11(b) INTRODUCTORY UNIT GOD'S PLAN AND MAN'S TASK Overview of Basic Concepts 1. God created everything according to his plan 2. God created Four Realms which belong together. There is a basic difference between each realm. Man is special in creation. 3. God gives one task to all people. 4. Man spoils the creation. God gives man a new start.
11 (c ) Introductory Unit The creation story tells us that in the beginning God created an orderly universe in which he placed the earth as a home for man. He created all things; the earth as well as the heavens. He created the earth perfect; everything worked in perfect harmony to make a home where man could live and work so that the creation might fully reveal God's majesty. Man was not placed in a state of confusion but was placed in a structured universe which he had to develop according to the laws placed there by the maker. Man's task was to use, to develop and shape everything in the creation to His glory. The purpose of this introductory unit is to allow even little children to discover and experience something of: a) The order and beauty of all that God made: in the beginning God created an orderly universe in which He placed the earth as a home for man; b) Man's task - to use, to develop and shape everything in creation according the laws placed there by the maker so that the creation might fully reveal Gel's majesty; c) The fall and the restoration of all things in Christ - God, for Christ's desp i te the fall of man, still upholds his creation and gives man a place in it. It is hoped that each child can be led to experience that because Christ, throh His blood made and is making all things new, they can again with joy be His co-workers in the unfo ''-7 of His creation to the praise of His Name and the benefit of all mankind (cf. The Great Commandment). The teacher should use her own discretion in presenting this unit. It is inorientation unit rather than an in-depth study. It presents a perspective which provides a basi s for an understanding of the units which follow. GOD'S PLAN 1. God Created Everything According to His Plan E- created all things - the earth as well as the heavens; and all their mighty throng. - In Hid creation He placed the earth as a home for man. - He gave creation. man a task - to use, develop and care for everything in CLASSROOM PROCEDURE 1) Discuss where does everything come from? How do we know? Tell the creation story (Gen. 1, 2).
11(d) Brief Commentary on Genesis 1:1-2:3 vs. 1. Introductory and summary statement which declares that in the beginning God, the Mighty One (Elchim), created all things: the earth as well as the heavens. vs. 2 Describes the condition of the creation: "without form and void", "the deep (waters)", "darkness". SPIRIT OF GOD Light-Darkness Day Night darkness Sun, Moon, Stars, Signs, seasons, days, years Firmament- Heaven //// the deep // Birds Fish Land--Sea Plants Animals Man To make the earth a place for man to live there must first be light; 3-5 and there was light. From then on darkness and light follow each other regularly. Day and night receive their names from God; they are His creation and depend on His sustaining power. vs. Then follows a division of the waters of the deep. God creates a 6-8 firmament which separates the waters above and the waters below. The firmament receives the name heaven. vs. Next there is a separation of the waters below the firmament; the 9-13 seas are separated from the dry land. Now the earth is ready for vegetation, for plants and for the trees. "Let the earth produce..." "And it was so." God makes the earth bring forth the different kinds of plants. He looks at it and concludes that it is very good.
11(e) vs. Now the sun, moon and stars are created to rule man's seasons (f es - 14-19 tivals), days, and years. Man's life is conditioned by time. vs. The foundation has been laid for the living creatures. First God 20-23 makes the "waters" produce and as a result the birds appear under the firmament and the fishes in the sea. They are blessed by God and commanded to fill the sea and the sky. vs. After the waters God makes the earth bring forth its living creatures; 24-31 the animals appear. Now the earth is finally ready for man. This time, however, God does not command the earth, but He takes council with Himself and then He creates man, male and female, in His own image. Man is commanded to fill the earth and to rule over the animals, the fishes and the birds. God gives all the creatures their food; man receives the fruits of the plants and the trees and the other living creatures receive the grass. CHAPTER 2 vs. The creation account finds its climax in the creation of man and the 1-3 task he is given. Each new creation is another step in the preparation of the earth as a home for man to live in. Thus each day serves as the foundation for the next day. None of the days find their meaning within themselves; light and darkness, the firmament, the seas and the dry land, the reproduction of the vegetable world, the sun, the moon and stars, they still abide and uphold the living creatures -- the birds, the fishes and the animals -- over all of which man must rule. But even the sixth day is not the end. The creation, ruled by man, is not closed off within itself. God's plan is a seven day plan. The creation does not find its center in man but in God. The day of man is not the end, rather it is the beginning of the earth's fulfillment and man's joy. When man's task has been completed, when man's generations have been fulfilled, when history has run its course, then man's eternal sabbath will have arrived and he will rest from all his works like his Lord. Of this eternal rest the seventh day is a regular reminder and foretaste.
