Genesis E-Book

Dr. Brian J. Bailey

• Herausgeber: Zion Christian Publishers
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

When Christ was asked questions He would often refer people back to the beginning, to the origin of the plan of our Heavenly Father for His creation. In his commentary on the book of Genesis, Dr. Bailey shows how it is vital to understand God’s intentions from the beginning in order to understand God’s plan for mankind as well as the many spiritual truths that relate to the life of the believer today.

Leseprobe

GENESIS

The Book of Beginnings

Version 2.1

“Genesis: The Book of Beginnings”

Front cover design:

© 2000 Zion Fellowship, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations in this book are taken from the

King James Version Bible unless otherwise stated.

Published as an e-book on September 2013

in the United States of America

E-book ISBN 1-59665-127-X

For more information, please contact:

Zion Christian Publishers

A Zion Fellowship ® Ministry

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Waverly, New York 14892

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Acknowledgements:

Editorial team: Carla Borges, Paul & Betsy Caram, Suzette Topper, Mary Humphreys, David Kropf, Justin Kropf, Lois Kropf, Caroline Tham, and Paul Tham.

We wish to extend our thanks to these dear ones for without their many hours of invaluable assistance, this book would not have been possible. We are truly grateful for their diligence, creativity, and excellence in the compilation of this book for the glory of God.

Introduction

Book of Beginnings

In the Jewish Bible, Genesis is called “The First Book of Moses” as the prophet Moses was the author of this precious book. The word genesis actually means “origin.” It is named Genesis because it has the seed thoughts and truths of all biblical doctrines, as well as the recording of the origin of good and evil in this world. Genesis is a book of beginnings.

A. The beginning of heaven and earth

B. The beginning of all animate and inanimate life (animals, vegetation, etc.)

C. The beginning of man and woman, and marriage

D. The beginning of sin in man

E. The beginning of redemption by the shedding of blood, and promise of a coming Redeemer

F. The beginning of war and murder

G. The beginning of man again, after the earth was destroyed by a flood

H. The beginning of the races, nationalities and languages at Babel

I. The beginning of a special holy nation—with Abraham

J. The beginning of the 12 tribes of Israel with the 12 sons of Jacob

The above beginnings (and many more) are seeds with numerous other seeds within them. We see the beginnings of creation, and the first family, followed by the entrance of sin into this world. Then God’s glorious plan of redemption is revealed. After that we see the lines of Cain and Seth, which formed the genealogy of the sons of men and the sons of God. Thus, we see the division between the children of the righteous and the children of the wicked.

After the judgment of the Flood in which Noah and his family were the only survivors, the Book of Genesis focuses upon Abraham and God’s desire for a new and separated nation. Thus, the lives of his descendants—Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—are treated extensively in this book

It is important to understand origins. For example, when a doctor attempts to treat a disease, he first tries to locate the source of the problem in the body, which is why he does a case history of the patient. Similarly, when we are trying to solve someone’s spiritual problem, we have to find the root of his problem.

As a book of origins, Genesis is the source of everything. Therefore, it is essential to understand Genesis in order to comprehend the other parts of the Word of God. It is absolutely imperative to understand God’s original intention for man, for marriage, for sacrifice, for tests, and for everything else. Unless we understand the original purpose, we cannot properly interpret any subject in the Word of God.

A Message from the Beginning

In 1 John 3:11 it clearly states, “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” What beginning is he talking about? Is he referring to the Law of Moses, or the teachings of Christ? The Apostle John is going all the way back to the first family, because in the next verse he says: “Not as Cain (this is the first family), who was of that wicked one…”

Cain had chosen to harden his heart and listen to the voice of the wicked one. Therefore, he became like the wicked one. We must take heed to ourselves, for if we listen to the wrong people and to the adversary, we will become like them.

“Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” People who do not live right are cursed and tormented with the spirit of jealousy. This terrible spirit vexes those whose motives and lives are corrupt, even as it did Cain.

The Apostle John is going back to the beginning! The message we have heard from the beginning goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. In Matthew 22:36-40, we see that the Lord summed up all of the 31,102 verses of the Bible in just two phrases—How we treat others and how we treat God: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Everything stems from these two issues.

