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Explore the design of God in the creation of Mankind in this study of Genesis 1v22-28.
The post Genesis 1v22-28 The Creation of Man appeared first on Calvary Chapel Crossover.
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.
