What Is Man?

Background Scripture: Psalm 8; Job 7; Genesis 1
Lesson Scripture: Psalm 8:3-9; Job 7:17-18; Genesis 1:26-28

Introduction

This quarterly consists of fourteen lessons taken primarily from the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. An Easter lesson is also included. When categorizing the Scriptures, these books are usually defined as wisdom literature or books of poetry.

Many Christians consider the book of Psalms their favorite book in the Bible. There are psalms that cover nearly every situation encountered in life. Scholars attribute over 70 of the 150 psalms to David, who was described as a man after God’s own heart. There are many beautiful psalms that comfort and encourage us as well as fortify our faith in God.

The truth contained in the verses of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, with few exceptions, was written by Solomon, known as the wisest of men.

Regardless of the author, we credit the Holy Spirit’s inspiration for these Scriptures’ power, beauty, and their relevance to the lives of God’s children through the ages.

David and Solomon lived life to the full, sometimes failing grievously, but they returned to the Lord when their sins were revealed. David’s repentance in the fifty-first Psalm is still the best pattern for dealing with sin. Solomon’s lament in Ecclesiastes after too many years spent pursuing vanities must reprove anyone who insatiably seeks fulfillment in materialism or pleasure.

The graphic story of the crucifixion of Christ is told with conviction, and the triumphant strains of the resurrection remind us again of the beauty of redemption’s plan.

Our faith is not just theory or theology; it is the foundation for our life. It affects our choices, our ethics, our use of time, and our appreciation for one of God’s great gifts to man—the church.

Today, when the knowledge of men can be accessed with our fingertips, we need to esteem the eternal wisdom that is timeless, immutable, and able to guide us to a heavenly home.

What Is Man?

Lesson 1

March 1, 2020

Background Scripture: Psalm 8; Job 7; Genesis 1

Lesson Scripture: Psalm 8:3-9; Job 7:17-18; Genesis 1:26-28

Introduction

David of old gazed with wonder into the heavens, observing the vastness of the celestial realm. He was inspired by the stars and planets, and his thoughts turned to the almighty God who had created everything. He thought how God brought it all into existence by merely speaking. Overwhelmed with humility, David realized his insignificance in the great universe, and in deep unworthiness he cried out, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him . . . that thou visitest him?” (Ps. 8:4).

Many people in the world are living self-centered lives, feeling entitled to whatever they want and seldom pausing to think of God. Through the creation God is calling humanity to stop and reflect. We must prepare the soul that He has entrusted into our care; we must prove whether our spirit is aligned with His Spirit so we can spend eternity with Him.

Key Verse

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands (Heb. 2:7).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

In the beginning, God brought the earth and the celestial bodies into existence by declaring them to be. In this way He created all the countless organisms and creatures. But when God created man, He chose to form him in His very own image from the earth He had already made. He then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7).

Creatures need oxygen to sustain their life. However, the special breath of God upon the nostrils of the first man did not merely provide oxygen; it included a special infilling in which man received a spiritual capacity. This gave him the capability to communicate with his Creator in the spirit, to perceive His will, and to determine right and wrong. God endowed man with the power to choose whom he would serve, whether God or Satan. Ultimately, man’s choice determines his eternal destiny. Humans who follow Satan must accept their just punishment in hell; those who claim Jesus’s redemption and forsake their sins will have a home in heaven with God. God has given man an eternal soul that longs to return to the Giver. All people are made in the image of God—no one is worthless; therefore, Christians must not exclude, ignore, or mistreat any of their fellowmen.

In the beginning, Adam and Eve were in perfect peace and unity with their Maker. After the serpent beguiled them, this union with God was broken—irreparably, it seemed. Nevertheless, God gave mankind a great favor by reaching down in mercy and sending a Redeemer.

Throughout the ages, mankind has wrestled with the conflict between the seed of sin in his flesh and the eternal, never-dying soul in his bosom. There are those who choose to follow their flesh and allow Satan to control them. This causes internal conflict because while the flesh rules their lives, the God-given soul longs to please its Maker. Those who love the Lord and choose to follow Him receive redemption through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Their sinful heart is purified and reconciled to God. However, they must deny their sinful flesh to remain in tune with their Creator. They can then live a life like the patriarchs Job and David, who expressed humble testimonies of praise and unworthiness.

Practical Truths for Today

God gave man the world to live in and instructed him to care for it. Its abundant resources, plants, and living creatures were given for man’s sustenance. Early civilizations domesticated animals that were suited to serve their purposes and provide them food. When man follows God’s order, he has a balanced view of these things, but unregenerate man has proven himself to be intemperate. He can become very cruel to animals and destructive to the environment. In some cases, hatred has led him to torture or kill his fellow man. On the other hand, some people are consumed with protecting the environment and advocate animal rights to such a degree that they no longer use the things of this world as God planned for them to be used when He created them.

God made the world for us to use and enjoy. We are thrilled by nature as we enjoy fresh air, green trees, and clean water. Forests have been cleared, using the wood to build shelters, and the newly cleared land has been converted to grow crops for food. While the world is not in its original state, it is providing a necessary service to mankind according to God’s order. We must be careful stewards of this gift.

The Bible gives some direction on the proper care of animals. Jacob mentioned the carefulness that he took with his herds and flocks that were with young lest they should be stressed from being driven too hard (Gen. 33:13–14). Proverbs 12:10 says, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Christians respect animals as created by God and will not cause them unnecessary suffering. They do not take pleasure in inflicting pain or suffering on another, whether man or beast.

Though people do many constructive things, much harm has been inflicted on the earth through greed, crime, and war. Human practices have occasionally caused great destruction to wildlife. Early plainsmen, for example, killed a great number of buffalos, nearly driving them to extinction. Too many times, relatively few of the animals taken were used for food. Fishermen have used explosives in the water, causing great loss of life to numerous species and destroying their habitat. Passenger pigeons are now extinct, having been hunted as game birds in North America for many years. Practices like these have driven some species to extinction and have threatened the continuation of others. How does God view such destruction and wasting of His creation?

The celestial bodies in the vastness of interstellar space continue to astound humanity. Technology has provided means to look farther and farther into outer space, yet man has gained little definitive information on the vastness of the universe. The ever-increasing capability of telescopes leads to more and more discoveries of stars and galaxies.

The false belief that the world is billions of years old and will continue for billions more may strike fear to the hearts of ungodly men. They fear overpopulation and the depletion of natural resources. When God, who is the creator and preserver of all these things, is not recognized, man is without clear understanding. Too few see God in the grandeur of the universe, and even fewer yet fall in humble adoration before Him and trust their lives completely into His hands.

As we consider the question, “What is man?” we see that God has made him a steward of the earth and entrusted the stewardship of the animals, children, spouses, friends, his time, and money to him. We are also stewards of our minds, bodies, spirits, and our never-dying souls. It is only by the grace of God that we can fulfill all these responsibilities. In observing the life of man, the wise man in Ecclesiastes concluded, “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccles. 12:13–14).

Questions

1. In John 20:22 we read that Jesus breathed on the disciples and said “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” How might this relate to the “breath of life” recorded in Genesis 2:7?
2. An increasingly urban population is less connected to nature and food sources. Can this affect how man views God and His creation?
3. Should a Christian make a conscious effort to behold the heavens as well as nature to remind himself of his place in God’s great plan?
4. What should be the Christian’s attitude toward extremist movements?
5. Unsubscribe

Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).