Islington Baptist Church January 21, 2001
Genesis 1:24-31
Scripture reading: Psalm 8, Isaiah 65:17-25
When we were together last, we examined Genesis 1 which lays out for us how we and this whole universe came to be. According to Genesis 1, it was in 6 literal days that God did the work of creation.
We also learned last week that we were and are the pinnacle, the climax of God’s creation work.
Hence, while other creation/origin accounts devalue the worth of man, the scriptures elevate man and invest him with great dignity, purpose and worth.
Today we are going to study Genesis 1:24-31, the six day of creation, which addresses our being the pinnacle of God’s creating work. (READ)
As noted, we are the pinnacle, the climax of God’s creation work.
a. One only need count the number of words dedicated to what happens on day 6 versus the rest of the days. Note how as you read the account of Genesis 1 that as each day passes the new day receives progressively more type and note this: Day 6 receives the most. The very literary structure of our text builds towards day 6—day 6 is the climax of the text.
b. That we are the pinnacle of God’s creation is seen in v.27 where the term “created” is used no less that 3 times. Such repetition is like a giant exclamation mark.
c. That we are the pinnacle, the climax of God’s creating is also determined by asking these questions: Why are the seas filled with fish. Why does the ground produce all the food it does? Why do animals roam the land and birds fill the sky? Why do the stars, moon, and sun shine down upon us? ANSWER: All for our benefit!
I. A KEY QUESTION FOR US TODAY IS THIS: WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES US SO SPECIAL?
The answer: WE HAVE BEEN CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD v.26-27
Q WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CREATED IN THE IMAGE/LIKENESS OF GOD? IN WHAT WAY ARE WE LIKE GOD?
Firstly note this: when we talk about being created in God’s image we are not talking about physically.
There are many ways in which we example our being in the image of God or in some way like Him
-when a person exercises patience that examples a trait that God has
-when a person is kind that examples……
-when a person makes/creates/invents something they are in a small way doing what God did on the large scale of making us and our universe.
-when we exercise “dominion” over some facet of this world we are in a small way doing what God does on a large scale- his exercising dominion over all things
-when a person goes to their job to work they are doing in a small way what God did on a large scale: the work of creation
-when a person observes the Sabbath, takes a day of rest, they follow in the pattern God set in resting from all the work of creating that He had done.
These are just some of the things that example what it means to be made in the image of God. Yet there is more…….
1. As image bearers we are to reflect God’s glory to others.
Problem: fallen, sinful man does not do a very good job at this.
In looking at each other we can and ought to be able see in each other what it means to be like God. Problem: sometimes we example what it means to be like the Devil and not like God.
When a person commits themselves to Jesus Christ an amazing thing happens. The Holy Spirit comes and takes up residence within you. One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to conform and transform us into being like Jesus (you see, in his coming Jesus perfectly exampled what it means to be in the image of God—for, Jesus is the exact representation and likeness of God—He is God. We are to be like him)
As we surrender to Christ’s lordship and the Spirit’s work we progressively became more and more “Christ like” and hence more and more we end up reflecting God’s glory to others and truly what it means to be made in the image of God.
II Corinthians 3:18 addresses just what I’ve been saying “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with every increasing glory, which comes the Lord, who is the Spirit”
Q How are you doing at reflecting God’s character and person to those around you? Are you a dull unradiant image or is Christ shining thru?
Q Do non Christians around you do a better job at exampling what it means to be made in the image of God than you? This question addresses your maturity in the faith.
2. As image bearers, we, and our service belong to God.
In Matthew 22 Jesus is asked about whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus asked that Caesar’s coin be produced. Then Jesus asked them, whose image is on the coin? The image on the coin was Caesar’s. Then Jesus said “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God was is God’s”. An implication of Jesus’ teaching is this: Since a coin bearing Caesar’s image belonged to Caesar so to, we who bear God’s image belong to God. We are not independent, we are not without a claim upon our lives. We bear the image of God and hence we and our service belong to God.
There is no place for a self seeking agenda. God and his purposes, will, and kingdom is to be our focus. As we sometimes sing in a chorus “I was made to serve You”. This is indeed true. We belong to God and he is worthy and demanding of our worship, affection, and service
3. As image bearers we deserve special treatment from each other.
-any affront, any insult, any harm by us against one who bears the image of God is also an affront against God- whose image they bear
-to insult a representative of God is to insult and rail against God himself.
While many have their qualms about capital punishment, the Bible set up capital punishment as a consequence for those who would take the life of one bearing the image of God. Note Genesis 9:5-6 “And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal and from each man too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man”
Q Have you insulted someone lately? Do you know that since they bear the image of God that you have attacked God?
We need to treat each other with dignity and respect!
4. Being created in the image of God is what distinguishes us from the animals
On the 6th day God also made the animals each according to their “kind”. Yet note this, man is not made in the same fashion or according to a “kind”. According to the special counsel of the triune Godhead (“let us”) we were made in the image, in the likeness of God.
There are many who say man is merely an animal, a different kind of animal than the rest. This is nothing but an evolutionary lie. Man is not a animal. The scriptural pattern of our being made is completely different from that of the animals.
