Creator Of Man And The Sabbath

THE CREATOR OF MAN AND THE SABBATH

GENESIS 1:26-2:7

READ GENESIS 1:26-31

READ GENESIS 2:1-7

I. THE SABBATH (v. 1-6)

A. The seventh day was a day of rest. Not because God was tired and needed to recharge, but because it was a day to observe what He’d made and enjoy it.

B. All of creation worked together perfectly and everything was ready for man to live in it. (We should note that Genesis 2 is a topical version of the Creation and Genesis 1 a poetic version.)

C. God made the day holy and even commanded the Israelites to keep this day or be punished by death (Exodus 20:8, 31:15)

D. Isaiah 58:13-14= Promises for Keeping the Sabbath

1) What does it take to keep the Sabbath?

a) Call the Sabbath a delight- speaking to others about it

b) Do God’s things and not your own

c) Finding pleasure in the Lord- worship, reading, singing

2) What are promises for keeping the Sabbath?

a) Love of God- blessings will flow to you

b) Exaltation- God will brag on you, anything better?

c) Inheritance of Israel- ensure your place with the family of God

II. THE MAN (v. 7)

A. Man was created by God Himself out of the fine dust of the ground (2:7)

1. Man was formed as a skilled potter would create or as a carver would carve a piece.

2. The dust was the dry earth from the dust of the ground.

B. God breathed in man the breath of life (2:7)

1. Conscience

2. Moral codes and the ability to know right from wrong

3. Soul with personality

C. God imparted to man immortality (2:17)

D. God gave man freedom to reason and choose (2:17)

III. THE ANSWER TO “WHY AM I HERE”

A. 1:26= God wants man to bear His image. This does not mean that we are exactly like God, but we reflect in many ways what He is like. He did this so that a personal relationship between He and mankind could exist.

1) Life was to be first a relationship with God and then with others

2) God’s design was for people to walk with Him day by day

B. 1:28= We are to raise individuals who reflect the image of God. We are not to just have kids and raise them, but raise them to be Godly people who walk with the Lord.

C. 1:26,28= We are to reign over creation in a godly manner and our lives are to be accurate reflections of our Creator.