Genesis 1 Creation

1. How Did We Get Here and
Why?
Genesis 1
John R. Wible
February 16,2014

2. The Oldest Profession?
It’s not what you think
• Doctor
• Engineer
• Lawyer
The Universe is here because
God spoke it into being
2/16/2014
John R. Wible, 2014
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3. Worldview
• How we view the origins of the
universe colors everything about
our worldview.
– Did it all start with a speck of dust
or a “big bang?
– Is it the creative work of an
intelligent being?
– Is it a mix of the above?
• The Bible points us to an allpowerful, personal Creator.
2/16/2014
John R. Wible, 2014
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4. Myths
• Generally accepted definition: “A
story about gods or supernatural
beings.”
• Such suggests the absence of
true stories about the
supernatural.
• Better: “Traditional story of
presumed events that serves to
unfold part of a worldview or
explain practice, beliefs, or
natural phenomena.”
2/16/2014
John R. Wible, 2014
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5. Genesis 1
• A book of beginnings
• Creation stories
– Mesopotamian
– Egyptian
– Russian
– Native American
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John R. Wible, 2014
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6. It Really Happened!
• Cultures record a creation story
and the “great flood” because
they really happened.
• Somebody created us all.
• The fossil records discloses a
cataclysmic flood over all or
most of the Earth.
• Not “How” but “Who?”
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John R. Wible, 2014
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7. Cavendish Labs, p.153
• In all creation, what is most
intriguing to you? P.152
• Quotation over door of
Cavendish Laboratory (p.153)
(OK, this is not the
one they wanted.)
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John R. Wible, 2014
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8. Q&A
• Humanity has always
asked
“how” and “why”
as long as
it’s been around.
• The Bible has the answers
that some still refuse to believe
– We exist because God said so.
• What does it matter what we
think about the origins of the
universe?
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John R. Wible, 2014
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9. Genesis 1:1-3
1. In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth.
2. Now the earth was formless and
empty, darkness covered the
surface of the watery depths,
and the Spirit of God was
hovering over the surface of the
waters.
3. Then God said, “Let there be
light,” and there was light.
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John R. Wible, 2014
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10. Genesis 1:6-11
6. Then God said, “Let there be an
expanse between the waters,
separating water from water. . .
9. Then God said, “Let the water
under the sky be gathered into
one place, and let the dry land
appear.” And it was so. . .
11.Then God said, “Let the earth
produce vegetation: . . . plants
and fruit trees . . . Bearing fruit
with seed according to its kind.”
And it was so.
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John R. Wible, 2014
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11. Genesis 1:14 and 20
14. Then God said, “Let there be
lights in the expanse of the sky to
separate the day from the night.
They will serve as signs for
festivals and for days and years.”
20. Then God said, “Let the water
swarm with living creatures, and let
the birds fly above the earth ...”
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John R. Wible, 2014
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12. Three Basic Origins of the
Universe
• There was nothing, then
there was something,
– it just happened
• Evolution – There was always
something and it randomly came
together
• The Genesis account
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13. Occam’s Razor
Which seems the most reasonable
to you and why?
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14. Christian Misconceptions
about the Origin of Things
• Making a god out of
creation, itself
• God created people because He
was lonely, bored or incomplete
• However, God said, “Let there be
. . .” and it was so.
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15. God, Indeed, Said, “Let
there be . . .”
• The priority of God as Author,
source, and Cause of creation
• The miraculous manner of His
creative work as He speaks
things into existence
• The scope of His creative work
that encompasses “the heavens
and the Earth”
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16. God’s Crowning
Achievement
26. Then God said, “Let Us make
man in Our image, according to
Our likeness. They will rule the
fish of the sea, the birds of the sky,
the livestock, all the earth, and the
creatures that crawl on the earth.
27. So God created man him in His
own image; He created him in the
image of God; He created them
male and female.
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17. You are made
In Imago Dei
Made in the image of God, humans:
• Had spiritual life that is reflected
in ethical and moral sensitivities
• Enjoyed a relationship with God
• Served as God’s royal
representative on the earth
• Q: What does “In Imago Dei”
mean?
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18. So What?
• The unique nature and sacredness
of human life is directly related to
our being created in imago Dei
• We are not an accident – none of us
• The image of God in us has been
marred, leading us to pursue our
own purposes
• In redemption through Christ, God’s
original purpose is restored
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19. Two Final Answers
•
•
•
•
How did we get here?
God spoke everything into being
Why are we here?
To worship and serve our creator
who redeemed us through the death
and resurrection of His Son, Jesus
• The Westminster Catechism says,
“The chief end of man is to glorify
God and enjoy Him forever.”
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20. Let’s Pray About it!
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John R. Wible, 2014
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