Fiat and Fulfillment
The act of creation is given in terms of fiat and fulfillment. There is the command 'let there be' and then the fulfillment 'then there was'. There is also the blessing of the divine pleasure after each day of creation. 'And God saw that it was good'. Then following the sixth day of creation, in which God created man in his own image, God declares that He 'saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.' V.31. This teaches us that material things and human sexuality are not evil in and of themselves. They are good as they were originally created. The problem is that they have been affected by the Fall.

Now generally people stop with the end of chapter 1 and assume that man is the apex of God's creation when in fact there is one more day which is even more special. The seventh day is the day on which God blesses and sanctifies or set apart different from all the rest the Sabbath day. The point of the Seventh day is that the crown of God's creation is God's day not man's. The apex of creation is God centred and not man centred. 

creatio ex nihilo
The simple statement of the act of creation does not allow for any previous matter existing prior to God calling it into existance as other ancient account of creation do. This is an important and marked difference with ancient cosmologies. The Biblical account of creation is what theologians call ex nihilo, out of nothing. And the creation work was not simply the formation of the fundamental original matter but the completed heavens and earth as a cosmos. God brought into existance that which previously did not exist in any form simply by the word of his power and that creation is disctinct from and dependant on God.

Literary Style
Now what needs to be understood about the creation narrative is that is it not a university science text book but rather a Hebrew narrative which has certain unique characteristics. One of the features is to make a general statement followed by a detailed explanation. This helps to explain the existance of what looks like two accounts of creation. Genesis 1:1 - 2:4; and Genesis 2:5 - 25.

Genesis 2:4 becomes the introductory statement for the specific details of the offspring of heaven and earth, namely man, both body and soul. Thus 2:4 is not given as a statement of chronological creation but rather as an introductory remark.

Chapter 1
This is the description of creation until its climax in man made in the image of God.

Chapter 2
This gives the needed details about mans original condition to prepare the way for the account of the Fall. Keep in mind that the planting of the Garden of Eden is not chronological but topical.

Chapter 3
The account of the fall and its tragic results.

Days of Creation
The period described in Genesis 1 for the time of creation is six days, followed by the day of rest. The question arises how long were these days? This is a difficult question to answer with any degree of certainty. There are four views put forth to explain the days.

Solar days
This view states that they were solar days. The problem with this view is that the first three days could not have been solar days because the sun had not yet been created.

Long days
This view states that the period of time was much longer than the 24 hour period thus making room for some form of evolution. But evolution does not necessarily follow from this view, even though it has been used by creation evolutionist to suppor their views. A variation on this view is that the first three days may have been a long period of time while the last three were solar days. 

Geological periods
This view states that each day was a geological period again making room for an evolutionary view.

Non-chronological 
This view sees the days of creation in random order. There is no chronological order to the way they have been presented in Genesis. 

To help resolve the tension certain things need to be remembered, which can give us a framework in which to work out the difficulties. 

First there is the existance of light before the creation of the sun. However we need to remember that God is continually described as light and His presence and light must not be ruled out. 

Second we must always remember that it is not necessary to line up the Bible with what man may believe at any given point in history. We now know that the world is not flat but round and the Bible has never been in conflict with reality, no matter how man has viewed it. 

Thirdly the Bible itself testifies to the days of creation as solar days in the ten commandments. '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.' These days may have been longer than we now know our days to be but this never the less is not an issue with the Biblical account. The point is not the length of time of creation but rather the sovereign act of creation by God Himself.

Ordinances of Creation
The early chapter of Genesis become especially important for a number of reasons but one of the reasons is that we have commands given before the fall of man and thus give the highest form of requirement in an enviornment unaffected by sin. They have commonly been called Creation Ordinances. They include the Sabbath, Work, and Marriage. These three are binding on all humanity as part of the created order of all men.

Image of God    imago Dei
The first teaching that is important to note is the Image of God in which man was created. It suggests man's uniqueness. None of the other elements of creation are spoken of in this way. The term is used synonymously with likeness of God. What does it means then to be made in the image of God.

Some have suggested that God looks like us having hands, feet and other bodily parts. But the references in scripture that speak of God in this way are what is called anthropomorphic. Attributing human characteristics to God and not describing his actual appearance. Scripture makes it clear that God is not a man but a spirit. Isaiah 31:3; John 4:24

Some suggest that we reflect God in the trinity having a body, soul and spirit, however the scriptures speak more to a two elements (dichotomy) body and soul or spirit rather than three elements (trichotomy).

Still others have applied it to mans dominion over the earth. But this fails in that dominion describes what we do and not what we are.

