This Is God’s World

MEMORY VERSE: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” —Psalm 24:1

GENESIS 1:1, 26, 31

“IN THE beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This is a statement of fact which scientists are unable to refute. It does not say when or how God created the earth, but simply that he did. No scientific evidence has ever been offered to disprove this statement. It simply affirms that God, as the Creator, is the great First Cause of everything. The fact that our finite minds can understand so little of what is implied by this great truth is no proof that it is not truth.

Verse 26 contains two main thoughts. One is that God created man in his own image; and the other that this highest of all earthly creatures was given dominion over the earth. The “image” referred to is, of course, not a physical one. Rather, it is a mental and moral image. Just as God reasons, man is able to reason—not to the same degree, of course, but man is a reasoning creature. It is this ability to reason that is man’s chief guide, whereas the lower animals are guided by their instincts.

God is the great Ruler of the universe; and man was made ruler over the earth, and over all the lower creatures which dwell upon the earth. Because of man’s fall into sin and death he lost this dominion to a large extent, but in due time it will be restored to him.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (vs. 31) God’s work is perfect. All the imperfection and defilement we see in the earth today, especially in the minds and lives of humans, is due to transgression of God’s law. We are thankful for the time when all things will be made new. Then it can again be said that the earthly realm in God’s great universe is “very good.”—Rev. 21:5

PSALM 24:1, 2

The earth is the Lord’s, as is the entire universe. However, God created the earth to be an eternal home for man. He was commanded to multiply and fill the earth, and while sin has brought death to humankind, he is yet to receive this “mansion” home which God created for him. Isaiah 45:18 reads, “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he bath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.”

The Bible shows man will yet enjoy his earthly home—even though he is now dying—because he is to be raised from the dead. Jesus redeemed man from death by his own death, and therefore has the authority to restore the dead to life. This is referred to in the Bible as being “saved” Isaiah 45:22,23 reads, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Philippians 2:9-11 quotes this text in part and shows that its fulfillment is through Jesus, the Savior; that it is unto him that every knee bows, and this to the glory of God. So we can say that just as Jesus died, and was raised from the dead and highly exalted, mankind is assured of being restored from death and of enjoying the blessings of the restored earthly paradise forever.

PSALM 104:24-30

How true is verse 24: “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” But the enjoyment of these riches depends upon the continued favor of God. “Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled.” This applies especially to man. “Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.”—vs. 29

But for man this is not the end: “Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.” (vs. 30) Man’s awakening from death will in many respects be like a “creation.”

QUESTIONS

What was God’s purpose in creating the earth?

When will man fully enjoy the earthly home which God created for him?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |