contributed by Darrell Nichols, elder and teaching pastor
The Sixth Day, Part 5
Genesis 1:24-31
(24) And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. (25) And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (26) Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. (27) So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth. (29) And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. (30) And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so. (31) And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (ESV)
A note to the reader: this blog, like all the others, has not been written with a hateful spirit,
but rather as a loving plea for all of us to follow God's plan and not our own.
but rather as a loving plea for all of us to follow God's plan and not our own.
In our previous blog, we talked about how God, in Genesis 1:26, created man to resemble Himself. "Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness…." The word "Our" refers to deity, the Triune God. We said the biblical words image and likeness are synonyms. They are similar in the original Hebrew language. We talked about four distinct ways in which we resemble our Creator God. We showed that God created humankind with:
Genesis 1:26 is a very important verse. With those first thirteen words, God made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. He created us with some similarities to Himself, thus making it possible for us to enjoy His presence in our lives.
Genesis 1:26-27 record that God created humankind "in His image, after His likeness." First, God tells us He created us. Then He shows us why He did it. Throughout the remainder of the book of Genesis (and the rest of the Bible) we see how God relates to His human creation; how He loves them; how His love is demonstrated time and time again; how He disciplines them when they disobey His laws; how He answers their prayers; how His grace is continually on display; how He allows them go their own way even when it is not the way He wants them to go; but still warns them that they will face the consequences of their choices afterward (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:14).
The remainder of verse 26 gives us God's expectations for humankind's care of the earth and its inhabitants. "…And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth…." In other words, it is God's plan that His latest and greatest creation be responsible for caring for the rest of His creation. Someone suggested this may be an early job description of a game warden. Without realizing it, we may all be working for Jehovah's Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife! 😊
Humankind's actual creation does not occur in verse 26, but the verse does set the stage for it. As mentioned in a previous blog, one Member of the Trinity is addressing the other two Members. In verse 26, God was declaring that the time had come. God’s Word shares that divine moment with us so we will understand, at least to some degree, what’s taking place.
Verse 27 says, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Ah, yes! The actual creation of humankind has now occurred! The man was created first. The woman was then made/ fashioned from the rib of the man. Verse 27 is an overview of the event. God supplies us with more detail in the next chapter of Genesis.
Here's a question for us to consider: Where is there a hint of the evolution of man in this verse? There's not even one hint! If evolution was the correct mode of humankind's existence, wouldn’t this verse be a good place for God to mention it? The three words, "…God created man…." does away with evolution’s slime in the water theory of man’s origin. Either God created humankind or He didn’t. Either human origin was by chance or it wasn’t. Either we accept creation and believe it or we choose in our ignorance and/or wickedness to reject God’s teaching on the matter. Romans 1:22 pretty much sums it up for those who disbelieve the Bible– "Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools." Also remember this, anytime you hear (or read about) someone doubting the Bible's authenticity or criticizing its teachings as being irrelevant to our day and time, understand that the ultimate source of that doubt or criticism comes not from the speaker or writer. The ultimate source is Satan himself. He's behind every attack on the Word of God (See Genesis 3:1-5). We must choose whether to believe the Genesis record of creation or to believe the secular theory of evolution—and whatever choice is made, we as a world society will one day bear the rewards or consequences of that choice from the only true and living Creator God. I write these words with loving sincerity: evolution, at its very core, is nothing more than a rejection of Jehovah God and His Written Word.
Verse 27 concludes with these words – "…Male and female created He them." Believe what you want to believe about God's design for the home, but the Bible’s teaching is clear. God created the home, and in His sovereignty established what the home should look like. He decreed His will for the home by His words and by His creative deeds. One man, one woman, united together. God blessed them and His design for them. Debate it all you want; attempt to make your case to whomever you wish, but God Himself established the home. The male-female union was His idea and He blessed it. It is the only arrangement He has ever blessed. It is the only union He has ever approved. I am "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) when I say that God is sovereign and if He had wanted it, He could have ordained the home to be two persons of the same gender. But. He. Didn't. He could have created the man and then fashioned another man from the first man's rib. But. He. Didn’t. God could have created a woman and fashioned another woman from a rib of the first woman. But. He. Didn’t. God could have created the man, then from two of his ribs made two women or two more men. But. He. Didn’t. One man, one woman, united together. In spite of the changing culture and social mores of this and other countries, God hasn’t changed His mind about His original design. In fact, as we'll see in the next blog, He instructed the couple He created to multiply the earth's population. Frankly, they could not have accomplished that without being one man, one woman, united together. That was/is God's design. That was/is God's plan. That was/is what God established the home to be. How dare we as a society or as individuals try to change what our Sovereign Creator God established from the very beginning.
How. Dare. We.
Now on to verse 28, "And God blessed them…" This verse is the written record of God creating the first man and the first woman. So, according to the verse, who did God bless? The word blessed means "to bestow favor upon." Them is a reference to the man and the woman. Did God bestow His favor upon the man only? I hardly believe so. Did God bestow His favor only upon the woman? I think not. Scripture indicates God blessed them —as individuals and as a couple. God blessed the man as an individual. He blessed the woman as an individual. And He blessed them as a couple. The first home on earth was designed by Him and set up as a divine standard for all future homes. The woman was/is just as important in the relationship as the man. While it's true that God gave them different roles and responsibilities within the home (see Ephesians 5), both individuals were/are important in God's sight.
We'll continue with verse 28 next time. Here is a short preview of what's to come. "And God said to them" Hey, did you notice? God is no longer just speaking about them, He is speaking to them. What follows in verse 28 are God's instructions to His two newest creations, the only ones made in His image; the two human beings….