It means that we are to reflect the character or attributes of God. God is righteous and holy so we are to reflect that holiness and righteousness in our person. And this is how we were created before sin defaced the image. Man was created in positive holiness not a state of innocence or neutrality but actively obeying God. And God pronounced it very good. This was marred by the fall but not destroyed. Colossians 3:10

It has some important implications in the Bible. Man is made for fellowship and communion with almighty God and the image of God points us in that direction. Man is to have dominion over the earth because he is created in the image of God. Sanctified ecology has its roots in the image of God. Both men and women are created equally in the image of God, giving social and sexual implications. The sanctity of life and capital punishment have their roots and arguments in the image of God. Genesis 9:6

Redemption is the act of God to restore the image of God to its orignal glory in the second Adam. 1 Corinthians 15:47-49; Philippians 3:21

Sabbath
The one in seven principle is set down for us in the creation narrative in Genesis 2:2. The latter commandment of sabbath rest in Exodus 20 has its roots in the very creative work of God. A proper understanding in Genesis can help in understanding Exodus 20. First whatever the work of the seventh day is it is set apart as distinct from the other six days of the activity of creation. But what we need to understand here is that God's rest does not mean that God is inactive otherwise the universe would cease to exist. Jesus clearly taught that the Father is still at work but not in the same creative activity He was involved in the earlier six days. John 5:17 The Father is certainly at work sustaining and preserving his creation for the day of Redemption. It is a rest of delight in his work of creation. But again the reason for mans rest is given as God's rest. This day of rest is the high point of creation and not the calm or sigh of exhaustion. It is the activity of rejoicing in His creation. A day of celebration. It is God centred not man centred.

The pattern of the sabbath is given in creation and God argues in Exodus 20 back to creation to pre fall days to bind men to its observance. The activity is also understood from God's creative work. It does not mean that rest is to be total inactivity but rather ceasing from the work of the other six says. Setting apart the one day in seven to refresh ourselves in the activity of focused worship.

Work
Contrary to public opinion man was created to work. Sabbath rest has no meaning apart from the backdrop of work. Man was created and then place in a work enviornment with specific labour before the fall. Work is not sinful! Genesis 2:15 Man was to dress the garden and keep it. He was to name the animals and have dominion over the earth. It was a blessing to Adam to be employed in this occupation. No matter how ordinary an occupation it might seem it was Adam's glory and was not to be taken lightly by him.

Adam was also to have dominion over the earth. This was not to be a dictatorship but a dominion of management and control of the earth's resources. This assumes some skill, thought and energy on Adams part, in short work. But the ultimate work of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever and our employment is one means to that end. That is the significance of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adams occupational priority was obedience to God. Here also we reflect the image of God in our creativity and labour.

With the entrance of sin into the world man's labour was not suspended but rather it was made more difficult as a result of it. And the curse in the garden was not work but rather the difficulty now attached to this labour as a result of the fall. Genesis 5:29

'Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance. Ye serve the Lord Christ.' Colossians 3:23,24

Marriage
Then there is the ordinance of marriage and procreation. Genesis 2:24 states that one man and one woman are joined together and become one flesh. This is the passage which both our Lord and Paul uses to shed light on divorce and poligamy. Matthew 19:3-9; Mark 10:3-9; Ephesians 5:31 Sexuality is not sinful confined to the God ordained structure of one man and one woman joined by God. But sexuality is not the end of marriage but rather fellowship and communion. Marriage is of such high regard that God uses it to communicate his relationship with his people. Ephesians 5:32

Help - Meet
The woman is specifically spoken of as a help meet. But it is of noble orgin used of God as our helper and does not come from slavery. They both complement each other. The wife is a help-met. A help answering to him, or a help of his like. Helper suitable, adapted to, or fit for him. There was no beast with which Adam could have intellectual sharing, social sharing, or meet any physical needs. So God provided the creature to complement him. 

The idea of helper is not found in the idea of procreation as in help make babies but more in their general relationship as a helper complementing man. The woman was made to complement another. This ought to be the woman's glory and humility. The man is incomplete without his wife. The wife complements her husband. The Husband complements the wife.

It carries the idea of fellowship and communion it is not good for man to be alone which speaks of incompleteness. Malachi 2:14 friend, partner companion, communion of friendship. 

Cleave
To leave and cleave bears the ideas of removing ourselves from the emotional and economic dependence of parents and being cemented together with our spouse. It refers to a total commitment of intimacy in all of life together symbolized by the sexual union of the husband and the wife. There is to be no intrusion into this new relationship by the former parental authority. This is why a husband is to leave his father and mother economically, emotionally and psychologically not just geographically. There is still a parental responsibility which is supported by the commandment to honor your parents but this can be done without the emotional ties which must be cut. Biblical marriage is not just two people coming together or living together it is total intimacy in all of life which comes to tangible expression in the physical union.

Procreation
Procreation holds a place of importance but must be seen as secondary to the communion and fellowship of the help meet and cleaving. Carrying out the mandate of God to replenish and subdue the earth. Genesis 1:28-29. They share the responsibility of procreating. The husband can't have children without the wife and vice versa. Not withstanding artificial insemination.

For Further Study See The Fall

Copyright © 1995 David Graves & Jane Graves, Electronic Christian Media