Genesis 1v22-28 The Creation of Man

Hi, this is Eric Trouble, and you're listening to a message given at

Calvary Chapel Cross-Over in Test in California. I hope that you're encouraged by

today's message and may God strengthen you now as we study His Word. Amen. Amen. All

right. Well, we've started the book of Genesis. It's been very exciting for me

personally because I sit with the text all week long and get the opportunity

to read over it, and I just love these opening chapters of Genesis. Of course,

when you spend enough time reading the Bible, you decide, well, I just love

every part of the Bible, you know, because you draw near to the Lord through the

Word of God. But here we've been studying through the days of creation. Two

weeks ago, we took the first day, the very first day of the heavens and the earth.

It was wonderful to look at that. In our next study, we covered days two, three,

four, and five. And so here we're coming to the sixth day in which God creates the

animal kingdom, and he creates mankind. So as we approach the sixth day, let's

reflect on the fifth day for just a moment, where God said, let the waters

abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let the birds fly

above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens, and then we

read, so God created the great sea creatures and the birds. But it was on day five

that God brought living things into existence. Now, previously, God had

brought biological life into existence with the plants and the trees and the

fruit and the herbs and all the different organic life God had created. But when

He came to day five, God actually created living creatures with an

awareness, a consciousness, things that can think and respond to their

environment, things that have desire, a consciousness. And so when God created

these living creatures, we read that in verse 22, that God blessed them. God

blessed the living creatures. He pronounced a blessing upon them. And he said to

them in a way that they could understand God created them. He said to them, be

fruitful and multiply, fill the waters of the seas, let the birds multiply on the

earth. So when God created the living creatures in the water and on the land,

He didn't create the waters and the land full of these creatures. Now, no doubt he

created the waters that says with an abundance. But the idea was is what God

created God then told command and creation to go ahead and multiply and begin to

fill and develop and expand. That was God's desire. So he gives the the living

creatures a command. Be fruitful. This is how I want you to be fruitful.

Multiply. Fill the waters, fill the skies, fill the earth, develop and grow. And as

we look at these opening verses of the Bible, we see that God is into

development, that God creates animal life and human life with potential and

then wants to see that potential exercised and brought into being, especially

as it relates to mankind. And so that's encouraging. God's not interested in us

just sitting on the couch wondering what to do. God wants us to get moving and

get going and use the gifts and the talents that He's given us and grow and

develop, multiply, cultivate. We'll see we've been creating the image of God and

even as God creates, so God has given man the opportunity to be creative and to

grow and to develop. So anyway, that's a kind of a run-up then to the creation of

the land animals here in verse 24 and the creation of mankind beginning in verse

26. So let's read verse 24 and 25. It says, then God said, let the earth bring

forth the living creatures according to its kind. Cattle and creeping thing,

beast of the earth, each according to its kind, and it was so. And God made the

beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, everything

that creeps on the earth according to its kind, and God saw that it was good. So

here is the creation of the animal kingdom and the insects. He talks about the

things that creep on the earth, even though we might consider insects a little

bit creepy, they creep on the earth. This is when all this was was brought into

being. Notice that as God commanded these things to be brought forth, speaking

these things into existence, it says, let the earth bring forth the living

creatures according to its kind. The animal kingdom has all been created by God

according to its kind. The animal kingdom has not evolved like evolutionists want to

believe. And when you examine the fossil records, there are no transitional forms.

As you would think, given the billions of years that they say that the earth has been here,

you would see transitional forms everywhere you look. Billions of years that things

living and dying, you would see transitional forms as life evolved, but life didn't evolve.

God created all of the animals, as we're looking at here, and he created them

according to their kind. And so animals with their digital code, as a part of their DNA,

they can only reproduce themselves according to their kind. The information that they contain

will not allow the animal kingdom to transition into different kinds. So you will not see

an antelope given enough time becoming a horse. Antelopes were created according to their kind.

They will always be antelopes, and horses will always be horses. And all the living creatures

were created according to their kind. You know, it's really interesting as you look at

the design, even in the animal kingdom, that animals are designed with certain

characteristics that it would have been impossible for them to evolve. And there are many things

you can look at, and it's kind of fun to consider and discover these things. But for instance,

you consider a giraffe, right, and the long neck of the giraffe. Well, if the giraffe were to be

bending itself down and drinking water, and here in noise and raised its head up immediately,

it would pass out because of the flow of blood. You maybe have that experience, right?

