RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-01-15	Let Us Make Man in Our Image (Ge.1:26-27)
		Gen 1:26  Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen 1:27  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis chapter one describes God creating the earth and everything on it (v.1). For the first five days of creation God uses the impersonal, “let there be”. When God describes the formation of human life the wording changes from the impersonal, to the personal, “Let Us make man in Our image.” God planned for humans to have responsibilities on the earth, “let them have dominion over…” (v.26). We did not evolve from some lower form of life. We were created directly from God to represent Him on the earth and have dominion over creation (v.26-28). By having God's image it means we are fashioned to represent Him on the earth. Our likeness with God is not a physical resemblance. God’s likeness denotes our capacity to rule over creation and be in a relationship with Him. Because of our differences with other creatures other characteristics are perceived like reason, intelligence, speech, moral consciousness, creativity, and choice. Since creation God desired to bless us and enjoy fellowship with us. The original Hebrew word for “God” in Genesis 1 is the plural masculine noun Elohim. God, our Creator, chose to introduce Himself to us with a plural title. Then in verse 26 for the first time in the Bible God spoke of Himself, He uses the plural pronouns “Us” and “Our.” Thereafter, in the Bible, God refers to Himself in plural terms (e.g., Ge.3:22; 11:7; Is.6:8). We find the plural Elohim more than 2,550 times in the Bible. We know from Scripture that there is only one God, there is no other God, and He is one (Du.6:4; Is.45:5-6; Mk.12:32; Ga.3:20; 1Tm.2:5). Deu 6:4  "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 1Ti 2:5  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus So how can we understand the plurality of His name Elohim together with His statement, “Let Us make man in Our image?” The conviction of the early fathers is that it communicates a complex and unified expression of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity holds that God is One in three Persons: God the Father; God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Thus, “Us” and “Our” indicate God the Father speaking in the fullness of His divine creative power to the Son and the Holy Spirit. They suggest consultation and perfect agreement among the members of the trinity. Only humans are uniquely created in the image and likeness of God, distinguishing them from all other earthly beings. We were made like Him so that we could be in relationship with Him—the one and only triune God. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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