Created in God’s Image

” This program looks at the details of what God did on the sixth day of creation. As we do, we’ll look at both the biblical account and science related to these topics. We’ll discover many
of these fine-tuning details that highlight God’s creation power and design of the universe. We’ll see that God’s creation of people in His image reveals deep level of love that endures still today.”

today on the johnny Karberg show we will provide answers for those who have abandoned their christian faith because of science. Somewhere along the line, you were persuaded that the biblical account of creation cannot be reconciled with modern science today. But in this series we will argue that the latest scientific evidence will actually lead you to believe in God. Further, we will answer the question Should we expect to find agreement between the record of nature and the record of scripture? Sure we should. Because it’s the same author. I mean, you look at a building that was done by an architect and another building by the same architect. You say it’s a frank Lloyd wright building. You look at the universe, It was built by God. It’s got all over it, not made in Usa but made by the living God. And you look at the scriptures that too came from God. Now the author is the same interpreters work on both. The interpreters may disagree, but not the evidence, not the raw data itself. The raw data itself comes from the same Lord. Otherwise we throw away the doctrine of creation. Otherwise we throw away the inspiration. The full inerrant word of God. We can’t throw away either. They both come from the living God. My guest today is astronomer Dr Hugh ross who received his PhD in astronomy from the University of Toronto and did postdoctoral research at caltech on quasars. He’s the author of many books, including his latest navigating genesis. We will also hear from Hebrew scholar. Dr walter Kaiser, a man thought by many to be one of the world’s most knowledgeable authorities on the old testament in Hebrew language Join us and hear how the latest scientific evidence is. In agreement with the biblical account of creation in Genesis one and 2 on this special edition of the johnny Karberg show. Yeah, yeah. Welcome to our program. We have a great one for you today. Again. Our guest is astronomer and astrophysicist. Dr Hugh ross. And we’re talking about the bible and science. Are they compatible? Do they agree? How so? And we’re focusing in this program on what is the length of a day? You got six creative days and then God rested on the seventh. What is the time length of each of those days? And in order to define that in the context, there are some tip offs, we’ve already said that we think that they are long periods of time. Each day is a long period of time. What we’re going to look at is does this apply to the day, the sixth day when Adam and Eve were created? Did you know there’s probably about 10 events that God talks about and gives us information about what he did on this day? Well, we’re gonna look at that together and Hugh, let’s start with the biblical text. People are gonna be surprised when they actually see what the bible has to say. We’re talking about what happened on the sixth day and in genesis two verse eight. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east in Eden. And there he put the man, he had formed, What does that tell you? Well, it tells us that Adam initially was outside the garden and God put him in the garden. So Adam had the opportunity to see the difference between the world outside the garden and what God had done inside the garden. I think they communicated to him right away. You know this God really must care for me and love for me, that he made this incredibly beautiful garden for me to enjoy. So that’s I think it’s the first key point there. And also when God speaks to him later about death and when he hears about the thorns and thistles, he already knows because he’s seen the world outside the garden of Eden. Yeah, So the garden is gonna be a special place. And verse 15 says the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden, right? And he put them there to work it and to take care of it. A lot of information in those words, what’s going on? When you look at Genesis one, it talks about what God did in terms of physical creation. In Genesis two, God is taking the man and introducing him step by step to what he has created and teaching him how to relate to the different components of creation notice in genesis One, the text talks about three different kinds of life. Life is purely physical life, that’s physical and soul ish. And then the one and only species, it’s physical solis and spiritual. So here in the 15th verse is talking about God first introducing Adam to that part of creation, security physical and teaching him how he used to relate to the physical creation. Alright. And then God says in the next verse, the Lord, God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground, Trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What does that tell you? Well, first of all is telling us that Adam was able to watch the design that God had put into the trees. The text tells us he was able to observe the growth of the trees. So here is learning what he needs to do to care for the trees and also recognizing the provision that God has given to him through the plants that he had made. He’s a scientist would astounds me plants overproduce from a Darwinian perspective, we wouldn’t anticipate that plants would produce such abundant food, such tasteful food with such great variety and beauty. But this is something that Adam is learning these plants are something I’ve given to you, I’ve given to you in great abundance and provided you in such a way that you’re gonna really enjoy this. I mean, what of all food had was a color brown. What of all food tasted like cardboard. That’s not what we see. There’s this great variety, great beauty and great enjoyment that we humans have. What struck me too is if you’re watching a tree grow, how many minutes are you watching? Well, several