-Animals do not have a spirit, when they die they cease to exist. Man has a spirit, when he dies he continues to exist.
-Animals are not said to be made in the image of God- but man is.
-The death of an animal is of little consequence- yet the death or killing of man is of extreme consequence—for man is made in the image of God and is very special and exalted in God’s creation. In fact, the very insulting of one who is made in the image of God is a vile thing.
Thus far we have addressed the question: What makes man so special? Our being made in the image of God is what makes us special.
II. Now in examining this text lets consider God’s first words to us regarding what he wanted and wants us to do. v.28
2 Commands
1. Have children
2. Subdue the earth and rule over the creatures of the earth.
God blessed them
-his favor rested upon them
-his every intention for man was his good
-implied in his blessing them is that what they were to do was a good thing to and that in blessing them He was giving them to ability to do what He here commanded them to do
1. The command to have children
In approaching this command we must understand that it is intimately connected with God’s second command (to subdue the earth and rule over the creatures of the earth). On their own, 1 man and 1 woman would not have been able to do command #2.
I understand that this command is painful for some. Some of you will not be able to have children. Some of you were not able to have children. Some of you cannot presently have children. Some of you have suffered through many miscarriages. Some of you perhaps have had abortions. Some of you have had young children die.
I tread lightly for you.
I also know that for some that this command would rather be ignored.
Q Why? Sin and Selfishness
Some folks are just plain selfish. Children cost money don’t you know—my standard of living will be lower. Children take up your time. Children will impact a woman’s career prospects. Aren’t there enough people in the world already any ways.
I would propose to you this: Personal obedience to this command is for today. This is not a command of God that a married couple can ignore. If you are married this text does not say how many kids you ought to have. All it says is make them—if you can.
Q Does this mean I don’t believe in any forms of birth control?
NO. But you of course realize that some forms of birth control are highly immoral- because of the way they operate. IUD’s, Oral Contraceptives (the Pill), various injectibles that mimic the way the Pill works, and RU 486
Q What forms of birth control do I believe are morally acceptable: abstinence, the rhythm method, condoms
I personally am not advocating that you and your wife continue to try to have children throughout her whole child bearing years. Yet I draw your attention to this: God commands the having of children. No one has the “right”—before God, to say “children are not for us”
2. ANYWAY’S, LET’S MOVE ON to God’s second command: subdue the earth, rule over the creatures of the world.
As noted, in order for man to do this command—the populating of the world is necessary.
All that God made is ours to use and enjoy- the physical world, the creatures of the world.
In subduing the earth and rule over its creatures we evidence that we are made in God’s image—for we are in a small scale way doing what God does in a large scale way.
Note: to subdue and rule something implies effort and work and some struggle.
What does subduing the earth and ruling over its creatures look like?
-when a farmer clears his land of weeds, rocks, brush, trees and wildlife and then sows and irrigates that land—that’s subduing and ruling.
-when the people in Niagara Falls found a way to use the flow of the water to create electricity, that’s a subduing.
-when the energy of the sun is captured in photo voltaic equipment: that’s a subduing and ruling
-when minerals and oils and metals are brought up out of the ground and refined and used: that’s a subduing and ruling.
-when people capture and kill an animal and use it’s hide for clothing or its meat for food: that’s a subduing
-when animals are trained to do some sort of task (like Joanne’s guide dog, Mason) that’s a subduing and ruling.
Has man messed it up?
Oh yes he has.
Has our rulership of this world taken on dimensions that God never intended. Yes.
Ought we to care for our world and environment. Of course, we must be responsible.
Responsible rulership over the world is what God intended.
WE ARE ALMOST DONE. SO far we have considered 1. What makes man so special 2. God’s first commands to us. ONE MORE POINT REMAINS FOR US TO CONSIDER TODAY.
III. When God made man he also made a specific provision regarding his diet: Vegetarian v.30
It is not until after the Flood, until we get to Genesis 9:3 that animals were given to us to eat. (and so initially the killing of animals for food and clothing was not part of man’s mandate to rule and subdue).
Q Why a vegetarian diet for Adam and Eve and their children?
I believe the answer lies in the fact that until sin entered into the world there was no experience of death anywhere. Death was not part of God’s creative purpose. I believe that the animals that God killed to make clothes for sinful Adam and Eve were the first animals killed.
Here we are receiving a portrait of God’s world as he created it:
-no death, no enmity, no fear, no shedding of blood. Perfect peace. Paradise, like Heaven on earth.
-it’s not until we again come to Genesis 9 that we learn about animals fearing man. Note v.2 “The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands”
There are 2 very interesting passage of scripture in Isaiah that bears our attention this morning. In Isaiah 11 which speaks of the coming Jesus it says v.6-9 “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Also there is Isaiah 65:17-25
Both of these texts anticipate a day when the things will be like they were before sin entered the world. Ultimately this day will be when Jesus comes and creates a new heavens and new earth.
CONCLUSION
I. What is it that makes us so special?
Our being created in the image of God
II. What 2 commands did God initially give to us that are still for today:
1. Have children 2. Subdue the earth and rule over its creatures
III. What kind of diet did Adam and Eve and people have until after the flood?
Vegetarian!
