Tag Archives: creation

Genesis 1:14-19 — The Fourth Day of Creation

Posted on
Reply

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 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. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

Genesis 1:14 – 19

Given this mornings lunar eclipse I thought it appropriate to repost from Genesis 1:14-19. The total eclipse began at 2:40 AM and lasted 72 minutes. You can read about it in the Washington Post article Lunar eclipse coincides with winter solstice.

On the fourth day God created the sun and the moon. The sun speaks of the great light of the world, Jesus Christ, for He said, “I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12) And the moon speaks of the lesser light, you and I, for Jesus also said, of His people, “You are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:14) The only reason the moon shines is because it reflects the light of the sun and in like manner the only reason we shine, as a light of the world, is because we reflect Jesus Christ.

Perhaps you saw these two lights interact early this morning during the eclipse. A great and important lesson is found in here. When the world comes between the sun and the moon we on earth experience an eclipse and the light of the sun is blocked from people’s view. That is exactly what happens to me when I get caught up in the things of this world. When I become consumed by my performance at work, by a desire to prosper financially, by a pension for entertainment, or other things of the world. When I allow the world to come between me and my Lord, my own light is eclipsed, and I fail to reflect the great light of Jesus Christ. The same is true for any Christian. The same is true for you.

Remember that you and I are the church and as the church goes, so goes the world.

Let nothing come between you and Jesus.

For more go to Ray Stedman’s teaching on Genesis 1:14 – 19 or Jon Courson’s teaching on Genesis 1.

Genesis 2:7 — God formed man from the dust

Posted on
3

-the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7

Today scientists know that, in fact, all of the elements that make up the human body are found in the dust of the earth — just as the Bible describes. Did you know that if someone were to collect and separate all of those elements found in your body, and sell them, you would be worth only a few dollars?

But, thank God, and thanks to God, we’re more than dust. God breathed into Adam’s nostrils His breath of life. Formed of dust but without God’s breath of life we’re dead. But with God’s breath of life in us we live, move, and have our being. In the original Hebrew the word ruach is used here for the word breathed in this scripture, and it’s the same word that’s used to mean Spirit.

Perhaps you’re already a Christian, you believe in Jesus Christ, that He died for your sins, and rose again. You’ve accepted Him as your Lord. (If you’re not, please go to the Join Christ’s Family tab) But even as we’re but dust without God’s breath of life imparted unto us, we’re also missing out on a more abundant life if we don’t have God’s Holy Spirit upon us. In John 10:10 Jesus said that, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (KJV) Jesus also said in John 7:38 that “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” And in the next verse the Bible says that By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Do you want to enjoy your most abundant life in Christ? Do you want to live a life that’s overflowing with streams of God’s living water? Then ask God for the Holy Spirit to come upon you. You may experience greater wisdom, greater knowledge, greater faith, and greater discernment, (1 Corinthians 12:8-11) as well as greater love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22,23) Who doesn’t want that? The Holy Spirit can bring these things into your life in greater measure!

The other thing that happens when you have the Holy Spirit upon your life is that you begin to bear fruit for God’s kingdom. I have observed this in a close friend of mine who I’ll call Jim. Jim’s been a Christian for more than 25 years, and while he’s been pleasant enough, and while I’ve observed no gross sin in his life, there didn’t seem to be much that would indicate any bearing of fruit in Jim’s life. In fact, you could say that Jim’s life was somewhat characterized by selfish pursuits and self indulgence. However, about five years ago Jim confided in me that he began to pray in earnest for the Holy Spirit to come upon his life. Since that time I’ve observed that Jim’s countenance has changed, he’s taught small Bible studies for men, he’s lead small home church groups, he’s visited and prayed for sick people in the hospital, and he’s reached out to others to influence them for Christ. Jim’s life was transformed!

Yours can be too.

Ask for the Holy Spirit. Jesus said,

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:11-13

References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

J. Vernon McGee

David Guzik

Chuck Smith, Living Water, The Word for Today, 2007

Genesis 2:4-7 — How Does Jesus View the Old Testament?

Posted on
2

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground- the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Genesis 2:4-7

I love these four verses. It’s as though God is moving us from the overview of creation in Genesis chapter 1, to the account of man in the rest of the Bible, by rotating His telephoto lens from wide angle to zoom. In chapter 1 of Genesis God’s word is at wide angle, in Genesis chapter 2, verse 8 the Bible zooms in to record that part of God’s creation that is mankind. Genesis 2:4-7 is the time of transition between the two.

“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.” (Genesis 2:4) I want to write about what some have said about the Genesis account, that it is a mythical story containing spiritual truths. This thinking supposes that we should accept the truths found in the Genesis account but reject the story as a historical account.

That approach is fraught with problems.