years, Yeah. So I mean it’s got to be a longer period of time and then he’s in the garden and God gives him a job. He’s surrounded by this beautiful uh place. And the bible says the Lord God took the man put him in the garden of Eden to work it and to take care of it. I think what’s going on there is God’s instructing Adam. I’ve given you work. This work is going to be enjoyable. And so here is Adam actually relating to the physical creation, the plants and the trees and the food and the flowers that they provide. And because this is a garden planted by God. I’m presuming that Adam must have gotten great enjoyment from relating to what God has done. But also God is teaching. There is more. Yeah, The next part here is fascinating. Again, we’re still on the 6th day, the Lord God said, you know, it’s not good for Adam here to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. And now the Lord God had formed out of the ground, all the wild animals, all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what Adam would name them and whatever Adam called each living creature, that’s what its name was now. How long did it take adam to do that? Well it’s referring to the animals that God created on days five and day six. These are animals that are not just physical that are endowed by God with emotions with a will uh you know with intellect and also designed them with a motivation to relate to human beings and serve and please human beings. And so here’s God telling Adam I want you to relate to all these different creatures, discover how I’ve designed them to serve and please you and given an appropriate name. Now what this means is that Adam has been established as having authority over the plant kingdom but also authority over these animals. And it’s also an opportunity for Adam to discover, you know these animals really are endowed to relate to me in a very powerful way. Much more so than the plants. So as fulfilled as he was from gardening, he has now experienced a far greater degree of fulfillment because he’s not only being fulfilled physically but emotionally volitional E and intellectually. Yeah. Talk about this thing that God created these net fish animals basically. That what does that mean? I mean there are people that are watching right now that they love their dog, they love their cat. I mean you go to the cemetery and you can find statues of their dogs sometimes right next to the guy that’s buried there. I’m saying there’s this relationship that humans have with some of the animals, the other animals, we could care less about some we do. Why what’s this word net fish all about? Well the word nefesh is referring to animals that God created to serve and please as human beings and to emotionally bond to his human beings and the incredible thing about these animals, they want to be around us take the sin factor out, the abuse factor out. These animals are powerfully motivated to come to us to relate to us and to sacrifice to serve and please us. So this must have been a source of great enjoyment for Adam. And then God says, look I made more than just a few. There are thousands of different species of these net fish creatures. Each one has been designed in a different way to serve and please you. And so this must have been a tremendous source of discovery and enjoyment for Adam realizing they’re all different and they all serve and please me a different way. And there’s a sense of fulfillment he received from that. But obviously this took a significant period of time because it takes time to discover how each of these creatures, each of these species of life has been uniquely designed to serve and please the book of job for example, 38, chapter and 39th chapter goes into this in detail. Making the point. For example, the horse and the donkey though they look similar to one another, relate to us in radically different ways. Yeah, folks. Now, as you’re listening, how long do you think we are in terms of the amount of hours to get to Adam where he’s at right now because this is all one. Yam one day. All right, we’re gonna take a break. We come back. We’re gonna talk about the big one is on this day. What’s coming next is he brought Eve to Adam. I want you to stay tuned and we’re gonna do that when we come right back. If you would like to watch today’s television program online or read a transcript of this program, you can do so right now by going to our website at J. A. Show dot org. Hi, we’re back. We’re talking with astronomer and astrophysicist, dr Hugh ross. We’re talking about how long were the days in genesis? And the bible itself is defining the length of these days by the information that it gives to us. And we’re talking about the events that happened on the sixth day when God created Adam and Eve and we haven’t got even the picture yet. And we’ve been talking about all these events that have happened to Adam. But now we’re coming to that spot where Eve is brought in. This is all the same day and here’s what the bible says. God had given Adam The job of naming all of these animals. And verse 20 says. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But then it says, but for Adam, no suitable helper was found. And so God realizes this, what’s going on? Well, these animals that God had created several 1000 different species, emotions they have will volition, they have intellect, but they’re lacking the spirit. So, Adam was discovering, yes, I can relate to them physically. I can relate to them emotionally, intellectually volitional. E but there’s something missing. These creatures don’t have what I have, namely the spirit. And so it was a longing within Adam for a creature that he could relate to at all the levels that God had equipped him to relate. So the bible tells us the next part here, Verse 21. