Genesis
Lesson 6 The Seven Days of Creation Part Two — Day Six
In this lesson, we will study the last day of creation, the day God created the animals—the "living creatures" and man. There are several important things to see in the creation of the living things.
Let’s read Genesis 1:24-25 and consider the following questions:
- God made three classes, or types, of "living creatures." What were they?
- In Genesis 1:24-25, a phrase is repeated that separates God’s approach to creation from that of the evolutionists. Can you identify it?
In Genesis 1:26-31, God’s plan to include mankind in His creation is revealed. After everything else has been created and the home for mankind completed, God then creates man. For our study of this important day, I am including below the New International Version (NIV) of Genesis 1:26-31 so that we are all reading from the same scripture version. It reads:
"26 Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ 29 Then God said, ‘I give you every seed–bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day."
Continuing our questions, consider the following:
- In verse 26, what was the governing principle in creating man, i.e., what was God’s first design stipulation?
- How do we know that the Holy Spirit and Jesus were present at creation from this verse?
- God also shows us in this verse that He intended for mankind to be many, and not just one man and one woman. How do we know that from this verse?
- God also shows us one of the purposes for mankind. Can you identify what this is in verse 26 as well?
Given these two design criteria, i.e., that mankind was created in God’s image, and with the charter to rule over His creation; thus, the ability to display and reflect God’s image and to rule over His creation was incorporated in mankind when God made us. We can see this in verses 27-28.
Note below what each of these verses has to say about God’s design and His creation of mankind:
- Verse 27
- Verse 28
God also provided food for His creation.
Read verses 29-30 and note what type of food God provided for each of His creatures:
- What was prescribed as mankind’s food?
- Who, or what, was given the green plants for food? Note how this class of created beings is defined.
- Many today believe that this is the diet that God has mandated for man ever since he created
mankind. But did He? How long was mankind on this diet, i.e., a diet of no meat, only plants and
fruit before God changed that diet? What changed from when these verses were written that
ultimately
resulted in the complete opposite of what life was like back when God first created mankind? See
Genesis 9:1-3:
- Genesis 9:1
- Genesis 9:2
- Genesis 9:3
We conclude this lesson with Genesis 1:31: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day." All that God had intended to include in His creation was there, and it was "good"—perfect according to His plan. After all that happened during the six days of creation, the account simply ends by telling us that God saw what He had made and it was "very good."
In the next lesson, we are going to tackle the questions, "What is the purpose of mankind? Why did God create me? What is my purpose? Is it simply to survive?"
Thanks for your continued faithfulness in studying with us.
In Christ,
Wes
[2022]