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Genesis. Lesson 2: Creation. Pentateuch (“five scrolls”). Also called the Torah (law) Most important part of the Jewish Bible Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Story of the formation of the people of God Creation Abraham and Moses Beginnings of Israelite nation. Genesis.
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Genesis Lesson 2: Creation
Pentateuch (“five scrolls”) • Also called the Torah (law) • Most important part of the Jewish Bible • Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy • Story of the formation of the people of God • Creation • Abraham and Moses • Beginnings of Israelite nation
Genesis • From Greek for “origin” or “birth” • 1st book of the Bible • Tells about the birth of the human race and early history of Hebrew People • Account = story • Evolution = scientific theory that claims that human beings (all living things) have developed gradually from a simpler form of life • 2 facts to remember: • 1. God inspired humans to write the Bible • 2. the Bible was written in several literary forms
1st account of Creation • Day 1: light and darkness • Day 2: upper and lower waters • Day 3: land, sea, vegetation • Day 4: sun, moon, stars • Day 5: birds, fish • Day 6: animals, man • Day 7: God rested
1st account of Creation (cont.) • Create = make something out of nothing • 1st 3 days: God prepares - light/darkness • upper/lower waters • Land/sea/vegetation • 2nd 3 days: God “decorates” the world and fills it • Day 4: sun, moon, stars decorate light/darkness • Day 5: birds in the atmosphere, fish in water • Day 6: (land) animals (sea) whales, etc. vegetation, flowering plants Man and Woman to govern it all!
What do we learn from Creation about God? • God existed before the world • Creator : He made things out of nothing • Eternal: God is always, was always, and always will be! • God is all-wise • He loves us and all creation • All good things come from God • All things created are good
What do we learn about us? • We are made in God’s image • We have an eternal soul • We can think and choose
Our responsibilities as images of God • 1. Be fertile and multiply • Form a family • Love as God loves • Be images of God to each other • 2. Dominion over all creation • Dominion= authority to govern earth • Earth given for our pleasure and enjoyment, and… • We must be responsible for earth and be good stewards • 3. Use well the gifts God has given us
Notes on Evolution • Science never contradicts Revelation • Science races toward the mysteries of faith • Theology accepts that the universe is 12 billion years old
Theories • Evolutionism: theory that life forms have changed over time according to the environment, ex: bird gets darker, etc. • Darwinism: theory that one species can evolve into another species over time, ex. Ape into a human • *this particular theory is impossible for humans because of the powers of the human soul! Just think, has the life of an ape changed much in the last 5000 years? (without human intervention) Has human life changed?
Facts • No fossil evidence to support Darwinism • Species appear abruptly, fully developed, and change little before disappearing • 3.5 billion BC – bacteria and blue-green algae • 550 million BC – complex life forms (jelly fish, mollusks, etc) • 120 million BC – dinosaurs and flowering plants • 65 million BC – Jurassic dinosaurs become extinct • 125,000 BC – homo sapiens
Note: • All these appear suddenly • Species seem to replace one another, not evolve • Breeding attempts have either reverted to the original or gone sterile (died out) • Even if all of these issues could be overcome scientifically, there are still the powers of the human soul. The world around us proves that we are different, we have a different kind of soul, and we are capable of thinking and choosing in a way unlike any other creature