The way we treat others, the condition of our hearts, and our attitudes toward them, as well as the condition of our hearts, and our attitudes toward God—this is the message we have heard from the beginning. It is also the message of the new covenant.

In Matthew 7:12 the Lord said, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Certainly we will find that this is the greatest struggle of life. Keeping our hearts soft and our relationships open requires much effort, and a lot of grace. Even with pious saints, the greatest battle is in monitoring their words and attitudes toward others.

In His teachings, the Lord Jesus always went back to the beginning because He came to rescue man from the fall to bring him back to the original purpose. Matthew 19:3 says, “The Pharisees also came unto him tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?”

To answer their question, the Lord did not draw their attention to what Moses said on Mount Sinai (when he gave the Law thousands of years after Adam and Eve were formed), rather, He drew it back to the beginning to the Garden of Eden, to God’s original purpose for marriage.

Jesus said unto them, “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said [He is quoting from Genesis, chapter 2:24], For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so” (Mt. 19:4 8). Christ was going back to the beginning and saying, “I have come to rescue fallen man to bring him back to the Father’s original purpose.”

There was no divorce or polygamy when God instituted marriage; they are a result of the fall. In this discourse with the Pharisees, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His new covenant, is actually outlawing divorce and polygamy. He is also outlawing hardness of heart and hatred, which is the cause of all divorce.

Geographical and Historical Settings of the Book of Genesis

Genesis spans a period of some 2300 years, a total that is more than all of the other 65 books in the Bible put together. Genesis covers the first 25 generations of man. It can be divided into the geographical and historical settings found on the charts below.

PART ONE

The Creation

1:1 - 2:25

Seven Days Equivalent to 7000 Years of Man

The Holy Scriptures commence with the seven days of creation. Moses and the Apostle Peter both declare that one day is like 1000 years with the Lord (2 Pet. 3:8, Ps. 90:4). From this we deduce that there are 7000 years allotted to man upon earth. The seven days of creation are prophetic of the 7000 years of man.

Observe the chart on the 7000 Years of Man below. There were 7000 men who had not bowed the knee to Baal in Elijah’s time (1 Ki. 19:18). This fact suggests that God always has preserved (and always will preserve) a faithful remnant during all the years of the history of man.

There were 4000 years (or 4 days) from Adam to Christ’s first coming. There are 2000 years (or 2 days) from the time of Christ’s first coming to His second coming. This is a total of 6000 years, or six days. Then follows a day of rest which is the 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth. Satan and all the evil spirits will be bound, and there will be peace on earth. Also the Bride of Christ (the Church) will enter into rest with her Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Seven Is a Key Number in Scripture

Besides the seven days of chapter one, the Book of Genesis is an account in itself of the number seven as seen in the lives ofseven righteous men of faith—Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. It is interesting that the number seven, in one form or another, flows throughout the Word of God.

There are the seven pieces of furniture in the Tabernacle of Moses, alluding to the seven experiences in our spiritual life. Moreover, there are the seven feasts of the Lord, which translate into the seven dispensations of the Church Age. In the New Testament, there were the seven parables of the kingdom of God as expounded by our Lord Himself in Matthew chapter 13. In addition to these and many others, the Scriptures close with multiple sevens in the book of Revelation, including the awesome triple judgments of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials.

The Word of God was written with extraordinary mathematical exactitude, which would only be possible if there was one Author, our Blessed Holy Spirit. Working over a long period of time, the Holy Spirit moved upon well over 40 writers to record the Holy Scriptures that we call the Bible. Yet, there is a marvellous unity. Let us reverence these pages that we have been given to read and study, and so with the psalmist cry out, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Ps. 119:18).

The Creation Story Must Be Received by Faith

1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This is the Lord’s account of His creation. Let us believe by faith that the Lord did exactly what He said He did.

Atheism, Agnosticism, and Evolution

The act of creation has been hotly contested by many over the years. This denial of the biblical account of creation has increased in intensity, especially since the nineteenth century, by such erring souls as Charles Darwin, who initiated the theory of evolution.

Why do people degenerate into atheism, agnosticism, and evolution? It comes from a reprobate mind. A person is not born this way. This is the result of the heart being hardened by sin and by life. Romans 1:21-24 clearly states, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.”

