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So what does it mean to be made in the image of God? What am I here to do? What’s the point? I think we usually get this only partially right. The Bible talks about this – a lot! In Genesis 1:26-28 we have three short verses that speak volumes about our purpose – in a very pragmatic, practical way. Here Scripture talks about that issue when it uses the term, “image of God”.

Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV)
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; 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 of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

So, what does it mean to be made “in the image of God”? I think we most often define our being in the image of God around the attributes that we share with God – we can love (sacrifice our welfare for the good of someone else), we have emotions like joy and anger, we can appreciate beauty, we’re creative, we’re social. While this answer is right, it is far short of the full answer. Today, however, I’d like to define humanity being “in the image of God” from these verses. It might give us a different understanding of God’s will for our lives. The challenge is going to be in our willingness to actually listen and obey.

It is important to know that the climax of God’s creative activity was to reproduce his image. After dealing with matter and energy, and plants and animals, God desired to create something more like himself – us.

I’d like to talk about three from the passage we read about the image of God:

First – in verse 26 we read something very interesting, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image’”. While there are different opinions about the “us” there, I think this is a reference to the godhead – the trinity. Then we read, “in the image of God he created him; male and female.” It seems that the relationship men and women have (Adam and Eve in this context), probably in the context of marriage, was patterned after the Trinitarian relationship – the relationship between God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. This reality can give us insight both into how marriage should look and how we might understand the trinity. The emphasis should probably be on how the perfect relationship – the Trinity – can help us think about marriage, rather than how our imperfect understanding of marriage can help us think about the Trinity. I think this helpful concept would in essence show us how, just as Jesus and the Holy Spirit function in complete harmony to carry out God’s perfect will, a husband and wife should function together.

The marriage relationship should be one of harmony, mutual support, and unified vision. A relationship where the personality and giftedness of the individuals merge so as to, in a powerful way, participate in the God-glorifying mission God has in mind.

If you are not yet married, I have a question for you, “When you think of the possibility of a marriage partner; is living for God’s mission together, the primary goal?” If you’re already married I have a different question I hope you’re asking, “How can we better reflect God’s vision for us?”

The church should also function with this relational reality in mind – different Jesus-following people with different personalities and gifts working in harmony toward God’s purposes.

Let’s look and the second point – verse 26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

In this verse the Hebrew word we translate as “image” is important. This word is only used 16 times in the Old Testament. In almost every case it refers to a physical representation of some underlying reality – like how a statue is a representation of someone or something thing else. Idols are often understood as physical representations of a pagan god.

The culture 3,400 years ago – when Genesis was written – had a pretty good connection with the concept being communicated here. Ancient kings would set up images of themselves in distant lands over which they ruled in order to represent their sovereign presence. In Egypt the ruling monarch was described as the image of the likeness of a god. Tutankhamen literally means ‘the living image of the god Amun’. He was thought to be doing the work of Amun’. In the use of the concept of “image” this passage is telling us that we were made to be God’s representation here. We were made, at least in part, to manage God’s creation – not as owners, but as a stewards.

Psalm 8:3-9 (NIV)
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? ⁵ You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. ⁶ You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: ⁷ all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, ⁸ the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. ⁹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

The third point – we are to fill the earth with others who image God – verse 28a

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth…

It seems that the more God-imagers, the better.

So, working in relationship, we are to make more God-imagers, and manage his creation as stewards.

So does this look different now that sin is part of the equation? What is God’s vision in the midst of destruction, chaos, and death – in a world where humanity understands “self” to be its highest calling – not God? God’s vision has not changed. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT – We are still here to, in relationship with each other produce God-imagers and manage, as stewards, the creation God will one day fully heal (redeem).

Now however we can make God-imagers in two ways – we can raise children that image God and we can be the instruments through which God rescues the lost (and thus make images that way too).

John 17:15-18 (NIV)
My prayer is not that you take [those that follow me] out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them (set them apart) by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The first Adam did a miserable job as the representative of humanity. His failure became our failure. His sin led to our sin. He chose to reject God’s design and live for self. God, however, did not leave the death and chaos that followed Adam with the final word. The second Adam – Jesus has come and he did not fail the way Adam failed. In fact Jesus, this second Adam, has come to give us new life and put us back on course.

Colossians 1:15 (NIV)
[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Hebrews 1:3a (NIV)
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…

For those who claim Jesus as their only hope – in life and in death, Adam no longer defines us – Jesus does. Adam is no longer our model – Jesus is. Life no longer ends in death – Jesus gives us life. We are no longer destine to worship God’s creation – we are here to worship the creator.

