Day 1: Separation of Light from Dark Day 2: Creation of sky
Day 3: Division of Land and Sea; sprouting of plants
Day 4: Moon, stars, sun are created to give light to the Earth, as well as to "serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years..." Genesis 1: 14
Day 5: Creation of birds, and creatures of the sea
Day 6: Wild animals and livestock + creation of man in God's own image
Day 7: a holy day of rest
To be completely honest, I may have more questions than answers for the beginning of the Bible, even though the story of creation is written very simply. Each day, God blesses the planet with a new gift. His creations please him, and so he creates more. But what intrigues me is, why seven days? Why were things created in that order? It is very specific, and after this first chapter of Scripture, the number 7 is encountered repeatedly in the subsequent chapters and books of the Bible. So I did a little digging...
After all, I highly doubt that the first writers of Scripture picked this number out of the blue and just decided it would be Holy. It had to have some significance if not it wouldn't be in there in the first place! Well it turns out that the root of the word seven in ancient Hebrew meant to be full and complete. Aha! Well now that makes more sense! The idea behind the 7 days of creation, is that it was perfect. Nothing needed to be added or taken away. The world was as it should be, and God saw that it was good.
And what completes the fullness and perfection of God's hard work in creating all that we know in the Universe? Why, a day of rest of course! "...so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating he had done." ~ Genesis 2:2~3 Wow, what an important lesson! After a hard week at work, even God needs a break to reflect on all the good he has created, and to relax as well.
For many of us who are strong in our faith, the Sabbath is a day to honor God. We may go to church, the temple, the mosque, or wherever your house of worship may be, and there we praise God for all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. We recognize his work in our lives. Even those without faith in the Lord have their Sunday rituals. How many of you reading this sleep in on Sundays and make pancakes with your kids, or relax in the backyard with a cup of coffee and the newspaper? Many of us still honor some of the principles behind the Sabbath every week without even knowing it! But how often do we use it as a day of reflection, to rest and reflect upon our own successes during the week? God created us in his image and yet we have a hard time acknowledging ourselves for the things we created or did the previous week. Acknowledging God for his hand in our lives and relaxing on this day is important, but lets not forget that the completeness of the week (according to the first two chapters of Genesis) came from resting because God looked upon the good things he had accomplished. If God finds the need to do that, then we sure do too!
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A day of rest may complete the week, but the culmination of God's creation is man. "Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26
I have to admit I had a hard time swallowing this one. The idea of humans thinking that they "rule over" all living things seems to get us into big trouble (i.e., global warming, animal extinction, threatening the ecosystem...I could go on and on) And the craziest part of this is that when we do take a hand at dominating Mother Nature we end up further harming ourselves. All living things on Earth are interconnected. We know this is fact. So when we interfere too much it's not only bad for the environment, the animals, the plants, but it's also really bad for us in the long run!
I had to reread this passage a few times to realize that I was seeing the phrase "rule over" in a negative light. Most of the time when we hear that phrase we think of someone exerting power over the helpless (at least I do.) So maybe this passage isn't just supposed to give us a sense of entitlement over the Earth. Perhaps God is bestowing a RESPONSIBILITY upon Adam. A good ruler doesn't take advantage of the helpless. He protects them. He helps them to thrive. So instead of seeing this passage as proof of humanity as supreme beings, I am choosing to see it as a task God has given us. Because as all you Spider-Man fans out there know, With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility. :)
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Actions Steps:
-This Sat./Sun (whenever you celebrate the Sabbath or have your day of rest) write down the things you accomplished in the previous week. It can be patting yourself on the back for finishing that triathlon, being more patient with your family, or even just recognizing yourself for getting to work on time every day this week!
-Be a good protector of the Earth. If God truly created us in his image to rule over the Earth than it's our job to treat it with respect. If you see a piece of trash on the sidewalk, pick it up and throw it away. If you haven't watered your indoor plant in a while, water it! Donate five bucks to the ASPCA, play with your Dog. Give your cat a treat. Do whatever it is that makes the world a little better for our roommates here on Earth!
-Give thanks- Thank God for the wonder that is creation. Think of how amazing Life on this planet is. How it can adapt to almost anything. How long did it take for that canyon to be carved up by the water running through it? What dramatic shifts in the Earth's crust had to take place for a mountain to form? How many generations did it take for human intellect to evolve to its current state? That is all so amazing! The best part is that creation never truly stopped. Our world is constantly changing, our environment always adapting. Think of how complicated a process like photosynthesis is, or how intricate the human circulatory system is. How many microscopic events had to take place in order for Life on Earth to thrive the way it does? If you truly believe God had a hand in all these things, thank him! If you are still unsure of the existence of God or are in a state of unbelief, feel free to write down what you are grateful for in the Universe anyways. Staying in a state of gratefulness keeps us humble and in awe of the world around us.
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