The Creation Week

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="04dd4c00dduajq.gif"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> While most assume the Bible claims that the universe and this world was created about 6000 years ago, carefull considerations shows a different viewpoint.</div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="05894943.jpg"> <div> <B>Church of God (Seventh Day) South Africa</B><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God (Seventh Day) South Africa"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>The Creation Week</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id86.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Spiritual Creation"><U>The Spiritual Creation</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Seventh Millennium"><U>The Seventh Millennium</U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id91.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Preparing for the Return of Christ"><U>Preparing for the Return of Christ</U></A></div> <div> The Creation Week</div> <div> <B>Introduction</B></div> <bR> <div> As we grow from childhood, we all ask these questions of our parents and teachers: Who are we? Why were we born? Why do we exist? Where do we come from? Without a clear understanding from the Scriptures, scientists have tried to explain our existence through the theory of Evolution, and feel that they have the answers, bar some missing links. This theory seems to disagree with the Bible account of our creation, and some uninformed people may feel that the Bible can't be accurate, or even true. If we are going to take the Word of God serious and strive for eternal life we need to clarify these issues upfront, and prove the Bible true. The first lesson will deal with the creation, and prove that the Bible can be seen as a scientifically accurate book. Through this we can get a glimpse of the power and magnitude of our Creator.</div> <bR> <div> "19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. </div> <div> 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:"</div> <div> (Romans 1:19-20, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> <B>Earliest events</B></div> <bR> <div> What is the earliest event in the Bible? Is it found in the first verse of the Bible?</div> <bR> <div> "1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:1, KJV) </div> <div>  </div> <div> Actually, no. There are several verses that deal with earlier events. </div> <bR> <div> "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. </div> <div> 2 The same was in the beginning with God. </div> <div> 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."</div> <div> (John 1:1-3, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Here we find that the Son of God existed with God before anything was created. He also exists in the realm of eternity, and everything was created through Him. These verses show the situation even before the creation account of Genesis 1. But there is more.</div> <bR> <div> Were the angels created?</div> <bR> <div> The prophet had the following to say in symbolic language about the deceiver who enticed Adam and Eve:</div> <bR> <div> "13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created."</div> <div> (Ezekiel 28:13, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Satan, the first fallen angel, was created. He corrupted himself, but that is another major topic. The point is that God through the Son that became Jesus Christ, our Savior, created angels.</div> <bR> <div> When were the angels created?</div> <bR> <div> When God spoke to Job, He mentioned an event in His creation:</div> <bR> <div> "4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. </div> <div> 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? </div> <div> 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; </div> <div> 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" </div> <div> (Job 38:4-7, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> The angels were created long before the events of Genesis 1. One of the leading angels corrupted himself, and deceived a third of the angels to follow in his alternative ways, in defiance of their Creator. This is mentioned in passing when discussing the efforts of the devil who tried to destroy Jesus Christ:</div> <bR> <div> "4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."</div> <div> (Revelation 12:4, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Satan drew a third of the angels from their heavenly abode to follow him in his assault on God's future plans. Was Satan also cast out of the third heaven?</div> <bR> <div> "18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." </div> <div> (Luke 10:8, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Jude also mentioned these events.</div> <bR> <div> "6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."</div> <div> (Jude 6, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> These all happened before Genesis 1. There is a lot more to these events. The purpose at this point is to show that angelic creation and later partial rebellion happened before the events of Genesis 1. With this in mind, lets reconsider Genesis 1.</div> <bR> <div> "1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:1, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> How did God create the heaven (or "heavens" as some translations have it) and the earth?</div> <bR> <div> Einstein showed a relationship between matter and energy in his famous formula. Today nuclear power stations convert matter into energy, which is a degenerative process. God created matter from His power or energy. Consider the following verse:</div> <bR> <div> "3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." </div> <div> (Hebrews 11:3, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> The apostle understood that God created matter not from other matter, but from invisible things, and Einstein confirmed that it was conceivable that God made matter from energy. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Was or Became?</B></div> <bR> <div> Lets look again at Genesis one.</div> <bR> <div> "1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. </div> <div> 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:1-2, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Lets look at verse two in detail. It reads in the average translation that the earth was without form and void. The Hebrew words are "Tohuw" and "Bohuw". These words mean empty, wasted, in vain. Translators agree that verse two may also have been translated as "And the earth became without form". The expression "Tohuw" and "Bohuw" is also used elsewhere in the Bible. It is always used to describe the result of divine retribution. Lets look at them:</div> <bR> <div> "9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. </div> <div> 10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever. </div> <div> 11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness."