Day six (vv. 24-31; 2:7). God had formed the sky and filled it with heavenly luminaries and flying birds. He had formed the seas and filled the waters with various aquatic creatures. Creation reaches its climax when on the sixth day He filled the land with animal life and then created the first man who, with his wife, would have dominion over the earth and its creatures.
Like the first man, the animals were formed out of the dust of the ground (2:7), which explains why the bodies of both humans and animals go back to the dust after death (Eccl. 3:19-20). However, humans and animals are different. No matter how intelligent some animals may appear to be, or how much they are taught, animals are not endowed with the “image of God” as are humans.
The creation of the first man is seen as a very special occasion, for there’s a “consultation” prior to the event. “Let us make man in our image” sounds like the conclusion of a divine deliberation among the persons of the Godhead. God couldn’t have been talking with the angels about His plans because angels weren’t made in God’s image (“our image”), and angels had nothing to do with the creation of Adam.
“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” (Gen. 2:7). The verb “formed” suggests the potter making a work of art in his skilled hands. The human body is indeed a work of art, an amazingly complex organism that only the wisdom of God could design and the power of God create.
The physical matter for Adam’s body came from the ground, for the name “Adam” means “taken out of the ground,” but the life Adam possessed came from God. Of course, God is spirit and doesn’t have lungs for breathing. This statement is what theologians call an “anthropomorphism,” the using of a human characteristic to explain a divine work or attribute.
Several important facts must be noted about the origin of humans. First, we were created by God. We are not the products of some galactic accident nor are we the occupants of the top rung of an evolutionary ladder. God made us, which means we are creatures and wholly dependent on Him. “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Luke 3:38 calls Adam “the son of God.”
Second, we were created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27). Unlike the angels and the animals, humans can have a very special relationship with God. He not only gave us personality–minds to think with, emotions to feel with, and wills for making decisions–but He also gave us an inner spiritual nature that enables us to know Him and worship Him. The image of God in men and women has been marred by sin (Eph. 4:18-19), but through faith in Christ and submission to the work of the Holy Spirit, believers can have the divine nature renewed within them (2 Peter 1:4; Eph. 4:20-24; Col. 3:9-10; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18). One day when we see Jesus, all of God’s children will share in the glorious image of Christ (1 John 3:1-3; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:49).
Third, we were created to have dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26, 28). Adam and Eve were the first regents over God’s creation (Ps. 8:6-8). “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; but the earth He has given to the children of men” (Ps. 115:16 nkjv). But when Adam believed Satan’s lie and ate of the forbidden fruit, he lost his kingship, and now sin and death reign over the earth (Rom. 5:12-21).
When Jesus Christ, the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), came to earth, He exercised the dominion that the first Adam had lost. He demonstrated that He had authority over the fish (Luke 5:1-7; John 21:1-6; Matt. 17:24-27), the fowl (26:69-75), and the animals (Mark 1:13; 11:3-7). When He died on the cross, He conquered sin and death, so that now grace can reign (Rom. 5:21) and God’s people can “reign in life” through Jesus Christ (v. 17). One day, when He returns, Jesus will restore to His own the dominion that was lost because of Adam (Heb. 2:5ff.).
Both Adam and the animal creation were vegetarians until after the flood (Gen. 1:29-30; 9:1-4). Isaiah 11:7 indicates that the carnivorous beasts will return to this diet when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His kingdom on earth.
Fourth, this wonderful Creator deserves our worship, praise, and obedience. When God surveyed His creation, He saw that it was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Contrary to what some religions and philosophies teach, creation is not evil and it isn’t a sin to enjoy the good gifts God shares with us (1 Tim. 6:17). David surveyed God’s creation and asked, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Ps. 8:4 nkjv). The earth is but a tiny planet orbiting in a vast galaxy, and yet “the earth is the Lord’s” (24:1). It’s the one planet He has chosen to visit and to redeem!
The heavenly creatures before God’s throne praise Him for His creation, and so should we. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11). When we bow at meals to thank Him for the food He provides, when we see the sunshine and the rain provided at no expense to us, and when we watch the progress of the seasons, we should lift our hearts to praise the Creator for His faithfulness and generosity.
Finally, we must be good stewards of creation. This means we should respect our fellow human beings who are also made in the image of God (Gen. 9:6). It means appreciating the gifts we have in creation and not wasting or exploiting them. We’ll look into these matters in greater detail in further studies, but it’s worth noting that we can’t honor the God of creation if we dishonor His creation. We must accept creation as a gift, guard it as a precious treasure, and invest it for the glory of God. Isaac Watts said it beautifully in his hymn “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”:
I sing the goodness of the Lord,
that filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His word,
and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed,
where e’er I turn my eye;
If I survey the ground I tread,
or gaze upon the sky.
“The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Ps. 145:9).
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
- God’s Word carries absolute authority: “For He spoke, and it was done” (Ps. 33:9 nkjv). How does this affect your relationship with God?
- At creation, God spoke powerful words. What powerful words has God spoken on your behalf?
- In what sense do our words have power?
- What is the significance of the word day? What difference does it make if “day” means twenty-four hours or “a period of time”?
- When have you heard people use God’s vocabulary (words) without using His dictionary (true meanings)?
- What do you believe about creation and evolution? What questions do you still have? Where can you find the answers?
- The admiration of creation soon turned to worship. Where do you observe this happening today?
- What is the essential difference between animals and humans? How do you know this?
- According to Wiersbe, what important facts should we remember about the origin of humans? Why are these important?
- This week, how can you express your praise to God because of His magnificent creation?