This is the fruit of a heart that has been hardened by immorality, pride, and disobedience. To dull the mind from guilt, they rationalise saying that there is no God; therefore there is no judgment. Then he or she becomes immensely intellectual. Homosexuality and lesbianism are not because of genes or a dominant mother. The Word of God says it is because of a wilful rejection of God, and darkness that enters the soul which leads to a reprobate mind (Rom. 1:18-32). Homosexuality is against nature. Even the animal kingdom knows better.

Another bitter opponent of God’s account of creation was the prolific author, H. G. Wells. His first works, for which he is most famous, were “scientific romances.” They have been recognised as pioneering masterpieces of science fiction. He explored time and space and created alien societies in order to give body to new scientific thinking—for example, Darwin’s theory of evolution (although at the end of his life, Darwin rejected his own theory).

Then at the turn of the century we have the writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels with their manifesto of the Communist party, advocating likewise the evolution and atheism of that diabolical society and political system.

There are numerous reputable works that have enunciated for us the fact that evolution is impossible, even from a scientific point of view, because for evolution to be a valid truth, it must have an ongoing state. There is no such evidence to prove the theory of evolution, since life itself proves that there is no such transmutation of the species, meaning that the species of man and beasts are not undergoing any such transformation. Therefore, before our very eyes we have the repudiation of that hypothesis.

Evolution is in actuality a philosophy and a belief that has no scientific basis, but is the refuge of those who do not wish to contemplate a final accountability before the Divine Judge. T. H. Huxley (1825-1895) was a well-known biologist and proponent of Darwinism. His grandson, Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), stated in his Ends and Means, that the philosophy of evolution was essentially an instrument of liberation (sexual and political). His grandfather chose and endorsed this philosophy because it eased his conscience and permitted him to live a life of sin.

Evolution is the dogma of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), introduced by the first Director General, Sir Julan Huxley. In fact, Wendell Bird, author of Origin of Species Revisited, remarks, “Most of higher education is dogmatic and irrationally committed to affirm evolution.”

Dr. A. E. Wilder Smith, Dr. W. R Thompson, and even the Russian scientist Dr. Dimitri Kouznetsov have said that the theory of evolution, to a certain extent, has impeded the progress of science. Therefore, far from being scientifically proven, it is a philosophy that has been detrimental to true scientific research in a number of disciplines.

However, the Word of God states, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3). Remember, it is by faith that we understand. The wisdom of this world has lured many men of letters into becoming fools, as Paul says in Romans 1:22, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”

The World Was Not Created by an Explosion

You have probably heard of the “big bang theory.” It takes more faith to believe this than to believe the biblical account of creation. According to the big bang theory, suddenly there was a huge explosion and the earth came into being. This theory has as much logic as for a man carrying a puzzle box of 10,000 pieces, to suddenly stumble, and after all the pieces have flown into the air, to come to the ground in perfect order.

An explosion does not create order and design. It sends everything in every direction, bringing chaos and destruction. And yet, the universe is made with extraordinary exactitude and perfect design that required the genius of a supreme being. Can you imagine an automobile being created as a result of an explosion? Of course not! Every part of an engine is carefully thought through and designed by an intelligent mind. Even to an unbelieving mind, the theory of a “big explosion” starting this world is ludicrous.

Our earth is so positioned that it is in perfect proximity to the sun. The northern part of the earth tilts closer to the sun to give us summer, and then tilts away from the sun to give us winter. The earth turns on its axis to give us day and night. Oh, how excellent is our Lord! He does everything in magnificent wisdom (Ps. 104:24). No one in their right mind could attribute this well ordered creation to happenstance.

Paul warns his beloved son in the faith, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called” (1 Tim. 6:20). Now we must turn our attention to a very important fact of creation as we consider the next verse.

The Gap Theory

The “gap theory” (as it is called) states that there is a large gap of time between Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” and Genesis 1:2, “And the earth became without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” In the very beginning, the Lord created the heavens and the earth. Then, over a long period of time, the earth became (as it reads in the Hebrew) without form and void, and darkness covered the earth. The former civilisation and creation of God corrupted itself and was destroyed by God. Then, at a certain point in time, around 6,000 years ago, the Lord reformed this earth and brought into existence the creation that we know today.

