YEA Lesson Library
Why Creation?
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that mankind was the focal point of creation.
Scriptures
Genesis 1:26-31
Genesis 2:10-25
Psalm 50:9-12
Romans 1:16-21
Hebrews 2:6-7
Hebrews 2:6-10
Words to Know
BENEDICTION- a blessing; something that promotes goodness or well being
CONVEY - to impart or communicate by statement, suggestion, gesture, or appearances; to transfer to another
The Lesson
If you were going to do something really, really special, say throw the party of the century, and had all the necessary resources, how would you plan and decorate for it? What if you had all the space in the world? Would you create lakes, ponds, and rivers with little fish and big fish in them? Would you erect mountains, layout meadows, and plant gardens with flowers and trees? Would you bring in exotic birds, beautiful butterflies, and all kinds of animals? Would you include in your building project special lighting to create the exact effect you want?
God was getting ready to do something really neat - the neatest thing of all. In the first five days of creation He had created, constructed, and decorated a world starting from nothing. He divided the waters from land and made ponds, streams, seas, rivers, and oceans, and put fish of all types and sizes in them. He planted grass, flowers, flowering trees, fruit trees, and trees of every variety. He planted vegetables, berries, and fruit. And he hung the stars, moon, and sun in the sky. But why all of this? God wasn't just going to throw a party. He was getting ready to do something very special. It was so special that He spent five days with the help of the one who became Jesus Christ and all the angels to make and decorate the world for this big happening. But it was far more than just decorating a world for a big happening. God was creating exactly the right environment for this "happening." What was this big happening?
God was about to create man - the crowning glory of His creation! Puppy dogs that could run and play, learn tricks, and fetch were very nice. Furry kittens that could climb up on His lap could be enjoyable. God could take delight in seeing the deer, bears, lions, kangaroos, and elephants walk across the grass to get a drink from a pond. But none of these creatures was His ultimate goal. He wanted someone He could communicate with in a much different way. He wanted a kind of being that could fully appreciate His creation. He wanted to start a family with people made in His very own image. This was a huge decision worthy of the best preparation and construction He could give it. He had something special for man. This was the reason He had made al of these plans, created such an environment, and worked so hard. Man was the point of Creation!
"A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates" (Genesis 2:10-14 NIV).
God reached down and picked up some dirt and formed man in His own image. Then He breathed into him the breath of life. God didn't do this with any other creature. Then He put man in the Garden of Eden. He brought all of the birds, beasts of the field, fish, and every living thing He had created to this man called Adam to name. What a delightful project! What do you think the animal's or critter's personality and how it looked had to do with its name? When Adam was finished naming all of God's creation, Adam realized that there wasn't an animal there that was suitable to be a helper for him - there was no other human being.
God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. So God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and He performed the first operation. He took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the incision. From this rib God made a woman. Adam needed someone of the opposite sex. After all, all of the other animals had a partner of the opposite sex. He needed a wife to do things that he wasn't capable of doing. He needed a wife to love him and to be the mother of his children. God saw that this was very good. He commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth. God gave a divine benediction on the this first couple by blessing them, telling them to fill the earth, and putting the entire universe under their rule or dominion.
Man hasn't found out how to create life on purpose. We can put two lives together and get the same species. But you always get the same kind. Never will a human being produce a dog or a cat. This is the way God planned it. So what is God up to?
The Book of Genesis begins with a great celebration of life. Life is rare! Life is precious! Life is valuable! God made man in His image. He saw this was very good. Genesis conveys the truth that God created all. It's said with emotion and truth. Genesis calls on man to bow before the great Architect. Isn't it awesome to realize that God desired to have you created and put on this earth? What kind of responsibility does that carry with it? He wants you to be like Him. He wants you to be a member of His family. Are you willing to do what it takes?
Student Prayer
Awesome God,
You are the greatest Architect. You are so wonderful to create planet earth so beautiful, with everything I need, and put me on it. This gives me an enormous responsibility to praise and worship you and live a life that honors you in all that I do. Help me each day to please you.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Hebrews 2:6-7
Monday: Genesis 1:26-28
Tuesday: Genesis 2:10-17
Wednesday: Genesis 2: 18-25
Thursday: Psalm 50:9-12
Friday: Romans 1:16-21
Saturday: Hebrews 2:9-10
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Discuss the planning that went into this world to make a suitable environment for man.
2. Explain how important mankind, including them, is to God.
3. Explain that man was unique; only into man did God breathe the breath of life.
4. Explain that man is the point of creation and why.
Topics & Themes
Creation
Dominion Mandate
Garden of Eden
God’s Family
God’s Plan
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students' and teacher's books, The Living Bible, attendance and memory verse charts, songbook, CD or cassette tape, music player, prize, table large enough to seat all of the students around it, construction paper, 3 x 5 cards
How to Teach This Lesson
Greet the students warmly as they arrive and have them sit around the table. Open the class with prayer. Explain that we're starting today's lesson with a game of cards. Lay the cards, that have one of the seven days of the week, successively on the table. Deal the other 3 x 5 cards to the students that you made before class with the things God made or did on them. The student to your left lays down one card in front of the day of the week that it was created or done. If another student thinks it's in the wrong place she can challenge. If she is able to put that card under the correct day, she gets five bonus points. The player who put it in the wrong place gets minus five points and misses his next turn. Continue left around the table playing until all of the cards are played correctly. The person who goes out first gets five points. Every player with cards in their hand is penalized by five points for each card.
