01-07 The Days of Creation--Part 4

Genesis 1:20-25

Over spring break we took a very quick trip to Omaha to see our son. While we were there, we took in the Omaha Zoo (frequently top 5 in best zoos lists). Now, you can look at pictures of animals all day—but to see live animals, interacting with other animals is something else. There are animals that we encounter here in the Bitterroot, but the creative wisdom of God becomes more apparent in a zoo. That was uplifting to me to go to the zoo having been studying Genesis—even though we’ve yet to get to any animals.

In our study of Genesis—we’ve discovered how God has formed the universe—including the earth (days 1-3). We’ve also seen in Moses’ account of creation how God, beginning on Day 4 is filling His created universe.

Day 4 was the creation of our sun, moon (great lights) and the stars also. Up to and including day 4, the only things created have been inanimate objects of creation—including plants/vegetation.

An inanimate object is (Merriam-Webster) Not endowed with life or spirit. In this sense, all that has been created up to this point, the forming of the earth, the separating of waters, emerging of dry land—and the vegetation that would become food source for the rest of creation, and creation of all heavenly hosts—all these things have met that definition “not endowed with life or spirit.”

Now, modern science has challenged that idea—especially as it relates to plants. Plants are extremely complex, having DNA, molecular structure and as to their biological system, they are created to reproduce after their kind. God did not create simple organisms but those which reflect the glory of their Creator—being exceedingly good.

But the Bible is going to make a major distinction b/t plants and what is yet to be created on Day 5—things that are designated as “living creatures.” Moses uses a very specific word—applying it to sea creatures, birds and land creatures (day 6) and even man—nephesh. (but never used of plants/vegetation).

This word is often translated “soul” and translated 600x in LXX psuche (soul of man NT). The word nephesh (and corresponding Gk) does not refer to the immaterial part in contrast to the material part (flesh and blood) but to the entire nature of man (when referring to humans). It has a range of meanings: throat, neck, breath, living being, personality—the seat of feelings and perceptions, life. Since it refers to those things which breathe—it naturally suits the animal creation of days 5-6.

Creation: Day Five

vv 20-23

One of the major ideas evolution purports is the idea that all “life” have a common ancestor.

Tree of Life

Everything is related to each other in that we all have not a common ancestor but a common Creator—One who demonstrates omniscience, omnipotence and infinite wisdom. On Day 5—we have a similar pattern emerging that we’ve encountered before. God creates…but then He does something that He hasn’t done the previous days—He blessed a portion of His creation. See 1st:

God’s Creatures

(20-21)

“Then God said...” Once again, God expresses His will in speech “let the waters...” In Heb there is a literary device called paranomasia (sort of like a pun)—a repetition of words for the sake of emphasis. We see it a couple of times in vs 20:

“Let the waters swarm with swarming things...” “let flying things fly...” You can see how Moses here makes a distinction b/t the vegetation that appears at the end of day 3 and these animate creatures—created on day 5—there is movement (see vs 21***).

Moses also uses a very deliberate word in vs 21 “God created...”

There are 3 key Heb words used broadly for “creating”

Asah—general term for making or doing something—used both of God and humans. It is clear from the term that the one doing the action is making something from materials that already exist (building a house).

Yatsar—another term for making but stresses the personal attention of the doer. An artist who paints a picture does this

Bara—Used of God to stress the unique power that He alone possess to bring something into existence where there is nothing before.

This is the term in vs 21—God created (bara) brought into existence something that did not exist before. This stands contrary to evolution’s “tree of life.” God started with the waters and brought into existence all forms of living creatures that inhabit the waters on earth (seas, rivers and lakes).

Sea Creatures

This includes “the great sea monsters...” (other trns “great sea creatures”). The Heb word is tannin (pl. tanninim). It is a general term for any number of larger sea creatures and the emphasis is usually put on the great strength and power of these creatures.

