Scriptural Background
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31). As we come to the end of creation week, we see that God looked at his creation and acknowledged it as very good. God provided very specific information in this account—and we need to take notice of all he said.
So, let’s take a closer look at the text and see the details God intended for us to grasp. “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth . . . God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves . . . according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. . . . living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds . . . the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind” (Genesis 1:20–25).
When God repeats something, he expects us to listen. In the creation account, God repeats 10 times that the living things he created were created according to their kinds. Here we see the Word of God plainly and simply providing the truth about creation. There is no room for man’s idea of evolution. There is no way that all forms of life share a common ancestor because God’s Word flatly denies that possibility.
As his final act of creation, God created man—in his image—to have dominion over all the animals and over all the earth (Genesis 1:26–27). Again, note that this account of creation challenges the very core of evolution. And that challenge is presented by the holy, omnipotent, omniscient God—we dare not deny his truth.
What does it mean that man is created in God’s image? We are completely different from anything else created during the creation week. We have the capability to reason, to create, to intelligently communicate, and most importantly, to have a saving relationship with the Creator through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (John 3:16)—no animal could ever do that!
Historical/Apologetics Background
From the early days of the church, the Genesis account of creation was taken literally—God created everything in six days about 6,000 years ago. It was not until the 18th century that some men began to cast doubt on the biblical time frame of creation and began to discuss millions of years of earth history. It was then that the idea of uniformitarianism was developed. This idea holds that present geological processes are the key to understanding the past. For example, secular geologists contend that because canyons today erode at slow rates by rivers cutting through them, they must have eroded just as slowly in the past. While there were a few in the church who held onto the Bible as authoritative, many influential clergy and scientists adopted this idea of uniformitarianism and the millions of years of earth history that accompanied it.
But how would that affect the biblical view of creation? It gave rise to many false views, including the day-age theory and the gap theory. The belief that the earth was millions of years old paved the way for the evolutionary ideas of Charles Darwin in the late 1800s. Evolution fit nicely into the idea of millions of years and further discounted God’s holy Word.
Our culture today is immersed in the idea of evolution. From TV, Hollywood movies, museums, billboards, cereal boxes, children’s books, textbooks, and even our churches and Christian schools, the idea of life evolving from lower forms is taught as a better alternative to creation. We need to be diligent to teach that this is not true. God created all things according to their kinds to reproduce according to their kinds (see Scriptural Background above).
What is a kind? The created kinds can be most closely described as families of animals. Each family is totally different from any other family. We’ve seen that the Bible’s first use of the word kind is found in Genesis 1 when God created plants and animals according to their kinds. God used the term again when he instructed Noah to take two of every kind of animal onto the Ark (Genesis 6:20). After the flood, God commanded that Noah bring out every living thing on the Ark (all the kinds) so that they could multiply on the earth (Genesis 8:17). By reading and comparing the language in these texts, we see that God intended all he created to reproduce within the boundaries of their created kinds—or families (Genesis 8:19).
This truth found in Genesis completely contradicts the basis of evolution. Since the beginning of earth’s history, there have been many different kinds (families) of animals. They are each distinct from one another. An animal or plant from one family has never turned into an animal or plant from another family.
And, the same principle holds true for humans! No animal has ever turned into a human being. God’s Word tells us we are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). We are not animals. Evolution is not true! Unfortunately, as society and many in the church accept the evolutionary worldview, doubt in God’s Word as a true history of the world increases. Evolutionary ideas lead to the belief that man is just an animal—more highly evolved, for sure—but still just an animal. This view has led to such social atrocities as abortion, slavery, euthanasia, and genocide. If man is just an animal, then why not kill him the way one would squash a mosquito?
Evolution erodes the respect and honor we should allow God and his prized creation—people. As more people discount the truth of Genesis and lean on man’s understanding of “science,” the compromise toward biblical truth increases. And in many cases, the entire Bible is being disregarded as insignificant and irrelevant. This worldview is causing chaos in our society—and promises to create a generation that will not know God, Jesus Christ, or the need for salvation. For those of us who love Jesus Christ and believe what the Bible says about him, this situation is heartbreaking because it will lead to the eternal damnation of many. It is time to get back to the authority of the Bible—beginning in Genesis.
Studying God’s Word
? What makes man distinct from the animals?
(MULTILINE)
Days 5–6 of Creation
Under the following headings, make a list or write descriptions of
what was created on the last two days of the creation week. (This is
a continuation of what you started last week.)
Day Five (Genesis 1:20–23)
(MULTILINE)
Day Six (Genesis 1:24–31)
(MULTILINE)
Read Genesis 1:20–31
Leviticus 11:13–19
Kinds of Critters Activity
After viewing the “Kinds” video, complete the Kinds of Critters
worksheet.
Application
1. How would you explain to someone that the idea of man being
just a highly evolved ape is absolutely incompatible with the
Bible?
(MULTILINE)
2. What social implications does an evolutionary view of
mankind have?
(MULTILINE)
3. How could you use Scripture to sit down with someone who does
not believe there is a conflict in the biblical and evolutionary
accounts of the origin of life and show them the conflicts?
(MULTILINE)
4. How could this discussion, the biblical explanation of the
creation, lead to presenting the gospel to this person?
(MULTILINE)
5. How does knowing that Jesus is both the Creator and the Savior
of the world help you to love him more?
(MULTILINE)
Prayer Requests
- Praise God for his kindness in choosing to make man in his image.
- Ask God to clear any confusion over these issues in the minds of the students and give them boldness to proclaim the gospel.
- Thank God for the clarity and sufficiency of what he has revealed in the Bible.
- Additional Prayer Request (MULTILINE)