Creation

1. Creation Why, how, and when did God create the Universe?

2. Why study Creation? • The Bible places a great significance on it • Shapes our understandings of other doctrines • Differentiates between other religions • Opens the dialogue with science

3. Creation • The Latin phrase “ex nihilo” meaning out of nothing is used • Bara-Only God • Psalm 33:6-By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,    their starry host by the breath of his mouth. • Psalm 33:9-For he spoke, and it came to be;    he commanded, and it stood firm • John 1:3-Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 

4. Spiritual Universe • God created heaven-Revelation 10:6-And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, • God created angels-Colossians 1:16-For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him

5. Creation of Man • Man-Genesis 2:7-Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. • Woman-Genesis 2:21-23-So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. • 23 The man said, • “This is now bone of my bones    and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called ‘woman,’    for she was taken out of man.”

6. Creation • Creation is distinct from God yet dependent upon Him • God is above His own creation but actively involved • Acts 17:25-And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. • Hebrews 1:3-The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. 

7. Why Creation? • God did not have to create the earth but He did so for His glory. • Psalm 19:1-2-The heavens declare the glory of God;    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.2 Day after day they pour forth speech;    night after night they reveal knowledge. • Revelation 4:11-“You are worthy, our Lord and God,    to receive glory and honor and power,for you created all things,    and by your will they were created    and have their being.”

8. Creation • God’s creation was not dualism. In dualism there is the Maker and then the materials that he utilizes. God did not work on something already existing. If this was the case God would not be infinite as something else would have always existed. • Nothing made is intrinsically evil. Dualism says since God didn’t create everything evil can exist in some things so he cannot be blamed for sin • Human sin comes from human freedom though

9. Creation • Creation also guards against depreciating the incarnation. If the body was evil then Christ could not become flesh • Creationism also guards against asceticism. When people believe the physical is evil they shun the body and any type of human satisfaction • Creationism causes us to be good stewards of His creation

10. Creation and Science • Astrology-Copernicus • Geology-Age of the earth • Biology-Evolution • Anthropology-Origin of humanity

11. Creation and Science • There are Christians who differ on the earth’s age • Most scholars agree that it is impossible to know • No humans were around to record the creation • At best, we have a speculated guess

12. Creation and Science • Theories that do not acknowledge God as creator of the universe: Big Bang Theory, Darwin Evolution

13. Creation and Science • Theistic Evolution-Organisms came about the way Darwin said but God guided the process • This belief says God intervened in critical points such as: creation of matter at the beginning, creation of simplest life form, creation of man • God allowed the others to develop the way Darwin stated • The Bible contradicts this because there is no randomness with God • This theory takes away intelligent design

14. Theistic Evolution • Psalm 33:6-By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,    their starry host by the breath of his mouth. • Psalm 33:9-For he spoke, and it came to be;    he commanded, and it stood firm • Genesis 1:11-Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so • Genesis 1:24-And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.”

15. Theistic Evolution • Psalm 139:13-For you created my inmost being;    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. • Exodus 4:11-he Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? • Psalm 104:14-He makes grass grow for the cattle,    and plants for people to cultivate—    bringing forth food from the earth:

16. Science • Even with intentional breeding over the past 100 years this theory has proven to be wrong. When dogs are bred they are always dogs. • Something like a wing or an eye can not produced by tiny mutations over thousands of generations. • Many ancient fossils resemble present day animals • 130 years of research has yet to find a “transitional” type of fossil • The biggest issue is how did life begin in the first place?

17. Christian Views • Among Christian circles there are 2 differing views on the age of the earth: young earth and old earth • Young earth theorists believe the earth is between 6,000-20,000 years old • Old Earth theorists believe the earth is around 4.5 billion years old

18. Gap Theory-Old Earth • Between Genesis 1:1-1:2 there was a gap of millions of years • This theory says that God made an earlier creation and there was rebellion (probably Satan) and God judged the earth so it was without form and void • Genesis 1:3-2:3 is actually the second creation which was only 6 literal days and this was 10,000-20,000 year ago. The first creation was around 4.5 billion years ago

19. Flood Theory-Young Earth • Earth is only a few thousand years old • The force of the waves formed what geologists believe would take 3 billion years • Biggest issue with this theory is even Christian geologists don’t believe this

20. Day-Age View • This is an old earth theory. This theory states that the days in Genesis were really long periods of time. • This view is also called a “concordist” view because it seeks to concord with the Bible. This view states the earth is around 4.5 billion and so agrees with many scientists • Radiometric dating is commonly used with this theory • This theory also states that liquid magma takes 1 million years to cool • Also continental drifting could not occur in young earth

21. Day-Age View • This view (scientific) puts sea creatures ahead of trees and fish before birds but Genesis contradicts this • This view also puts sun, moon, and stars millions of years after plants and trees

22. Literary Framework View • Old earth theory • The 6 days in Genesis were not intended to be a sequence of chronological events but a “literary framework” • Day 1 Light-Day 4 sun, moon, and stars • Day 2 Sky and water-Day 5-Fish and birds • Day 3 Dry land and seas-Day 6-Animals and man

23. Literary Framework • Avoids conflicts over science and conflicts over Genesis creation • Most of Genesis suggests a chronological event(s) though • The days don’t add up perfectly either

24. Mature Creation • Young Earth • Since Adam and Eve appeared as mature adults this makes sense • Stars take thousands of years to reach the earth but they probably saw them • This view states that scientific testing cannot be accurate for billions of years • The argument against this view is fossils

25. Considerations • Gaps in genealogies • 1 Chronicles 3:10-12 compared to Matthew 1:8-9. Matthew leaves out 3 names • Father of can mean he was the father of someone who led to Jotham • 1 Chronicles 14:26-Shebuel son of Gershom son of Moses appointed by King David • Exodus 2:22-Gershom was son of Moses

26. Considerations • Carbon dating gives us a date of man 9,000-10,000 years • Old earth advocates wonder if animals lived before man • Scientific date says dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago but young earth say they were a part of God’s creation in the 6 days. Some say they perished with the flood

27. Condiderations • Are the 6 days literally 24 hour days? • Hebrew word “yom” is sometimes used for logger periods than 24 hours such as Genesis 2:4 • Job 20:28, Psalm 20:1, Proverbs 11:4, 21:31, 24:10, 25:13, Joel 1:15. • The 7th day was not concluded as the others • Could plants in day 3 live that long without the sun in day 4? • We have to be careful being dogmatic on any stance