One reason for this theory is simply that the Lord makes everything beautiful and perfect (Eccl. 3:11). It is inconsistent with the Lord’s character and nature to create something that is without form and empty. Why, therefore, was the earth without form and void? The reason is that there had been a previous civilisation here on earth, which had rebelled with Satan against the Majesty on high. The earth had been corrupted. Now we find God bringing into existence a restoration of the earth from Genesis 1:2b to 2:3.

There are other proofs to substantiate that there was a former creation. The Lord commanded man in Genesis 1:28 to replenish the earth. You can only replenish something that has been inhabited before. The Hebrew word for “replenish” is the same word the Lord used after the destruction of all the inhabitants of the world in the Flood. The Lord told Noah and his sons to replenish the earth that had been previously inhabited (Gen. 9:1).

Another thing that is very interesting is the difference between fallen angels and demons. Angels, we know, have wings and they can fly. Demons, on the other hand, are earthbound. In addition to this, they always seek to inhabit and possess a body, but angels do not. The reason for this is that demons are the disembodied spirits of the former civilisation. (Please refer to our book entitled Angels for further study.)

THE SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION (1:2b - 2:3)

1:2a – “And the earth became without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” The earth is many thousands, perhaps millions of years old. While Genesis 1:1 goes all the way back to the very beginning, Genesis 1:2 reveals that the earth became a dead planet through judgment.

The following verses may refer to the judgment of old: Psalm 104:29 states, “Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.” Job 9:5-7 says, “Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.” Psalm 104:30 may refer to the re-creation, “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.”

1:2b – “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” This verse and onwards is a restoration of something that was already here. How much time elapsed between 1:1 and 1:2b is unknown, but it was probably an inconceivable span of time. All pre-Adamic life died. Earth became a dark, desolate planet. Fossils are believed to be the remains of former animal and plant life. Demons are the disembodied spirits of the former civilisation. They were not men, though they may have been similar. Adam was the first man. He was created on the sixth day, about 6,000 years ago. The story of creation should be received with complete faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).

The First Day of Creation

1:3 – “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” On the first day, God created light. Actually it was a restoration of light. Light reveals one of the intrinsic qualities of the Lord. God is Light! Christ said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” This is confirmed in 1 John 1:5, “…God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” Truly, Christ is the Light of the world that gives light to everyone who comes into the world (Jn. 1:9).

In calling for light, the Lord was declaring for His very own nature to penetrate the blackness of the earth, which had been encompassed with the darkness that had come upon it because of the rebellion of its former inhabitants. God said, “Let there be light,” and at once there was light. He willed it, and it came to pass. The spoken Word of God is creative (Ps. 33:6,9). The bringing into existence of light was the first act of creation.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts…” At new birth, God brings light into the inward recesses of our souls, which have been darkened by sin, and we become a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Light is the first act of restoration of our soul. The blessed Holy Spirit works upon the will and affections by enlightening our understanding. Darkness would have always enveloped man if the Son of God had not come and given us understanding (1 Jn. 5:20). 

1:4-5 – “And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” God saw that the light was good. He divided the light from the darkness, and made a distinction and a difference between the two.

What association and companionship can light have with darkness? Obviously, none! In heaven there is perfect light, and there is no darkness whatsoever. In hell there is utter darkness, and not even a gleam of light. This has a spiritual application for our lives. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

We should be separate from the Prince of darkness, the works of darkness, and those who walk in darkness. It must be observed that the Lord is a God that separates the good from the evil, light from darkness, and the pure from the defiled. We, ourselves, must be separate from darkness and iniquity (2 Cor. 6:17).

God has called us “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:5, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” We are called the children of light and the children of the day. The unredeemed are called the children of darkness, the children of disobedience, and the children of wrath.

We should walk in the light, which means living in obedience to God’s commandments (1 Jn. 1:7). Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 5:8 was, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” The day and the night belong to the Lord. Let us use our time wisely, by working for Him every day, and resting in Him every night, meditating in His law both day and night (Ps. 1:2).

