described as being created in the image and likeness of God (w . 26, 27). Of what does this image and likeness consist? Physical likeness? Such passages as Deuteronomy 4:15 would seem to forbid a physical like ness. The terms image and likeness doubtless refer to moral, intellectual and spiritual qualities. (See Eph. 4:23, 24 and Col. 3:10.) Man was so created that he can fellowship with God.
Pointers on the Lesson H om e r A . K e n t , T h .D .
Helps for the Children A l l is o n A rrowood
Lesson material is based upon out lines of the International Sunday School Lessons copyrighted by the International Council of Religious Education; used by permission.
Helps For the Children The W orld God Made Genesis 1
M em ory V e rse : “ In the beginnin g God created the heaven and the earth” (G en. 1:1). Do you know that many centuries ago there was no lovely world nor were there any people, animals, plants, rivers, etc.? At last God, who had al ways lived, created the heavens and the earth. We do not know exactly what happened to the first world that God made. Doubtless sin caused God to make it an empty place without any form or beauty. When God, many years later, desired to re-create the earth, He chose to do His work in seven days or periods of time. The first day, light was sent to the formless world. God called the light Day and the darkness Night. Next, God made a separation between the heavens and the waters below them. The third day, the land was separated from the waters and plants appeared upon the earth. Next, God made the sun and moon and stars to appear in the heavens. The fifth day God created fish and birds, and the last day He created animals and Adam, the first man. “ God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” On the seventh day God rested from His work of creation. He saw that what He had made was good. God blessed the seventh day and set it aside for His service. Just as the first need of a world in darkness was light, so in the life of a sinner who is living in dark ness, the first need is the Light of the World, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you not feel grateful that a God great enough to create the world is interested in the smallest happen ings in the life of each of His chil dren? Will you thank Him for His work of creation and for creating or making you a new creature in His Son, Christ Jesus? T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
A p ril 1, 1951 GOD'S WONDERFUL CREATION Gen. 1:1-5, 26-31
sible for the changed condition. In this connection study Jeremiah 4:23- 26; Isaiah 24:1; 45 :18; Ezekiel 28: 12-15 and Isaiah 14:9-14. How long the original heavens and earth re mained before they became waste and void, we have no way of knowing. The R econstruction o f Creation w . 2-5,26-31 Some time subsequent to the orig inal creation the earth became waste and void. The word was, in the first part of verse two, may be rendered became as is done in the case of Lot’s wife who became [was] a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26). Such a use better fits the present situation. Following the catastrophe, our chapter tells of a reconstruction by which this world was made a fit dwelling place for man. Note how orderly were these prep arations. The second day’s creation did not take place until the creation of the first day had fully prepared for it. And so the following logical order appears: the appearance of light (probably cosmic light like the aurora borealis), the firmament, plant life, luminaries, animal life, and final ly man. With respect to this Biblical record a noted scientist, J. D. Dana, of Yale, has said, “ The order of events in the Scripture cosmogony is both true and divine.” It is of special interest to note that God did not create man to live upon the earth until He had fully prepared the heavens and the earth for his enjoyment. Man’ s creation is the crowning act of this chapter. He is
Pointers on the Lesson The plan in this new series of les sons is to study some of the great epochs of the Biblical record. Atten tion will be focused upon a number of the outstanding events selected from the various periods of Bible his tory. We begin with a consideration of the creation as set forth in the first chapter of Genesis. It is the writer’s opinion that we have in this chapter a twofold account: first, the record of an original creation; and, second, the record of a subsequent reconstruction following a catas trophe of some kind. The O riginal Creation v. 1 The first verse of the Bible is a stupendous verse. The roots of all future revelation are found here. At some time in the dateless past, “ God created the heaven and the earth.” How long ago this original creating act took place we have no means of knowing. God has seen fit to with hold this knowledge from us. It is believed that between verse one and verse two of this chapter there is a vast period of time which will easily allow for all the millions of years that geologists speak about, and for all the fossil remains that mystify the beholders. It is difficult to believe that a perfect God would create a world “ in the beginning” that was “waste and void” (R.V.). Probably some great cataclysm, maybe the fall of Satan and his angels, was respon- Page Twenty-four
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