01.04. Creation

CREATION Lesson Text:Genesis 1:1-31andGenesis 2:1-25 Memory Verses:Genesis 1:1-3; John 1:1-3.

Additional Reading Lesson:Psalms 19:1-6; John 1:1-5; John 1:10; Acts 14:15; Acts 17:24-26.

"Genesis," the name of the first book in the Bible, means origin, beginning. It is pre-eminently the book of beginnings. In it we find the record of the beginning of the heavens and the earth, of all plant and animal life, of man and the family, of sin and death of reward and punishment, sacrifice, language, human government, and the Hebrew race.

COMMENTS ON THE LESSON TEXT

Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning * * * God"—. (John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:10). Before the world was, ere the heavens were created, God, self-existent, eternal, reigned. Who knows the motives which impelled him to create the heaven and earth? It is enough to know that he did, and to remember that his ways are past tracing out. (Romans 11:13). How far back in the remote ages of the past the heavens and earth were created, no one knows. (Acts 14:15; Acts 17:24). The language of this verse is sublime in its simplicity. None but the divine could have expressed such an overwhelming fact in such simple language.

Genesis 1:2. "And the earth was waste and void," The earth was at this time in a chaotic condition, a formless mass, perhaps continually changing, with no fixed or definite shape. This seems to have antedated the six days of creation mentioned in the following verses. How long this condition of things continued before the six days of creation began, no one knows. THE FIRST DAY

Genesis 1:3-5. "And, God said." He spoke and it was done. Hitherto the earth had been enveloped in darkness. But God commanded, "and there was light." Light was divided from darkness; each had its own definite and distinct existence. Then, as now, when distinguished one from the other, the light was called day, and the darkness was called night.

SECOND DAY

Genesis 1:6-8. The water had no fixed or certain bounds. The earth must have been enveloped in a thick vapor. God made the firmament, the open air, vaulted by the skies above. In all this the divine writer used words pretty much as we use them today. The waters above were gathered together into clouds, and were thus divided from the waters on the earth. The intervening space was called the firmament.

THIRD DAY

Genesis 1:9-13. The waters on the earth were gathered into certain bodies, or fixed places, that the dry land might appear. Vegetation was then created; trees also were made to grow; and all vegetation by its own seed was to reproduce after its own kind. This was the spring time of God’s creation.

FOURTH DAY

Genesis 1:14-19. "The sun, moon, and stars had been created in the beginning, so that this statement cannot refer to their creation, but to their appointment, by becoming visible to their mission to the earth. It is implied that whatever life was upon the earth before this time, existed before the sun was visible through the thick clouds, the waters above the firmament."— Peloubet.

FIFTH DAY

Genesis 1:20-23. This day marks the creation of animal life. All water inhabitants and fowls were created on this day. The events of this day, as, in fact, the events of all preceding days, prepared the way for the next day’s creation.

SIXTH DAY

Genesis 1:24-17. On this day all land animals and creeping things were created. The last to be created was man, "God’s noblest work," "creation’s masterpiece," "the lord of all the rest of creation, but also dependent on all that went before." Under Jehovah man was given dominion over all the lower animals, earth, trees, plants, etc. God commanded man to multiply and replenish the earth.

SEVENTH DAY

Genesis 2:1-8. Jehovah rested. The thought that Jehovah was weary, rested because of fatigue, must not be entertained. He is never weary (Isaiah 40:28). Finite as we are, it is not possible for us to fully comprehend the infinite. Jehovah can be known to us only so far as we are able to conceive the infinite. We speak of him in terms very largely describing the finite— or in human imagery. He does not possess hands, eyes, etc., as human beings. We speak of him having breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of Adam (Genesis 2:7), but surely no one thinks this as describing a literal act. Because the work of creation was finished, to the human conception he appears to have rested, and the term is made use of. He rested in the sense that he ceased from the work of creation. THE SECOND ACCOUNT OF CREATION

Genesis 2:4-25. In the first chapter of Genesis we have a general account of the creation of all things. In the second chapter attention is directed more specifically to the beginning of the history of man. To give a correct history of man, the writer must of necessity revert to the beginning of man’s existence. Hence we have the second account of the creation of man, in which naturally more of the details and circumstances of his creation are given, both of the male and female. THE GARDEN

Jehovah made a garden eastward in Eden, and caused to grow therein "every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:9). In this garden Jehovah placed this newly formed couple "to dress it and to keep it," and to enjoy its beauty and fruits. Of one tree only they might not eat—the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." The penalty for violating this regulation was death (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:56).

