What is So Special About Mankind?

1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. 2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. 3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

INTRODUCTION:

What is so special about mankind? After all there are 1.9 million documented species on the Earth.[1] What makes man different than the rest?

The Bible teaches that human beings are different and that all human life is sanctified by God above all other life forms.

This is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Today we need to nail down some truths that are vital to many issues facing our society. The question of the value of all human life directly impacts issues such as:

Abortion

Euthenasia

crime

racial prejudice

human trafficing

and many more.

Since the widespread acceptance of atheistic evolution, there has been a steady rise of many problems in society.

I- THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION BEGINS WITH THE PERSON OF GOD. (Psalm 6:1-4)

A- God’s Majesty (Psalm 8:1)

Psalm 8:1 NLT

1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.

1- God’s majesty and power are on open display for the whole earth to see.

a- shem (שֵׁם, 8034), “name; reputation; memory; renown.”

b- addir (אַדִּיר)= “noble; principal; stately one.” As a noun, ˒addir is paralleled to “mighty” in Judg. 5:13

c- “fills the [whole] Earth” (kol (כֹּל, 3605), “all; the whole.”)

B- God’s glory (Psalm 8:1)

Psalm 8:1 NLT

1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.

1- God’s glory (position, authority) are supreme, … above all others.

a- “Your glory is higher than the heavens.”

(1) hod (הוֹד, “splendor; majesty; authority.”

C- God’s Power (Psalm 8:2)

Psalm 8:2 NLT

2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

1- God’s power are so clearly displayed that even the youngest child can see and testify of God’s power and strength.

2- The testimony of God’s power and strength leave His opponents without reply.

D- God’s handiwork (Psalm 8:3)

Psalm 8:3 NLT

3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place—

1- All men have to do is observe the natural world to be placed in awe of the God of creation.

E- God’s amazing focus (Psalm 8:4)

Psalm 8:4 NLT

4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

1- With all of the wonders of creation, Why would God focus his attention on mankind?

2- Why does God care about mankind?

II- THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN THE PLAN OF GOD. (Psalm 8:5-9)

A- God created mankind in a special way. (Psalm 8:5 a).

Psalm 8:5 NLT

5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.

1- Only mankind was created in the image of God. (Gen. 1:26–27)

Genesis 1:26–27 NLT

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

B- God crowned mankind with a unique position. (Psalm 8:5 b)

Psalm 8:5b NLT

5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.

1- Below God, but above the rest of creation.

2- Man’s glory and honor are directly linked to God Himself. to fail to acknowledge God leads to the degrading of mankind’s value.

C- God conferred upon mankind unique authority and purpose. (Psalm 8:6-9).

Psalm 8:6–9 NLT

6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

1- All of creation has been placed under the authority of man.

a- God is the creator/owner of all creation. He has delegated that authority to mankind.

b- Mankind is the steward/manager of creation.

c- Mankind is answerable to God for that stewardship.

D- God’s compassion for mankind is astounding. (Psalm 8:4)

Psalm 8:4 NLT

4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

1- As human beings, we have rebelled against our creator. (Romans 1:18-22)

Romans 1:18–22 NLT

18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.

a- We have violated the stewardship entrusted to us by:

Failure to recognize the inherent value of all human life.

Failure to acknowledge and submit to our creator and Lord.

2- There is a penalty for our rebellion against God.

(Romans 1:23-26)

Romans 1:23–26 NLT

23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.

(Romans 5:12)

Romans 5:12 NLT

12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

3- God has demonstrated his love for mankind through the cross of Christ.

(John 3:16)

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

(John 1:12)

John 1:12 NLT

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

CONCLUSION:

[1] Mora, C.; et al. (August 23, 2011). "How Many Species Are There on Earth and in the Ocean?". PLoS Biology. 9: e1001127. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127

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