Creation And Its Story

UNDERSTANDING THE CREATION

DIVISION TWO—STUDY ONE

Creation and its Story

Who performed the act of creating the Heavens and the earth?

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

Observation: Within the Bible itself is the proof of its divine origin. There is no other book that can satisfy the intellectual curiosity and questionings of the heart and mind of man more than the Bible. The Bible is the revelation to man from the creator God. If man receives it in faith it can transform his life. History itself shows that a divine Hand has preserved the Bible down through the ages for the whole world.

By what power were the heavens and earth created?

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth….For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalms 33:6—9).

Through whom did God bring the heavens and earth into existence?

“For by Him [the Son] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). “All things were made by Him: and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in the time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1—3).

For what purpose did God create the earth?

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18).

What manner or method did God use to provide in habitants for the world?

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:7, 21,22).

What image was man created in?

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27).

Observation: From the beginning the Bible places both man and woman at the pinnacle of creation. Neither sex is exalted and neither is depreciated.

What was the position God assigned to man?

“Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth” (Genesis 1:26).

“What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; and Thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psalms 8:4—6).

Observation: God gave man great authority in putting him in charge of the welfare of the whole earth. With this authority comes great responsibility. We must learn to use our resources wisely because in the end God will hold us accountable for our stewardship.

Did God in the beginning make a home for man?

“And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.” “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:8, 15).

Did God provide life-giving food for Adam and Eve?

“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; and the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9).

Did God devise a simple plan to test man’s loyalty and obedience?

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2: 16, 17).

Observation: God gave Adam responsibility for the garden. He told him directly not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Rather than physically preventing him from eating, God gave Adam a choice, even though Adam might choose wrongly. God still gives people today choices. We can obey or disobey. Living with the consequences of our own choices is one of the best ways to become more responsible.

What is the power God uses to uphold all things?

“Upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).

Does Nature Speak

Do the heavens declare anything to us?

“The heavens declare the glory of God….Day unto day uttereth speech” (Psalms 19:1, 2).

Can we gain understanding by the things that are made?

“For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

The New Creation

Whose workmanship is the Christian?

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Because of the curse upon this earthly creation, what has God promised?

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17). “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Worship And Brotherhood

Is our worship justly due to our maker?

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker” (Psalms 95:6).

Is there a true basis of the brotherhood of man?

“Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (Malachi 2:10).