Creation - Final.pptx

በስመ አብ ወወልድ ወመንፈስ ቅዱስ አሐዱ አምላክ አሜን In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Creation In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Theology “I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, even my hands stretched out the heavens” Isaiah 45:12 ...

በስመ አብ ወወልድ ወመንፈስ ቅዱስ አሐዱ አምላክ አሜን In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Creation In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Theology “I have made the earth, and created man upon it; I, even my hands stretched out the heavens” Isaiah 45:12   EOTC's theological perspective on creation is based on scriptural evidence and the insights of early Church fathers. Basis of Theological Perspectives of Creation  It is also a revelation of the Holy Spirit as he did from Moses.  Book of Aximaros by Saint Aba Epiphanius, the bishop of Salamis, Cyprus  Three main reasons  Angels and mankind are created to praise and worship God as He is Why did God create the world and willing to share and give His divine glory and eternal life. everything in it?  For food and drink  To Know God through His magnificent blueprint set in the creation.   In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the concept of creation Ex- Nihilo (out of nothing) is deeply rooted in the doctrine of creation. How did God create the world and everything in it?  This foundational belief signifies that God started the cosmos without pre-existing materials, demonstrating his ultimate sovereignty and omnipotence.   God’s thought or “ Be Halio”. The first 7 creations Three ways that God made the Creation  Divine utterance or “Be Nebib” ( with God power of speech or words)  By hand or “Be Gebir”. Only Adam and Eve, Humanity’s special place. ፩ Sunday – Ehud (እሁድ)  Ehud (እሁድ) is a geez word derived from the verb Ahade, which translates to “He made it first” or beginning, as Sunday is the beginning of the week.  On this inaugural day, the Divine Architect inaugurated the cosmos, summoning the void and calling into existence the four fundamental natures that would make up all that is: fire, water, wind, and Earth.  These interwoven and meticulously balanced elements established the material world’s cornerstone. The four natures of flesh carry intellectual symbolic significance in biblical scripture, illustrating aspects of God’s wisdom, power, and purpose within His creation  Wind - Symbolizes God’s presence and might.  Water - a potent example, symbolizes God’s mercy. It is through baptism, purification, and transformation.  Fire - represents God’s purifying presence and His capacity to refine and test the faith of His followers.  Earth – is a testament to God’s nurturing providence Darkness  Darkness is the fifth creation. It is a different darkness that we know today. The Seven Heavens 1. Tsreha Ariam –holds unique position 2. Menbere Sebhat – God reveals Himself in His full glory to His saints 3. Semay We’dud – Magnificent throne of God 4. Eyerusalem Semayawit (Heavenly Jerusalem) Heavenly City of Angels 5. Eyor 6. Rhama 7. Arer Angels  The term “angel” translates to “messenger,” aptly describing their role in serving humanity.  God created hundred tribes of angels within a tripartite heavenly city of Eyor, Ramah and Arer.  Each Heavenly city is subdivided into distinct regions and inhabited by specific tribes with their respective chiefs. The unnumbered legions of Angels  An array of hundred tribes of angels are divided into ten sub- major angelic tribes.  Each tribe, with its respective chiefs, plays a pivotal role in the divine purpose and cosmic order.  They also support and inspire Christians in their spiritual journey.  The celestial structure reveals the complexity and order of the heavenly realm. Eyor  Aga’ezete Tribe – Satan then led by St. Michael  Cherubim Tribe – Chiefs are human and lion faces. Carrying the throne of the Holy Trinity.  Surafel Tribe – Chiefs with faces of cow and eagle. Vigilant for praise.  