-
†. Gen 1:22b . . God blessed them, saying: Be fertile
The blessing of fertility is pretty amazing. It not only enables creatures to
reproduce their own bodies, but also to transfer the breath of life from one
generation to the next.
†. Gen 1:22c . . and increase, fill the waters in the seas, and let the
winged creatures increase on the earth.
Aqua creatures exist in the most unlikely places. When the crew of the
bathyscaphe Trieste descended into the 35,761 feet Challenger Deep located
in the deepest part of the Mariana Trench in 1960, they didn't really expect
to find anything living down there; but to their surprise, the saw a flat fish
similar to sole and flounder. The video camera on board the Kaiko probe
spotted a sea cucumber, a scale worm and a shrimp at the bottom. The
Nereus probe spotted a polychaete worm (a multi-legged predator) about an
inch long.
†. Gen 1:23 . . And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth
day.
†. Gen 1:24-25 . .Then God said: Let the earth bring forth living
creatures after their kind-- cattle and creeping things and beasts of
the earth after their kind, And it was so. And God made the beasts of
the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and
everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw
that it was good.
We've come now to the sixth day when all terra life was created; including
dinosaurs and humans.
This grouping of creatures (except for Man) isn't specifically given the
blessing of fertility. But if God would bless aqua creatures and those with
wings, why ever would He not bless the terra species too who are just as
important? But since they've been reproducing all this time, then I'd have to
say there is sufficient empirical evidence to support the assumption that that
they were equally blessed with fertility just like everything else.
The Hebrew words for "living creature" are chay (khah'-ee) and nephesh
(neh'-fesh).
Chay makes it first appearance at Gen 1:20 in reference to aqua creatures
and winged creatures; and many times in the Old Testament thereafter;
including fifteen times in reference to God; e.g. Jer 10:10, indicating that
the originator of life actually exists as opposed to a totem pole or a mythical
fantasy. There is a very large number of instances recorded in the Old
Testament where God speaks of Himself as "I am".
Nephesh also makes its first appearance at Gen 1:20, and many times
thereafter in the Old Testament including Gen 2:7 in reference to human life.
Nephesh is often translated "soul" which has reference to life as an individual
as opposed to merely a species. Webster's defines an individual as existing
as a distinct entity. Individuality-- which can be roughly defined as a sense
of self; viz: a sense of personal identity --is one of life's unsolved mysteries.
Terra critters consist of the very land masses upon which they live. They,
like Man, weren't created out of thin air; but rather, God used earthly
materials and ingredients already at hand to manufacture them. Neat-O. Not
only are the various plants and animals indigenous to planet Earth; but they
are part of it too and blend right back in when they die and decompose.
The word for "beasts" (of the earth) is chay, which, in this instance, simply
refers to wild life as opposed to domesticated life.
The word for "cattle" is behemah (be-hay-maw') and means a mute beast
(a.k.a. dumb animal). Behemah are the herd species from which came those
that can be domesticated for Man's uses. They can pull plows and wagons,
provide tallow for candles and soap, and hide and wool for clothes, meat and
dairy for table, carry loads on their backs, and give people rides.
Not all herd animals can be tamed. Zebras, for instance, and male elephants
are not particularly suited to domestication.
The plural of behemah is behemowth (be-hay-mohth') a word which some
have construed to indicate dinosaurs; citing Job 40:15-24 as their proof text.
However, it's easily proven that the age of monster reptiles was long gone
before Mr. Job was even born.
It's no accident that some of the animals are so useful to Man. God made
them for the express purpose of serving people. Although they're nephesh,
same as Man, that doesn't make them equals with Man. However, although
beasts are below the rank of the image and likeness of God, people have no
right to be cruel to animals. But Man does have the right, by the Creator's
fiat, to take advantage of them; and to induct them into slavery for Man's
benefit.
"creeping things" is the word remes (reh'-mes) and means: a reptile; or any
other rapidly moving animal. Dinosaurs would've been included in this
grouping.
Some believers suffer anxiety over dinosaurs because paleontologists have
easily dated them extinct a good many thousands of years prior to the
emergence of humans; but that's not really a problem if we but permit
creation's days to be epochs of indeterminate length rather than 24-hour
events.
Cont.
