God's Creation

New Christian study (2)

CREATED OR EVOLED?

Genesis 1:1-25

Key Verse: 1:1

Genesis is one of 66 books. Bible Scholars say that Moses wrote Genesis inspired by the Holy Spirit.(Mark 12:26,Lk 20:28) Genesis clearly teaches us that God is the origin of all things; universe, life, culture, marriage, family, sin, misery, salvation and so on. Without God, all are meaningless.

The Scripture starts “In the beginning, God created heaven and earth.” God’s creation is especially the foundation of the Scripture. Let’s think about several main topics through today’s passage.

1) Who is God?

2) How did He create the universe?

3) What purpose did he create it?

1. What does verse 1 declare? Meditate on “in the beginning”, “God (Elohim)” and “created.” Who is our God, the Creator (Ex 3:14; Rev 1:8)? 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth 14God said to Moses, “I am who I am.£ This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

a) -There are many views of the origin. The origin is crucial for everyone to find the purpose, meaning, goal and hope.

-Many doctors, who study a human body, say each organic system of a body with unique function, which is vitally related together. It is too amazing and mysterious to say that it was naturally born.

-Astronomers who, study solar system are so amazed that all stars regularly orbit around the sun with exact and absolute time. It is also too mysterious to say that it was naturally existed as we say that a complicated and delicate watch, which tells exact time, was naturally existed. We know that someone made it with special purpose. There are two main theories; atheistic view and theistic view.

I) - The atheistic view

Darwin’s evolutionism, Big Bang Theory and so on.

The Greek natural scien­tists said that the origin of this universe is water, fire, dust and air. There were many mythologies and different theories such as the theory of spontaneous genera­tion or the big bang theory or evolutionism.

- can’t answer the fundamental question about beginning

- can’t give the meaning of Man’s existence

- how can a man with personality, feelings, intelligence come from the inanimate objects, such as amoeba?

- If we are accidental products, there is no meaning of our existence

The theistic [θi:ístik(əl)] view

- Gen 1:1 declares the answers of the question about the beginning very clearly.

- God is the Creator of all things and this world was made by Him and for Him with a purpose. Gen ch.1 tells the absolute purpose of all creatures’ existence.

a) Genesis 1:1 gives us a lucid answer for the origin of the universe and all creatures. "In the beginning God..." teaches us,

-When was it created?

-Who created it?

-What did God create?

-Why did He create them?

Let’s study verse one with detail.

“In the beginning” ( Berēshîth )

"In the beginning" is the beginning point of the history of the uni­verse--the beginning point of time before this beginning was eternity.

b) The word, "create" is the remarkable word "bara" in Hebrew means creation from nothing. it is used only of the work of God. Only God can create--that is, call into existence that, which had no existence.

“God” - God is the true main history maker. In this, original word “elohim” as “God” teach us as plural noun. So Trinity God who is Heavenly Father, His son, Jesus and Holy Spirit, participated in the work of creation.

a) Exodus 3:14, "I am who I am." He exists not by anyone or any cause. He is self-existing and the one who caused eve­ry­thing to exist. He is the eternal God who is living and working today.

b) Colossians 1:16,17 says of God's creation: "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

c) The name used for God is "Elohim"--the almighty One. He said to Abraham in 17:1, "I am God Almighty." To despaired Sarah, he said, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Ge 18:14) he is the almighty God.

“Heavens and earth.”

-Our earth is just a tiny planet in a vast Solar System. Our Solar System is just one member of a vast Milky Way of galaxy with 200 and 400 billion stars. A recent German supercomputer simulation put the number of galaxy. Guess how many galaxies are there in universe? There are 500 billion galaxies in the Universe, each of which has hundreds of billions of stars.

d) Revelation 1:8 says that he is the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. His existence transcends human understanding and wisdom.

On the other hand, evolutionism [èvəlú:ʃənìzm,ì:və-] is full of fabrications man produced; it is the ex­pression of man's pride to deny God and his work of creation. The psalmist says of them, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Ps 14:1)- Sir Kelvin,(William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin) the Physi­cist of fame, said, "Think deep enough. Then you will surely believe that God exists from a scien­tific view."

