Genesis 2:1-9

Well, Genesis 1 certainly has some surprises for us, doesn't it?

We learned, or at least suspected, that the world was once surrounded by a vast canopy of water vapour, and because of that, it enjoyed a universally temperate climate. 

Then we found from Genesis 1:29-30 that in the beginning both man and animals were vegetarians.

In fact, meat was only included in the diet of man and some animals after the flood.

So the old world was very different, and we need to take that into consideration when studying the early chapters of Genesis.

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It was also made very apparent that God’s Word and evolution do not mix. 

No, you just can’t have it both ways. 

Either you believe God’s Word, or you believe evolution.

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For instance, evolutionists say that all life has evolved over millions of years in a continuous orderly way.

God’s Word breaks that supposed chain in at least two ways: 

First of all it is broken by division by origin. 

Yes, God’s physical creation came from two sources: the sea and the soil.

Secondly, God continually tells us in His Word that He made everything "after his kind."

There has never been a crossover between fish and fowl, or the animal kingdom.

And there has never been at crossover within these kingdoms either.

God made everything "after his kind," and that's the way it has remained.

Concerning their physical bodies, I Corinthians 15:39 makes this statement --"All flesh is not the same flesh:  but there is one kind of flesh of men, another of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds."

Yes, God created everything unique and completely separate, so don’t let evolution make a monkey out of you!

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And not only are there distinct physically divisions, but there is a great spiritual separation between man and the rest of creation. 

Man was made in the image of God.

He is a triune being, having body, soul, and a spirit.

And because of that unique spirit dwelling within him, he is the only creation on earth capable of communion with God.

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Well, we have learned a great deal in Chapter 1, and I suppose we have only scratched the surface, but we must go on.

Genesis 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."

Creation was completely finished, perfect in every detail. 

However, as far as science is concerned,   Creation is still going on.  Yes, it is still evolving.  One thousand years from now, man, in his long journey, will be far more developed than he is today.

And actually, this blatant contradiction of God's Word is not surprising, considering its source.

The scientific man has already denied the existence of God the Creator, and the religious man continues to deny God the Saviour. 

Yes, religion refuses to believe that salvation is a finished work--it is up to man to work his way to heaven, and he is perfectly capable of doing so.

But God says no.  The work of salvation is finished.

And from the very cross on which Christ became sin "for us, who knew no sin," He proclaimed the truth that "It is finished!"

He didn't say, "I am finished."  No, He said, "It is finished!"

But man thinks he knows better. 

He is the captain of his own salvation, and of his own destiny.

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V 1  "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them."

Not only was God’s creation finished, but it was absolutely perfect. 

Not one creature in all that vast multitude has ever been recalled for modifications!

Can you imagine the announcements we would hear if God made things like man does? 

All 2003 and 2004 giraffes are being recalled. 

It has been found, that at high speeds, their windpipes are collapsing.

2005 spider monkeys are being recalled immediately. 

Under extreme stress, their tail joints are becoming separated. 

Residents of West Africa are cautioned to be on the lookout for tail-less monkeys falling out of the trees.

But this never happens, does it?

When God makes something, there are no recalls, and there are absolutely no updates either. 

The gazelles coming out next year will be exactly the same as the Genesis model!

And there are no extras to worry about. 

All the water buffalo roaming the African plains come complete with dual horns, four-wheel drive, and leather upholstery!

No, God’s creations are perfect, and they are absolutely complete.

As Genesis 2:1 emphatically states, "the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."

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Someone, noting the awkward appearance of the camel, once said--"A camel must have been designed by a committee." 

Actually that’s not very funny, because it insults his Creator. 

And besides that, the camel is not the least bit awkward.

In fact, he is a most amazingly designed creature. 

Someone has called him the ship of the desert, and certainly he deserves that name. 

The eyes of a camel are protected by three eyelids.  The two outer ones have long, curly eyelashes to keep the sand out, while the inner eyelid wipes the eyeball to remove any dust that gets through. 

And above his eyes, there are very thick eyebrows to shield them from the sun.

And even though his ears are completely filled with hair to protect them from the sand, he hears very well.

However, like the donkey, he doesn't always want to hear what you say.

Then there are his nostrils. 

Actually, they are thin slits which he can completely close in a sand storm.

And what about that hump? 

The hump of an adult camel weighs about 80 pounds, but contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t used to store water. 

Actually, it's a food pack. 

This 80 pounds of fat carried on his back allows him to go for weeks, if necessary, with little or no food. 

But when he does find food, he can eat almost anything! 

His mouth is so tough that he can even eat cacti!

My wife and I can appreciate that fact, for we once lived on a semi-desert island and are well acquainted cacti.

Cacti prickers can give you a flat tire, and can even go through the thin leather sole of a child's shoe!

