God Creates
In
the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God said, "Let
Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the
fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all
the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God
created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and
female He created them.
Genesis 1:1, 26-27
God’s story begins in a summary
statement found in Genesis 1:1. This fist sentence of the Bible summarizes the
relationship of God and His creation, everyone and everything and all that
there is. The striking statement is that God created. We have read throughout
our lifetime how man has tried to figure God’s creation out. Man has come
forward with many answers to this question and all of them are nothing more
than man’s small minded theories. Man, the creation, cannot think nor fully
comprehend the thoughts of God, the creator. "For
as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9) If man
could, then why can he not create something as intricate and detailed as the
snowflake? "Have you
entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the
hail.” (Job 38:22) Man’s theories are built upon circumstance
which is another way of saying all creation came into being by accident. The
wise of us know that this is complete foolishness. Consider the perfection of
unity even to the smallest particle to the unity of nature in relationship to
our earth and our earth in relationship to our galaxy and our galaxy to the
whole of the universe. Any scientist will tell you that if any mathematical
measurement were off in the slightest none of this would exist. By circumstance,
by accident, no, for that is unbelievable. From the smallest part to the
fullness of the unfathomable universe came by perfected design from an almighty
creator, God Almighty. If one can wrap their mind around the first ten words of
the Bible, then all the rest is easy to take on faith. God created, meaning He
brought everything into existence.
All creation, the heavens and the
earth that were created by God the creator belong to the creator. There is
nothing in existence that does not belong to God. "The
earth is the LORD's, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in
it." (Psalm 24:1) We must remember that God is both
awe-inspiring and eternal and therefore above His creation. Creation is
subordinate to God the Creator; creation is finite, limited, and the object of
God’s intentions. God is infinite and unlimited in His power. God the creator
is worthy of our praise, honor and submission.
Humankind is the crowning
achievement of God’s creation. All was created and prepared before man. Before
man came into being the entire universe was made ready for his arrival. All of
creation was made for our benefit. All that was created came into being by the
Word of God. In John 1:1 we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God." Here we see in the first chapter
of Genesis the identity of Jesus, God’s Son, He was before the beginning. We
also see the full Godhead involved in creation and the creation of man. God
gave particular care in the creation of man. All else was spoken into existence
but man was formed from the dust of the earth, as a potter forms a vessel.
Humankind is different in that we were created in His image. "Then God said, "Let
Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." (Genesis
1:26) God breathed life into the man He
had created. "Then the
LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis
2:7)
Unlike the rest of God’s creation
mankind by being created in God’s image was given wisdom, intelligence, logic,
and a soul. Mankind was also given a free will to choose his path in life.
Mankind was also given stewardship over the rest of God’s creation. "God blessed them; and God
said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue
it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over
every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:28)
Mankind was also to cultivate the earth. "Then
the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it
and keep it." (Genesis 215) But for lack of listening to
God’s discipline man has been a poor steward of the creation God has given to
his keeping. By the loving providence of God and in spite of man’s abuse of His
creation, the universe has remained stable for the present continuation of
life. "He is
before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
(Colossians 1:17)
God’s story is about His love for
the people which He has created, and God’s desire is to have a special
relationship and fellowship with mankind.
"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in
Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me
and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that
You sent Me. "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that
they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be
perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved
them, even as You have loved Me." (John 17:20-23) God’s
Story also includes all people.
God created the heavens and
earth, and He created you and me. This is the first mark of God’s ownership as
He is the creator and we are the creation. Therefore, all of creation is the
property of God, and we as humans, the crown of His creation, are the special
property of God. We were created in His image; nothing else in creation has
that distinction. Now that you have read the first installment of God’s Story,
there is a homework assignment to complete. Go to your mirror and look deeply at
the image reflected on it. Study the image intently not only with your eyes but
also with your heart and answer the following. Which of the following best
describes how the image in the mirror reflects God?
1. Spitting
image
2. Close
relative
3. Distant
relative
4. Unrelated
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