Genesis 1:1 declares the origin of everything.

“In the beginning, almighty (elohim) God created the heavens and the earth.”

If he created the universe, no doubt, He is the owner, possessor, holder of everything (Ps 121:2,124:8). He would also have purpose why he created. If you believe it, it gives you great comfort, rest and meaning bc we were not accidently born but created with absolute purpose by almighty God and leading by him for his purpose. When God is the center of our life, we find the true meaning, happiness, joy of our life. However, when we are self-centered life, of self-centered mind, chaos, misery, emptiness comes to us because God created us with his purpose.

*Genesis 1:1 is crucial verse. If you believe this verse, you can believe the entire Scripture. It is the foundation of the Scripture as well as of your faith toward God.

Do you believe it?

2. What was the state of the earth in when it was first created (2)? How were the Holy Spirit and the word involved in the creation (3.Heb 11:3)? What structure & order can you see in each day’s creation (3-25,1Jn 1:5; 2Co 4:6)?

2Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.(Heb11:3)

5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.( 1Jn 1:5)

6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”£ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. ( 2Cor 4:6)

a) -The word "formless" means no order. "Empty" means vacancy with no life. "Darkness" is having no light at all. The earth was simply a huge collection of materials with no shape,light and life. It was a mixture of gas and solid.

b) The Holy Spirit worked with God the Father together-The Spirit of God was hovering over the wa­ters. Here the word, "hovering" is related to the embracing of a mother hen's wings over her eggs to bear life. Likewise, the Spirit of God embrace the whole earth under his wings and gave his life to the earth so that it became a place where living things can survive. The Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit is the source of life. Genesis 2:7 tells us that man became a living soul through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is also the work of the Holy Spirit who recreate into new life from the spiritual dead through regeneration. (Jn 3:5)

c) “The work of the Holy Spirit and words.”- God said, "Let there be light." After this God's voice was magnificently spoken, then there was light. the word indicates Christ Jesus in John 1:1, 14.

This light provided energy for the universe and all the creatures. Thus he pro­vided the basic energy and source of power for all creatures.

d) "God said" and "And it was so. 8times are repeated in chapter one"

It tells us that he created the heavens and the earth and all the creatures through his words.

-Hebrews 11:3 says; "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." What God said, all happened exactly what he said.

-(Isa 55:11) In the word of God, there is mighty creation power; to create things out of nothing. His word is living and active.

- (Heb 4:12) His word is living and active. Whenever God declared his words, it was occurred through the work of the Holy Spirit. (Heb 4:12)

- His word changes the inside of people to become new creations.-Even the dead soul is raised up to living soul. (Jn5:25)

*God still works through his words.

–Faith toward God comes to us through Hearing Jesus’ words, (Rom 10:17).

-Jesus fought against Satan with the very written words of God. (Mt 4), the weapon against Satan God gave us is the words of God and prayer. (Eph6:17)- “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

-To walk with God means to walk with God’s words.

a) “The structure& Order” -

a) First day- light ( the source of all energy)

Second day -an expanse

Third day- Sea and the earth and plants

Fourth day -Sun, moon and stars (time& seasons)

Fifth day -fish and birds

Sixth day- animals and men

b) Light/Darkness - Expanse - Sea/Earth-Plants

(1st day) (2nd day) (3rd day)

| | |

Sun/Moon-Stars - Fish/Birds - Animals-Men

(4th day) (5th day) (6th day)

a) God’s systematic creation were appeared everything with proper order and harmony-God's each creations changed the earth from chaos into the world of order and harmony,

from emptiness into fullness,

from utter darkness into brightness.

His creation was done in his perfect wisdom and plan.

b) God’s creation order-; he firstly created the proper environment and then created each creatures.

He also cre­ated first inanimate objects [ɪn|ӕnɪmət],which is no life, and then animate [|ӕnɪmeɪt] objects, then ani­mals of lower order to animals of higher order.

c) The Harmony of His creation-. He also created all life in a close harmonious relationship.