11 (f ) Gen. 1 is an account of God's revelation to man of is place and task and the meaning of human history. Thus the creation story proclaims who we are: we are to be co-workers with God in the unfolding of His creation to the praise of His Name and for the benefit of all mankind (cf. the Great Commandment). 2) Art - arrange the class in six groups. Allow each group to paint a "day" in the creation story, showing how each day builds upon another. This could also be done in mural form. 3) Songs-"A New Created World" from The Children's Hymn Book. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" Go. Created Four Real s. Which Belong Together The four realms are: physical things, organic things, sensory creatures and pan 1 There is a basic difference between each realm. Man is a religious creature There is an intricate interwovenness between the realms A. Classroom Procedure 1. Do you think we can see more of God's Plan for the earth? Let's find out. F07 this lesson a collection of pictures could serve as the teacher's aid to get the pupils to understand the four realms: things (physical things), plants (organic things), animals (sensory creatures), and man (religious creatures). Group the pictures that represent one realm- together.
11(g) Do not mix them up during the introduction. Name the things shown in the pictures and have the student try to think of a name for all of these. Do the same for all the groups. Let the children mention other things for each group. 2. Discuss: does everything in the world belong to one of these four grcups? Let the children think about this question for a moment. Introduce the word "realm". The four realms are part of God's plan. Everything belongs to one of the realms. 3. Let the children cut out pictures from magazines and let each pupil add one picture to each realm on the bulletin board. 4. Provide the children with a worksheet of God's plan, showing the four realms. Have the students cut out and paste a picture under the right heading. 5. For later review pictures could be arranged at random on the bulletin board. Let the children choose a picture and put it under the right heading. Let them explain why it belorgs under that heading. This procedure may generate a lot of discussion (Where does a man on a tractor belong, or a crow in a tree?, etc.). 6 Allow the children to discover the differences between the realms by observing real things if possible--things, plants and animals that are in the classroom or outdoors. The children should observe something from each realm for a period of time and record and discuss their findings. (Cf. also Unit II, Physical Things, Unit III, Organic Things, Unit IV Sensory Creatures and Unit V, Living and Working Together). The children should be led to discover that although there is a basic difference between each realm there is also an intricate inter-wovenness between the realms. (Cf. p. 6, III)
11(h) 7. Discuss: Man is different from other creatures. What can man do? Do animals do some of these things? Is there a difference when both men and animals do the same thing? Man walks, grows, feels, thinks, talks, Ins fun, makes things, works, is fair (or unfair), loves (or hates), is kind (or unkind) / and worships. The one thing that makes man different (special) is that he hears God's voice and answers God. (Refer back to the creation story: God spoke to man and gave him a task). Man must take care of all the other things; animals, plants, things. 8. Film: "Living and Non-Living Things"--Coronet. This film allows children to explore the differences and similarities between the realms, also between man and other sensory creatures. 3. God Gives one 'Task to All People - All people share in the one task to care for, develop, preserve and have dominion over all things in His Name - The one task has many parts. Classroom Procedure 1. Make a bulletin board display of people doing different kinds of work. Allow the children to discover that the one big task involves many smaller tasks (Cf. Unit V, Living and Working Together for a more in-depth study of man and his task). All jobs are part of the big job God gave to all people to take care of the earth and finish it. 2. Discuss: Why do people work? When did all this work start? (In the beginning after God created Adam and Eve He gave them a job to do. Cf. Gen. 1:26-31). All our jobs are a small mart of
big job. Adam started his task. We must continue it, for it is Still not finished. Some day the task will be done and then we will rest like God rested from His work when He finished creating the world. 3. Make hats from construction paper or wallpaper, allowing the children to represent what type of work their fathers and mothers do, or what they would like to do when they grow up. Let the rest of the class guess whom the child represents. 4. Man Spoils the Creation. God Gives Man a New Start - The fall - The restoration of all things in Christ Classroom Procedure 1. Discuss Gen. 2:5-3:29. Did Adam do a good job taking care of the garden? No. What went wrong? Man did not want to listen to God anymore how to do his work. He listened to Satan and then everything went wrong. How did it show that things had gone wrong? Cain killed Abel. People did not work together anymore at their one task. How can you see that things go wrong today? Do all people do a good job? Does everything work out right? Can you think of something that has not been taken care of very well? Let each child have a turn and make a list of the things mentioned. Discuss particularly hunger, pollution and war. Show filmstrips slides, newspaper or magazine pictures to illustrate hunger, pollution, war, etc. Perhaps it is possible to see examples of neglect or pollution in the neighbourhood.
11(j) When man is disobedient to God, he cannot take care of creation properly anymore. Then everything goes wrong. Man forgets his task. He becomes careless and only wants to do and have things for himself. Even though man spoiled everything and made things go wrong, God did not leave him to die. He loved His creation too much and He loved man too much. So right after things went wrong in paradise, He promised to make things better again. God promised to send Jesus. Jesus came and He listened to God. He was obedient. He made up for man's disobedience. He began to set everything straight in the world. He is making all things new and He wants us to be His helpers. If we listen to Him we can be happy again in doing our small jobs as a part of the one big task. We can be happy again taking care of the earth until the Lord comes back to finish everything.