Sometimes you get up too quick and you're like, whoa, well, think if your neck was as long as the

giraffe, right? But the neck of the giraffe is built with these various valves in it that keep

the blood in a specific place and flow in the neck that when the neck raises up quickly, like if the

giraffe should be scared. And so it would lift its head up quickly. The giraffe doesn't fall down

and pass out because if it did, it couldn't survive because it would be somebody's lunch. And so

these characteristics in there are many, many things in many different animals. There are many

different characteristics that help the, that help the animals to survive that are a part of their

creation. And so it's interesting to look at these things. So God made the beast of the earth,

verse 25, according to its kind, just the various beasts, the cattle, things that go in

herds, the cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to

its kind. And God saw that it was good. God was pleased with his creation of the animal and

the insect kingdom. How God could be pleased about the fly, I'm not sure, but you know, I'll have

an opportunity to talk to him about that later. But then we come to verse 26 and we come to the

crowning of God's creation, the creation of man. And really, everything up to this point

has been the environment that God was preparing for mankind, the object of his love, mankind.

Those that would be created in the uniquely in the image of God, mankind. Those that God would

send his son, Jesus Christ, to die for on the cross so that we could spend eternity with him

in heaven because he loves us mankind. All of this was in preparation for the life of mankind

in the environment that God had originally designed. So we read in verse 26,

in God said, let us make man in our image and according to our likeness, let them have dominion over

the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, over everything

that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him,

male and female, he created them. So for the first time, as we're studying through God's creation,

God says these words here in verse 26, let us make man in our image. Now this is the first time

these words are used by God. He hasn't said that when he's talking about the animal kingdom or

anything else. So God is going to uniquely create man in his image. But who is he talking to when God

says let us create man in our image? Who is God talking to? I believe it's the council among the

Trinity. God is speaking to himself amongst the persons of the Trinity. There's the father,

son, and the Holy Spirit. The angels, for instance, are never said to be created in the image of God.

Nor is any other living creature that God has created said to have been created in the image of God,

both in the heavens or on the earth. So God is speaking to himself, let us create man in our image

and notice it says so in the image of God, verse 27, he created him.

In the gospel of John, chapter 1, John takes us back here to the beginning and he talks about

the involvement of Jesus in creation. As God said, let us make man in our image. God speaking

to himself within the three persons of the Godhead. John says in the beginning was the word.

The word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God and all things were

made through him and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life and the life

was the light of men. So the father is speaking to the son. Let us make man in our image and we read

that all things were made through Jesus and without Jesus nothing was made that was made.

And so we have the councils of the Trinity also in Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1

verses 15 through 17. It speaks of Jesus in this way. It says Jesus, he is the image of the invisible

God, the first born over all creation. For by him all things were created that are in heaven

and that are on earth visible and invisible where the thrones or dominions, principalities

or powers. All things were created through him. Let us make man in our image. It says the father.

All things were created through him and for him he is before all things and in him all things

consist. Let us make man in our image. And of course related to the Holy Spirit we read in

the opening verses of Genesis chapter 1 that the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of

the waters. And so you have the triune God here discussing amongst himself what he is going to do.

Let us make man in our image. So verse 27, God created man in his own image. Now this is quite

something to think about that mankind has been created in the image of God. In what way

are we created in the image of God? What exactly does that mean? Does it mean that we've been

created in the physical form of God? I doubt that. But we do read that when Adam and Eve

begin to reproduce that they reproduce in their own image. So the scripture talks about

reproducing in your own image in likeness as a physical form. Although I think it would go too far

for us to say that God will appear as a human being appears in some way. But you know we are

spiritual creatures. God is spirit. And we are spiritual creatures. Now the animal kingdom,

they are alive, they have a consciousness, but they are not spiritual creatures. But mankind

has been created as a spiritual creature. So no doubt being created in the image of God has to do

with us having a spirit and having spiritual life as God is spirit. Also human beings have the

capacity to love. Human beings have the capacity to reason. Human beings have the capacity for various

things that the animal kingdom does not have. And perhaps this would be included in the fact that

the idea that we've been created in the image of God, it's hard to really nail it down and it's

something to think about and it's something to consider. But all I can say is thank you God.

Thank you God. I've been created in the image of God. Praise the Lord. That's a wonderful thing.

I'm going to celebrate that no matter how much I understand it or not. You know this issue

of being created in the image of God, it's very important to God. Because when

you know mankind is going to fall, period of time is going to pass, then the flood of Noah is

going to come upon the earth. And when Noah comes out of the ark, God establishes human government.

And when it comes to capital punishment, look at what it says here in Genesis chapter 9.

He says, whoever sheds man's blood by man, his blood shall be shed for in the image of God

he created man. It's so important to God in the fact that we've been created

in his image, he considers it the ultimate crime that man should not be allowed to live. God says,

if one man kills another, send that man to me, I want to speak with him. Send him right to me.

You know, we have due process, which is important, but God says send them to me.

And the reason is God says because in the image of God, he created him. So it's important to

God that we stand in his image. It's a gift to us. And we need to respect that all people have

been created in the image of God, even if they're Democrats, even that. I mean,

and of course, I'm joking. But what if they have a different religious, what if they have a

completely different religious belief than we do? And that religious belief seems harmful.

