TOPIC:‌“Man - God's Supreme Masterpiece”

                  by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap

 

TEXT:‌Genesis 1:27; 2:7

 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of he ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 1:27; 2:7)

 

‌David the Psalmist asked the question many years ago, “What is man?” (Psalms 8:4). That, it seems to me, is one of the questions that people have been endeavoring to answer throughout the years. The answer to that perplexing and puzzling question is found in the Word of God. It is in the Bible that man occupies a central and strategic place. It is here that we receive a full revelation into the creation, constitution, collapse and the correction of man.

 

I.

 

‌Consider, first of all, the CREATION of man as revealed in the Bible. From our text we read these words: “So God created man in his own image” (1:27). Surely we must have been struck in our reading of the early chapters of Genesis with the beautiful beginning given to man by God. He had a great start and every possible reason to make good. Man was placed in a peaceful and beautiful garden with a favorable environment around him. Here man lived in perfect fellowship with God his Maker. Unclouded by personal sin he enjoyed the safety of knowing that he would never need to experience fear, pain, tears or death. Eden was indeed a place of perfect righteousness and holiness.

 

‌The Bible speaks of three creative acts of God as recorded in Genesis. Sometime in the dateless past we are told that “God created the heaven and the earth” (1:1). On the fifth day the creation of animal life took place (1:20-24). The creation of human life took place on the sixth day. A general description of man's creation is found in these words: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (2:7).

 

‌Man is the crown and culmination of all God's creation. There is no creation so great as man. He is the most excellent of God's creations dwelling upon the earth. The Psalmist David had this in mind when he wrote: “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalms 8:5). If we want to come closer to the Hebrew meaning we may translate it this way: “Yet thou hast made him a little less than God.”

 

‌But not only was man created superior to all other creatures in this world, he was formed and fashioned with the solemn counsel of the Holy Trinity. He had the stamp of divine approval upon him. God entered into consultation with . . .