Pages

Monday, November 19, 2012

...in the IMAGE OF GOD, Genesis 1:26-21, 2:7


...in the Image of God,  Genesis 1: 26-31, 2: 7                                11.10.12

 In the first chapter of Genesis, beginnings, we find the following:
       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.”  Without  further  
information, we see the Lord  had done an unbelievable work;  has 
given man,  that’s us,  a lofty and noble  purpose  on the earth.  We
know of  no other of 's creation  being in “His” image and  no other 
He  has placed in charge of anything.   He entrusted  mankind with  
responsibility for His creation and gave him autonomy.  He did not, 
however;  give man authority or  power approaching  his own.  “So  
God created  man in  His own  image, in the image of  God  He cre-
ated him, male and female He created them."  This important pas-
sage indicates that  generically,  God did not  distinguish male and 
female as  distinct classes  at creation.  This equality is  not  same-
ness.  Does it not seem sad  to you,  as it  does to me;  some  think 
the differences  to be only  physical and fail to see a uniqueness in
each, creating an interest, even curiosity about the other that does 
not flag in a proper relationship over years.
 
     “Then God  blessed them, and  God said  to them, ‘Be fruitful and 
multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of  
the  sea, over the  birds of  the air, and over  every  living  thing  that 
moves on the earth”  (Restating  part  of vs 26)  “And  God said, ‘See, 
I have given you every herb that  yields seed which is on  the face of  
the earth, and every  tree whose fruit  yields  seed;  to you it shall be 
for food.  Also,  to every  beast  of  the earth, in which  there is life, I 
have given every  green herb  for food,’  and it was  so.”  Here we see 
a distinction in  the diet  of  mankind and  the diet of  beast,  bird and 
creeping thing. Man was to eat every herb and fruit of the plants and  
trees that have seed,  while the other members of  creation ate grass.  
Even in this, nman is higher than the animals.  “Then God saw every-
thing that  He had made,  and  indeed it was  very  good.  So the eve-
ning and the morning were the sixth day.”  The only comment here is 
a fact; God reckons a day beginning with evening then morning, as do
His people the Jews.  Gentiles, reckon a day beginning in the morning
then evening.  We must, from this  passage, deduce creation days  as
 twenty-four hours each, discounting the theory of creation taking mil-
lions of  years through some impossible, discredited evolutionary pro-
cess.   (Although it  is anything  but  proven or scientific in any  sense, 
 it  is  taught as  an accepted  scientific fact  without alternative  in the
public schools and universities in this land.  

     “And  the Lord  God  formed  man of  the dust of  the  ground;  and 
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a  living  
being."  (Soul)   God  used  existing  material,  earth,  to  create  man.  
Man was  not created of  nothing  as was the material  universe.  One 
other thing here is the fact;  since  man is made of earth, in his bodily 
state,  he is  dependent on  the earth  for  life.  (“Flesh  and  blood will  
not inherit the Kingdom of  God.”)  Although we are  eternal and  hea-
ven  bound, our bodies of flesh must be changed to Spiritual bodies in 
order to enter God's eternal presence.
                                                                           donporter 11.19.12






No comments: