Sixth Day -Genesis 1:24-31

Genesis 1:24-31 ESV
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.


Genesis 1:24-31 LXX
και ειπεν ο θεοσ εξαγαγετω η γη ψυχην ζωσαν κατα γενοσ τετραποδα και ερπετα και θηρια τησ γησ κατα γενοσ και εγενετο ουτωσ 25 και εποιησεν ο θεοσ τα θηρια τησ γησ κατα γενοσ και τα κτηνη κατα γενοσ και παντα τα ερπετα τησ γησ κατα γενοσ αυτων και ειδεν ο θεοσ οτι καλα 26 και ειπεν ο θεοσ ποιησωμεν ανθρωπον κατ εικονα ημετεραν και καθ ομοιωσιν και αρχετωσαν των ιχθυων τησ θαλασσησ και των πετεινων του ουρανου και των κτηνων και πασησ τησ γησ και παντων των ερπετων των ερποντων επι τησ γησ 27 και εποιησεν ο θεοσ τον ανθρωπον κατ εικονα θεου εποιησεν αυτον αρσεν και θηλυ εποιησεν αυτουσ 28 και ηυλογησεν αυτουσ ο θεοσ λεγων αυξανεσθε και πληθυνεσθε και πληρωσατε την γην και κατακυριευσατε αυτησ και αρχετε των ιχθυων τησ θαλασσησ και των πετεινων του ουρανου και παντων των κτηνων και πασησ τησ γησ και παντων των ερπετων των ερποντων επι τησ γησ 29 και ειπεν ο θεοσ ιδου δεδωκα υμιν παν χορτον σποριμον σπειρον σπερμα ο εστιν επανω πασησ τησ γησ και παν ξυλον ο εχει εν εαυτω καρπον σπερματοσ σποριμου υμιν εσται εισ βρωσιν 30 και πασι τοισ θηριοισ τησ γησ και πασι τοισ πετεινοισ του ουρανου και παντι ερπετω τω ερποντι επι τησ γησ ο εχει εν εαυτω ψυχην ζωησ παντα χορτον χλωρον εισ βρωσιν και εγενετο ουτωσ 31 και ειδεν ο θεοσ τα παντα οσα εποιησεν και ιδου καλα λιαν και εγενετο εσπερα και εγενετο πρωι ημερα εκτη


The final day of fashioning creation is focused on the earth. Living creatures are brought forth to populate and fill the earth. They are diverse and are "according to its kind".

Then God makes a creature of another kind, of mankind. This creature is patterned after His own image, and given dominion over the earth, to rule and to care for it. Notice this time God says, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". The creative power and intent differs from the rest of creation as God begins to finish His work with a crowning touch.

Man was different from the other creatures in that he was made for fellowship with God. Later we will see God breathe His life into the nostrils of the first Adam. This man would be different from other creatures, even from other men outside the Garden, for the life of God would be in this man. The first Adam would fall in disobedience, but a second Adam would appear and will subdue the earth, succeeding in bringing the world to God. Just as Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit onto His disciples, we who follow after Him receive that same Spirit of life, and become fruitful, in ourselves and giving witness to others and glory to God.

God makes a distinction as to what will serve as food. For man, all plants and fruits that contain seed shall be food. The other creatures are given green plants. Later, seed will be used to refer to Jesus as the seed of Abraham and the word of God.

Jesus promised those who would follow Him and endure to the end would rule with Him in His throne. Jesus is called the second Adam. We are transforming into His image and will be like Him at the day of resurrection. Just as Jesus became the word Incarnate, we become visible in God's presence as the Spirit dwells in us. We are the visible manifestation of God in this world, for God is truly with us. We will know, even as we are known.


εἰκών eikōn 23x a material image, likeness, effigy, (MCED)

At the end of this day it is very good, for it was finished.

The Greek word (εὐλογέω eulogeō 41x pr. to speak well of, in NT to bless, ascribe praise and glorification, Lk. 1:64 ; to bless, invoke a blessing upon, Mt. 5:44 ; to bless, confer a favor or blessing upon, Eph. 1:3 ; Heb. 6:14 MCED) is used in the Septuagint for blessed. This word may remind us of our word eulogy, giving final words at the occasion of one's passing.

The Greek word (πληρόω+ V 15-21-18-27-31-112 Gn 1:22 , 28; 9:1 , 7; 25:24 A: to fill [τι] Gn 1:22; to fulfill, to perform LEH) appears in the Septuagint for "fill", and has the additional meaning of fulfill. In this word we have a hint of God's purpose and man's role in creation.

2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.