Romans 8:29 (NIV)
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed (made into) to the likeness (image) of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Colossians 3:10 (NIV)
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

1 Corinthians 15:49 (NIV)
And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

In Jesus we have mankind as God intended – in the image of God. In Jesus we have the 2^nd Adam. Just as Adam represented us originally, and failed, now Jesus represents us – and he will not fail. Jesus is that perfect man who Adam was suppose to be. Jesus is the one who was sent to save and re-focus humanity – filling earth with God-imagers. Do you see this as your purpose?.

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Has anyone here been watching the Olympics? Pretty amazing isn’t it? World record after world record has fallen. This year we have a 41 year old swimmer, Dara Torres, who, has won metals in five Olympics. The list of participants that have turned in phenomenal performances is long and the number of people that set aside hours to watch are millions (I’m one of them).

I find it interesting that when we compare what our athletes, or for that matter our business people, or our scientists, or our politicians have accomplished to what God has done – we are insignificant. Yet so often we find life’s purpose and satisfaction in our temporal accomplishments, in the creature rather than the creator.

Last week we looked at Genesis one and closed with four theological points:

1. God is responsible for all that exists. Reality is not mindless, it is not meaningless – there is a creator. All that exists comes from the purposes of God.
2. God is outside his creation – not part of it. While God is everywhere, pantheism is wrong.
3. When God created, it was good – Genesis 1
4. God has personhood – “Let us create man in our own image”

Today I’d like to continue talking about “creation” and how the biblical authors use “God as creator” in their thinking.

Scripture continually reinforces God as creator

In the O.T. We find the Hebrew term bara’ 57 times. This word for “creation” means to fashion or to create or to originate something new, fresh, and perfect. In the first 27 verses of Genesis bara’ is used three times.

Genesis 1:1 (NIV)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:21 (NIV)
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind…

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God as creator distinguishes Jehovah as the true God.

Isaiah 37:16 (NIV)
“O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 96:5 (NIV)
For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Jeremiah 10:11-12 (NIV)
“Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’” ¹² But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.”

Not only is God the creator, his creation “screams” of the creator.

Acts 17:24-27 (NIV) – Paul to the Athenians
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. ²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. ²⁶ From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷ God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

Romans 1:18-23 (NIV)
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

God’s creation, in many ways, show us how sinful we are. Even though it is obvious that God exists, our tendency is to bend the truth, or deny it, so we can serve our own priorities.

Our helper is unfailing and tireless:

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
²⁸ Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. ²⁹ He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. ³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; ³¹ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah uses “God as creator” to give surety to his promises:

Isaiah 42:5-7 (NIV)
This is what God the Lord says – he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: ⁶ “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, ⁷ to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

In the New Testament the authors are clear that the Messiah (Jesus) is not only the one who came to die for us and bring us back into relationship with the creator – he Jesus is the creator:

John 1:1-5 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Colossians 1:15-17 (NIV)
[The Son] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Let me leave you with these two thoughts:

God ONLY is worthy of worship

Revelation 4:11 (NIV)
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

A proper view of God our creator should drive us to humility

Psalm 8:3-4 (NIV)
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

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The Genesis 1 account of creation has always been a lightning rod for many reasons. Humanity has always struggled with a couple of foundational questions – “Why is there something rather than nothing?” and “Who am I?” or “Who are we?” These questions are intuitive for us – they simply “fall out” of our consciousness and cannot be left alone. We ask these questions as a deranged people however. On the one hand we know we are unique from the animals around us – we sense eternity and purpose in our hearts, and we know there is right and wrong. On the other hand we want an answer that tells us that, in the end, we are simply animals without purpose or accountability.

This morning I would like to talk about the first twenty-seven verses in the bible. I do this with some hesitancy because in the end there will probably be some, if not many, who disagree with at least some of my thoughts. I do not want this to divide us but I also think it is wrong to simply leave it alone. The impact of these verses is foundational to the rest of Scripture – they cannot be left alone. My prayer is that we can unite around the heart of God’s disclosure here.