Ex) plants provide food for men and animals. The excrement [|ekskrɪmənt]

of men and animals ,which is waste material from the body, is the best fertilizer for plants. Plants also emit [i|mɪt] oxygen which absolutely need men and animal’s breath. Men and animals emit [i|mɪt] carbon dioxide gas, which plants take and synthesize through the sunlight.

Flowers seduce bees to come and get honey. Then bees spread pollen [|pɑ:lən] to other flowers so that the flowers can have seed.(God created each of creatures with mutual cooperation to survive) what a amazing harmony and beauty cooperation each of them is! This is the wisdom of God.

3. What things did God create according to their kinds (11, 12, 21, 24, 25)? What were God’s thoughts after creating each creature (4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) Where did God place each creature (9, 15, 16, 20, 24)? What do you learn about God?

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.

12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kind

24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

“According to their kinds” are repeated several times in V11-25.

a) He is the personal God. He is God of the great artistic nature. There are all kinds of vegetation such as radish, cabbage, spinach, garlic, green pepper, hot pepper, cucum­ber, watermelon and carrots etc. There are also all kinds of fruit such as apples, grapes, pears, peaches, oranges, nuts, and plums. Think about flowers. In the spring, we see the lilac, tulip, magnolia and peony. In summer, the rose, a balsam, sun­flower, and a morning glory. In the Fall, the cosmos, the mum, the cockscomb. In winter, a plum blossom, a camellia and so on.

-there are 230,000 kinds of plants, a million kinds of animals, one and half million kinds of trees and 800,000 kinds of bugs. They are not the proc­ess of evolution at all but God's work­manship. They all reveal their specific characters and God’s beauty. All of them declares God who is so the great sense of beauty, wisdom, knowledge, and affec­tion.

4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.

21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

b) When God created this world, all things were wonderful and absolutely good. Whenever his work was done at each of day, “It was good” is repeated except the second day. God was pleased with them. All things were made with God’s absolute goodness.

c) It describes the meaning and purpose of all creatures. “it was good”. All creatures were very good standing before God. it is original intention. The meaning and purpose of all creatures is to( be good before God) glorify God. Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

d) They were actually created for God's glory. God created and gave all things to man. They are the things to serve man. But man created to glorify God as well as to serve God. We must use them for the glory of God.

------

9 And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.

20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”

2 4 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

e) God placed each creature in the right place. In his order and harmony, they can survive. The earth is mov­ing according to the order which God established. It does revolution and rotation round the sun. Numerous stars move on his way without contacting. It is possi­ble for the sovereign God to rule the world perfectly.

* He created all things in his sovereignty through his word. He revealed his great power, authority, sovereignty to proclaimed His glory through his creation work. He rules this world in his per­fect sovereignty. He is worthy to receive our worship and praise.

* We were also newly created from the dead to life through Jesus. (Eph 2:1-5,10) This is new birth of regeneration by God’s amazing grace like we come out from our formless, empty and dark lives. We live with a clear life purpose to live for his glory.

*When we accept today’s passage, we can find the meaning of all creatures.

In Conclusion-

1) -God is the creator and the sovereign ruler.

-The beginning of all things comes from God.

- When someone created something, there is always the purpose of existence for all creatures .

2) God created the universe by His command

- The foundation God’s creation is the Scripture.(2Tim 3:16-17,Heb11:3)

-God proclaimed- The Holy Spirit accomplished what He has proclaimed.

-God cooperated the Creation work with the Holy Spirit.

3) God created all world according to his systemic wisdom.

-Environment---1st day-light, day and night, 2nd-expense, 3rd-land, seas, plants and trees. 4th-Sun, Moon, stars.

-Moving creatures-5th day-fish, birds, 6th- animals and man.

4) God created each of all creatures with organic harmony.

- An ecosystem is vitally related to each of organisms to help together.

–the relationship with living creatures and greenish creatures.

5) God created all creatures with his artistic skills- various kinds of creatures.

6) All creatures have God’ perfect plan and masterpiece. His all creatures did not have any God’s mistake at all. He created all things with his perfect plan and perfect accomplishment. He even confessed his testimony after He created each of them “it is good.”

7) The ultimate purpose of all creatures is to proclaim His glory and majesty. (Ps 19:1) –the most pinnacle glory is when he created man.