The Second Day of Creation

1:6-8 – “And God said, Let there be a firmament [or expanse] in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.” On the second day of creation, God separated the earth from the waters above. God adjusted the earth’s atmosphere and gravity so that water stayed on the earth, and water vapour stayed above the earth.

Again, we have a separation in the act of creation. This time that which is heavenly (or spiritual) was separated from that which is earthly (or carnal). Let us remember the exhortation of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:50, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”

The Third Day of Creation

1:9-13 – “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.”

On the third day of creation, the Lord separated the sea from the dry land. Then He commanded the land to bring forth every kind of vegetation (grass, herbs, trees, etc.). Here likewise we see the sovereignty of God in creation and in all His wondrous works. The Lord says in Isaiah 51:15, “But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared.” He determined the boundaries of the seas and the shorelines (Job 38:11).

The earth that had been barren and full of emptiness, by a spoken word from the Lord, became fruitful and full of God’s riches. Although man is allowed to use the earth and its produce, it is from God, and is to be used for His glory, honour, and service (cf. Ps. 24:1; 115:16). At His command, the earth brings forth grass, herbs, and fruits. If we have put our trust in Him who is the Fountain, even when the streams of temporal blessings are dried up (Jer. 17:7-8), we may rejoice in Him, for He will sustain us.

Producing Like Kind

There is another truth here that is very important. God decreed that everything in His kingdom reproduces after its kind. A potato brings forth potatoes and an apple reproduces apples. There is no transmutation of species, or the ability to cross over from one species to another, in the natural or the spiritual realms.

We reproduce children in our image in the natural. A young boy is often told that he is just like his father. We also reproduce spiritually in others what is in us. If we are kings and priests in the Lord, we will reproduce kings and priests. The members of a congregation, generally speaking, do everything the pastor does. If we resent correction and authority, this will be reproduced in our offspring. However, if we are obedient, this will produce a spirit of compliance in our children. That is why we must pray for the Lord to change us so that we do not pass on bad traits to our spiritual children. They will bear remarkable resemblance to us in spirit, makeup, disposition, propensity, and inclination.

The Fourth Day of Creation

1:14-19 – “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”

In the fourth day’s work, the Lord made the sun, moon, and stars. In the Hebrew language, the word “made” in verse 16 does not imply a creative act. These verses are declarative of function only. God did not create the sun, moon, and stars at this time; He simply commanded them to become visible and resume their functions. They were for signs, seasons, days, and years. All of these heavenly bodies are the works of God. We are not told the number, nature, place, size, or motions of the stars. This was not accidental, but deliberate. The Scriptures were not written to gratify curiosity or to make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and to form us into His image and likeness.

The lights of heaven are made to serve the Creator. They do it faithfully, and shine in their season without fail. Christ said in John 9:5, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus Christ is indeed the Light of the world. However, He has since ascended to His Father’s right hand. Now He wants to shine His light through us. Christ also said in Matthew 5:14 16: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

We are set as lights in this world to serve the Lord and to reveal Him to others. We were created to be His lights in this world, but so often we do not fulfil our mission in life. Many believers burn their Master’s candles, but they do not mind their Master’s work. Let us not hide our faith, but let it be seen openly before all men.

The sun, moon and stars are not only celestial bodies, but they are also types of the Lord Himself, and of His people. Christ is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2). The moon can typify the Church because she is a reflection of Him (Rev. 12:1). The stars speak to us of faithful saints who “turn many to righteousness” as it says in Daniel 12:3. May we always stay fixed in our courses as the stars of heaven, and fulfil God’s will and course for our lives.

The Fifth Day of Creation

1:20-23 – “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”

On this day of creation the Lord created all the fish of the sea and water animals, and all the fowls of the air. None of the animals created on this day are earthbound. One of the constant themes that we see throughout the Word of God is that God is the God of abundance. He caused everything to bring forth in abundance in His creation. Christ said in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” In the new creation of a believer, the Lord seeks to impart His resurrection life in an overflowing abundance.