/
†. Gen 1:22b . . God blessed them, saying: Be fertile
The blessing of fertility is pretty amazing. It not only enables creatures to
reproduce their own bodies, but also to transfer the breath of life from one
generation to the next.
†. Gen 1:22c . . and increase, fill the waters in the seas, and let the
winged creatures increase on the earth.
Aqua creatures exist in the most unlikely places. When the crew of the
bathyscaphe Trieste descended into the 35,761 feet Challenger Deep located
in the deepest part of the Mariana Trench in 1960, they didn't really expect
to find anything living down there; but to their surprise, the saw a flat fish
similar to sole and flounder. The video camera on board the Kaiko probe
spotted a sea cucumber, a scale worm and a shrimp at the bottom. The
Nereus probe spotted a polychaete worm (a multi-legged predator) about an
inch long.
†. Gen 1:23 . . And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth
day.
†. Gen 1:24-25 . .Then God said: Let the earth bring forth living
creatures after their kind-- cattle and creeping things and beasts of
the earth after their kind, And it was so. And God made the beasts of
the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and
everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw
that it was good.
We've come now to the sixth day when all terra life was created; including
dinosaurs and humans.
This grouping of creatures (except for Man) isn't specifically given the
blessing of fertility. But if God would bless aqua creatures and those with
wings, why ever would He not bless the terra species too who are just as
important? But since they've been reproducing all this time, then I'd have to
say there is sufficient empirical evidence to support the assumption that that
they were equally blessed with fertility just like everything else.
The Hebrew words for "living creature" are chay (khah'-ee) and nephesh
(neh'-fesh).
Chay makes it first appearance at Gen 1:20 in reference to aqua creatures
and winged creatures; and many times in the Old Testament thereafter;
including fifteen times in reference to God; e.g. Jer 10:10, indicating that
the originator of life actually exists as opposed to a totem pole or a mythical
fantasy. There is a very large number of instances recorded in the Old
Testament where God speaks of Himself as "I am".
Nephesh also makes its first appearance at Gen 1:20, and many times
thereafter in the Old Testament including Gen 2:7 in reference to human life.
Nephesh is often translated "soul" which has reference to life as an individual
as opposed to merely a species. Webster's defines an individual as existing
as a distinct entity. Individuality-- which can be roughly defined as a sense
of self; viz: a sense of personal identity --is one of life's unsolved mysteries.
Terra critters consist of the very land masses upon which they live. They,
like Man, weren't created out of thin air; but rather, God used earthly
materials and ingredients already at hand to manufacture them. Neat-O. Not
only are the various plants and animals indigenous to planet Earth; but they
are part of it too and blend right back in when they die and decompose.
The word for "beasts" (of the earth) is chay, which, in this instance, simply
refers to wild life as opposed to domesticated life.
The word for "cattle" is behemah (be-hay-maw') and means a mute beast
(a.k.a. dumb animal). Behemah are the herd species from which came those
that can be domesticated for Man's uses. They can pull plows and wagons,
provide tallow for candles and soap, and hide and wool for clothes, meat and
dairy for table, carry loads on their backs, and give people rides.
Not all herd animals can be tamed. Zebras, for instance, and male elephants
are not particularly suited to domestication.
The plural of behemah is behemowth (be-hay-mohth') a word which some
have construed to indicate dinosaurs; citing Job 40:15-24 as their proof text.
However, it's easily proven that the age of monster reptiles was long gone
before Mr. Job was even born.
It's no accident that some of the animals are so useful to Man. God made
them for the express purpose of serving people. Although they're nephesh,
same as Man, that doesn't make them equals with Man. However, although
beasts are below the rank of the image and likeness of God, people have no
right to be cruel to animals. But Man does have the right, by the Creator's
fiat, to take advantage of them; and to induct them into slavery for Man's
benefit.
"creeping things" is the word remes (reh'-mes) and means: a reptile; or any
other rapidly moving animal. Dinosaurs would've been included in this
grouping.
Some believers suffer anxiety over dinosaurs because paleontologists have
easily dated them extinct a good many thousands of years prior to the
emergence of humans; but that's not really a problem if we but permit
creation's days to be epochs of indeterminate length rather than 24-hour
events.
Cont.
/