Or what if they're, you know, they're not contributing to society, but they're kind of like

taking from society and they're ruining things everywhere they go. Okay, well, that person is lost,

they need Jesus, but that individual has been created in the image of God and God sees them that way.

It's something that we need to keep in mind. It's a real gift to mankind that we've been created

in the image of God. So God, verse 27, created man in his own image. In the image of God,

he created him. Notice, male and female, he created them. God created one male, and he created

one female down to the most intricate parts of an individual inside the cell, the chromosomes

inside the cell, which are made up of DNA, the chromosomes inside the cell determine whether a

person is going to be a male or a female. And male and female are not only such just on a

physical level, but there is an emotional level that women are created, women. Now men are

created men. There's an emotional level that goes along with that. And there is a personality

that is attached to female and male. And there are certain natural and God-given desires and

longings that are present within female and male. And these are God-given characteristics.

So don't let the world tell you, oh, well, you may be a man physically, but how you act

can be shaped by culture. You may be a man, but if you want to act like a woman, you can do that

because you're free to be whoever you want to be. Well, a Savior is a new and tell you that.

When you would say, hey, do you believe in God, they'd say no. I certainly don't believe that

Jesus Christ is a Savior of the world. Do you believe that it's immoral for people to have

sex outside of marriage? No, I don't believe that either. Okay. Well, do you believe that divorce

should be just permissible, easy divorce? Yes, I believe that people should be able to be divorced.

Okay. Well, do you believe in stealing? They say no, it'll believe in stealing because it hurts

other people, but you talk to them enough and they say, well, my employer makes a lot of money.

And I only make a little bit of money. So what's wrong if I just take a little? If you talk to

them a little bit further and press them on it, they'll say that they believe in stealing. They'll

say that they believe in lying. Basically, they reject God. And so this idea that yes, you are

different biologically as a man and a woman, but that doesn't mean you have to act if you're a man,

that you have to act like a man, or if you're a woman, you have to act like a woman.

But the reason why they think that is because they have rejected God.

Some people are even trying to say, well, there's corruption in, over time, our genetic code is

becoming corrupted. That's why there are more people that are homosexual today than there were,

and your grandparents generation. Well, how about the Greeks? There is a lot of

flamers in the Greek Empire. How about the Romans? Yeah, there's a lot of problems with these

types of things in the Roman Empire, right? Why didn't your grandma's generation? Why wasn't it

filled with a bunch of people that were sexually immoral? Because of revival. Because people come

into their senses and getting born again because God was touching their life. But we've gone past those

days and we're becoming more and more worldly. In Romans chapter 1, the Bible teaches that man

getting weird related to his sexuality does not have to do with anything to do biologically,

but it has everything to do with man rejecting God. Because when man rejects the truth,

then he's subject to the lie. And if man is bold enough in rejecting the truth, God will even

bring judgment on that individual while they are living to think things that are shameful and

hurtful in their lives. Romans 1 says because they knew God, they didn't glorify him as God,

nor were thankful. Here's what happened, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish

hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, who professed to be wise? Oh, the professors.

Yeah, I'm taking a shot at academia right here. Professing to be wise, they became fools. Listen to

this class. Listen closely. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness. You see, God brought

judgment down upon those who would reject him to give them over to uncleanness to dishonor,

and the less of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves. Listen, who exchanged the

truth of God for a lie, for this reason, God gave them all of our passions, for even their women

exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. There is a natural use. There is a natural

condition. Likewise, the men leaving the natural use of the woman. So here's the natural design.

A female is female biologically. She is female emotionally. Psychologically, she is female.

She is created by God beautifully, wonderfully made. Husbands, right now, you can just say,

Amen. Those of you who are single, you just say, I'm keep my eyes on the Lord.

And the man has been designed particularly male. He is male physically. He is male emotionally.

He is male psychologically. He is a man created such by God. And God says this,

therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall

become one flesh. The natural outcome and design of male and female. A man shall leave his

father and mother, be joined to his wife. The two shall become one flesh. This arrangement

is God's design and purpose for both the male and the female. And no passing of time and corrupting

of our DNA is going to change that. So I read this article and I'll just go quickly.

But I read this article. It was from Arizona State University. And it was teaching these

weird things. And then it was you get to the bottom of the article. And it was saying the LBGTQ

activists are helping us find the truth about life and the way we should go. And the name of

the website, you know, you're on Arizona State University. But then you click on the article.

The name of the website was ask a biologist. And then they say the LGBTQ community is helping

us lead the way. They're not talking about biology anymore. They're talking about philosophy,

a philosophy of life without God. So you know, when we come back to the Bible, so much makes sense.

In the image of God, he created him male and female. He created them. God has done a good job.

