We finally come to the last day in the chronicle of the creation of the earth. Though God does not stop creating – because the Creator is He, creates eternally – these are the last few miracles He reveals to us on the creation saga.
Do you notice that God created the earthbound animals and human on the same day? Maybe you do. What about how God created the land creatures the same way with the plants, and also made them out of the same source – the ground – yet He mold the man out from dust? Is there anything God wants to revealed about Himself through all these? Like, is there any paradox in it? Let’s dive into it!
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.
Genesis 1:24 NIV
The word used for “the earth” in this verse is from a Hebrew word אֶרֶץ (e’-rets) meaning “land,” “ground,” or “earth.” It is the exact same word used in verse 12 on the same chapter when God created plants bearing seed and trees bearing fruit. God spoke and the earth produced vegetation (day 3), and earthbound animals (day 6). All of them were created by the word of God. And after He created the earthbound animals, instead of going to create another creatures like what He did before, He now spoke within Himself.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27 NIV
It is amazing to see how God reveals Himself and His nature in these two verses. Not only letting us know His thoughts, God also lets us know His existence and nature. There is an “Us” within Him, yet He is One image (not images). In that complete unity of Him, He created mankind in His own image, breathed His Spirit (Gen 2:7) so that the mankind He formed could have the unity in a spiritual fellowship with Him. God does not need anyone or anything to make Him whole, for there is a wholeness in Him. But He created mankind to share His image even reveals Himself to us and through us.
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7 NIV
We see on this verse of Genesis 2:7 there is a word “ground,” but this is a different noun with “land” in Genesis 1:12 and 1:24. This “ground” is translated from a Hebrew word אֲדָמָה (ad-am-ah) which has narrower connotation of “soil” as plantation/agriculture soil. But it’s not about the soil I am talking, it is about the dust. Yes, THE DUST. What would you do if you see dust on your floor? You would sweep it. Would you save money to buy a sack of dust? Chances are you would not, but for a piece of land you may. Do you see where we are going?
The almighty, all-powerful God that has been doing His almighty works in the past five days is now shaping the seemingly unvalued dust to create mankind in His image. Who is the Most High that He humbled Himself to look at the lowness of His creation and fashion it to become mankind? That humility and grace of God in creating mankind enable them to be like Him in spiritual, moral, and intellectual nature. Yes, that dust, that very dust that has been touched by God’s hand and breathed by His Spirit. Without God, we are just mere dust.
Let’s take a moment for a while to think about it. Adam, our first ancestor was made of dust, something less valuable than what the vegetation and land animals were made of. That should tell us of how fragile we are! How easy it is for us to be blown away by the strong wind of distrust and unbelief. We are all prone to shatter, prone to wander. It is the hands of the Lord that could build us anew and hold us firm. With all things that He has done, shouldn’t we come to Him now in reverence and awe and offer this life we are living to Him? Let us worship Him for who He is: the mighty God, the Potter, the Stronghold, the Maker, the Creator that continues His work in this universe, in my life, and yours.
That’s a tiny little thing for today. I hope you are blessed and will share this blessings to others. Let’s walk together in this journey and worship the Lord with all our beings!
Tiny Little Things 
Leave a comment