Hayalat Tribe – led St Michael. Standing before the Holy Trinity Angels Ramah  Arebeb Tribe – St. Gabriel is the chief. Covers the throne of the Holy Trinity with their wings.  Menaberet Tribe – St. Raphael is the leader. Exceptionally close to God.  Seltanat Tribe – St. Surreal is the chief. Protects all the creation. Angels Arer  Mekwanent Tribe – led by St. Selaphiel. Solemn duty on Judjement day.  Likanat Tribe – St. Salathiel is the leader. Horsemen of the holy trinity.  Angels of Arer– St. Ananel is the chief. Universal guardianship. The seven archangels The book of Enoch is the only credible resource so far known in Christian history to mention the names of the seven Archangels (Enoch 8:1-23). The book of Enoch is wholly extant in the Ge’ez language. 1. St. Michael 2. St. Gabriel 3. St. Raphael 4. St. Uriel 5. St. Afnin 6. St. Phanuel 7. St. Raguel Light God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) ፪ Monday - Firmament (sky): Senuy - ሠነየ: አማረ: በጀ: ተስተካከለ  On the second day, God said, "Let there be a firmament amid the waters." (Genesis 1:7)  A divine decree that structured the cosmos into distinct domains.  This separation of waters was threefold; representing the trinity of God. The Blue color is suitable for our eyes and symbolizes hopes for heavenly inheritance  One part remained on the Earth, sustaining life in its myriad forms; another ascended to reside within the firmament; and a third soared beyond the firmament, a realm referred to as Hanos, which is supported by the wind named Babil. ፫ Tuesday: ሠሉስ ሠለሰ ሶስት አደረገ: ካለው የግዕዝ ግሥ የተገኘ ሆኖ ለፍጥረት ሶስተኛ ቀን ማለት ነው:: Mag-Segno, the day after Monday in the Amharic language.  On the third day, God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.  The formation of seas and dry land and the initiation of Earth’s ability to sustain life as well as a home to humanity.  The land is an example of (anthropomorphism) to the conception of the Virgin Mary Then God said, "Let the land produce The land produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the 1. vegetation land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to 2. plants bearing seed according to their kinds and their various kinds." And it was so. 3. trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 20 different worlds  9 Worlds of fire (ዓለማተ እሳት)  4 World of water (ዓለማተ ማይ)  2 World of wind (ዓለማተ ነፋስ)  5 World of Earth (ዓለማተ መሬት) 9 Worlds of Fire (ዓለማተ እሳት)  The seven heavens (ሰባቱ ሰማያት)  Boundary of heaven (ምጽናተ ሰማይ)  Burning hell (ገሀነመ እሳት) 4 World of water (ዓለማተ ማይ)  Hanos (ሐኖስ)  Sky /Firmament (ጠፈር)  Ocean (ውቅያኖስ)  Underground water (ከምድር በታች ያለ ውሃ) 2 World of wind (ዓለማተ ነፋስ)  Babil (ባቢል)  Wind around the earth (ከበርባሮስ ጀምሮ ምድርን የከበባት ነፋስ) (4 of mercy and 8 of them for destruction/punishment) 5 World of Earth (ዓለማተ መሬት) Garden of Eden (ገነት)  The brightest of all world of earth  Located in the east of our Earth  Three major types of trees: tree of life, The fig tree (tree of knowledge), other plants  The saints from Bihere Bitsuan (ብሔረ ብፁዐን) and birds in the gardens of Eden ate the tree fruit.  The leaves are used to depart the soul of saints without any pain (book of Enoch 7: 6-16)  Four rivers (Genesis 2: 10 – 15): ግዮን: ኤፍራጥስ: ኤፌሶን እና ጤግሮስ ( First time Ethiopia mentioned in the Bible) Bihere Hiyawan (ብሔረ ሕያዋን)  Located in the North  Brighter than the other three  It is a place for those saints who departed from this world(earth) while being alive until the second coming of Jesus Christ. E.g.,, St Elijah, Enoch,  Those who came from Bihere Bitsuan also live  Yam (ያም) Bihere Bitsuan (ብሔረ ብፁዐን)  Located in South. Brighter than Earth and hell  Visited by Apostle Matthew and Aba Zosimas. Departed from Earth in the Old Testament  Men and women live separately but meet at the time of marriage. They gave birth to three children: 2 boys and 1 girl  The first boy will be given to serve God, and the other children will get married  They live 1000 years each and choose to go to either the Garden of Eden or Bihere Hiyawan.  