EVE

It was the sixth day of the creative period, the dew of earth’s early morning was still sparkling. Sin had not entered the world. Adam with dominion over the earth was ill at ease. There was not amongst all created things a companion or help meet for him—a helper suited for his needs. Jehovah created woman to be his helper (Genesis 2:18-24). Adam called the name of the woman Eve (Genesis 3:20). Jehovah called the name of the woman Adam (Genesis 5:2). She was the wife of the man (Genesis 3:8).

MONOGAMY Jehovah made for man but one wife. Monogamy is the divine order. Polygamy is of man and sinful (Matthew 19:3-5).

SACREDNESS OF MARRIAGE

Marriage is for the happiness of human beings, the good of society and the perpetuity of the race. From the beginning it has been sacred— it is of Jehovah. Man is to "leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" (Ephesians 5:31).

WOMAN A HELP MEET FOR MAN As Adam needed a helper, and Jehovah made for him woman, so man today needs a helper. Woman should not think that she fills her mission when she spends her time in idleness. Work is the heritage of woman, as it is of man. The useful life is the honored life. If the wife is not a help meet for her husband, she falls short of her duty. The wife who meets the demands of Jehovah, "looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." (Proverbs 31:27).

It is a mistake to think that a woman must be an idler to be a lady. Satan finds employment for idle hands—and it is as true of the woman as of the man.

REPLENISH

God’s command to "replenish the earth" has been a source of trouble to some Bible readers, because of the fact that we have been taught that "re" means "a-gain." This is generally true, but it has no such significance in "replenish" any more than it does in receive, rejoice, realize, rebuff, receipt, or repeal. "Replenish" simply means to fill. The command is, multiply and fill the earth. Disobedience to this command is one of the grievous sins of today. THE GODHEAD

Godhead is a scriptural term (Acts 17:29), and is applied to the divine personages, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three existed before the world was, and each performed a definite work in the creation of all things, as they did in the redemption of man.

Certain expressions in Genesis, the first chapter, sometimes considered hard to understand, become plain in the light of this fact, as will be seen as we proceed. THE FATHER

THE SON

THE HOLY SPIRIT

NATURE OF MAN

God formed the body of man of the dust of the earth. Our bodies and the bodies of animals this day are composed of the dust of the ground, as really as was the body of the first man. They "consist of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth." As to matter, there is no difference between man’s body and the bodies of animals. And yet there is a vast difference between man and animal. No argument is needed to prove this. Why this difference, and wherein does it consist? Words are used in describing the creation of man that are not used with reference to the creation of animals. Into the body formed of the dust of the ground, God breathed the breath of life (Acts 17:25), and "Adam became a living soul" (1 Corinthians 15:45). This means more than the inbreathing of animal life. No such expression is used in reference to the creation of animals. Man was given the pre-eminence over the animals (Genesis 1:26). The "likeness and image of God" cannot refer to man’s physical form, for we are unable to understand how a physical body can be like spirit. God is spirit. In his physical body man is very like the animal; in spirit, intellect, emotion, power of will, he is very like God (Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 11:7; Colossians 3:10). (For a full discussion of the nature of man read: Moore-Noble debate; What is Man, by Skaggs). (Nichol- Bradley debate—$3.00).

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION Man’s Relation to the Divine and the Animal.

Man’s Independence and Dependence.

Man’s Freedom of Will. The Marriage Relation. The Family.

Labor Not a Curse, but a Means of Blessing Self and Others.

BLACKBOARD EXERCISE Seventh Day. God rested.

Sixth Day. Man, Land Animals.

Fifth Day. Water Animals, Fowls.

Fourth Day. Sun and Lights Set to Rule.

Third Day. Vegetation, Land Appeared, Lakes Formed.

Second Day. Firmament, Dividing the Waters.

First Day. Light, Separation of Light from Darkness, Day and Night. The order of creation was natural. The work of each day prepared for the events of the next. Note that light was created and dry land made to appear before vegetation was created. Animal life is dependent on vegetable life; hence vegetation before animals. As man was to have dominion over all earthly things, and yet be dependent on all these things, they were created and made ready before man was created.

QUESTIONS Repeat the memory verses.