Creation 101

In childhood, we “discovered” many exciting wonders of creation, like flowers, frogs, ants, worms, butterflies, clouds, and snowflakes. Our formal education may have included general science and then branches of science where we discovered intriguing complexity, amazing organization, physical laws, and underlying principles—all of which demand unparalleled intelligence for their origin.

When we use the word “nature,” we commonly mean living things and earth’s forces and processes. Nature is the environment—the sky and seas, rocks and trees, and birds and bees. And, if we grew up in a religious home, we were likely taught a “Creation story” explaining how all these things came about. It makes perfect sense to us that something designed and made must have a source, an intelligent Creator. Complex, organized things don’t just happen by themselves.

The Apostle Paul talks about the creation and about how it clearly reveals the necessity of a Creator God. He says that “what may be known of God is manifest [apparent or evident]” (Romans 1:19–20). Even a child “knows” that if something exists, it was made by someone—somebody made their toy or favorite snack. So, the statement in Genesis 1:1 makes perfect sense: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

We may speak of someone as being “creative” when they make something unique. A creative person might compose songs, invent a new product or machine, make sculptures, or paint pictures. Of course, the Creator God is far more productive. Biologists estimate that there may be over one trillion species on Earth, according to a 2016 scientific study. “‘Estimating the number of species on Earth is among the great challenges in biology,’ said one of the team, Jay T. Lennon from Indiana University. ‘Our study combines the largest available datasets with ecological models and new ecological rules for how biodiversity relates to abundance. This gave us a new and rigorous estimate for the number of microbial species on Earth.’” Lennon told an interviewer, “Our analysis suggests there are more microbial species on Earth than there are stars in our galaxy…. These types of discoveries are leading to major changes in how we view the tree of life. [They] are almost certainly going to require rewriting of biology textbooks.” Only about .001 percent have been identified. Talk about biodiversity!

Wise King Solomon is noted in the Bible for his scientific study of plants, animals, birds, insects, and fish. People traveled far to seek his knowledge about them (1 Kings 4:33–34). Solomon also concluded that “no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:9–13). The study just mentioned above bears that out. And the more we study creation, the more we find that we have only scratched the surface.

In Job 38–42, God presents Job with a series of questions that reveal the Creator’s profound magnificence and power over His physical creation. He speaks of laying the foundations of the earth and its measurements (38:4–5), of the springs and depths of the sea (38:16), and of constellations such as Pleiades and Orion (38:31–33). He challenges Job’s knowledge of mountain goats, when deer bear their young (39:1–2), and how the hawk flies and the eagle makes its nest (39:26–27). He talks about the behemoth—of uncertain identity—and its tremendous strength (40:15–17) and of the unconquerable sea creature called Leviathan (41:1–10). These, of course, are but a tiny few of God’s creations.

God also created man in his image—an ongoing process, for it is far more than just the creation of physical men and women. His creation of mankind includes the fashioning of man’s heart and mind (Psalm 33:15; Philippians 2:5) to be and think like Him: “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). God is creating understanding in true Christians of His way of life (Acts 2:28; Proverbs 10:17) with the purpose of transforming them into immortal children of God.

The Creator’s awesome purpose is further discussed in our free study guides What Is the Meaning of Life? and Evolution and Creation: What Both Sides Miss. You can order or read them online, right here at TomorrowsWorld.org.