Sermon Tone Analysis

*Genesis 1:26-27…*Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

*Commentary*

            After creating the cattle, the creeping things, and the wild animals on the sixth day, God put the finishing touches on His work by creating man in His image.

In contrast to all the previous days of creation, on day six God uses /plural/ pronouns to describe Himself.

He doesn’t say, “Let me make man…” – He says, “Let /Us/ make man in /Our/ image.”

As far as the Genesis text is concerned there is no way to know who He’s talking to, but there are many other passages in the Bible that reveal this.

John 1:1-3 says that Jesus (the Word) was with the Father in the beginning and that all things were made through and by Him (cf.

Col. 1:16).

This means that God the Father was speaking to God the Son (and likely the Holy Spirit too) when He uses the plural pronouns.

This is at least an introduction to the triune nature of God.

Some have proposed that God was speaking to angels, and although angels do bear some semblance to God’s image (fellowship, freewill, etc.), man is not formed in the likeness of angels but of God.

To be made in the “image of God” is synonymous with “according to our likeness.”

This is a Hebrew repetition given for emphasis.

The actual meaning of what this entails is multifaceted.

First, all the previous created life forms (/nephesh/) are not said to be in God’s image, but man is.

Though a casual glance at the passage might imply that we actually look like God, this is not the meaning of the text.

The root word for “image” speaks of the act of /carving/.

It may very well imply that God Himself was the pattern for the personhood of man.

Man is created as a moral being innately understanding right from wrong.

He has spiritual attributes and a moral conscience not only for others but for God as well.

This cannot be said of animals who have no ability to understand morality or have a personal relationship with God.

Man has the ability to understand abstract principles like truth and holiness, and he has the special ability to solve problems.

Man is created with emotions of sorrow, anger, joy, and the like.

In contrast to the animal kingdom, mankind is created to have /fellowship/ with God.

Man is distinctly a /person/, and he enjoys God’s presence, communion with others, and the unique gift for language.

The second facet of being created in God’s image is /dominion/.

God ordains that man should “rule over the fish of the sea… birds of the air… and over every creeping thing.”

Man was intended to be God’s “right hand” on the earth.

Though God named all things prior to Adam (Hebrew /man/), once Adam was created /he/ named the animals.

God delegates His authority to man, and it is his unique responsibility to care for what God has lovingly created for him.

Verse 27 summarizes what God has done.

Though God had created all other life forms in abundance, He creates only one man and one woman – “in the image of God He created them.”

*Food for Thought*

            Mankind was granted authority over God’s creation.

This gives us power over the earth and animals.

We’re also made to have fellowship with God.

How are you doing with these “made-in-the-image of God” tasks?

Because man sinned and gave his authority to the devil through disobedience, Satan himself is “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).

This should be evident to all.

Remember that God made you for a specific task.

If you are out of fellowship with Him, you’re a fish out of water, as it were.

Our very existence is for dominion & fellowship.

Worship God by spending time w~/Him, and rule well over that which He’s given.

*Genesis 1:28…* And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

*Commentary*

            After creating man and woman in His own image, God “blessed them.”

God didn’t just create man in a state of indifference, He made him to be happy, to be the recipients of His joy and blessing.

He wanted to lovingly pour out His limitless goodness on us.

This “blessing” is much more than just a ceremonial cleansing, it is God conferring His well-being on man; it is God giving man happiness and prosperity.

Of course this is in keeping with God’s overall desire for us, for He wants us to enjoy Him and the goodness of His creation.

The Apostle Paul says of God that “He gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim.

6:17).

The beautiful creation of God attests to His desire that man be happy and in fellowship with Him.

After conferring His blessing on man, God gives him a commission.

First, He says to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”

Literally, these three terms mean “flourish, be numerous, and fill up.”

In other words, “have children, have lots of children, and fill the earth with your children.”

In the old KJV of the Bible the Hebrew word that means “fill” is translated as “replenish,” but this is not a good translation of the word.

Furthermore, it implies a second filling of the earth that some have taken to give credence to the Gap Theory which states that there is a gap of billions of years between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

The word is simply “fill.”

The second command of God to man is to “subdue the earth and rule over.”

The word for “subdue” means “to overcome, to enslave,” and it literally means to /conquer/ and /control/ an environment or people.

It is a word used for sexual assault, war, and slavery in the OT.

The only concept in view here, however, is exercising power over that which God made to be controlled.

In other words, God says, “harness the earth’s potential and use its resources for your benefit.”

God made the planet and its inhabitants, and He delegated the authority of controlling the planet to His highest creation – man.

It’s like a CEO who delegates authority to the vice president of the company.

When the vice president, however, fails to live up to the agreed upon success of that which was given to him, there is a price to pay.

The same is true with man.

Mankind has been given the authority of God over God’s creation – the fish, the birds, and every living creature on the earth.

It’s power given to man from God. It’s a large planet with lush vegetation and many animals.

Part of what it means to be made in God’s image is to rule over that which God created.

*Food for Thought*

Man has quite the responsibility of ruling over nature.

Today it seems that nature rules over man, yet man has been nature’s biggest advocate.

Animals oftentimes control man and have more “rights” than he does – and this is promoted by man himself!

Many times the planet itself dictates man’s actions.

Our abuse of the environment has imprisoned us to it.

It’s like being owned by banks because you owe them more money than you have.

Air pollution (smog), holes in the ozone layer, acid rain, and the like all too often control man.

The curse of the planet as a result of sin brings tornados, hurricanes, and typhoons all across the globe.

The animals we were supposed to rule over, and the planet we were supposed to subdue, subdued us as a result of sin and disobedience.

It wasn’t intended to be this way from the beginning.

We were told to rule.

Take some inventory today about what God has given you and what you’ve done with it.

If God gave you money, have you squandered it?

If he gave you great health, how have you spoiled it?

Don’t take the gifts God’s given for granted.

Use them or lose them.

*Genesis 1:29-31…* Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; 30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.

31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.

And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

*Commentary*

Notice the first word God says in verse 29: “Behold!”

The Hebrew word behind this English term expresses drama.

A paraphrase might say something like, “Hey!

Check this out!”

It’s as if God is excitedly introducing the man and woman to His wonderful creation He just completed.

He’s acting like a real estate agent showing His clients all the amenities.

He tells them specifically about their most essential physical need: /the food they will eat/.