If you make the assumption that the Genesis account, including the record of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden, is a myth, then you have to make a judgment concerning the giving of manna from heaven, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the account of Jonah and the whale, and ultimately, the account of Christ in the gospels. You find yourself attempting to decide for yourself, where myth ends, and where truth and history begin. Instead of the Bible judging you, you become the judge of the Bible — a very dangerous place to be.

Most important is that Jesus himself spoke of the miracles, events, and people in the Old Testament as historical truth.

Jesus validated the account of the destruction of Sodom including the death of Lot’s wife. (Luke 17:29,32) Jesus confirmed that manna fell from heaven (John 6:31-51) Jesus spoke of Daniel of the Old Testament as a real and genuine prophet. (Matthew 24:15) Jesus validated the account of Jonah and the whale. (Matthew 12:39) And Jesus in Matthew 19:4-6 speaks of the Genesis account of the creation of Adam and Eve.

Jesus said, “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35) He called the Scripture, “the commandment of God.” And Jesus referred to the Old Testament as the the words of God and God’s final authority: “Have you not read that which was spoken to you by God?” Jesus said. (Matthew 22:31)

Some desire to accept Christ but to reject parts of the Bible including portions of the Old Testament, but that doesn’t make sense. Because Jesus accepted the Old Testament as “spoken to you by God” (Matthew 22:31) then if you believe on Jesus you must accept the Old Testament. What you and I are left with is a choice: will you, I, we choose to believe the secular criticisms of the Bible, or the authority of God’s word?

Will you believe the critics or Christ?

References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Ray Stedman

Josh McDowell, How Did Jesus View the Old Testament?

Genesis 1:26-27 — In God’s Image

Posted on
Reply

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:26-27

God said, “Let us…” and “…in our image…” and “…in our likeness…” Us and our mean more than One. Us and our, in this case, mean the Trinity. Us and our mean the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is a triune being. “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” God said. God is a triune being, and we are made in His likeness. God is Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and we are spirit, soul, and body. The spirit referring to our eternal being, the soul referring to our mind and emotional being, and the body referring to our physical being.

We are in His likeness because God loves, and we also love. (John 3:16) God reasons, and we also reason. (Isaiah 1:18) God has free will and we also have free will. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

We are made in His likeness.

Notice also that no proclamation of likeness unto God was spoken regarding all the creatures who were created before us.

We are distinct from the animals.

Finally notice that He saved His best for last. Man was created in His likeness on the sixth day, on the last day, the last day before God rested. I recently read about a man, Bob Buford, who has already picked out the epitaph for his headstone. Bob wrote that his epitaph will say “100x.” This in reference to Jesus’ parable about the seed that was sown in good soil, giving the greatest yield, multiplying 100 times. (Matthew 13:1-23)

What about your last? Do you know what you want your epitaph to say? What do you want to be remembered for after you’ve passed?

What are you doing about it now?

Consider the account of when the religious leadership of his day came to trap Jesus. They asked him whether or not it was right to pay taxes.

“Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Matthew 22:15-21

“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Jesus said. Even as the coin made with Caesar’s image is to be given to Caesar, you and I, who are made in God’s image, are to be given to God.

Give your life to Him. Bear fruit for Christ.

“Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:8-9

References:

BibleGateway.com

Blueletterbible.com

Chuck Smith

Jon Courson

Bob Buford, Half Time, Zondervan, 1994

Genesis 1:23-25 — Living creatures the sixth day

Posted on
1

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

Genesis 1:24, 25

When Darwin saw the Marsupials of Australia for the first time he said, “An unbeliever… might exclaim, ‘Surely two distinct Creators must have been at work.’” God declared that the creatures of the earth be created “each according to its kind.” That is, each creature was created with specific information in its DNA. You’ll hear many evolutionists discuss an animal’s adaptation to its environment — quite often this is presented as evidence of the theory of evolution. Well, they’re right — in a sense. An animal can evolve. However the evolution only takes place within the confines of the available information in an animal’s DNA. Scientists have documented fruit flies from one continent, moved to another, moved to a very different environment, that have grown larger in size, and have even developed spots on their wings. But what you have in the end, is still a fruit fly. Scientists have never seen, nor will they ever see, an animal evolve beyond the information available within its DNA. The larger size and the spots in the fruit fly are an adaptation from the available information in the fruit fly’s DNA. You’ll never see a fruit fly evolve into a dragon fly. There’s no info in the fruit fly DNA to get there — because God declared that the creatures of the earth be created “each according to its kind.”

This being the case, the idea of a single celled amoeba evolving beyond its available information in its DNA, into, say, LeBron James, is just ludicrous.

