Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof - New Leaven

should be borne in mind that both spontaneous generation and the development of one
species from another, are unproved, and now largely discredited, assumptions. 73
d. The fourth day. Sun, moon, and stars, were created as light-bearers, to serve a
variety of purposes: (1) to divide the day and the night; (2) to be for signs, that is, to
indicate the cardinal points, to presage changes of weather conditions, and to serve as
signs of important future events and coming judgments; (3) to be for seasons, and for
days and years, that is, to serve the purpose of effecting the change of seasons, the
succession of years, and the regular recurrence of special festive days; and (4) to serve as
lights for the earth and thus to make the development of organic life on earth possible.
e. The fifth day. This day brings the creation of the birds and the fishes, the
inhabitants of the air and the waters. Birds and fishes belong together, because there is a
great similarity in their organic structure. Moreover, they are characterized by an
instability and mobility which they have in common with the element in which they
move, in distinction from the solid ground. They also agree in their method of
procreation. Notice that they, too, were created after their kind, that is, the species were
created.
f. The sixth day. This day brings the climax of the work of creation. In connection with
the creation of the animals the expression is once more used, “Let the earth bring forth,”
and this should again be interpreted as was indicated under (c). The animals did not
naturally develop out of the earth, but were brought forth by the creative fiat of God.
We are told distinctly in the 25th verse that God made the beasts of the earth, the cattle
and the creeping things of the earth, after their kind. But even if the expression did refer
to natural development, it would not be in harmony with the doctrine of evolution,
since that does not teach that the animals developed directly out of the mineral world.
The creation of man is distinguished by the solemn counsel that precedes it: “Let us
make man in our own image, after our likeness”; and this is no wonder, since all that
preceded was but a preparation for the coming of man, the crowning work of God, the
king of creation; and because man was destined to be the image of God. The words
tselem and demuth do not denote exactly the same thing, but are nevertheless used inter-
changeably. When it is said that man is created in the image of God, this means that
God is the archetype of which man is is the ectype; and when it is added that he is
created according to the likeness of God, this merely adds the idea that the image is in
every way like the original. In his entire being man is the very image of God.
73 Cf. O’Toole, The Case Against Evolution, p. 28.
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