</div> <div> (Isaiah 34:11, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> "19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. </div> <div> 20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. </div> <div> 21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? </div> <div> 22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. </div> <div> 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, <I>it was</I> without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light."</div> <div> (Jeremiah 4:19-23, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Notice that the word "it was" in verse 23 may not have been in the original manuscripts. These events describe a future retribution from Jeremiah's point of view. Can it be that the verse in Genesis 1:2 may also describe the result of a previous retribution?</div> <bR> <div> Did God create the earth initially in vain?</div> <bR> <div> "18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else." </div> <div> (Isaiah 45:18, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> We may view this in two ways. Lets see the comments of the Psalmist:</div> <bR> <div> "30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth." </div> <div> (Psalm 104:30, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> The sense here is of a renewal of the earth. This seems to parallel Genesis 1:2:</div> <bR> <div> "2 And the earth was [or became] without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:2, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> Some commentaries in the New Schofield Reference Bible accept the notion that a long time may have elapsed between Genesis 1 verse 1 and verse 2. The emptiness and uselessness of the surface may have been due to a previous destruction, possibly after the rebellion of some of the fallen angels following Satan. The original Hebrew allows for such an interpretation, although some in the Jewish community may disagree with that.</div> <bR> <div> The truth is that the creation (or recreation) account of Genesis 1 deals with us, the current age of humanoids on the earth. We are a special creation, in whom the Spirit of God may dwell, to learn to love and operate by sharing, instead of living by the law of the jungle, like the animals do. </div> <bR> <div> We are a special creation in which the Spirit of God may dwell. After repentance and baptism we have the opportunity to build the Character of God and to dwell in the Holy Spirit. After our death God will keep our spirit for the future resurrection.</div> <bR> <div> "21<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"</FONT></div> <div> (Ecclesiastes 3:20, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> This needs a sermon series to explain. The point here is that we are specially created from Genesis 1!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Evolution?</B></div> <bR> <div> We have therefore no argument with all the scientific evidence of earlier animal kingdoms or even apparent humanoids. The evidence is there of cataclysmic events that destroyed previous animal life. God is dealing with the current world, in which people live that may repent of their selfish ways living by the law of the jungle. We can turn to Him, receive His Spirit, and be granted eternal life ultimately. The Bible deals with us, where we come from, and is accurate concerning the current world. It does not deal with previous worlds, animal kingdoms, or even humanoids, although there may be hints at those in the Scriptures. We will not speculate, except to say that we can prove that the Word of God is true.</div> <bR> <div> Lets draw some analogies here.</div> <bR> <div> The motor vehicle has evolved over many decades. There were specific design alterations that allowed improvements at specific points. If a future generation digs up evidence a thousand years from now of the motor vehicle, they will also see evidence of evolvement. Not knowing about the creators, they may want to conclude that the motor vehicle evolved by itself. We know that they would be dead wrong. Evolution can only occur through an intelligent designer evolving and improving his design.</div> <bR> <div> We could write books on possible interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures, but that would be counterproductive. Our main aim should be to save this generation from eliminating itself from eternal life through sin. The aim at this point is to hint at the fact that we can answer the scientists, and prove the Bible true.</div> <bR> <div> Just one more story.</div> <bR> <div> Some time ago I walked on an Island that nobody else visited before. It rose from the bed of the ocean quite recently due to volcanic action. As I walked on the unspoiled beach, I noticed some shining objects on the rocks some distance away. Upon further investigation, I saw some round objects that have formed due to the volcanic process. I picked one of them up and studied it tentatively and with my heart pounding. They were golden watches! Purely by chance the molten lava must have formed and solidified in the form of watches, with electronics in place. They even had batteries in them that were charged! They could keep time for several years! </div> <bR> <div> We arranged an archeological dig and found earlier versions of these watches. Earlier species showed gears and springs, which formed automatically from previously cataclysmic events. We developed evolution theories on how these watches evolved and improved over millions of years. It was the only way we could explain their existence. It was quite a discovery!</div> <bR> <div> My only problem is that nobody believes me. Then why do they believe Darwin?</div> <bR> <div> Of course my story is fictitious!</div> <bR> <div> What are we saying? Genesis deals with the current world, its animal kingdom and humanoids that God wants to reach out to, to educate in spiritual matters, teach His ways of love, and grant eternal life with Him. We have no argument with scientists that dig up earlier animal kingdoms, perhaps even humanoids. What we know is that only from Adam and Eve humanoids of all races are alive on the earth today, which may receive the Spirit of God and may attain eternal life. God's Word concerns us, not previous animal kingdoms.</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Flood</B></div> <bR> <div> Another event in the Bible that people try to discredit is the flood.