The "Joker" in the deck is "Man the crown of creation." The person who plays it correctly gets ten bonus points. If he's challenged, the student who places it correctly gets the bonus points, and the wrong player gets minus ten points. The teacher should keep score. Let every student who is still holding cards at the end put them in front of the correct days.
Debrief
Ask: How did you feel about playing this game? How did it help you remember which day God did or created something? Why do you think that God breathed into man the "breath of life," but didn’t do this to any other animal or creature? How do you feel about man or mankind being the crown of God's creation? What implication does that have for you? Why is this important to you?
Adam’s rib
Ask: Why do you think God selected a rib to create the first woman, Eve, rather than using a bone out of Adam's foot? What lesson might men learn from this? Why was Eve, a woman, created?
The Atheist
Ask a student to read Romans 1:20 from The Living Bible, "Since the earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So they will have no excuse (when they stand before God at Judgment Day." What does this say to you?
All of this is done for man
Start with day one and have a student read aloud all of the things that are under it. Ask: Can anyone add anything to that? Ask another student to read everything God did or created under day two. Then have anther student read day three, day four, and day five. Ask: How do you feel about God going to so much work, taking care of every detail to make a suitable place for you? Why do you think He did it? What kind of a God do you think we have who made all of those things to prepare a perfect environment for man? Were Adam and Eve the only two people He did it for? How will knowing how important you are to God change your relationship with Him?
REACH Activity
Memory Verse Spotlight
Look up the word “mindful” from Hebrews 2:6b-7. Write down the Greek word and its meaning. Now look up the Hebrew word in Psalm 8:4 for the same word. Write down the Hebrew word and its meaning. Is it the same as you found in Greek? What does this tell you? Then find three other Scriptures where this word is used.
Where in the World? Diversity and Consistency
Evolutionists will tell you that land on Earth used to be all connected together before it broke apart and that’s why you see dog-like animals on every continent (but Antarctica). Could be. There’s nothing in the scripture that would refute that claim, but let’s look at the problem that poses for evolutionary theory. They are correct: there are canines on every continent. Africa has African wild dogs, jackals, and Ethiopian wolves; Australia has dingos; Asia has dholes; South America has maned wolves and short-eared zorros; Europe has wolves and foxes; North America has wolves, foxes, and coyotes. If evolution exists, why do all of the animals in the canine family look remarkably similar? They are all easily identifiable as belonging to the dog family. With oceans between them, wouldn’t at least one of them have evolved a little differently - especially if they had millions of years to do so? Creationists will tell you that they believe all of the canines in our world descended from one set of parents on the ark. They are all, therefore, closely related.
What do you think? Can you think of another animal that would pose a similar problem for evolutionary theory? Get a world map outline. Find the exact location of each of the members of the canine family (or the cat family, or another animal you thought of). Color those areas with different colored pencils. Make a legend to identify which color indicates which animal. Put this in your Bible notebook under Creation vs. Evolution.
They Did What Back Then? Worked
Genesis 2:15 says that God put man in the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep (preserve or guard) it. Since this comes before sin entered the world, you know that work is not a punishment from God. Productive work was designed by God. When is work a good thing? When is work a bad thing? What does Ecclesiastes say about work? Does this change your view of work? Write about this in your Bible notebook.
Making It Mine: For Those Who Love God
There are some fascinating scriptures about what God has in store for those who love Him and are in a relationship with Him. Look up five of them. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 is a good place to start. James 1:12 is another. Copy down the entire verse and its reference. Then write a paragraph about the difference between following a bunch of rules without having a relationship with the person who gave the rules vs. obedience because of the relationship.
Worldview Collisions: Humanity
A Biblical worldview says that mankind was the point of Creation. Evolution says that mankind is just an evolved animal, no more special than any other creature. What Bible verse would you use to disprove this idea? Obviously, an evolutionist will not accept the Bible as a reliable authority to prove that man is special, but being convinced in your own mind of God’s plan is important to building your faith in Him.
Then, without using the Bible, what do you see in the world around you that supports our belief that mankind is the point of Creation? Spend some time talking about this with your family. Check out some videos here: https://www.prageru.com/video/evolution-bacteria-to-beethoven or https://commonfaithacademy.org/god-vs-science/
Questions
As you’re working through the YEA lesson, Daily Devotionals, doing the activity, or reading the Bible, be sure to write down any questions you have. That way you’ll remember to ask someone. Also remember to share the really interesting things you’re learning with family and friends.
Song
“As the Deer” is on page 34 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Have the students form a circle and join hands. Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer thanking God for all the beautiful and fun things He put on planet earth, but most of all, for putting us here.
Printable Pages
