Creation: The Sixth Day - Animals and Man (Circumstances and Us)

To This Point…

  • On the first day the light came into the darkness. The allegories impart that Adam and Eve realized the situation they were in as a result of the rebellion –that a life had to be taken. And it’s about Jesus –the light of men– who appeared, showing the way to salvation for the lost –those still in darkness.
  • The second day brought the separation between the waters below and above. It tells about the distance that God put between mankind and Himself –forming an existence without Him (death) and one with Him (eternal life). It also characterizes what took place between the Father and the Son when the Holy Spirit was taken up –leaving Jesus all alone on the cross.
  • On the third day something new appeared –the dry ground rose out of the sea. It depicts Jesus’ resurrection –foreshadowed by Jonah’s being vomited up out of the belly of the great fish after three days.
  • Lights were placed in the expanse of the heavens on the fourth day. They’re clues about how the Trinity leads us to salvation. The sun portrays God the Father with His light displaying the goal –life with Him. His light is reflected by His Son mostly at night, but leads us into the day. And the Holy Spirit is shown as stars in the night sky –shining into the morning –His ambassadors.
  • The fifth day tells of beings in two vastly different physical realms. They’re representations of where we will dwell after this life –in the deep dark waters below, condemned to be apart from God –or in the clouds above, alive with Him forever.

The Land Animals

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:24-25)

Other than the occasional birds, these three groups of animals were to become mankind’s company –and they frequently became competition.

The Allegories…

The land animals represent the circumstances that we will have in this lifetime. Livestock are the easy and predictable ones that we can usually control; the creeping things are those that appear to be small and sneak up on us when we don’t expect them and the wild beasts are those that viciously attack. We each have a set –they were designed specifically for us according to what we need to turn us to God.

Mankind Created in His Image

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28)

Only after the creation was completely prepared did God put mankind on the earth. And He made us in His image and intended for us to dominate it all.

The Allegories…

The earth is the place from which the bride of Christ comes. We were created in the image of God so that we would be His Son’s helpmate just as Eve was created in Adam’s image to be his helpmate.

When the fall would come –and God the Father knew it would– salvation was set up to restore the otherwise lost bride. It was available by faith since the beginning –just not revealed until later with Jesus’ birth –the light, His death –the separation of the waters, and His resurrection –the emergence of dry ground.

The Trinity –shown by the sources of light– was ready to lead us to the kingdom before we dwelled here. The two destinations –heaven above and the deep below– were in place. Examples of those inhabitants –the birds of the air and the sea creatures– were already there as witnesses. And the stimulus –the land creatures– to choose Him was there too.

We’re told that man was made in the image of God. Sure, then the fall came and sin corrupted the whole thing. We might not know all that Adam and Eve were before that day, but we do know that like them we’ve been made in three parts: a soul which does our thinking, a body which relates to its surroundings and a spirit which seeks eternal relevance. God said “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” to emphasize the Trinity. He is comprised of these same three parts.

The Father is the One who thought out and designed the entire creation. He knew just what was involved –the consequences of creating mankind. He knew that the fall would happen. And He knew the redemption required to make restoration complete. Nothing came as a surprise –really, how could it?

Jesus is the body of God. He’s the One who implemented the creation. He was the body before becoming Mary’s child and He’s that body now. He was undoubtedly the I AM in the burning bush. He might have been the One who wrestled with Jacob and He might have been One who visited Abraham and Sarah. We do know that He’s the element of God that has been seen with physical eyes.

The Holy Spirit is the Father’s Communicator. It’s He who teaches, guides and comforts us through life. It’s He who the Father put within us as a deposit to guarantee our salvation. It’s He who conveys the Father’s love to us throughout the day.

By knowing our three parts and relating them to God we can better understand what He is about. –And what He desires. –And that He is worthy of our trust. All this so that we may grow closer to Him and respond in kind to His love.

All Things Were Completed

Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:29-31)

God intended for man to live above –to rule over– the circumstances of life –not to be intimidated and living in fear.

The Allegories…

Man was created as a being which lives on land; breathes air; and feeds on the provisions of God. This is all symbolic of his need for his life to be grounded on Christ; brought out of physical life into eternal life; indwelled by the Holy Spirit; and fed by the Bread of Life!

Here are a just few verses about “all things” being completed.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:16-20)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (John 14:26)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36)

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. (Philippians 4:11-14)