Praise God for Breathing Creatures

Introduction (Review):

Day One (light) - 7 things about God.

Day Two (breathable atmosphere) - God is God alone

Day Three (grass, trees) - How creation should influence our lives

Day Four (sun, moon, stars) - The supremacy of God in the dominion of the heavinly lights)

Illustrastion:

Sea Monkeys - we received a Sea Monkey packet which included a small container for an aquarium and a pack that looked like it was full of dust…etc They are actually brine shrimp and in maturity they have 3 eyes…etc

It is an amazing happening in the mind of a child. As we think of this day of creation, we want to see something amazing about God.

(1) God created the life of breathing creatures (v. 20-22)

(i) moving creatures that have life (LIFE SEEMS TO BE A POINT OF EMPHASIS HERE) (v. 20)

nephesh - literally means "that which breathes" also translated "soul"; used in as "living"

* first time used in scripture

* animals have an immaterial aspect, just like humans do (trees and plants are not referred to as "living creatures" or "living souls" -

(ii) birds that can fly in the firmament already created (v. 20)

(ii) birds that can fly in the firmament already created

* says that God formed the fowl of the air out of the earth/ground

* They were created with the ability to fly and did not evolve to this

(iii) (v. 21) As is common in Genesis, this further elaborates what was only summarized in the prior verse.

(i) great whales - tannin - dragon (), serpent, sea-monster

* At the time of Moses, there were already mythological, Egyptian and Mesopotamian stories about sea monsters.

(ii) here he again mentions creatures that move (creep, crawl)...why? It would seem that from the context, movement is evidence of life.

There is real physical evidence that there was life...this is not some figurative, allegorical message.

(iii) "after their kind" - type, species (rules out macro-evolution)

* with micro-evolution there are characteristics of species altered because of something missing or something added; but they never produce a new species.

Micro-evolution can explain variations within a species but not outside of the species.

"Science has never observed, and never will observe, the evolution of one species into a new life form. That is a genetic impossibility." - MacArthur, The Battle for the Beginning (p. 134)

* A creature's DNA has a complex genetic code that makes the creature what it is.

(iv) (v. 22) Unique because it records the first time that God speaks to his creation. (is this because they have a different kind of life than all other things created before?)

(i) The ability to be fruitful is a blessing

This is how the creatures can honor/praise God by obeying the command that is given...

(ii) The command is to multiply

(iii) The fact of filling the seas and the earth points again to the complimentary nature of what God has already done. Day #1 corresponds to Day #4 and Day #2 to Day #5 and Day number #3 to Day #6.

Day One (light) - 7 things about God.

Day Two (breathable atmosphere) - God is God alone

Day Three (grass, trees) - How creation should influence our lives

Day Four (sun, moon, stars) - The supremacy of God in the dominion of the heavinly lights)

Day Five (fish, birds) - we should praise God for breathing creatures

(iv)

Application:

Connect with . The Psalmist recognizes that if there is breath of life, it is for the praise of God.

When we see the wonder of a creature whose lungs are exapanding and contracting...

When we see the personality of a creature...

When we marvel at the personality of a Parrot...

When we go through the loss of a breathing creature...

What do we make of all of this? We must know and believe that breathing creatures of the sea and of the air should cause us to praise God....

Breathing creatures of the sea and of the air know who their Creator is….

Illustration: In my office I have a bow front aquarium. I have had it since we were married. It is neat to put different kinds of fish inside of the aquarium. We put Corey Catfish and various kinds of tetras and gouramies…etc One year, we put two water frogs in the aquarium. They were so fun to watch. They are almost mezmorizing. One day I noticed that the little water frog had something in his mouth. It was the Corey Catfish....There is something amazing about life and creation…When we see breathing, moving creatures, we should be caused to praise the Lord.

Recap: God created the living, breathing creatures...

(2) The life of breathing creatures is a light for every man -

(i) This passage is talking about the beginning

(ii) This passage is talking about Christ making all things

(iii) This passage teaches us that this life of the Creator is in Jesus

(iv) This passage is talking not about “eternal life” but about “creation life” - Compare to

is very explicit in showing that Jesus Christ is the Creator and that in him was life.

The Son hath life in himself

helps us to understand that the light is life (eternal)

, Jesus claims to be both life and light

(3) Since Jesus is the One who created this life, He deserves and demands praise from all living creatures -

How do creatures praise the One who created life?

(1) They receive the blessing of God with purpose.

For the breathing creatures, they were blessed with abilities and on that basis they were given a command.

(2) They obey the command of their Creator with intention.

Creatures show forth the praises of God when they use their blessings to obey their commands.

Next week, we will address the “Cultural Mandate”.

Application:

#1 - See breathing creatures and praise God

#2 - Don’t idolize the creatures that breathe

#3 - See God’s blessing & command in a personal, Christ-centered manner: Because of Jesus Christ, we have been blessed and we have been commanded -

You are blessed so that you can fulfill what He says

Every believer has been gifted with the Spirit of life

Every believer has a command to fulfill

You show forth praise of God when you obey the command that he has blessed you to obey.

Questions:

(1) Have you praised God by responding to His command to be saved?

(2) Have you ever had the tendency to idolize a breathing creature?

(3) What or who is receiving the praise of your obedience?

Illustration:

We have a White West Highland Terrier - he scavenges the floor for human food all of the time, but typically when I speak, he listens. There are certain words that, if spoken, he knows that he needs to obey. “Get” is one of them. In his way, his obedience honors the word I have spoken and given him the opportunity to obey.