Topical Bible: Man: Made by God in his Successive Generations

◄ Man: Made by God in his Successive Generations ►

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Creation of Man

The creation of man is a foundational event described in the Book of Genesis. According to Genesis 1:26-27 , God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it." Thus, God created man in His own image, male and female He created them. This divine act signifies the unique position of humanity in creation, endowed with the image of God, which encompasses attributes such as rationality, morality, and the capacity for relationship with the Creator.

The Fall and Its Consequences

The narrative of the fall in Genesis 3 describes how sin entered the world through Adam and Eve's disobedience. Romans 5:12 states, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned." This event had profound implications for all successive generations, introducing sin and death into human experience and necessitating divine redemption.

Generations from Adam to Noah

The genealogies in Genesis 5 trace the lineage from Adam to Noah, highlighting the continuity of humanity despite the pervasive effects of sin. Each generation is marked by the phrase "and he died," underscoring the reality of death introduced by the fall. Yet, amidst this, figures like Enoch, who "walked with God" (Genesis 5:24), demonstrate the possibility of righteous living and communion with God.

The Flood and a New Beginning

The account of Noah and the flood in Genesis 6-9 represents both judgment and renewal. Humanity's wickedness had reached such a level that God decided to cleanse the earth with a flood, sparing only Noah and his family. Genesis 9:1 records God's command to Noah and his sons: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." This directive echoes the original mandate given to Adam, signifying a new beginning for humanity.

Generations from Noah to Abraham

The genealogies in Genesis 10 and 11 trace the descendants of Noah's sons, leading to the emergence of nations and the eventual call of Abram (later Abraham). Genesis 12:1-3 marks a pivotal moment as God calls Abram, promising to make him a great nation and to bless all the families of the earth through him. This covenantal promise sets the stage for God's redemptive plan through successive generations.

The Patriarchs and the Formation of Israel

The narratives of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—illustrate God's faithfulness to His promises and His sovereign choice in establishing a people for Himself. Genesis 17:7 records God's covenant with Abraham: "I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." This covenantal relationship is central to the identity of Israel and God's unfolding plan of salvation.

The Exodus and the Giving of the Law

The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the giving of the Law at Sinai mark significant developments in God's dealings with His people. Exodus 20:1-2 begins the Decalogue with God's declaration: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." The Law provided a framework for righteous living and set Israel apart as a holy nation, intended to reflect God's character to the surrounding nations.

The Monarchy and the Prophets

The establishment of the monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon represents a new phase in Israel's history. Despite human failings, God's covenant with David, as recorded in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 , promises an everlasting kingdom through David's lineage. The prophets, arising during the monarchy and beyond, called the people back to covenant faithfulness and foretold the coming of a Messiah who would fulfill God's redemptive purposes.

The New Covenant in Christ

The New Testament reveals the fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ, the Son of David and the Son of God. In Matthew 1:1 , Jesus is introduced as "the son of David, the son of Abraham," linking Him to the covenantal promises of the Old Testament. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus inaugurates the New Covenant, offering salvation to all who believe, as articulated in John 3:16 : "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

The Church and the Spread of the Gospel

The Book of Acts and the Epistles describe the formation and expansion of the early church, empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel to all nations. The apostle Paul, in Galatians 3:28-29 , emphasizes the unity of believers in Christ: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise." This spiritual lineage transcends ethnic and social boundaries, fulfilling God's promise to bless all nations through Abraham's seed.

The Hope of Future Generations

The Bible concludes with the hope of Christ's return and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth, as described in Revelation 21-22. This eschatological vision assures believers of the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, where His people will dwell with Him eternally, free from sin and death. Revelation 21:3-4 declares, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away."

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 10:8-11
Your hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet you do destroy me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 31:15
Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Name of Jesus Christ, and his Twofold Nativity.
... Therefore He was born a second time as man, of a virgin, without a ... that, as in His
first spiritual birth, being born of God alone, He was made a sacred ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xliii of the name of.htm

Of the Reason Why Forty Generations (Not Including Christ Himself) ...
... account the Son of God was pleased to be made the son of man by the ... spoken of Adam
also as the son of God, who, strictly speaking, was made by God, but was ...
/.../augustine/the harmony of the gospels/chapter iv of the reason why.htm

And when they were Put Out of Paradise, Adam and his Wife. ...
... Now the apostate angel, who led man into disobedience and ... for filling Cain with his
spirit he made him a ... And upon this God was angered yet more, and cursed Cain ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 17 and when they.htm

The Decalogue: I --Man and God
... Two general observations may be made. ... one another and get from one another, wherever
a man and a ... which is blessed and right if done after the pattern of God's. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the decalogue iman and god.htm

Two Ways of Despising God's Feast
... who says that he has accepted God's invitation, and ... his deeds,' nor putting on 'the
new man, which is ... not having our own righteousness,' but His made ours by ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/two ways of despising gods.htm

The Promised King and Temple-Builder
... all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a ... and the meeting-place of
God and man, and inasmuch ... Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture f/the promised king and temple-builder.htm

The Church in Theology and Literature.
... melodious, it is not strange that such a man should have made large contributions ...
In "God in Christ" (1849), "Christ in Theology" (1851), "The Vicarious ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xxi the church in.htm

The Priest of the World and King of Men
... behold 'the likeness as the appearance of a man upon it ... He found the city of brick
and made it marble. ... Beware lest God's grand temple should be built up without ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the priest of the world.htm

Perfect Knowledge Cannot be Attained in the Present Life: Many ...
... Son produced by the Father?" we reply to him, that no man understands that ... also,
we must leave the cause why, while all things were made by God, certain of ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxviii perfect knowledge cannot be.htm

Four Shaping Centuries
... of Israel, which came into Egypt: every man and his ... in the field: all their service,
wherein they made them serve ... into a multitude was hidden from all but God. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/four shaping centuries.htm