The Sixth Day of Creation

1:24-25 – “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

On this day the Lord created all of the land creatures, cattle, beasts, creeping things, and man. Insects, which are more numerous than the birds and beasts, seem to have been part of this day’s work. The Creator’s wisdom and power can be admired as much in an ant as in an elephant. The power of God’s providence preserves all things, and fruitfulness is the effect of His blessing.

We should note that the Lord has placed truth in all of His creation, even as Paul states in Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” All of the Lord’s creation reveals His wisdom.

1:26 – “And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

After completing His creation of the vegetable, mineral, and animal kingdoms, the Lord then created man. Man is the finest and highest of the Lord’s creations. Unlike the rest of God’s creation, man was made in the likeness and image of God. God Himself later became a man to redeem man. Christ will remain a man for all eternity. There are four aspects relative to man in this verse that we should now examine.

Man - God’s Highest Creation

1. The Lord created the rest of His creation by His spoken word, but He made and formed man with His own hands. He breathed the breath of life into man.

2. “Let us make man in our image.” Man was made in the image of God in physical appearance. All those who have been privileged to see the Lord will attest to this.

3. “Let us make man after our likeness.” Man was made also in the likeness of God. (In the Hebrew text these two words are sometimes used interchangeably.) This refers to the soul and character of God. This includes the Godlike attributes of love, joy, and peace, epitomised in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), as well as the power of thought, reason, and associated emotions.

4. “And let them have dominion over all the earth.” Being made like his Creator, man is given dominion, power, and authority over all of the other creatures. For this purpose, the Lord has put the fear of man within animals so that they will submit to man.

1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” For the natural purposes of the procreation of the human race, the Lord made both man and woman. They were also to be a mutual strength to each other, thus enabling them to fulfil their appointed tasks in this life, both in the natural and spiritual realms.

1:28 – “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Here we are introduced to a significant truth that is in reality a spiritual law of the kingdom of God. Blessing brings multiplication. This is repeated again in the Lord’s promise to Abraham when He said to him, “In blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed…” (Gen. 22:17).

This truth was made alive to us when we were in the fruit-growing areas of the United States. At that time the Golden Delicious apple was being developed there. When they had produced the species that satisfied them, then the sales became worldwide. In the same way, when God meets us afresh with a new blessing, He then multiplies that blessing among the nations. The key to multiplication is the blessing of the Lord! For Adam and Eve it meant that they should repopulate the earth.

1:29 – “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” The Lord has provided abundantly for His people. He provided all the vegetables and herbs for man to eat. Man was not given meat to eat until after the Flood (Gen. 9:3).

As the Lord Jesus stated, God causes His sun to shine upon the just and the unjust alike (Mt. 5:45). We are prone to ask why some countries prosper materially while others seemingly are less well-endowed. All it takes is a careful observation to realise that the nations who serve God are blessed agriculturally while those who do not serve the Lord are in poverty. Also, this is true when it comes to individuals in countries. There is one other factor that should be borne in mind, the words of Proverbs 13:23, “Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for [lack] of judgment.” The earth is said to be capable of producing enough food for 50 billion people, but because of oppression, mismanagement, and injustice, half of the world’s population is undernourished.

1:30 – “And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.” God provided the plants to sustain all the animals. The righteous Lord cares for His creation.

Proverbs 12:10 says, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.” This thought of God’s tender care for all His creatures is seen also in His admonition to Jonah: “And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?” (Jon. 4:11).

1:31 – “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” The hallmark of a master builder is that after finishing his work, he stands back and surveys it with satisfaction, knowing that it will enhance his status as a reputable contractor. In like manner, the Lord declared all of His works to be good.

The Lord also spoke to us when we were building the campus for Zion Ministerial Institute in Waverly, New York—everything was to have a standard of excellence. My prayer is that when we all stand before God to give an account of our life, the Lord will say to us, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” May all of our works be good and acceptable in His sight.

Five Common Expressions in Chapter One

1. “And God said” — vv3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29. The Bible never tries to prove it is God’s Word; it simply assumes it. There are no apologetics employed. Other expressions such as, “Thus saith the Lord”, or “The word of the Lord came” are found well over 3,800 times. You do not need to prove there is a God, or prove that the Bible is God’s Word. Even the devils know it, and tremble (Jas. 2:19). The Word of God is a sharp Sword, use it, do not defend it.

