In the beginning God created the heavens and

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1: 1 (ESV)

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1: 2 (ESV)

And God said, “Let there be light, ” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1: 3 -4 (ESV)

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds. ” And it was so…And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1: 24 -25 (ESV)

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping that creeps on the earth. ” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he

created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1: 26 -27 (ESV)

The story of creation defines our belief about God.

…then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. Genesis 2: 7 (ESV)

The Image of God in Man Created in the image of God • It does not mean we are a god • Hebrew means “similar but not identical” (Wayne Grudem) Genesis 1: 26 – “let us make man to be like us and represent us” Qualities: spiritual, personal, creative, emotional, moral, relational, rational

Three Instructions (2: 15 -19) 1. To rule everything and work. 2. Name all animals and birds. 3. Don’t eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil

Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2: 19 (ESV)

The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. Genesis 2: 20 (ESV)

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone. Genesis 2: 18 (ESV)

Why did God do that? 1. To draw our attention to a very special part of His creation - marriage

Why did God do that? 1. To draw our attention to a very special part of His creation – marriage 2. To show us just how in control He really is. God doesn’t make mistakes. A God this powerful doesn’t make mistakes - very intentional

Why did God do that? 1. To draw our attention to a very special part of His creation – marriage 2. To show us just how in control He really is. God doesn’t make mistakes. A God this powerful doesn’t make mistakes - very intentional 3. He had Adam go through all that to create a special desire – woman