CREATION OF MAN

The human mind demands a reasonable explanation to the creation history – how did God make man and the entire earth within six days? What about his method of creation – forming “clay” from the dust of ground and breathing into it? There has been more than one assault on scripture due to Genesis 1, which breeds a distrust of scripture.

There is not a chapter more heavily contested by scholars and unbelievers alike. However, Bible believers know about the infallibility of scripture and that every word is true because the inspiration of scripture is God!

When was the creation of man?

The record of creation of man took place at Genesis 1:26, which was at the 6th day of God’s 7 days of creation.

First day – Creation of light (day) from darkness (night)
Second day – Creation of firmaments in the midst of the waters (heaven/sky)
Third day – Dry land and seas. Creation of plants.
Fourth day – Creation of light (sun, moon, stars).
Fifth day – Creation of animals that fly (fowls) and swim (fish).
Sixth day – Creation of animals (land animals) and creation of Adam and Eve.
Seventh day – Rest of creation

The biblical worldview sees this as 7-literal 24 hour days. To read more about the issue of creation based on the testimony of scripture, please refer to this article.

How was man created by God?

As articulated in Genesis 2:7, the highpoint of creation came when God combined dust with His breath of life, giving life to Adam’s physical form. God then created woman through Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:22). Thus began the human race.

The original creation of Adam was in God’s image (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15). This resemblance also extends to Jesus, who is the image of God (Hebrews 1:1-3).

However, according to Genesis 5:3, all humans now inherit Adam’s image, not God’s image. Only those who are saved inherit God’s image, as emphasized in Colossians 3:10.

1 Corinthians 11:7 tells us that while men are seen as the glory of God, women stand as the glory of men.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us humans are tripartite beings, consisting of spirit, soul, and body. This parallels the trinitarian nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Man was created from dust and God’s breath.

Genesis 2:7: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

The woman was created from the man’s rib.

Genesis 2:22: “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”

God created man in His own image.

2 Corinthians 4:4: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Colossians 1:15: “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”

Jesus is in the image of God.

Hebrews 1:1-3: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”

Man is the glory of God and woman is the glory of man.

1 Corinthians 11:7: “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”

All men are in the image of Adam. Only saved men are in the image of God.

Genesis 5:3: “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:”

Colossians 3:10: “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”

In essence, man and woman get saved in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are both made in the image of God.

Men were created with 3 things in them: spirit, soul, and body just like God (Holy Spirit, Father, and Jesus).

1 Thessalonians 5:23: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Dust = Body
God’s breath = Spirit
Became a living soul = Soul

Genesis 2:7: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

What was man’s role given at creation?

God has bestowed upon man the responsibility and authority over the earth (Genesis 1:28). Genesis 2:18 emphasizes God’s intention for human companionship, as He deemed it inappropriate for man to be isolated. One of the roles God gave Adam was to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28; Hebrews 10:25).

God created man with control of the environment.

Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Even after Adam’s fall, man still has control over the environment.

Genesis 9:3-6: “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

God created man to not be alone.

Genesis 2:18: “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

God wanted man to multiply and let them follow each other.

Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Hebrews 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

What were the attributes of man given at creation?

God has bestowed upon man the responsibility and authority over the earth (Genesis 1:28). Together with that, He created man with free will (Genesis 2:16-17, Joshua 24:15).

God gave man intelligence, as shown when he could name the creatures within a short span of time (Genesis 2:19). This intelligence can also increase (Genesis 3:22).

God created Adam with immortality. While the body may perish, the human soul returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7) and the soul finds its eternal abode. Both the wicked and the righteous have eternal destinies (Matthew 25:46) – heaven and hell.

God created man with free will.

Genesis 2:16-17: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Joshua 24:15: “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

God created man with intelligence.

Genesis 2:19: “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.”

Man’s intelligence can further increase.

Genesis 2:17: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Genesis 3:22: “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”

Genesis 3:10: “And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

God created man with immortality.

Revelation 4:11: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Romans 2:7: “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”