He knows what he's doing. And you know, the male, the female, the family, the children. This is

the foundation of society. This is where the strength of a culture lies in the husband, in the wife,

in the children, in the grandparents, the family, community. This is the foundation for

wholesome and good living. Just look at what happens when all the guys get together. It's a train

rack. It's a train rack, right? Because it's not good that man should be alone. Put the man and

the woman together in a marriage. You bring the kids around. Look how life changes when the kids come.

Right? You're single. You're out of the disco. You get married. You're still out of the disco.

Start having kids. No more disco. The only disco that's happening is the kids' music in the house.

You're dancing disco to that. Man, life slows down. Things level out. It's about making money. It's

about having a place to live. It's about having food on the table. Amen. It's about educating the kids.

It's about figuring out how you're going to get sleep at night. Everything slows down, levels out.

And there becomes a structure. And then you get together with other families and there's community

and the kids play together. And it's just wonderful. God is so good.

So, in the image of God, He created Him male and female. He created them. Notice verse 28, God blessed

them. He created mankind in His own image and He blessed them. And He said to them,

be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. Notice God creates two people and with the

command to then multiply. God didn't create the earth full of people. He created the man and the

woman and then said, now, fill the earth. Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth, subdue it.

That is rule over it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,

over every living thing that moves. And we will have to come back to this text because we're

going to be running out of time. So, we'll pick up here next week. But before we leave off,

I want to look at this thought for just a moment, which says, and God blessed them.

God created them. God blessed them. Listen, guys, God loves us. Yeah, life can be difficult,

but He loves us. And He has blessed us and He desires to keep blessing us because He loves us.

Jesus said, if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more

does your heavenly Father know how to give good things to those who ask it?

In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul says, we've actually been blessed with every spiritual blessing in

the heavenly places in Christ. And He begins to list them. We've been chosen in Him before the

foundation of the world, you know, predestined to adoption as sons by Christ Jesus. You know, we've

been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And He begins to go through all the blessings that God

has given to us spiritually. But my attention was drawn to Psalm 103, where David speaks of God,

God's desire to bless and what He has done. He says, bless the Lord on my soul and all those

within me, bless His holy name, bless the Lord on my soul. And He says this, forget not all His

benefits. God has blessed us. Let's remember. And He begins to talk about this. Number one, He says,

who forgives all your iniquities. We're forgiven by God, who heals all your diseases.

Oh, thank God that He's there for us when we need Him. We can pray and God will bring recovery.

He heals all your diseases. I've been sick many times and I've been healed every single time.

There's only one, there's only one day coming where I want. But praise God, huh, that He's with us to

bring health into our lives, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction.

Oh, how true that is. How many of us were heading towards destruction, but God has brought us back. He

redeemed our life from destruction. You know, those who have listened to the professors and are

totally off course about what the difference is between a man and a woman. He listened when people

hear the gospel and believe God will redeem their life from destruction. And by the way, those are

the folks who want to invite out to Good Friday. I've got some people on my list that I'm going to

be inviting, who redeems your life from destruction. Listen to this, who crowns you with loving

kindness and tender mercies. Wow. From God's perspective, He says, I set this crown upon your head,

dear son or daughter. It is the crown of my loving kindness and my tender mercies. I gently

set this upon your head. My loving kindness and my tender mercies. God blessed them, Adam and Eve.

His creation, He blessed them because it's in His heart to bless. So let us be mindful of the

blessings that we have received, amen? Especially as God's children, we have been blessed.

And let's remember that crown that's been set upon our head, His loving kindness and His tender

mercies. God blessed them. Let's stand together and we'll pray. Heavenly Father, we do thank you for

your goodness. Lord, the scripture says, the entrance of your word gives light. That is absolutely

true. We're so thankful, Lord, for the light that you have brought into our lives because without you,

we're just as strange as the next guy. It's only because you have brought us to faith in Jesus.

It's only because you have developed a confidence in our hearts towards your word. It's only because

we know you, Lord, that we can know the difference between that which is holy and that which is

profane. You are good, Lord. We thank you so much for the work that you have done in our lives.

And we know, Lord, that you love the world. In this Easter season, Lord, we pray for a harvest.

We know, God, you love the one that's lost. You love the one that's misled. You know the one that's

headed into destruction. Oh, God, we pray for a work of your spirit, this Easter season among those

who do not know you. And we ask God that your hand will be upon us as your children. Lord, I pray

that you'll be with every family represented in this room. I pray that you'll be with every home,

be with every marriage. Lord, be with all of our children or grandchildren. We are your people,

Lord. We ask for your blessing upon us and our homes. Thank you for your goodness, Lord.

We worship you this morning. And it's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Amen. All right.

Well, that concludes our study for today. Thanks for listening. We hope that you've been encouraged

through our study of God's word. If you'd like to learn more about what God is doing at Calvary

Chapel Crossover, visit our website, crossoveroc.com. Until next time, make God richly bless you.