Many of the ancient civilizations had myths surrounding sea monsters that were large, powerful beasts—and generally in those myths were gods. They feared them—for good reason…they tended to wreak havoc—again they were powerful creatures.

I think Moses includes them here b/c it is the picture of God as the omnipotent Creator who effortlessly brings forth even the mightiest of creatures (could refer to dragons, Leviathan). These are all creatures that God alone can tame and demonstrates power over.

Psalm 74:13–14 NASB95

You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea monsters in the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; You gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.

Psalm 74:15–17 NASB95

You broke open springs and torrents; You dried up ever-flowing streams. Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; You have prepared the light and the sun. You have established all the boundaries of the earth; You have made summer and winter.

On the Day of the Lord Yahweh will punish Leviathan and:

Isaiah 27:1 NASB95

In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, With His fierce and great and mighty sword, Even Leviathan the twisted serpent; And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.

Leviathan becomes an object lesson for Job when God begins to show Job that he was acting in presumption by wanting to bring his questions to God…God becomes the questioner.

You know the story of Job: Satan appears before God having roamed the earth (looking to accuse the righteous). God asks

Job 1:8 NASB95

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Satan said he only worships you b/c you have blessed him. God says Job will worship no matter what. God grants permission to Satan to attack Job (possessions, family, health). Job has 3 friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar) who wear Job down with unwise counsel so Job wants to plead his case before God.

Job 38 begins the longest section of Scripture where God speaks uninterrupted,

Job 38:1-7

Appears as if God may be sarcastic but He wants to drive home the point with Job.

Chs 38-40

God says every animal, every drop of water in the ocean, every mountain---everything that I have created is perfectly in its place— “do you think I can manage this tiny little planet?”

Job 41

God is still speaking. There is no consensus about Leviathan (crocodile, dinosaur, sea monster—Loch Ness). It was apparent to those in Job’s time that there was no controlling this monster who created chaos. God’s point to Job is that you cannot put God under obligation.

vv 1ff

Fishhook...

Press down—pry his mouth open

Rope in nose—to control this water monster

Jaw hook—something that would penetrate hard bone (Do you Job have the kind of dominance over this monster?)

Will you make him your pet (vv 3-5), domesticate him—make him serve you?

Will traders seek you out (vs 6)—can you name your price having domesticated this creature?

Battle (vs 7-8) you won’t do it again (scared to death).

The point: Job you’re small; God is infinite—you are thinking too highly of yourself. No one tries to control Leviathan (vs 10). So who can stand before God? not even Job the most righteous man on earth (Paul quotes in Rom 11:35):

Job 41:11 NASB95

“Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine.

Can you control the Creator of this creature? God is under no obligation to His creation. God is not finished with Job yet:

Job 41:33–34 NASB95

“Nothing on earth is like him, One made without fear. “He looks on everything that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.”

God says—he belongs to me, Job and so do you. Job gets it (Job 42:1-7).

Here’s Moses’ point: Leviathan is one of these great sea monsters—all of them created with a spoken word of God. Now, these creatures because of their great strength, power and tendencies toward chaos become symbols of God’s enemies (which He obliterates)…they are creatures from God’s good hand.

God is also responsible for bringing into existence “every living creature that moves...”

At the Omaha Zoo—what used to be an IMAX (now large screen) we watched a documentary about Great Barrier Reef. There was one creature that intrigued me greatly: the sea horse.

In the aquarium they had a tank with sea horses. They get their name from the fact that their heads are shaped like a horse. They have tails that wrap around anything nearby—kelp. They move slow and have a gentle demeanor—but research has shown that they are one of the deadliest creatures in the sea—great white shark (kill rate of 48%) the sea horse is 90%—feeding on crustaceans. Now, they don’t have teeth but the thing that makes them efficient at eating is that they can sneak up on their meal in “hydrodynamic silence” because of the shape of their head. One thing that fascinates me is that it is the male which gives birth—the female deposits her eggs into a pouch in the male. After 2-3 weeks gestational period he will give birth to up to 2000 little sea horses known as “fry”.