Be sure to spend some time today in God's Book, the Bible.
- A personal likeness to Himself – He gave us some of His personal traits
- A spiritual likeness to Himself – He gave us the capacity for fellowship with Him
- A moral likeness to Himself – He gave us the ability to distinguish right from wrong
- A physical likeness to Himself – He gave us physical features resembling His Son
Genesis 1:26 is a very important verse. With those first thirteen words, God made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. He created us with some similarities to Himself, thus making it possible for us to enjoy His presence in our lives.
Genesis 1:26-27 record that God created humankind "in His image, after His likeness." First, God tells us He created us. Then He shows us why He did it. Throughout the remainder of the book of Genesis (and the rest of the Bible) we see how God relates to His human creation; how He loves them; how His love is demonstrated time and time again; how He disciplines them when they disobey His laws; how He answers their prayers; how His grace is continually on display; how He allows them go their own way even when it is not the way He wants them to go; but still warns them that they will face the consequences of their choices afterward (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:14).
The remainder of verse 26 gives us God's expectations for humankind's care of the earth and its inhabitants. "…And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth…." In other words, it is God's plan that His latest and greatest creation be responsible for caring for the rest of His creation. Someone suggested this may be an early job description of a game warden. Without realizing it, we may all be working for Jehovah's Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife! 😊
Humankind's actual creation does not occur in verse 26, but the verse does set the stage for it. As mentioned in a previous blog, one Member of the Trinity is addressing the other two Members. In verse 26, God was declaring that the time had come. God’s Word shares that divine moment with us so we will understand, at least to some degree, what’s taking place.
Verse 27 says, "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Ah, yes! The actual creation of humankind has now occurred! The man was created first. The woman was then made/ fashioned from the rib of the man. Verse 27 is an overview of the event. God supplies us with more detail in the next chapter of Genesis.
Here's a question for us to consider: Where is there a hint of the evolution of man in this verse? There's not even one hint! If evolution was the correct mode of humankind's existence, wouldn’t this verse be a good place for God to mention it? The three words, "…God created man…." does away with evolution’s slime in the water theory of man’s origin. Either God created humankind or He didn’t. Either human origin was by chance or it wasn’t. Either we accept creation and believe it or we choose in our ignorance and/or wickedness to reject God’s teaching on the matter. Romans 1:22 pretty much sums it up for those who disbelieve the Bible– "Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools." Also remember this, anytime you hear (or read about) someone doubting the Bible's authenticity or criticizing its teachings as being irrelevant to our day and time, understand that the ultimate source of that doubt or criticism comes not from the speaker or writer. The ultimate source is Satan himself. He's behind every attack on the Word of God (See Genesis 3:1-5). We must choose whether to believe the Genesis record of creation or to believe the secular theory of evolution—and whatever choice is made, we as a world society will one day bear the rewards or consequences of that choice from the only true and living Creator God. I write these words with loving sincerity: evolution, at its very core, is nothing more than a rejection of Jehovah God and His Written Word.
Verse 27 concludes with these words – "…Male and female created He them." Believe what you want to believe about God's design for the home, but the Bible’s teaching is clear. God created the home, and in His sovereignty established what the home should look like. He decreed His will for the home by His words and by His creative deeds. One man, one woman, united together. God blessed them and His design for them. Debate it all you want; attempt to make your case to whomever you wish, but God Himself established the home. The male-female union was His idea and He blessed it. It is the only arrangement He has ever blessed. It is the only union He has ever approved. I am "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) when I say that God is sovereign and if He had wanted it, He could have ordained the home to be two persons of the same gender. But. He. Didn't. He could have created the man and then fashioned another man from the first man's rib. But. He. Didn’t. God could have created a woman and fashioned another woman from a rib of the first woman. But. He. Didn’t. God could have created the man, then from two of his ribs made two women or two more men. But. He. Didn’t. One man, one woman, united together. In spite of the changing culture and social mores of this and other countries, God hasn’t changed His mind about His original design. In fact, as we'll see in the next blog, He instructed the couple He created to multiply the earth's population. Frankly, they could not have accomplished that without being one man, one woman, united together. That was/is God's design. That was/is God's plan. That was/is what God established the home to be. How dare we as a society or as individuals try to change what our Sovereign Creator God established from the very beginning.
How. Dare. We.
Now on to verse 28, "And God blessed them…" This verse is the written record of God creating the first man and the first woman. So, according to the verse, who did God bless? The word blessed means "to bestow favor upon." Them is a reference to the man and the woman. Did God bestow His favor upon the man only? I hardly believe so. Did God bestow His favor only upon the woman? I think not. Scripture indicates God blessed them —as individuals and as a couple. God blessed the man as an individual. He blessed the woman as an individual. And He blessed them as a couple. The first home on earth was designed by Him and set up as a divine standard for all future homes. The woman was/is just as important in the relationship as the man. While it's true that God gave them different roles and responsibilities within the home (see Ephesians 5), both individuals were/are important in God's sight.
We'll continue with verse 28 next time. Here is a short preview of what's to come. "And God said to them" Hey, did you notice? God is no longer just speaking about them, He is speaking to them. What follows in verse 28 are God's instructions to His two newest creations, the only ones made in His image; the two human beings….
Be sure to spend some time today in God's Book, the Bible.
Darrell Nichols is an Elder and Pastor of Education at commUNITY church in Muncie, IN.
He can be reached at darrell.nichols@beincommunity.com or on Twitter @_nichols_dimes
He can be reached at darrell.nichols@beincommunity.com or on Twitter @_nichols_dimes
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