1 The Lessons of the Biblical Creation Account

2 God takes total responsibility for the finished product and all parts thereof. Name of God 29 times in Gen. 1 Elohim

3 When He finished, the creation was complete. Ex. 20:11 lists the time span used First Law of Thermodynamics TIME QUANTITY OF MATTER/ ENERGY

4 Living things reproduced according to their kinds What you sow is what you grow Gen. 1:11, 1:21, 1:24 Consistent with an orderly, rational mind Preservation of each ingenious design

5 God formed living things from common dirt and water Gen. 1:11: Let the land produce... Gen. 1:20: Let the water teem... Gen. 1:24: Let the land produce... Gen. 2:7: And the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground... Physically, man has no grounds to boast because he is made of grounds!

6 God’s words had immediate effects “... and it was so” shows up six times in Gen. 1 Immediate effects

7 God spoke first, then He acted Gives man a basis for trusting in His Word Faith in what God says is encouraged for the first time Like –a billiards master calling his shot –Babe Ruth telling the crowd where this home run is going God is fully in control of the creation events

8 Creation was proclaimed to be very good What “good” means: Fitting (Isa. 45:18) Self-sustaining Functional Beautiful Organized Good from the standpoint of The ecologist The engineer The artist The philosopher Psalm 34:8: Taste and see

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10 The creation period spanned six days “Days” – yamim (Heb.) used 700 times in the OT, and it always means 24-hour days –Ex. 31:17-18 Evening and morning, light and darkness Day-age problems There are no overlapping creative events Humans should rest 1 day out of 7 God follows an orderly plan

11 God analyzed His work as He created it “God saw” – 7 times in Genesis 1 Like a master artist, He fashioned the universe into a work of art

12 God gave commands Why? –He is entitled as King of all creation to command –He alone is responsible for the survival instincts of creatures –There is an orderly scheme all things follow Natural law He is the author of it

13 Man is to rule fairly and live in harmony with all other forms of life Stewardship Justice Colonizing Wise exploitation of resources

14 God created time as well as matter and energy For what purposes? 1.To give man a perspective (Rom. 13:11) 2.To give man reference points ( Gal. 4:4) These both make life’s events important, valuable, and significant (Eph. 5:16) Only one life, ‘twill soon be past Only what’s done for Christ will last

15 All three persons of the Trinity were involved in creation Gen. 1:26 -- “Let us make man” 1 Cor. 8:6 -- “There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live” John 1:3 – “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Gen. 1:2 – “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

16 God sustains His creation Although the work of creating was complete at the end of the 6 th day, God’s work of sustaining is ongoing –Ps. 104:27 –Acts 17:25 –James 1:17 –Col. 1:17 –Hebrews 1:3

17 Man’s life force is derived from the spirit God gives him Apart from the in- breathed spirit from God, we have no life –Job 33:4 –Ezekiel 37:5 –John 6:63

18 Man was to be the crowning work of creation We are not naked apes –Genesis 1:28 –Ps. 8:4-8 Since we were the last of God’s creations, –we can take no credit for any of it –creation wasn’t complete until we were created

19 The creation and its continued existence are not an accident Jesus the Son of God is at the center of God’s purposes in creating –Col. 1:17 –Heb. 1:2 Creation declares God’s glory, workmanship, and pleasure –Isa. 43:7 & 64:8 –Ps. 19:1 –Rev. 4:11 Creation reveals God to humanity –Romans 1:20 Creation invites humans to call upon God –Jer. 33:2-3 He wants to entrust creation to us –Gen. 1:28 –1 Cor. 3:21-23

20 Is this Exegesis Based on an “Interpretation?” Basic Hermeneutical Principle: –Unless the context clearly indicates that a text is not to be taken literally, it is to be read and understood as a literal account. Interpretation of a text (as something other than a literal account) is not indicated by the context of Genesis 1 –Thus, this exegesis is not based on an interpretation

21 Why view Genesis as a historical record? Historiographic elements 1.Customs are explained 2.Ancient names are traced 3.Written records are cited 4.Precise chronological reference points are given 5.Genealogies structure, survey and support history No other Biblical references to Genesis 1-11 support a non- literal meaning –Ex. 20:8-11 –Ex 31:17-18

22 Why view Genesis as a historical record? Jesus affirmed the authenticity of Adam & Eve’s existence –John 17:24 –Mark 10:6 –Matthew 24:37-39 Jude viewed Genesis as history –Jude 14 So did John –John 1:3 Paul affirms the creation account as historically factual –Acts 14:15, 17:24-26, Romans 1:18-25, 5: & 19, 8:19-23, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Timothy 2:13 So did Peter –2 Peter 3:3-6 So did the writer of Hebrews –1:2, 4:3-4, 11:3