TEACHING NOTES DAY 6: Creation of Mankind Genesis 1:26 ESV 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Let us make = Heb. עָשָׂה (ʿā·śāh) - The word for “form/make” but in the plural form. This raises an important question: Who is “us”? Who is God talking to? Some say this is a reference to the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). But why would God need to tell Himself to do something? And how would the author of Genesis know about the Trinity? A better and more biblical option is that God is speaking to the heavenly hosts (elohim). In Job 38:1-7 we learn that the “sons of God” (Heb. bene elohim) and the “morning stars” (angels) sang and shouted for joy while Yahweh was creating the earth. Therefore, it follows that the heavenly hosts were created before the earth was finished. The “us” in Gen. 1:26 is referring to the spiritual beings (heavenly hosts). Man = Heb. אָדָם (ʾā·ḏām) - Human - not “man” as in only male. This is a generic term referring to the human race, both male and female. In Hebrew, the word for man is ish and the word for woman is ishah. Both man and woman are adam. Image = Heb. צֶלֶם (ṣě·lěm) - Literally, an idol or statue representation. Therefore, humans are the physical representation of God on the earth. This states the purpose of humanity - to be God’s representative/partner on earth. This helps us understand why God commanded Israel not to make an image/idol of God (Ex. 20:4). We are not to make idol statues or images of God because WE are God’s image! Likeness = Heb. דְּמוּת (demûṯ) - Similar model or shape. This word can also refer to a builder’s draft or figurine. God is repeatedly described in the Bible as having a human-like appearance (face, hands, arms, feet, etc.). God also appears in human form on numerous occasions in the Old Testament. Question: What is the purpose of being made in God’s image? Have dominion = Heb. רָדָה (rā·ḏāh) - To rule over, direct, lead, manage. The purpose of humanity is to partner with God in ruling His creation. While God in no way needs humans nor the heavenly hosts, He has chosen to delegate authority and responsibility to His created partners. God delegated the earth to humans and commissioned the heavenly hosts to watch over and even protect humans. God could do all of this by Himself, but chose to partner with created beings. God chose not to do it alone. Dominion over what? It is very important to realize that humans are not told to rule over each other. They are to rule/manage the land, fish, birds, livestock, and creeping things. Humans ruling over each other is a consequence of sin (see Gen. 3:16). God never intended us to rule over each other. Humans were intended to be a team of rulers/managers of creation. Genesis 1:27 ESV 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Note: In your Bible you may notice that this verse is indented. That is the translator’s way of showing that this line is a poem. Gen. 1:27 is the first poem in the Bible. In the Hebrew Bible, poems are often used as a literary transition or summary of major sections. The author uses poetry as a clue to the reader that a section has ended. This literary device is also intended to make us stop and think about (meditate on) what we just read. Male and female = Human (adam) is made up of both male and female. This is intended to communicate that when man and woman are together (united) they are being truly human. When they are divided they are not fulfilling their purpose. This pattern of unity and division gets developed further in the following chapters. The Point: Unity in humanity is God’s ideal and perfect design. Genesis 1:28 ESV 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” God blessed them = Again we find that blessing is about purpose and job description. Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth = God wants lots of humans all over the earth. This pattern will get developed throughout the biblical story. “Fill the earth” is a command to spread out and spread good everywhere. Subdue, have dominion = Rule, manage, steward, care for God’s creation. Genesis 1:29–31 ESV 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Every plant, tree for food (for humans) = Humans were given seed-plants and fruit for food. They did not originally eat meat. This could be one of many reasons why the early humans lived so much longer than we do today. Along with other environmental factors, eating meat causes the human body to accumulate heavy metals at a rate of about 100x greater than not eating meat. However, while God gives humans plants and fruit as food, this should not be read as a command. Every green plant for food (for animals) = Green plant (Heb. yereq eseb) might be considered as grass-like vegetation. While God gives animals plants for food, we should not read this as a command. The animals could have eaten other animals. The point here is that God has given them plants for food, not necessarily that the animals only ate plants. There are indications in other texts that elaborate on Genesis 1 that animals did eat other animals (see Psalm 104:21; Job 38:39-41). Common Question: Did death occur before the fall of Gen. 3? It is a common view that there was no death at all before sin entered the world. However, the Bible doesn’t say that all death is a result of sin. The Bible does say that Adam, Eve, and their descendants began to die when they were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Paul wrote that death came through Adam and spread to all men (Rom. 5:12-14). There is no mention of death coming to animals because of sin. Another common view is that God created humans as immortal and only became mortal after they sinned. However, Genesis 2 seems to be describing humans as mortals who can live forever only if they have access to the Tree of Life. Adam is made from dust which is repeatedly used in the Hebrew Bible as a metaphor for mortality. Therefore, the story is telling us that humans have always needed something outside of themselves for life. Very good = Heb. meod tov - Refers to God’s satisfaction with His completed creation. God has created and ordered the heavens and earth for life and flourishing. DAY 7: God Rested Genesis 2:1–3 ESV 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Finished = Heb. כָּלָה (kā·lāh) - Complete, full Host = Heb. צָבָא (ṣā·ḇā(ʾ)) - Inhabitants of the heavens and earth. Rested = Heb. שָׁבַת (šā·ḇǎṯ) - Sabbath. To stop, cease, rest from labor. We should not see this as God being tired and in need of rest. God simply stopped His work of creating. However, this does not mean that God stopped all activity or action. Some scholars believe that on the 7th day God stopped His work of creating and started His work of relationship (and later redemption) with humanity. God blessed the seventh day = Again, blessing is about purpose. The 7th day is declared by God to have a special purpose from then on. Made it holy = Heb. קָדַשׁ (qā·ḏǎš) - Set apart as unique. Holy does not mean morally pure or perfect. Holy means unique or set apart from others. The 7th day is holy because it has no “evening and morning” or no end like the other six days. Note: The first six creation days end with “evening and morning” but on the 7th day this phrase is missing. The author is communicating that the 7th day (Sabbath) is ongoing. God is still not creating new things. The New Testament author of Hebrews connects God’s rest (Sabbath) as something believers can enter into through faith and obedience. For the author of Hebrews, the Sabbath illustrated the Gospel in that when we trust in Christ for salvation, we have entered rest from religious works which cannot save. Read Hebrews 3-4 for more details and understanding. Also, in John 5 we find Jesus healing on the Sabbath and being criticized for doing so by the Jews. Jesus responds in John 5:17 by saying, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” Therefore, God is still active in His creation and especially active with humans.