From the largest sea monsters to the tiniest living creatures—God created them all.

Flying Creatures

This category of creatures probably includes insects as well as birds, since lit. referring to “flying things.”

Notice the phrase, “after its kind...” (same word used with vegetation). The created order possesses divinely imposed limitations as to its ability to reproduce. As I mentioned in another message, nothing strays from this limitation. Algae does not become a duck. Horses do not give birth to dogs. It’s as though God anticipated man would attempt to reject God’s account of creation…so He says each kind of creature will only reproduce after its kind. And that b/c of this blessing:

God’s Blessing

This is the first account of God blessing His creation…vs 22 God blessed them (living creatures of the sea and flying creatures in the air).

Notice the order: God blesses then He commands. The essence of this blessing (as it is with man 1:28) is the ability to reproduce oneself. God enables His creation to procreate…Kenneth Matthews: “This special endowment for living things comes only from God since his word alone brings life.”

(Mathews, K. A. (1996). Genesis 1-11:26 (Vol. 1A, p. 157). Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

This blessing points to the favored position of living creatures before God. Blessing becomes a prominent theme in Genesis: God blesses living creatures, God blesses man, God blesses the Sabbath, God blesses Adam, God blesses Noah, God blesses the patriarchs (frequently). We use the term “success” today to speak of those who encounter the richness of life. In biblical times, they used the term “blessed”, a special relationship to the Creator that brings with it the fulness of the life God has purposed.

That becomes evident in animal creation as God charges them to procreate (be fruitful and multiply—filling His creation). What we observe from history since creation is that all creatures obey their Creator—that’s what they do.

And God is pleased with Day 5— “it was good.”

Creation: Day Six

The final day of creation is of great significance. On this day God’s creative activity comes to it highest point—the creation of man. We’ll begin to look at that next time. The first part of day six is the creation of all land-dwelling creatures. Once again, the patten continues...

Moses describes broad categories that encompass every terrestrial beast. Cattle (livestock) refers to the whole range of domesticated animals. The reference to “creeping things” likely signifies all manner of small animals relating to things like snakes, lizards, mice, insects that don’t fly—spiders, millipedes, etc..

The final category are “beasts of the earth” which seems to cover everything else (the Heb word simply means “living things”) and would cover the whole range of wild animals—everything that isn’t domesticated (lions and tigers and bears).

Importantly, notice again, “after their kind” and the limits to reproduction that God designed into His creation. Every living thing cannot and does not stray from this limitation.

Let me close with this:

At the end of vs 25 “God saw that it was good.” This pronouncement of God’s pleasure over His creation indicates that the earth which He has formed and filled—as a habitat for humanity (which has yet to be created) is a paradise that is absolutely perfect. There is not 1 single flaw, 1 thing out of place, 1 thing that God would wish He could have done differently.

All creation at this point reflects the perfection of God and His will—which is varied and beautiful and joyful (imagine what we would see if we could peer out and see creation that was not subjected to futility—b/c of the curse). This was the perfect paradise that would shortly become home for man and woman later that day.

And if this is the reflection of God’s perfection—it reveals to us the lengths God will go thru in order to communicate the depths of His care for us.

That care—is precious:

Psalm 145:15–17 NASB95

The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds.

Psalm 147:8–9 NASB95

Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who provides rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens which cry.

Job 38:41 NASB95

“Who prepares for the raven its nourishment When its young cry to God And wander about without food?

Matthew 6:26 NASB95

“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Matthew 10:28–31 NASB95

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

The Lord God cares for you. And the depth of His care is revealed not only in the goodness of His creation but in whatever else He does for us:

Rom 8:28-32

As we set our minds upon the cross this morning—remember that if God will go to that length to provide you with redemption (golden chain); what else will He not do for you? That is the beauty of the cross…not only providing you with redemption, the forgiveness of sin…but a perpetual testament of God’s love.

1 John 3:16 NASB95

We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.