Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Thursday, December 20, 2012

Eph 5:18, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is a waste of life, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.— Amen.

The Book of Proverbs Chapter 3 Prov 3:19-20 Creation vs. Evolution, Part 11

V. The Doctrine of Creation, Chaos and Restoration.

Man was Created in the Image and Likeness of God!

The creation of man was:

The creation of man was: 1. Planned by God, Gen 1:26.

The creation of man was: 1. Planned by God, Gen 1: Direct, Special, and Immediate, Gen 1:27; 2:7.

The creation of man was: 1. Planned by God, Gen 1: Direct, Special, and Immediate, Gen 1:27; 2:7. 3. Involved Two Facets. God used the dust from the ground into which He breathed the breath of life.

Since animals were not created in the image and likeness of God, as was man, there exists a clear distinction between animals and man.

Job 33:4, “The Spirit (RUACH) of God has made me, and the breath (NESHAMAH) of the Almighty gives me life (CHAYAH).”

Job 34:14-15, “If He should determine to do so, if He should gather to Himself His spirit (RUACH) and His breath (NESHAMAH), All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.”

Order did come from chaos, but not by itself! It came by means of an agent, that being ELOHIM, the all powerful, all knowing, Sovereign God, who gave us life via NESHAMAH.

“And God said, Let us make man..” 1. ASAH: Gen 1:26. Cf. Gen 5:1; Isa 43:7; 57: BARA: Gen 1:27; 5:1-2; Isa 43:7. 3. YATSAR: Gen 2:7, Isa 43:7. 4. BANAH: Gen 2:22.

Isa 43:7, “Even every one that is called (QARA) by My name: for I have created (BARA) him for My glory, I have formed (YATSAR) him; yea, I have made (ASAH) him.”

In Gen 1:26, God contemplated ASAHing man, and then the actual formation of the physical body occured, in Gen 2:7 with the word YATSAR.

Science reiterates the Biblical disclosure that the human body is “of the earth, earthy”, 1 Cor 15:47-49, and the spirit of man, like a “treasure,” is contained in “earthen vessels”, 2 Cor 4:7.

Scriptures that tell us man’s body returns to the dust from which it was originally derived. Gen 3:19; Eccl 3:20; 12:7

Gen 3:19, “By the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Eccl 3:20, “All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.”

Eccl 12:7, “Then the dust (biological life) will return to the earth as it was, and the breath (soul life) will return to God who gave it.”

In Gen 1:27, ELOHIM BARAed man that means to create something out of nothing, referring to the soul and spirit of man, which too was contemplated by ELOHIM in Gen 1:26.

From the elements of the ground our body was made, but out of nothing our souls and spirits are created.

Gen 1:26 has pronouns in the 1st Person, Plural. “Let Us (1CP) make man in Our (1CP) image, according to Our (1CP) likeness…” We clearly see the Trinity.

“Image” - TSELEM, “model, or image.” Used 17 times, most refer to the image of a pagan idol, Num 33:52; Ezek 7:20; Amos 5:26.

So we see an outward appearance, that being the “physical body.” Compare with YATSAR (forming) of Gen 2:7.

“Likeness” – DEMUTH, “likeness, similarity, copy, form, resemblance, etc.” That which resembles God, which is our spiritual life, made up of our soul and spirit, including the five essences that make up man.

The image and likeness of God enables us to have fellowship with God, but it does not mean we are gods or can become gods, as evolution alludes.

We were created dependent beings, Psa 8:5, and even in the new heavens and the new earth we will continue to be dependent on the light and energy that God provides through Christ as we serve God and reign with Christ, Rev 21:23; 22:3-5.

Eph 4:24, “And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Rom 4:17, “(As it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”

Combining in man that which is material, a physical body, and that which is immaterial, a soul and spirit, man is related to God in two directions; 1) to substance, and 2) to spirit existence.

Grace Fellowship Church Thursday, December 20, 2012 Tape # Proverbs Chapter 3 Creation vs. Evolution, Part 11 Creation, Chaos and Restoration, Pt 7 Prov 3:19-20; Gen 2:7; 6:17; 7:15, 22 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2012