Resurrection - restoration of spiritual - physical life.
Restoration - restoration of fellowship.
Convicting ministry - can attempt to restore fellowship.
Psalm 104:30 "Thou (God the Father) sendest forth thy Spirit (Holy Spirit) they are created because thou (Holy Spirit) restoreth the face of the earth.
Principle of Reconstruction (Exodus 20:11): For in six (literal) days the Lord (Holy Spirit) Asah(ed) (made out of existing material) heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them and rested, the seventh day.
The Holy Spirit restored it out of the waste, the barrenness of the waters.
7. In Summary therefore the Bible indicates that: the earth was created, not originally a ruin. The earth was created to be inhabited (Isaiah 45:18)
the ruin of the earth was the result of Satan's fall and the angelic conflict (Isaiah 14:17) the earth was then in ruin (Genesis 1:2) the Holy Spirit moves upon the face of the waters to restore the earth (Genesis 1:2).
8. Were the days of restoration literal 24-hour days?
The word day is used 3 ways in Scripture:
a) For less than 24 hours (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
The day of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:2, 1 Corinthians 15)
The day of Christ is an instant of time and is related to the rapture of the Church.
b) For more than 24 hours
The day of the Lord - 1007 years or part thereof. In the Hebrew if you have the word day with a modifying phrase "of Christ", "of the Lord", it is the only time when the word is used for other than a 24 hour day. Where an ordinal or cardinal number is used it is invariably a solar 24-hour day.
c) For 24 hours (Genesis 1)
Each day is divided into night and day with night coming first and morning after a typical Jewish format. Solar days are always so divided. Vegetation was restored on the 3rd day and it could not have survived in total darkness - the chlorophyll cycle - the light bearers being bought into order on day 4. Clearly the days of restoration are literal 24-hour days.
9. Genesis 1:3-5 - 1st day of Restoration
Day and night are appointed, light is taken out of darkness. v.3 "And God (the Father) said 'Let there be light and there was light. " v.4 "And God (the Holy Spirit) divided the light from the darkness".
Two words are used in two passages relating to LIGHT:
a) OR (Hebrew) essence or substance or fundamental light. The light which is restored on the first day is fundamental light.
b) NEOR (Hebrew) light in a container or light bearer (day 4). The purpose of the light is to solve the problem of darkness. The light does not absorb the darkness but is separated from the darkness. Light is good because it came from God. Light in the scripture has the connotation of good (1 John 1:5). Darkness in the scripture has the connotation of evil (John 3:19). Having formed the light God now names light day and darkness night.
God also distinguishes between Good and Evil and Divine Good and Human Good.
Darkness - unbeliever (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4) Light - believer (John 8:12).
It should be noted that if concentrated light of day was not dispersed we would all be dead.
By application - concentration of power is bad for men. Nationalism cannot allow itself to be taken over by Internationalism because no ruler can cope with that amount of power except for Jesus Christ.
10. Genesis 1:6-8 2nd Day of Restoration
Covering the earth is a tremendous amount of water of unknown depth. This great mass of water is going to be divided into two sections by gas (firmament), Nitrogen, Oxygen, Hydrogen, etc. The whole earth is covered by water which is covered by an area of atmosphere with a further canopy of water above it. This will eventually be used in the judgment of the flood.
v.6 God (the Father) said let there be atmosphere (firmament). Firmament is described in four passages.
Psalm 104:2 - a carpet spread out over the earth.
Isaiah 40:22 - a curtain made of gauze - it has weight but is light and you cannot see it.
Exodus 24:10 - a transparent work of sapphire - the blue sky.
Job 37:18 - as a molten looking glass
Genesis 1:6b - and let the atmosphere, divide waters (below) from waters (above)
Genesis 1:7 - and God (Holy Spirit) ASAHED the atmosphere.
Genesis 1:8 - and God called the atmosphere HEAVEN (singular) - this is the 1st heaven, God is in the third heaven. - evening and morning - day 2.
By application just as the atmosphere divides the waters so the cross divides the human race canopy - believers - cross - unbelievers (John 3:36)
11. Genesis 1:9-13 3rd Day of Restoration
The earth is covered with water - much of the water is withdrawn under the earth with the exception of seas and oceans which are a small portion of the water only. The water from Noah's flood came from below and from above. Prior to the flood the ground was watered from below (Genesis 2:5,6). On the 3rd day the land appeared, the vegetation was restored.