2. “And it was so” — vv7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30. Every time God speaks, something happens. God wants to speak creativelythrough us. God’s Spirit in Joshua commanded, “Sun, stand still!” And it did (Josh. 10:12-13). All the solar system stopped for a whole day. Psalm 33:9 says, “For He spake, and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast.” Whenever God speaks, something is set in motion. When God spoke, something happened immediately. Animals did not evolve, nor did man, nor did plant life. When God spoke they came into being immediately, in one day.

3. “And God saw that it was good” — vv4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31. Every thing God does is good! God is incapable of evil of any kind. He is totally good. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” He is abundant in goodness and truth (Ps. 34:8, Ex. 34:6). How do we interpret Isaiah 45:7 which says, “I create evil”? Here the word evil means adversity or difficulty. It is the same word used in Job 42:11. It simply means that, sometimes, God allows his people to be tested with hardships.

4. “And the evening and the morning were …” — vv5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31. This indicates that the seven days in chapter one were 24-hour days. Genesis chapter one is not an allegory (Ex. 20:11). God did not try to fool us when He gave us His Word. Always take the literal interpretation, unless God indicates otherwise.

5. “After his kind” — vv11, 12, 21, 24, 25. Everything reproduces its own kind. Cows reproduce cows, potatoes reproduce potatoes, oak trees reproduce oak trees, and man reproduces man. There are no crossovers. Plants can be improved, but left to themselves they will degenerate. A horse and a donkey can produce a mule but a mule cannot reproduce another mule. Species can be improved, plant or animal, but left to themselves they will degenerate. Oak trees are the same today as they were when God created them in chapter one. This is true concerning birds, animals, plants, and man.

The Seventh Day of Creation

The First Sabbath

2:1-3 – “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” On the seventh day of creation, the Lord rested from all of His works. The Lord made this seventh day a very special day. Later on in Israel’s history, this day became known as the sabbath, which means “cessation” (Ex. 16:23). This day was set aside as a holy day unto the Lord. At Mount Sinai, it became a part of the Law.

The seventh day in which God rested is not just a historical and theological fact, but it is linked to a spiritual experience in the life of the believer (Heb. 4:1-11). This is expounded by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 4:10-11, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

There is a spiritual rest (a spiritual sabbath) that the Lord desires every Christian to enter into. By grace, God’s people can cease from their own strivings to fulfil God’s will, and enter into a state of rest whereby the Holy Spirit accomplishes His will in and through our lives. Isaiah 11:10 says, “His rest shall be glorious.” In this spiritual state of rest, we cease from our own opinions, ideas, and ways. Even our tongue must enter into rest (Isa. 58:13).

Particulars about the Creation

2:4-5 – “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.” The Creator is here given the name Jehovah. Where the word “LORD” is printed in capital letters in our English Bibles, in the original it isJehovah. Jehovah denotes the fact that God alone has His being of Himself, and that He gives being to all creatures and things.

Further notice is taken of plants and herbs, because they were made and appointed to be food for man. The earth did not bring forth its fruits by itself. This was done by the power of the Almighty. Rain is also a gift of God. It did not rain until the Lord caused it to rain. In the same way, grace does not grow of itself in the heart of a believer; it is the work of God.

Superiority of the Pre-Flood Era

2:6 – “But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.” From evidence of the remains of antediluvian (or pre-flood) vegetation and animal life, it appears that the earth originally created in Genesis 1:2b was drastically different from the earth we know today. Given evidence of redwood trees in the Polar Regions and beautiful fruit trees in the Arctic Circle areas, we must conclude that the earth tilted upon its axis during the period of the Flood. Prior to this time, it is evident that the earth was a very pleasant place of universal temperate climate. Animals and plants grew to greater dimensions than those of the same species today. Man’s and animals’ longevity was conservatively ten times that of our times.

It may well be that the size of man was greater too, given such ideal conditions. It is noteworthy that man’s physical dimensions are generally increasing worldwide, especially in the Western world due to better living conditions and eating habits. The sailors of the Mayflower were, generally speaking, only five feet four inches tall. That is a considerable difference from the basketball giants of today who are often seven feet in height.