</div> <bR> <div> Yet here again we will demonstrate that the Bible is accurate. Lets look at the Scriptures.</div> <bR> <div> "11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. </div> <div> 12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." </div> <div> (Genesis 7:11-12, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Few people would readily believe that a worldwide flood occurred. But lets look at the scriptures closely, and propose a scientific understanding. Verse 11 shows that there were three sources for all the water. </div> <bR> <div> 1) All the fountains of the earth broke open. Water in reservoirs under the earth's crust broke through and spewed out huge amounts of water. This may have happened due to a large meteorite striking the earth at the place that became known today as the Bermuda Triangle. This forced the South American continent away from Africa. Later the rapid drift was slowed dramatically by earth structures, which caused an upheaval forming large mountain ranges on the eastern side of South Africa, and the western side of South America. All the scientific evidence is there.</div> <bR> <div> 2) The fountains in this part of the earth may have spewed water very high, causing excessive moisture in the atmosphere, causing excessive rain.</div> <bR> <div> 3) Windows of heaven may refer to a vapor canopy high up above the atmosphere. It is known that other planets like Venus and Saturn have vapor canopies. The earth may have had a similar canopy, much like the ozone layer that we have today.</div> <bR> <div> The rapid movement of the earth's plates would have left great canyons where the water flowed to over a period of months from between the mounts that formed. Noah and his family escaped this upheaval in the earth's crust, for they were floating safely on top of the water.</div> <bR> <div> Scientists found salt crystals high up on Mount Ararat. This shows that the mountain was submerged under seawater at some stage. Many other archeological digs demonstrate a sudden death of animal life, being frozen in debris and preserved for us to see the result of the cataclysmic events that caused the flood.</div> <bR> <div> How many days were there in a month before the flood?</div> <bR> <div> We will see this when we calculate the days from the beginning to the end of the flood.</div> <bR> <div> When did the flood start?</div> <bR> <div> "11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." </div> <div> (Genesis 7:11, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> When did the flood end?</div> <bR> <div> "4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat." </div> <div> (Genesis 8:4, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Exactly 5 months. How many days?</div> <bR> <div> "3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated."</div> <div> (Genesis 8:3, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Hundred and fifty days divided by five months shows that a month was 30 days long. Yet today in the period after the flood a month is 29.53 days long. There was a slowdown in the rotational speed of the earth, probably caused by a large meteor striking the earth causing the cataclysmic events of the flood. It all falls into place!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Vapor canopy?</B></div> <bR> <div> We mentioned the vapor canopy that may have existed before the flood, to explain some further scriptures.</div> <bR> <div> Coming back to the Genesis account, notice the following:</div> <bR> <div> "6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. </div> <div> 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. </div> <div> 8 And God called the firmament Heaven."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:6-8, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Some people question the exact wording. The firmament is the first heaven, the earth's atmosphere. The creation account shows that there were waters above the atmosphere. This possibly shows a vapor canopy. This collapsed during the flood. The amount of sunlight that reached the earth increased, which made possible the sighting of rainbows. Was it possible to see rainbows before the flood?</div> <bR> <div> "8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, </div> <div> 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; </div> <div> 10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. </div> <div> 11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. </div> <div> 12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: </div> <div> 13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. </div> <div> 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: </div> <div> 15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. </div> <div> 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. </div> <div> 17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth." </div> <div> (Genesis 9:8-17, KJV) </div> <bR> <div> These scriptures all tie together in scientific fact. The Bible is true, scientifically correct, and can be trusted. The Creator knows His creation, and the people of God were literate, educated, and recorded truthfully. We have no excuse if we reject the Word of God.</div> <bR> <div> "18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; </div> <div> 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. </div> <div> 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: </div> <div> 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. </div> <div> 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,"</div> <div> (Romans 1:18-22, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> We could go on and produce volumes of documentaries on the Creation week and the Flood. Some scientists have done just that. But others prefer to turn their back on the Creator. We are of those that think clearly, face the facts, and believe.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Creation Week</B></div> <bR> <div> Knowing that it is true, we will now look at Genesis 1, and consider the possibility that it shows a renewal of the face of the earth. Quite often God demonstrates an event to His servant by placing him at the scene and allowing him to experience what happened, and requesting that he write it down.</div> <bR> <div> We may consider it from the author's viewpoint as being in the spirit at Jerusalem more or less on the face of the earth, unaffected by the material upheaval going on around him.</div> <bR> <div> Was the earth initially covered with water?</div> <bR> <div> "2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. "</div> <div> (Genesis 1:2, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> In it's wasted form, the earth was totally covered in water. But now the renewal started.