I think there are a number of mistakes we often make when understanding this passage – I will mention four:

1. We have attempted to press Genesis 1 into a 21^st century scientific grid when the intent was not scientific. It is a type of narrative that allows us to walk along side the story as it unfolds. It is meant, in many ways, to transport us into the original setting so we can live there and, primarily, experience God in history. Every author writes in a way that lines up with what his/her primary purpose is. To miss the authors purpose is to read badly. Look at the gospels as and example. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each wrote the same story from a different perspective so as to connect with the needs of the audience. Matthew seems to be written from a distinctly Jewish perspective in order to help Jewish Christians stand in the face of persecution. Jesus is the Messiah. Mark probably wrote his gospel for the gentiles and wrote so they could see Jesus. He seems to focus on Jesus’ humanity – his limitations, his service, and his suffering. Luke wanted to write a more detailed historic account of Jesus’ life and helps us see him standing against cultural norms. He shows us how Jesus embraced gentiles and outcasts. He shows us how Jesus’ treated women differently than the culture of the day did. John writes his gospel from an evangelistic perspective so his readers will believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that they might have life.
2. We have failed to study Genesis 1 in its historical context and have assumed the author was targeting us in his writing (after all, it’s all about me isn’t it?). We ignore the author’s world and the people he was addressing. Genesis is most commonly attributed to Moses – a very well educated Hebrew man who grew up in the royal courts of Egypt. He understood its beliefs and its god’s. He was the one God chose to lead a nation away from physical and spiritual slavery. Egypt was a dominating powerhouse with deep religious convictions and their own version of creation. He wrote this account to the Hebrew people to speak to them of their unique and powerful God.
3. We have used the creation account as an apologetic when it was, primarily, a declaration. Most of the reformers didn’t use Genesis 1 the way we often do. By doing this we have driven a stake in the ground and created a litmus test of “the true faith” – all things into existence from nothing, fully developed with the appearance of age, in six twenty-four hour days. And this all happened 4,750 years ago.
4. Because we have often not focused on the author’s intent we have actually failed to apply its intended meaning.

So here is an important question. What did Moses have in mind when he wrote the first twenty seven verses of Genesis? Why did he write the creation account? Do you think his purpose was to write a scientific account of creation? I think he was doing two things, primarily:

First – I think Moses was standing “toe to toe” with the other creation stories of the day and proclaiming Elohim as the dominating, sovereign God who has no rivals or peers. When Elohim speaks, reality comes into existence. Generally, in the creation accounts of the ancient near east matter is seen as eternal and the gods evolve from the matter – the truth is different. Because there a similarities in the structure of the Genesis one account with other creation stories of his time, I think Moses was, to some extent, using the format and thinking of the day as a framework to communicate the reality and power of the true God.

Second – Moses was teaching the people, primarily, about the creator God who does not conform to our vision.

Genesis 1:1-27 (NIV)
¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (all that exists).

Here the title Elohim is used for God – the Sovereign, all powerful God who has no peers.

Is this verse original creation or a summary of the verses to follow? If it is original creation moment we seem to have a time gap between God creating matter and energy and God “working” with it in verse 2. If it is actually a summary of verses 2-27 then Genesis 1 does not account for creation from nothing.

John 1:3 (NIV)
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Romans 4:17b (NIV)
…the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

Colossians 1:16-17 (NIV)
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Hebrews 11:3 (NIV)
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

In ancient times the sea and darkness were often though to possess danger and evil – God defeats darkness and evil simply by speaking light into existence.

³ And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

It is not all creation in Gen 1 is creation – here we see process of some kind – God is shown to work with what he created – God separated.

⁵ God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.

There seems to be a least on problem here. The evening/morning reference as “the first day” is interesting since it isn’t until verse 14 (the forth day) that God actually creates the means whereby we have 24 hr days.

⁶ And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.” ⁷ So God made the expanse and separated (process) the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. ⁸ God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the second day.

⁹ And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear (process).” And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. ¹¹ Then God said, “Let the land produce (process) vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. ¹² The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ And there was evening, and there was morning – the third day.

¹⁴ And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, ¹⁵ and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶ God made two great lights-the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. ¹⁷ God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, ¹⁸ to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ And there was evening, and there was morning – the fourth day.

²⁰ And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” ²¹ So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ²² God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” ²³ 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 (create something new) man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” ²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

What can we learn about God:

• God is responsible for all that exists and is NOT dependent on us.

Psalm 90:2 (NIV)
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Acts 17:24-25 (NIV)
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. ²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.

• God is outside creation (no beginning) rather than a part of it.
• When God created it was GOOD!
• God has personhood – vs 26-27

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Links for your consideration:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/dont_use.asp

http://www.covenantseminary.edu/worldwide/en/OT215/OT215_T_03.pdf

http://www.covenantseminary.edu/worldwide/en/OT230/OT230_T_04.pdf

http://www.covenantseminary.edu/worldwide/en/OT230/OT230_T_05.pdf

http://www.covenantseminary.edu/worldwide/en/OT230/OT230_T_06.pdf

http://www.wscal.edu/clark/creationwars.php

http://www.girs.com/library/theology/syllabus/creation1.html

http://www.girs.com/library/theology/syllabus/creation2.html