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man. And then the text says he brought this woman to Adam and what happens, he says something that you see in the hebrew text, the word happen. Um It’s used over 20 times in the old testament, consistently translated at long last. So here’s God introducing Adam to the full extent of everything he’s created on earth, keeping the best for the last. And here’s Adam probably spending several months of not a few years working the garden relating to all these animals, naming all these animals, establishing authority over the garden and over all these animals. And then this creature comes and he says at long last, a creature that God has given me that can fulfill me in all the levels that God has equipped me to relate. When God brought the woman to the man, the man said this is now bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh. She should be called woman for she was taken out of man And that’s why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame. So what’s going on here? Well, there’s something else there in the text where it tells us that God brought Eve to Adam as a helper or help meet, which I think is not a very good translation. The hebrew word there is is there and it means I’m bringing to you a military ally. So it’s communicating to Adam right away. Okay, God has given me all these animals and plants and now this woman to enjoy in this wonderful garden. But I’m not here just to enjoy life. God is giving us a mission. So when he refers to Eve as a military ally, he’s communicating to both the man and the woman. You have a mission. You have a purpose and that’s why you’ve been created. Let’s take a moment to talk about this thing. God made Adam and Eve in the image of God. What does that mean? Well we are body, soul and spirit. Now I don’t think the soul of a human being can be separated from the spirit but is making the point that, you know as God has all of these features. So do we have all of these features and therefore we’re able to do things that the animals can’t do. You also have special creation? Man did not evolve according to God God brought them into existence. We’ll notice the text here is using the word that God created man and he made man. Now when it talks about God making us, it means he made us from the dust of the earth, that dust already existed. But God organized and transformed that dust into our bodies. But the spirit within us is something that’s brand new that never existed before. That’s why you see the word create. So that’s something that never existed on the face of the earth. Yeah, it’s only three times in genesis one, isn’t it? That you use the word Bara. God uses it. Why The word Borras exclusively used in Genesis one for bringing into existence something brand new that never existed before. So we see it first in Genesis 11 where God creates the physical universe. The second time is on the fifth creation day where God creates animals that are not just physical but physical and soul ish. And the polish part that’s brand new. And then last of all human beings that are body, soul and spirit and this spirit that’s brand new. All right Hugh. Let’s summarize why we have given the folks all of this information. You’ve got all of these events and I want you to summarize them again And they’re supposed to have happened on the 6th day. What are the events? And why can’t that be just a few hours in a 24 hour period of time? Well, Genesis one tells us both the human male and the human female were made on the 6th day. But we see in Genesis two as Adam’s created first outside the garden of Eden. God puts him in the garden, he’s there long enough to see that these trees are growing. He tends the garden, recognizing just how beautiful God has provided for him through the plants and the trees has great enjoyment from that, but also recognizes there’s got to be more to life than gardening. Thank God says, okay, now I want you to relate to not only the physical creation, but the creation of soul ish is referring to the net fish animals, animals that got a design with mind will and emotions so that they could relate to Adam bond to Adam, but also he gets an opportunity to see how God designed them to serve and pleasing each in their specific way. Now there are thousands of these species. This would take a significant period of time for Adam to discover how God to design each one to serve and please him in a distinct way and to give them an appropriate name. Having done all that, the text tells us that God observes that Adam is alone. In spite of all this relationship he’s having with these animals, something is missing. And this is when God puts Adam to sleep, he recovers from his surgery, He’s introduced to a new creature and we see in the original hebrew text what comes out of Adam’s mouth at long last And therefore this is a significant passage of time between the creation of Adam and the creation of Eve as really God instructing Adam how to relate to the different components of creation. We see described in Genesis one Hugh when you are non Christian and you read this account somewhere along the line, the information in Genesis. Chapter one got to you and your whole background was astronomy and how did you cross the line? What were the big points in this chapter that made you cross the line and put your faith and trust in jesus christ to be your savior from sin. Well what I noticed in Genesis one and 2 is that the order of events perfectly matched the scientific record. The description perfectly matched the scientific record and I realized that this was written thousands of years ago. This was telling us scientific information far beyond the capability of a mere human being. This is what persuaded me. This man moses had to be inspired by the one that created the universe. And I see in the bible is something that’s not only inspired. It’s all perfectly true. And therefore recognizing that the bible is the inspired inerrant word of God, I devoured the rest of the text and recognize what I saw in genesis three that the descendant of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, who is the enemy of humanity and the enemy of God. And read in the new testament that the creator of the universe himself became a human being And made the sacrifice by which we can regain our relationship with our creator. And that’s motivated me to sign my name