25-0601a - Detailed Summary

Scott, then greets the congregation and introduces the sermon’s focus on the sixth day of creation, described as a magnificent moment in Scripture. He directs the congregation to Genesis 1:24-31, contrasting God’s revealed origin of life with Darwin’s theory of evolution, emphasizing the divine purpose for humanity’s existence.

Scott provides context by noting that the fifth day, described in Genesis 1:23, involved the creation of sea creatures and birds. On the sixth day, starting in verse 24, God commands the earth to bring forth land animals—cattle, creeping things, and beasts—each according to their kind, and it was so. God declares this creation good. The narrative then shifts to the creation of humanity, with God declaring, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness,” granting them dominion over all creatures. God creates man and woman in His image, blessing them to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. God also provides every seed-bearing plant and fruit tree for food for both humans and animals, ensuring a vegetarian diet for all creatures. The section concludes with God’s assessment that everything He made was “very good,” marking the end of the sixth day.

Scott vividly describes the sixth day, where God populates the earth with diverse land animals, from grazing cattle to scurrying insects and mighty beasts like the behemoth or dinosaurs. He then introduces the creation of Adam and Eve, emphasizing their role as bearers of God’s image and stewards of creation. Addressing skepticism about a single-day creation, Scott challenges the idea of millions of years of evolution, arguing that God’s power, demonstrated in acts like creating stars or raising Jesus, transcends human timelines. He aligns with Young Earth creationist views, citing organizations like Apologetics Press, Answers in Genesis, and Creation Ministries International. These groups interpret the Hebrew word yom (day) with “evening and morning” as a literal 24-hour period. Scott argues that extending the creation timeline undermines Scripture’s authority and diminishes the majesty of God’s instantaneous creation.

Focusing on Genesis 1:24-25, Scott elaborates on the creation of land animals, painting a picture of the earth coming alive with cattle, insects, and powerful creatures like the behemoth or dinosaurs. The phrase “according to their kinds” is central, with Scott explaining that the Hebrew word min refers to broad created kinds, not modern species. He introduces baraminology, the study of created kinds (bara for created, min for kind), asserting that these kinds were distinct from creation, with no transitional forms as proposed by evolution. He suggests that the phrase “after its kind” may imply a DNA-based genetic template, allowing variation within kinds but not between them. Livestock, creeping things, and beasts each serve distinct roles, with dinosaurs possibly included among the beasts, reflecting God’s creativity and power.

Scott highlights Genesis 1:29-30, where God assigns plants as food for all creatures, including humans, livestock, creeping things, and beasts like dinosaurs. This vegetarian diet underscores a world without predation or death, aligning with the “very good” nature of creation. He references Job 40’s description of the behemoth, suggesting it resembles a dinosaur like Brachiosaurus, coexisting peacefully with other creatures. Scott argues that a literal 24-hour sixth day is critical to avoid theological issues, such as secular claims of prehistoric death and predation. Romans 5:12 is cited to affirm that death entered through human sin, not before, supporting a harmonious, plant-based creation. Psalm 104:24 is revisited to emphasize God’s wisdom in creating a balanced ecosystem in one day.

The sermon transitions to the creation of humanity in Genesis 1:26-27, described as the crescendo of the sixth day. God’s deliberate use of “let us make” reflects the unity of the Trinity in creating humans in His image, granting them dominion over creation. Scott clarifies that the image of God is spiritual, encompassing the soul’s capacity to reason, love, and choose, distinguishing humans from animals. He notes that Genesis 2 details Adam’s creation from dust and Eve’s from his rib, all within a 24-hour day, refuting evolutionary gradualism. The sermon emphasizes God’s intentional craftsmanship, with the earth itself used as the material for both animals and humans, reinforcing the immediacy and purpose of the creation act.

Scott emphasizes the unique dignity bestowed upon humanity on the sixth day, highlighting that humans, unlike animals such as a lion, possess the capacity to ponder eternity and seek God’s truth. This ability to reflect God’s character and commune with Him sets humanity apart. The creation of male and female, as stated in Genesis 1:27, establishes God’s design of two distinct genders, equal in worth but with complementary roles, together imaging God. Scott asserts that this binary gender framework is supported by both Scripture and science, referencing John 1:3 to argue that only what Jesus, the Creator, made exists, thus affirming only two genders. Genesis 1:28 is cited, where God blesses humanity to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it, granting them dominion over all creation.

The concept of dominion is clarified as stewardship, not tyranny, with humans tasked as God’s representatives to care for creation. Scott references Genesis 2:19-20, where Adam’s first act of dominion involves naming the animals, including extraordinary creatures like the behemoth and possibly dinosaurs, symbolizing his authority over all created kinds. Eve, as Adam’s partner, shares this calling to co-rule God’s world. Scott reiterates Genesis 1:29-30, which establishes a vegetarian diet for both humans and animals, including creeping things and mighty dinosaurs. This dietary mandate underscores a world without death or predation, where all creatures are sustained by God’s provision of seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, reflecting the harmony of the original creation.

Scott paints a vivid picture of Adam and Eve in Eden, surrounded by a diverse array of creatures, from small insects to grand dinosaurs, all thriving on the abundant plant-based provisions God created just the day before. This scene encapsulates the peace and perfection of the sixth day, as declared in Genesis 1:31, where God sees everything He made and deems it “very good,” marking the completion of the sixth day with evening and morning. Scott describes this day as God’s masterpiece, encompassing the creation of land animals and humanity in His image, all within a single 24-hour period and sustained by plants. He invites the congregation to stand in awe of God’s creative power and promises to explore the contemporary implications of this creation account later. The sermon concludes with a prayer, thanking God for the wonder of the sixth day and asking for trust in His word and worship of His power, followed by an invitation to stand and sing.