They ate fruit from the Garden of Eden brought by the wind. Jesus Christ visited them 4. Earth (መሬት)  Our planet 5. Hell (ሲኦል)  Located in the west  Temporary stay for the soul of the sinners ፬ Wednesday - ረቡዕ "ረብዐ አራት አደረገ" God made three great lights: ካለው ግሥ የተገኘ ሲሆን ለፍጥረት አራተኛ ቀን ነው:: 1. the greater light (the sun) to govern the day and On the fourth day, God said, "Let there be lights in 2. the lesser light (the moon) to govern the night. the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons 3. the stars. and days and years, and let them be lights in the God set them in the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the dome of the sky to give light on the earth." And it night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. was so. ፭ Thursday - ሐሙስ: ሐመሰ አምስት አደረገ ካለው ቃል የተገኘ ሲሆን ለፍጥረት አምስተኛ ቀን ነው:: On the fifth day, God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." God made: 1. Those that glide and great creatures of the sea (በልብ የሚሳቡ) 2. every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, (በእግር የሚሽከረከሩ) 3. every winged bird according to its kind. (በክንፍ የሚበሩ) And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." ፮ Friday - ዐርብ: ዐረበ: ገባ: ተካተተ: ካለው የወጣ ሲሆን መካተቻ ማለት ነው:: On the six-day, God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. God made 1. Those that glide and crawl (በልብ የሚሳቡ) 2. Those that use their legs (በእግር የሚሽከረከሩ) 3. Those use their wings (በክንፍ የሚበሩ) And God saw that it was good.  God created man out of dust.  Then God said, "Let us make man in  God created man out of dust. He is the last but the most our image, in our likeness, and let venerated of all creation. them rule over the fish  ሰብዕ (ሰው) ሰባት ማለት ነው:: God God created created man man out out ofof of the sea and dust. dust. the birds of the air, over the livestock,  ከአራቱ ባህርያተ ሥጋ (ነፋስ እሳት ውሀና መሬት ) እና ከሥስቱ ባህርያተ ነፍስ (ልባዊነት ነባቢነት እና ህያውነት) ናቸው:: over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.“  አዳም ማለት ያማረ መልከ መልካም ውብ ፍጥረት ማለት ነው::  Adam was alone in the Garden. The Lord saw that he was lonely and made Eve help him.  Eve was created eight days later on the second Friday.  40 and 80 days after their creation, Adam and Eve were bestowed with the grace of being the children of God and filled with the holy spirit.  And then God venerated them with heavenly light garments, shoes, and crowns and took them to the Garden of Eden, respectively.  The Holy Angels accompanied them with a heavenly chariot and praise of God.  Following the example of Adam and Eve, we orthodox Christians also baptize at the 40 and 80 days after we are born.  Adam and Eve lived together in the God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole Garden of Eden. earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth, all the birds of the air, and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw everything he had created and said it was very good. Thus, the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.  The Lord brought all the animals to Adam God made Adam and Eve a king and a queen over everything on earth, and Adam saw that all the animals obeyed and he told them that they can eat any fruit, or vegetable that grows on him. All the animals played together; the earth except one fruit from a tree, called "The Tree of Knowledge". mouse with the lion, the dog with the cat God cared for Adam and Eve so much that he made them king and queen and the elephant with the monkey.... Adam and allowed them to eat everything that grows on earth except the "Tree gave each animal a name, and each knew of Knowledge". And Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden happily for their name when Adam called them each a long time. by their names. ፯  By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day, he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. What do we learn from creation? We can learn the following from the story of creation?  God’s love and Mercy  Wisdom of God  The complexity and harmony of creation  The evilness of the devil (conceit, lie)  The love of God to humanity