Then there’s the strength of his legs.

Although a camel typically carries only 400 pounds, he can carry 1,000 pounds. 

And one type of camel, the dromedary, although not loaded as heavily, can travel as much as 100 miles in a day.

Then we should consider his feet. 

He has two toes with hoof-like material on the ends. 

However, he mostly walks on the back of his foot, where there is a large, soft pad that squishes out when he steps on it, allowing him to walk in loose sand, much as we walk on snow, using snowshoes.

And have you ever wondered how a camel can go so long without water?

Actually, he gets a lot of his water from his food. 

In the Sahara, during the cooler season when the vegetation is lusher, the camel doesn't need to drink at all.

Also unlike man, the camel doesn’t need to sweat in order to lower his body temperature. 

A human being uses a lot of water that way, because he needs to maintain his body within a range of 2 to 3 degrees, or he feels sick.

The camel’s body temperature can go up by as much as 11 degrees, and he is just fine!

No, the camel was not designed by a committee.  He was wonderfully designed by God.

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And the camel's usefulness is not confined to transportation either.

The nomads of the desert depend upon the camel for milk and cheese and meat. 

He also supplies their leather, coverings for their tents, and his bones are used for jewellery and utensils. 

No, they just couldn't exist without this all-purpose animal, which God created for the desert!

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V 2-3 "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.
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."

God rested, only in the sense that He ceased working, for God is never weary.

Isaiah 40:28 asks the question, "Hast thou not known?  hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary?...."

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However, God did bless "-- the seventh day, and sanctified it," and we would be well advised to spend some time considering this very special day.

First of all, it is important to realize that the seventh day was sanctified, or set apart, to commemorate the fact that God finished the great work of creation.

Each time He had completed a part of His grand creation, He noted the fact that "it was good.”

But when it was completely finished,"--God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."

We all know the satisfaction of finally finishing something that is dear to our hearts.

So on that seventh day, I believe God looked at His entire creation operating in perfect symmetry, and rejoiced in His finished work.

It was a very special day--"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it."

There is no mention made here that "the seventh day" was to be a day of rest for mankind.

It was simply a memorial to God's finished work. 

And during the long period from Eden to Sinai, no further mention is made of it in scripture.

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However, many years later when Israel became a nation, God gave them the seventh day, or the Sabbath Day, as a day of complete rest for man and beast.

We find that in Exodus 20:8-11  "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

The word "Sabbath" comes from the Hebrew word "Shabbath," which means, "cessation from labour, or rest.”

It was well named, for, as the verses indicate, it gave man and domestic animals the opportunity to lay aside their labours one day in seven.

It was given to them by commandment, but it was a great blessing.

Unfortunately, because of man’s sinful nature, it is often necessary to force his blessings upon him.

God knew that the pursuit of wealth would be a relentless master, so He provided one day in seven for rest.

Also, the Sabbath was a sign of the unique relationship between God and His people.

We see that in Exodus 31:13  "Speak thou also unto the children of Israel , saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you."

And again in V 17--"It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."

Yes, it was a reminder that Jehovah was their God, and that He was the Creator of all things.

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However, by the time Jesus arrived on the scene, the scribes and Pharisees had added so many man-made rules that the Sabbath was more of a burden than a blessing.

Jesus refused to apply these rules to His disciples, and reminded the scribes and Pharisees that "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."

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And then things changed, at least for the Church of Jesus Christ they changed. 

Believers began to gather on the first day of the week to commemorate the fact that their Lord arose from the dead on that day.

Mark 16:9  "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene…."

I suppose this observance would be very difficult for them.

Most of them would be working for the Jewish masters who would have already given them Saturday off, and would expect them to work on the Lord's Day.

As a result, I would imagine they would be getting together in the evenings after their day's work.

It wouldn't be hard to imagine why one young man fell out of a window when Paul preached until midnight.

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Today, all of our days have pagan names, including the Lord's Day. 

The Sabbath is called Saturday, after the Roman god Saturn.

The Lord’s Day is called Sunday, sacred to the sun, or day of the sun.

However, be it the seventh day or the first day of the week, there is this similarity.  It is still one day in seven, and a day to set aside our labours and honour our God.

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And even those who have no interest in spiritual things still need a day of rest.

God has built it right into our physical makeup.

However, in Ontario, and in most other parts of Canada, we no longer have the privilege of resting together on one specific day. 

I realize there are essential services, such as hospitals and nursing homes that must operate, but do we really need Sunday shopping?

Homes are torn apart because fathers and mothers don’t have the same day off with the children, and for what? 

Retailers incur the extra expense of staffing their stores one extra day every week, and yet there is only so much disposable income available, and most of us don't have any trouble spending our entire income in just six days! 

