Planet Of The Apes Week 2

Planet of The Apes Week 2 – Discussion Guide Genesis 4:1-16 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. 24 And 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. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, [a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground." 27 So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground." 29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky 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. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Mixers Go around the circle and have each person give his or her name and favorite part of the zoo. Going Deeper 1.) Reread the Genesis story above. What does it mean to be created in the image of God? Kick this around a bit but here’s the cultural background…in the Ancient Near East when a king would rule his land he would place statues and markers made “in his image” as a way of reminding the town or village who was in charge there. IN the place where the image of the king was placed the desires and power of the king were to be exercised. Moreover, these kings (esp. Eygpt’s king) were often considered to be divine. They were God’s representatives on earth. Share this info with your group and now ask. What is the implication then of the woman and man being made “in the image of God”? © 2009 Dixon Kinser

Right the purpose of people is to image the Creator in the creation. They are made to act as God acts and be as God is in the garden. 2.) Read Genesis 1:28 above. When he first encounter’s the humans Taylor says, “If this is how they are in two months we’ll be running the place.” Does Genesis 1:28 support or challenge Taylor’s worldview? Challenge! To “rule in the creation” as we established before is to act on behalf of the Creator. It’s God’s creation we must handle it like God would. To act as Taylor suggests means we would act like the owners and we’re not. That puts us in God’s place. We care for something that doesn’t belong to us.

3.) What do you all think of the role reversal between Apes and people in the film? What’s the most amusing part to you?

4.) What do you think of the way the Apes treat Taylor and the humans. Is it OK? Why or why not? The People are in cages like animals because on this planet they are. But are they? Is the difference between a person and an animal their biology or their behavior? The answer is “yes”. People and mammals (apes here) are both created on the sixth day. We are related species. Biological science bears this out. But we are distinct in the Genesis story in our purpose. Humans are more than just the sum total of their urges and biological instinct. No, humans stand apart because they image their Creator in a special way. But it’s not special in a way that makes tem better. It’s in a way that gives them more responsibility!

5.) How do you see people and the apes acting like God would act in the creation? Where do you see differences? How can you tell the difference? Close in prayer asking that we will act like God in the Creation and stop the things we do that are not like God. © 2009 Dixon Kinser