In The Image Of God

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so” (Genesis 1:26-30, ESV).

The 7 magnitude earthquake hit the northern Philippines last July 27. Many structures were damaged in the area. While the earthquake was taking place, the bell tower in the town of Bantay in Vigan City was in a video. My wife and I were able to visit it before. In the video, you could see the historic structure being defaced by the strong tremor.

What happened, however, is just a limited image of the horror that could happen if the so-called the “Big One” – a very strong earthquake – would shake Manila.

While the image of that kind of situation would dishearten us, to know that we are created in the image of God should lift up our spirit.

This time, then, we will have our topic, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, while we focus on our text (Gen. 1:26-30).

How do we understand that we are created in the image of God? What would be its effect on us, as we reflect God in His creation? Could it be that because we are created in His image or likeness, we could also have an idea why we were born?

So, when God created us according to His image, what does it really mean?

First, be reminded that the book of Genesis, in fact the whole Bible, is not an ordinary historical narrative. Modern histories focus only on the activities of the people, but the book includes within its scope the activities of God.

Genesis, as included in the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch, was compiled and written by Moses. He wrote it in the Wilderness of Sinai about 15th century BC – before the Israelites entered the promised land.

In the first five verses, we learned before that God is not only the Eternal Creator, but He is the Supreme Personal, Good Being and He is Sovereign.

In the succeeding verses, Moses related how God continued the act of creation to prepare the earth for man.

Now, in our text we read the plan of God to create man and the actual creation of him. In the opening sentence of verse 26, we read: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…’”

We do not read, “I will make man in my image…” But we read, “Let us make man in our image…”

“God” as used in this verse is from the Hebrew “Elohim.” It is used in the plural form. In the thinking of the Jews, it is in the plurality of power. That it is “expressive of omnipotent power.” And so they believe that God is One Person. And the word “us” is used, because God was speaking to angels.

But angels were not really created in the image of God, as it would be clear to us later. He would not tell them to make man in our image.

So, we could conclude, especially as revealed in other parts of the Bible, “that though God is one, there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead – the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, who were engaged in the creative work (Proverbs 8:27; John 1:3, 10; Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2; Job 26:13).

Now, as we continue to read the verse, we will focus at least on one obvious meaning of being created in the image or likeness of God. And as we realize it, we could also see what our Creator expects from us. Or, we could also perceive His original plan for us.

What is it?

Again, we are going to focus only in one single point and that is…

… HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RULE (verse 26).