It's not a good plan economically, nor is it a good plan socially. 

And certainly, it is not a good plan spiritually.

God "rested on the seventh day" to enjoy the fruits of His labour.

Don't you think that would be a good plan for man also?

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Genesis 2:4-5  "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
5: And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew---."

A couple of lessons ago, we noted the fact that plants and herbs were created whole and complete before they were put into the ground.

So the first generation started out as adults, while the second, and all succeeding generations, sprang from seed. 

This was much the same pattern that God followed when He created man. 

Adam was never a baby, nor did he have a father or a mother, but was created in his adult state.

That fact alone totally separates God’s creation from the theories of evolution.

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Continuing on with V 5 "--for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
6: But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."

In past lessons, we noted the distinct possibility that there was a large canopy of water vapour surrounding our planet in the beginning

This would have had at least two effects. 

Because of the diffusion of the sun's rays, the earth would have enjoyed a universally temperate climate.

No, Adam wouldn't need clothes for warmth, and he wouldn't need an umbrella either!

The sun’s rays wouldn't have been strong enough to support the evaporation necessary to produce rain.

However, the earth wasn’t left desolate.

In fact, Genesis 2:6 tells us that "--there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."

And not only was this system of irrigation completely adequate, but it accomplished its purposes without the violent storms we often experience today.

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V 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."

Physically speaking, man was created in much the same way that the land animals were.

God used "the dust of the ground" to create man’s body, and God said--"Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind."

And then God gave Adam life, breathing--"into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

However, a living animal and a living man are not the same thing.

Both have a body and a soul, but only man has a spirit.

Genesis 1:27 tells us "--God created man in His own image," making him a distinct creation, a triune being, with body, soul, and spirit.

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One day a little girl asked, "Where did we come from, Mommy?" 

The mother said, "Actually, darlings, we came from dust." 

Well, she thought about that for a while, and then she said, "Mommy, where do our bodies go when we die?"

"Well, you see dear, our bodies go back to the dust from whence they came, dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

She became a little quiet for a while, and wandered off to her room to think it over. 

Suddenly, she came running out of her room all excited.

"Mommy, Mommy!  There’s someone under my bed, and I don’t know if he’s coming or going!"

Maybe that would have been a good time to tell her about her soul.

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Before we leave this section, I would like to look at two verses that deal with creation.

The first one is Genesis 1:1  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

The second is found in John 1:3, and it refers to our Lord Jesus Christ--"All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made."

It would be impossible to put these verses together if we didn’t believe in the Trinity.

Genesis says "God created the earth," while John tells us that Jesus made "all things."

And you can't reconcile these verses by simply saying Maybe God made some things and Jesus made the rest, for John clearly tells us that "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made."

So, a shared creation theory just doesn't work.

God the Father, God the Son, and even God the Holy Spirit (for Genesis 1:2 says "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,"--were all involved in creation, and yet John says, "All things were made by Him."

So you must accept the fact that God is three in one, or reject God's Word.

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V 8-9 "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9: And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."

We will be hearing more about "the tree of life" and "the tree of knowledge of good and evil" later, so I will bypass them now.

However, there is a small point I would like to make here before we pass on.

Scientific man has come up with the theory that the real reason trees make blossoms, and later on fruit, is to reproduce themselves. 

According to them, trees have evolved these bright blossoms in order to attract the bees they need, to produce fertile seeds.

Now bees do pollinate flowers, and their presence is absolutely necessary, but trees did not develop flowers to gain their own ends, and fruit is not just part of their reproductive cycle.

No, flowers and fruit were not the product of the tree’s evolutionary efforts to reproduce itself. 

Although both these things are necessary, the fact is, God created fruit as a dietary source for man; and, of course, the other inhabitants of this planet.

And, by the way, that's why fruit tastes so good.

And what a pleasant way it was for man to get his food.

There was no necessity for killing or bloodshed.  In fact, before Adam and Eve sinned, I don't believe there was any such thing as death.

Yes, fruit was made to satisfy man's need, and God makes that point very clear in V 9. "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food."

However, a tree is not just a source of food, or even building materials, for that matter. 

God also created trees to supply man’s need for beauty.  "And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight."

The beautiful flowers are not there just to attract the bees.  They’re there to attract man also. 

They were made to thrill his heart, and make his world a pleasanter place to live in.

And the leaves that gracefully form on its branches are not just there to collect sunlight.  They are to create beauty and grace.

And God has certainly given man the capacity to appreciate that beauty!

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Well, we need to stop right there.

Next week we will learning about a "garden" in "Eden," that very special place that God had made just for Adam, and of course for Eve.

Wait a minute.

Eve wasn’t there yet, was she?

Well, anyway, she was part of the blessing.

Or was she part of the problem?

I think I better quit now before I get into real trouble.