Man and Woman

TEXT: Genesis 1:26-28; 2:21-25

OBJECTIVE

The students will be able to cite the differences between animals and man—that man was made in the image of God and possesses a living soul.

BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction: Tell your students you are going to show them the most special part of God's creation. Pass around a hand mirror.

Progression of Events:

1. Review the fact that God spoke the world, plants and animals into existence.
2. He formed man from the dust of the ground.
3. Man was made in the image of God and given a living soul. Contrary to references made in our day to the "human animal," we are not animals but man!
4. Woman was created to be a helpmate for man.
5. Man was given dominion over the animals, and was God's only creation made to have fellowship with Him.

Climax: The creation of man was the climax of God's creative acts.

Conclusion: Man and woman are unique among all of God's creations.

Response: Your students will be able to cite the differences between animals and man—that man was made in the image of God and possesses a living soul.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In the most distinct manner, God shows us that man is a compound being, having a body and soul distinctly and separately created; the body out of the dust of the ground, and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

True science teaches, as does the Bible, that mankind is a single species (Acts 17:26). Man has a physical body similar to some animals, but being created in the image of God, his intellectual powers, personality, and religious aspirations set him far above any animal. Adam comes from the word adamah meaning "ground" or "earth." Adam was created God-centered in his outlook. When he sinned he became self-centered and his moral nature was perverted. Since the fall of our first parents, men have served their self-interests and practiced corrupt religion. Eve was the name given to the first woman. It was given her after the fall and implies both her being the mother of all living and the mother of the promised Seed. Adam had called her woman (Hebrew ishshah) for she "was taken out of man."

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

• Using Barbie and Ken type dolls, explain that we are not dolls—we breathe, eat, talk, think, pray, move, etc. We are not robots that God orders around. We are not like the animals either. They live, breathe, eat, move, etc., but they can't pray or think like we do. They do not have a soul.
• Make Adam and Eve finger puppets (see Patterns). Transfer pattern to felt or pellon material. Cut out pieces and sew front and back pieces together. Sew on right side of material, leaving the seam on the outside.
• Give each child a piece of clay. Have them form a man. They can't make their "man" breathe.
• Pass around a mirror. Ask each student to tell what color his eyes are, his hair, etc. everyone looks different but we're all special because we're made in God's own image. God had special jobs for Adam to do—to name the animals and care for the Garden. He has special jobs for each of us also.
• Bring a stamp pad to class, and pieces of paper for each child. Have each one carefully make two thumb or finger prints on a piece of paper. Use a magnifying glass to compare the fingerprints, pointing out how each one—every human being—is unique. Then add whimsical faces to each fingerprint (see Patterns) and write above them, "God Made Me Special—I'm the Only One of My Kind." As a supplement to this, bring a cassette tape of the song by that name and play it while you work with the children on their fingerprints. (Be sure to bring cleaner to remove the ink from their fingers.)
  

QUESTIONS

1. How did God make man?
2. Whom did God make for Adam? Why?
3. How did God make Eve?
4. What makes man different from all the animals and God's other creations?
5. God made both animals and man out of the dust of the earth. What did He make different about man?
6. For what purpose did God make man?
7. What pattern did God use to make man?
8. God loved Adam and came down and talked to Him every evening. How can we talk to God? How does God talk to us?

PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS

• For each student cut a piece of colored paper into the size of a bookmark. As you discuss how God created the animals, let them put stickers of each animal on their bookmark.
• Bring little dolls for each child to hold. As you relate the things that man can do which animals cannot do (wave bye-bye, hug their mommy, share a toy, tell a secret, etc.,) let them act out the actions with their dolls.
• Bring gingerbread or sugar cookies made in the shape of a man. Let your children decorate them. As you commend their efforts and tell them what a nice job they are doing, tell them how pleased God was with His creation—man.
• Use a telephone, and possibly a pre-taped pretend conversation, to illustrate our pleasure in talking to a friend (or grandma, auntie, etc.). Explain that God wanted someone He could talk to so He made us.

REVIEW IDEAS

Put on a puppet skit in which two puppets discuss what fun it would have been to have been Adam and have had the privilege of naming all the animals. Use their comments to review the lessons of the past two weeks. Then let your puppets conclude that though they are pretty neat, they wouldn't have been able to do all the things Adam and Eve did because they aren't really alive. Their conversation about their limitations as puppets should bring out the uniqueness of God's creation—man.

Make big posterboards representing various plants (or fruits, vegetables, etc.) and animals. Have students from your group come up to you one at a time, holding the poster in front of them. Speak to each of them and comment on the unique qualities of God's creation, but that this is not the "special friend" God is looking for. Finally have a student come in without a poster, and you say, ''This is the one! This creation is different from all the others because he is made in the image of God, and has a living soul. He can talk and commune with God and be His special friend."

SUPPORT MATERIAL

• "I Am People" from "I Am" series by J. and B. Marxhausen — Concordia
• "Hello There Mr. Adam and Mrs. Eve" filmstrip from Family Films — Concordia
• "Hallelujah! I'm Special" by Rebecca Daniel — Shining Star Publications, A Division of Good Apple, Inc.