Genesis

Lesson 6 w/Answers The Seven Days of Creation Part Two — Day Six

Beginnings

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:

  1. God made three classes, or types, of "living creatures." What were they?
    1. ANSWER: He created (1) Livestock, (2) creatures that move along the ground, and (3) wild animals. He created all of these before He created man. Therefore, we can see it was God’s plan that these three types of living creatures would all inhabit the earth. Again, the Designer and His design are evident.
  2. 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?
    1. ANSWER: The writer tells us that each of the three classes of living creatures were created "according to its kind" in verse 24 and "according to their kinds" in verse 25. Each is distinct; nothing from one kind can be found evolving in another kind. There is order, purpose, and a plan in God’s creation—not chaos and disorder, as the evolutionists envision in their concept of creation.

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:

  1. In verse 26, what was the governing principle in creating man, i.e., what was God’s first design stipulation?
    1. ANSWER: That man would be made in God’s image and in His likeness.
  2. How do we know that the Holy Spirit and Jesus were present at creation from this verse?
    1. ANSWER: God refers to Himself in the plural by using the terms "Let us," "our image," and "our likeness."
  3. 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?
    1. ANSWER: God states, "So that they may rule…" Clearly God intended for mankind to populate His creation, and as a result, we will see multiple references to that as we continue our study; but here in the beginning when God was getting ready to create mankind, He intended that they multiply (and something else as well).
  4. God also shows us one of the purposes for mankind. Can you identify what this is in verse 26 as well?
    1. ANSWER: God intended for mankind to "rule" over His creation.

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:

  1. Verse 27
    1. ANSWER: We were, as God intended, created in His image, and we were created distinctly as man and woman, male and female. Again, design, order, and purpose are all integrated into God’s plan of creation.
  2. Verse 28
    1. ANSWER: Another purpose for creating mankind was for us to multiply, i.e., to be "fruitful" and "increase in number." God did not intend for only one man and one woman to live on the earth with His creation. He made us with the intention that we multiply, "fill the earth, and subdue it." Note that another purpose is revealed, i.e., not only to "subdue the earth," but also to "rule over it." Each of these attributes gives us purpose, and is as God intended. We are to multiply, to fill the earth, subdue it, and rule over "the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

God also provided food for His creation.

Read verses 29-30 and note what type of food God provided for each of His creatures:

  1. What was prescribed as mankind’s food?
    1. ANSWER: "Every seed–bearing plant and every tree that has fruit with seed in it." Mankind was given a variety of plants and a variety of fruit as their diet, i.e., a diet of healthy seed–bearing plants and fruit—no meat.
  2. Who, or what, was given the green plants for food? Note how this class of created beings is defined.
    1. ANSWER: Green plants are defined as being for "everything that has the breath of life in it, these were all given green plants to eat for food."
  3. 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:
    1. Genesis 9:1
      1. ANSWER: God once again repeats his command that our purpose is to, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth."
    2. Genesis 9:2
      1. ANSWER: Now something changes. We are no longer friendly with God’s creation, i.e., "the fear and dread" of mankind will fall on all the "beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground and on all the fish of the sea." We can see from this that when God created mankind, we were on good terms with all of God’s created beings. After the flood, things changed.
    3. Genesis 9:3
      1. ANSWER: Now God changes our diet. In addition to "green plants," He adds to mankind’s diet, "everything that lives and moves about" as food.

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]

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