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