The Creation Story – JSS1 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

The creation story is the account in the book of Genesis of how God made heaven and earth in six days and rested on the seventh. On the sixth day He made man in His image to have dominion over His creation. God created human beings to worship Him, to procreate and to rule on earth.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• Narrate the biblical account of creation from the first day to the seventh day.
• State what God created on each day.
• Give reasons why God created human beings.
• Recite a song about creation.

Topics in this lesson

• Biblical account of creation
• Why did God create human beings?
• Songs about creation

What is the biblical account of creation?

According to the book of Genesis, in the beginning, God created heaven and earth. The earth was void, without form and dark, and the spirit of God moved upon the waters.

• First day: God created light by saying, ‘Let there be light’. Of course, there was light. He separated the light from darkness, and called the light ‘day’ and the darkness ‘night’.
• Second day: God created the firmament, that is, the heaven or sky. He separated the waters that were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament.
• Third day: God created the seas and the earth by separating the waters from the dry land. He called the waters seas, and the dry land He called earth. He followed it up by creating grasses, herbs and trees that same day.
• Fourth day: God created the sun, moon and stars to give light to the earth.
• Fifth day: God created all sea creatures as well as the fowls of the earth. He blessed them and ordered them to multiply.
• Sixth day: God created animals of different kinds. He also created man in His image, male and female. Man was made to have dominion over all the things created on earth.
• Seventh day: God rested, blessed the day and made it holy.

Summary of the story of creation

God commanded man to work for six days but rest on the seventh day.

Why did God create human beings?

God created man for the following reasons:

1. To procreate.
2. To give Him praises, worship Him and serve Him.
3. To rule, subdue and have dominion over all that He created.
4. To reign and to demonstrate His glory, since man was created in His image.
5. To be His mouthpiece and representative on earth, who will later reign with Him eternally in heaven.

What is a song about creation?

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Evaluation

1. Why did God create man?
2. What will happen if man fails to fulfil God’s purpose of creating him?

General evaluation and revision questions

1. List the names of God according to Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa.
2. Write the names of God in four Nigerian languages and state their meanings.
3. Explain briefly the creation of man.
4. Mention five attributes of God.
5. Why did God create man?
6. What will happen if man fails to fulfil God’s purpose of creating him?

Assignment

Reading assignment

1. Christian Religious Education for JSS Bk 1, Adeyinka et al, Chapter 1, pages 6-8.
2. Modern Biology: read on Darwin’s Evolution Theory of Man.

Weekend assignment

1. God created the universe in how many days? (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 21
2. ____ was created on the fourth day. (a) Light (b) Dry land (c) Sun, Moon, Stars
3. In Edo’s traditional account of creation, which of these personalities was given the power to mould and make a man? (a) Osanobua (b) Osanoha (c) Orisa-nla
4. Who was delegated by Olodumare to create the world in the Yoruba account? (a) Osanobua (b) Orisa-nla (c) Orunmila
5. _____ was created on the seventh day by God. (a) Man (b) Light (c) God rested

Theory

1. List four things that God created.
2. Summarise the Bible’s account of creation.