References:

BibleGateway.com

Akinforthetruth.net

ScienceDaily.com

Genesis 1:20-23 — The Fifth Day of Creation

Posted on
1

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

Genesis 1:20-23

Scientists are conceding that they have grossly underestimated the quantity and diversity of marine life in the ocean. Research scientists from 80 different countries are undertaking a huge census of ocean life around the world. Called the Census of Marine Life, the census effort began in 2000, and ten years later, scientists continue to be amazed at the numbers and varieties of new species they’ve found. In the first three years of the study 160 new species of fish were found each year. That’s about 3 new species discovered every week. As the census has progressed, new species of marine life are being discovered at an even greater rate. “One study found 700 new species of crustaceans in an area the size of a small bathroom.” (timesonline.co.uk)

In 1965, 1,168,800 tons of herring were pulled out of the North Sea. That’s somewhere around 2.3 billion herring, from just one part of the world. Think about that, 2.3 billion herring, if we’re talking about all of the fruit, all of the marine life in the ocean, this is just one species, it doesn’t include all of the other types of fish caught in the North Sea. And that’s just the North Sea, it doesn’t count all of the rest of the world. And it doesn’t even include all of the marine life that’s not caught — caught fish represent just a tiny, tiny fraction of all of the marine life in all the oceans of all the world.

When God said “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas…” we had no idea how serious He really was.

God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures…” Of course the water didn’t produce the fruit, the multiplied billions upon billions of creatures of the oceans, God did. Apart from God no fruit is born. Not during creation, nor in my life or in yours either. While Jesus walked the earth, He was the primary Person God used to perform His work here on earth. When Jesus left, he promised to send us the Holy Spirit to help us perform God’s work here on earth. (John 14:26) From that point forward God’s Holy Spirit has been, and is the primary Person God uses to perform His work here on earth. Without Him we can’t bear fruit for God’s kingdom.

Ask for the Holy Spirit. God loves you and wants you to have Him in your life. It’s Jesus’ will that the Person of the Holy Spirit come to you to help you in every dimension of life including bearing fruit for Him.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:11-13

References:

Biblegateway.com

Blueletterbible.org

coml.org

timesonline.co.uk

Boreal Environment Research

Matthew Henry Commentary

Chuck Smith, Living Water, The Word for Today, 2007, p 8, 287-296

Genesis 1:1 — In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Posted on
1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

The word for God that is used here is elohiym and, interestingly, it is the plural form of the word God that means “strong or mighty.” The plural usage here speaks of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity that is touched on in the Old Testament and made plain in the New Testament. (Jamieson) The writer of the gospel of John speaks of this moment in time when he writes of Jesus, “the Word:”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:1-3

Although the Bible is not a science book, where it does touch on scientific information it’s always accurate. For example the Bible says that,

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.

Job 26:7

Hindus believed that the earth was supported on the back of an elephant. Greeks believed that the earth was held upon the back of Atlas. But Genesis, written in the 5th century BC, says it’s suspended on nothing. (Courson)

Sir Isaac Newton, who today, is recognized by many as the greatest physicist in history, had a standing disagreement with his contemporaries who ridiculed him for his belief in the Biblical creation account. Newton once hired a craftsman to build a model of our solar system. The model was very elaborate, it even included an ingenious mechanism to move the planets in their respective orbits around the sun. Shortly after the model was completed a scientist friend stopped by for a visit.

“Oh My! What an exquisite thing this is!”  Newton’s friend exclaimed. “Who made it?”

Paying little attention to him, Sir Isaac answered, “Nobody.”

Stopping his inspection, the visitor turned and said,  “Oh? Evidently you did not understand my question.  I asked who made this?”

Newton, enjoying himself immensely no doubt, replied in a still more serious tone, “Nobody.  What you see just happened to assume the form it now has.”

“You must think I am a fool!” the visitor retorted heatedly, “Of course somebody made it, and he is a genius, and I would like to know who he is.”

Newton then spoke to his friend in a polite yet firm way:  “This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know, and I am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker; yet you profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken has come into being without either designer or maker! Now tell me by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an incongruous conclusion?

bluemarble.net

Of course our solar system was created. Of course the universe, all the heavens and the earth, were created. The Bible says that, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1 It’s obvious. It’s easy to see God’s hand in our universe — that’s not the issue with those who claim to not believe in a Creator.

The issue is one of accountability.

You see, as soon as a creator is acknowledged, that opens the door to accountability to that Creator. Anyone who wants to feel like they’re not accountable for their behavior can’t acknowledge a Creator. I say “feel like they’re not accountable” because, of course, that’s merely an illusion. God provides man with free will but also holds all men accountable. (Romans 14:10) Acknowledging the existence of a Creator would mean giving up the illusion of not having to be accountable and acknowledging sin.

If you find yourself in a discussion with someone who doesn’t believe in the Biblical creation account or doesn’t believe in the Creator, lovingly bring the conversation around to Jesus. The real question is: is Jesus who He said He was? Is He the Son of God? Is His grave empty? If Jesus is who He said He was then there’s no place to go but to Him for salvation. (John 14:6) (Courson)

Jesus said,

I and the Father are one.”

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

John 10:30-33