on the back of a Gideon bible, giving my life to Jesus Christ in about 40 seconds. What is the gospel message? The Gospel message is that the one that created everything actually came to earth and showed us an example of humility that we need to come to God, but also sacrificed himself paid the penalty for our offenses against God so that we can come to him and actually trade our moral imperfection for his moral perfection and have him guide our life so we can step by step become a truthful follower of the God that created us and folks, if you’ve listened and you want to invite christ to come into your life bible has a lot to say about that. But basically, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord. If you will put your trust in him that he did everything was that was necessary for you to be forgiven and stand perfect before God without any sin or blame. Okay, when you put your trust in christ that he’s able to pull that off God then pulls it off. He saves you. Christ comes into your life. He puts the holy spirit of God into your life and he starts to give you new desires and changes you and we want you to come into that relationship. It’s not just intellectual stuff. This is an experience with the living God And walking with christ every day. Now, this is tremendous information. We still didn’t get to what happened on the fourth day, but we’re gonna talk about that? And we’re also gonna talk about, does the record of nature agree with the record of of scripture? In other words, God in the bible, do they agree with what we have in nature? Is that the same author, given us both things and we’re going to talk about that. We’re gonna hear from dr walter Kyser. but we’re also going to talk about some of the questions that surround what happened when Adam sent, How did this affect the world? And a lot of interesting questions in that area. So I hope that you’ll join us next week. Stay tuned for scenes from next week’s program. Well, thanks for being with me today. If you enjoyed today’s program and would like to watch it again or wish to view some of our other programs and topics, just go to our free johnny Karberg show app or you may watch our programs at our website at J. A. Show dot org. Today’s series is entitled Step by step through creation. And in these four programs, astronomer and astrophysicist, Dr Hugh ross and I will take you verse by verse through genesis one and two and show you how the biblical account of creation can be reconciled with scientific evidence. Today. Then we also taped a second series with dr Ross entitled Science discovers the universe had a beginning. In this series, he answers the questions what scientific evidence has led astronomers to conclude the universe had a beginning, just as the bible sounds, what evidence shows that God meticulously created and designed the universe so that human life can live on earth. How is God positioned jupiter Saturn and Neptune to protect the earth and how did God exquisitely designed the sun, the moon and stars for man’s benefit Again, you may watch any of these episodes free on our john Achterberg show app or you may download each episode for only $5 an episode on our website at J. A. Show dot org folks. Our goal is to help encourage and strengthen you and your walk with the Lord and possibly God is speaking to you today and you’d like to know how to become a christian or you would like to pray and invite jesus christ to be your personal savior. If so, just go to our website right now, click on, pray to accept jesus as your savior. Goodbye God bless you. I’ll see you next week. Yeah, nefesh is a word that’s introduced in genesis, one for the soul ish animals that God creates on creation day five. And it gives you two categories. It talks about the birds and the sea mammals. And then the sixth Creation Day talks about three different kinds of specialized land mammals that God creates and all these are part of the nefesh and your basic definition, it would be creatures that God endows with mind will and emotions so that they can form emotional bonds and relationships with members of their own species, but they’re also endowed to be able to form relationships with human beings. These are the animals that will care for the young. So any species of life where the parents sacrifice to care for the young would be in that category. That would include all birds, all mammals, They would include a few of the higher reptiles. So crocodiles and alligators are in that category because we have evidence that the mothers will indeed sacrifice to care for their new hatchlings. Now where you get biblical support for this in some detail is job 38 and 39, Job 37 to 39 parallels the six Creation days of genesis one, but most of the content focuses on creations days five and six where it talks about these soulless animals. In fact, you can go all the way to the very end of the Book of Job the whole context as how God designed these soul ish animals to serve and please us, but more than that to teach us powerful theological lessons. And one thing I’ve learned in my travels around the world. The atheist live in cities when you talk to people in a rural setting where they’ve got abundant contact with these soulless animals, they believe in God. Next week on the john Ekberg show, what happens when I speak to an audience say of several 100 atheists is like, we’ve never heard these evidences before. We’ve never heard this interpretation of genesis before. And what I’m realizing is that christians simply haven’t been equipped to give the best evidences for their faith. The most common comment I got is I’m no longer secure in my Atheism, possibly God is speaking to you today. If you would like to have someone pray with you or you have a question you would like to ask. There’s a phone number on your screen right now that you may call, call that number and someone will be happy to pray with you. Thank you for joining me today. I hope that you’ll join me again at the same time next week to learn how to start a relationship with jesus christ. Go to our website at j A show dot org.