Genesis 1:9 "And God (the Father) said ... Let dry land appear" (Psalm 104:5-10). Dryness - earth, waters - seas. "And He saw that it was good" - means the plan of God was working towards perfect environment for man.
Genesis 1:11, 12 - Vegetation appears in grass, herbs yielding seed - vegetables, and trees and shrubs.
"whose seed is inside itself" - No transmutation of species. Progression or retrogression but no transmutation. Dogs never produce cats, roses never produce tulips.
12. Genesis 1:14-19 4th Day of Restoration
v.14 And God (the Father) said let there be light (NEORIM) light containers in the firmament (atmosphere - first heaven) - to divide the day from the night. Decentralising light it becomes beneficial to man. The NEORIM are divided into containers - (stars), reflectors - (planets and the moon).
The five fold reason for light containers:
a) Divide day from night - in the fallen state the darkness of the earth had no light in it at all - at night there is light, whilst a lot of the light containers are brighter than the sun they are many light years away. God the Holy Spirit therefore arranged things so that there would be a difference between day and night. By application, believers are (NEORIM) they bear the gospel light.
b) Signs - a miraculous activity which designates something as coming from God.
Signs had a twofold purpose:-
i) To announce unusual events - e.g. birth of Christ (Matthew 2:2)
ii) To show changes in weather (Matthew 16:1-4)
c) Seasons - the establishment of seasons for agriculture - dependent on weather (Matthew 13:37-39). Agriculture is based upon seasons - a planting season, growing season, harvesting season.
d) Days and Years - calculation of calendars. We not only orient ourselves to day and night and summer and winter, but also to years.
e) Light in the Atmosphere (v.15) - these are absolutely essential for life, health and growth in the human race. The sun is light in the atmosphere, so are the stars.
v.16 - Threefold classification of these light containers: the greater light (sun), the lesser light (moon), and the stars.
v.17,18 - The Restoration of the Light Bearers. God placed them in the firmament to give light upon the earth, God saw that it was good, end day 4.
13. Genesis 1:20-23 5th Day of Restoration
The creation of aquatic and aerial life v.20 (Erroneous translation in King James Version). Correction: "and God (the Father) said let the waters swarm with "swarms" (mammals, reptiles, and fish), let the birds fly above the earth in the atmosphere." (v 21). God created whales - long stretched creatures (Hebrew), which the water brought forth abundantly after its kind.
Principle: Science did not make laws - they discovered them. Scientific laws are the portrayal of God's unchangeability. There is variation and change through all species but no change from one species to another.
God blessed them and said - be fruitful and multiply - the birds to multiply on the earth.
14. Genesis 1:24-31: 6th Day of Restoration
a) Creation of animal life (v. 24, 25). Let the earth bring forth living creatures after its kind, cattle, creeping things (reptiles) and God saw that it was good.
b) Now we come to Homo Sapiens (v 26, 27); "And God said Let us make (bara, asah) man out of the chemicals of the soil, make man in Our image".
c) The Seed of the Woman
v. 27 So God (Jesus Christ) created (bara) man in his own image - the real you lives inside of you and is immaterial - soul and spirit - the image of God cannot be seen. "Male and female created He them". God divided male and female. Before God divided male and female they were originally one. When they were divided they had certain characteristics the male being characterised by the SUN - an initiator - JACOB; the female by the MOON - reflector or responder - RACHEL, and complemented one another (Genesis 37:9-10).
d) v. 28 Man's domination over the animals.
When man came from the hand of God he was given dominion over the earth. Now when man sinned Satan was given that dominion. When Jesus Christ comes at the Second Advent, He will rule the earth as man - the God man Christ Jesus. Man is told to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.
15. Food
God said that the herbs of the earth and fruit of the trees had been provided for man for food. (Man originally was a vegetarian). After the flood man was commanded to eat flesh (Genesis 9:3) (Man became omnivorous). At the Second Advent the lion and the ox will eat straw together and it would appear that Man will become a vegetarian again (Romans 8:19-22; Isaiah 65:25; 11:6-9).
16. Genesis 2 The 7th Day
This chapter begins with rest, the Sabbath, and ends with marriage.
Genesis 2:1-3 The Sabbath "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them and on the seventh day God ended his work which He had made and rested on the seventh day from all the work He had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made. "
An excellent ministry that shows the falseness of the evolution theory is..www.creation.com
Where they offer very up to date evidence for Biblical Creation.
Bless you
David