</div> <bR> <div> "3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. </div> <div> 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. </div> <div> 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." </div> <div> (Genesis 1:3-5, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> When total darkness prevailed due to debris in the atmosphere, there could be no day or night, even though the earth rotates around its axis. Allowing light to reach the earth was the first priority.</div> <bR> <div> "6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. </div> <div> 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. </div> <div> 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:6-8, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> The atmosphere needed to be settled, with water beneath and the vapor canopy above.</div> <bR> <div> "9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. </div> <div> 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. </div> <div> 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. </div> <div> 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. </div> <div> 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:9-13, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Now the earth's crust needed to be shaped so that water would move off and reveal earth. The wet earth could immediately begin to germinate the seed.</div> <bR> <div> "14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: </div> <div> 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. </div> <div> 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. </div> <div> 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, </div> <div> 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. </div> <div> 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:14-19, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> As the atmosphere cleared even more, the sun and moon and stars became visible from the earth, and could influence mankind underneath, for the sake of visibility and awareness of time.</div> <bR> <div> "20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. </div> <div> 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. </div> <div> 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. </div> <div> 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:20-23, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Sea animals and birds were created.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> "24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. </div> <div> 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. </div> <div> 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. </div> <div> 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. </div> <div> 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. </div> <div> 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. </div> <div> 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. </div> <div> 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."</div> <div> (Genesis 1:24-31, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Land animals including man were created. It is important to note that the animals would procreate after it's kind. Mankind has tried to crossbreed animal types, with very limited success. Whenever it happened, the offspring was week, and infertile, unable to procreate. God's Word will stand!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. </div> <div> 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. </div> <div> 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."</div> <div> (Genesis 2:1-3, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> And so our Creator instituted the Sabbath. This was a very important event for mankind. In general the Christian world is quite ignorant of the significance of the creation of the Sabbath. We will deal with this in future lessons. </div> <bR> <div> Some people can't believe that God could renew the face of the earth in six days. They suggest that the creation week could have continued for millions of years. We can't accept this. The ecological system of the earth is in balance between the animals and plant life. Many plants can't procreate and ensure continued existence without the aid of animal life. They could not have survived even a thousand seasons without the animals.</div> <bR> <div> The main issue is whether we believe in a miracle working God. If we can't, how can we believe in the resurrection of the dead, and how can we believe in the inheritance of eternal life? This explains why so many Christians make no spiritual progress, but in general stay in their sin. They don't really believe in a powerful Almighty Creator that is greatly interested in them. We must believe, and if we do, we will find the answers, and proof. </div> <bR> <div> We don't ask for blind belief. We ask for an open mind, which will believe in a miracle working God, when confronted with solid evidence. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Summery</B></div> <bR> <div> We know that many people may want to disagree with these descriptions. We can show video testimonies of scientists supporting these viewpoints. It shows that the Bible can be trusted. Our purpose is not to engage in lengthy discussions. We have far more important work to do. We started this Bible study course with the Creation week to use it for structure and further reference. We will show the student just how integrated the Bible is, even though it was written by people of God over a period of thousands of years, proving a Mastermind behind it's composition! We will prove that there is a God who ultimately controls our destiny!</div> <div>     </div> <div> We have seen the renewal week and stand in awe of a miracle working God, but there is more to it. The apostles of the first century understood that there was a prophetic nature to the creation week as well. Every day may relate to a thousand years in the continual spiritual creation through the history of mankind. It is very important that the student understands this!</div> <bR> <div> "8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." </div> <div> (2 Peter 3:8, KJV)</div> <bR> <div> Almighty God is so great, that He can pattern His spiritual creation after the sequences of His physical creation! We will show prophetic outlines and match it with human history. We will show you more in future lessons! </div> <bR> <div> Ultimately we will show you where you fit in with God's plans.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="113f4080.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="8" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>