Chapter 2—The Creation
This chapter is based on
Genesis 1
and
2
.
“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host
of them by the breath of His mouth.” “For He spake, and it was;” “He
commanded, and it stood fast.”
Psalm 33:6, 9
. He “laid the foundations
of the earth, that it should not be removed forever.”
Psalm 104:5
.
As the earth came forth from the hand of its Maker, it was ex-
ceedingly beautiful. Its surface was diversified with mountains, hills,
and plains, interspersed with noble rivers and lovely lakes; but the
hills and mountains were not abrupt and rugged, abounding in terrific
steeps and frightful chasms, as they now do; the sharp, ragged edges of
earth’s rocky framework were buried beneath the fruitful soil, which
everywhere produced a luxuriant growth of verdure. There were no
loathsome swamps or barren deserts. Graceful shrubs and delicate
flowers greeted the eye at every turn. The heights were crowned with
trees more majestic than any that now exist. The air, untainted by
foul miasma, was clear and healthful. The entire landscape outvied in
beauty the decorated grounds of the proudest palace. The angelic host
viewed the scene with delight, and rejoiced at the wonderful works of
God.
After the earth with its teeming animal and vegetable life had been
called into existence, man, the crowning work of the Creator, and the
one for whom the beautiful earth had been fitted up, was brought upon
the stage of action. To him was given dominion over all that his eye
could behold; for “God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after
Our likeness: and let them have dominion over ...all the earth.... So
God created man in His own image; ...male and female created He
them.” Here is clearly set forth the origin of the human race; and the
divine record is so plainly stated that there is no occasion for erroneous
[45]
conclusions. God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery.
There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow
degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable
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