409 – The Creation of Animate Life

409 – The Creation of Animate Life

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE:  BIBLE SURVEY I LESSON # 9
THE CREATION OF ANIMATE LIFE

INTRODUCTION:

In no area of speculation has the evolutionist been more careless.

1. Yet in no area has the creationist more evidence of his position, both biblically and scientifically, than in the area of animate life.

I. DEFINITION OF ANIMATE LIFE

1. This term is used to describe the portion of life that eats, mates, reproduces, etc., voluntarily.

i. This is not to say with purpose and understanding, for it may be by mere instinct.

2. This portion of life is separated, for the purpose of this study, from plant life.

i. In which case there is no instinct, intellect or volition.

3. This portion of creation is covered by Gen. 1:20 and 28.
4. We also will cover man, a totally different kind and level of animate life, in another lesson.

II. THE CREATION OF THE FIFTH DAY

1. Failure of daily division, as the Bible reveals, has been an occasion for much misunderstanding.

i. A misinterpretation of Genesis 1:20, to imply that fowls came from the sea.
ii. Thus, that Gen. 1:20 teaches by implication some form of theistic evolution.

2. There is no implication in verse 20 that fowls came from the sea, when it is interpreted in context.

i. Notice that the word that is supplied, and read the verse without it.
ii. We will not get into the definition of these small and widely varying words like that and may.

3. Let it simply be said, that verse 20 is only the stating of divine decree for the creative work of the fifth day.
4. Verse 21 is the account of their creation:

i. God created the whales, and all sea life that moved, and that the water sustained and subsequently reproduced.
ii. Whales (rendered “sea monsters” by some) comes from the Hebrew words (tan) which means to elongate or (tan-neen) which means intense. Thus, we see it is only a word describing the immensity of this portion of sea life. They were whales!
iii. The Hebrew word (yam) which is consistently translated sea or seas, does not even appear in Gen. 1:21, so “sea monsters” is certainly not a bona fide translation.

5. The balance of the creation described in verse 21, was the fowl division.

i. They were to multiply in the earth.
ii. No implication is there, concerning the sea.

6. This interpretation is totally establishable by the statement, that they were (both sea life and fowls) to bring forth after their own kind.
7. This interpretation is further established by the charge given them for locality of multiplication in verse 22.

III. THE CREATION OF THE SIXTH DAY

1. Though man’s creation was included in the sixth day, we shall reserve it for another lesson.
2. This lesson will deal with, “cattle, and creeping things and beasts.”
3. I would place in this category three divisions of creatures:

i. Cattle – animals for domestication.
ii. Beasts – wild animals
iii. Creeping things – insects, reptiles, etc.

a) Some questions should be asked of the latter category.

1) Are the insects creeping things? (Gen. 7:21-22)
2) Do the reptiles fall in the “creeping things” or beast category?

4. Again they bring forth “after their own kind.”
5. This basic truth denies cross-mutation.
6. This scientific principle stated in Scripture is constantly and unques­tionably observed today.
7. Let it finally be said that each day’s product was described as “good,” this excludes both the necessity or possibility of significant mutation.