Genesis Revised – Day 6 v26-27 and “God’s Image”

The last part of the creation story begins in the middle of the sixth season.  Here, God’s intentions for humanity are stated.  Without the overburden of unbiblical “perfectionism,” the ancient text matches the evidence perfectly.

Genesis 1

²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  ²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (NIV)

The word “us,” in verse 26, has been interpreted several ways, but many Christians say it shows the Trinity.  However, the poet would not have believed this; neither would any other writer of the Bible, including the apostles.  Such an interpretation rejects the prophets’ understanding of the basic nature of God and nullifies their constant plea for the people to worship One God only.  It puts in question their ability to tell us anything spiritual.

But, Genesis One gives us another explanation.  The poem emphasizes only two groups: 1) God and 2) everything else.  Poetically, the use of the word “us” lets God engage the only other “character” mentioned in the poem: the universe.  God used evolution to sculpt His creation, including all life.  He summoned the universe, including the evolving life on Earth, as a partner to make something unique.

The “likeness” or “image” of God” does not mean God’s appearance is human.  The Jews were never required to worship a human-like image.  That would have been called idolatry.  They worshiped an invisible God who was totally different from anything they could imagine.

The word “mankind” continues the generalization of life forms.  These were not two people.  This word does not require Homo sapiens as the only interpretation.  God created us exactly like all the other animals (Chapter 2 uses the words “dust” and “ground” but not “clay.”).  With a natural interpretation, “mankind” includes our lineage through the not-quite-human, not-at-all-human, and not-even-mammal.  It reaches back to mineral, to the stars that gave us carbon atoms, and returns to the initial singularity that produced everything.  Creation is one, as its Creator is one.

God made humanity, which requires both male and female.  This creation story does not present a hierarchy.  They are simply what they are, part of the creation, and yet are special because of God’s choice.  Both were chosen, all were chosen, to bear His image.

From all the life created on Earth, God chose one lineage.  He molded that lineage of almost-humans until one group could accept the next stage.  God gave one of them “His image.”  Chapter 2 calls it life, God’s Breath.  This is not physical life, as animals and plants live.  This is our spirit, God’s Spirit, a life that can transcend death.  Then, God did something else.  He let us choose to not be innocent.  He continues to let us choose, to be like Him (good) or not like Him (evil).  In a long ago time, that initial Breath entered one almost-human lineage.  Through him humanity was born.  Then, all the other almost-human lineages became extinct.  Every one.  Only we remain.  We are one, as our Creator is one.

Paleontology and genetics show human lineage changed quicker than any of our nearest relatives, the great apes.  Something happened, and kept happening, in our lineage.  No evidence shows what that might have been, but it happened about the time our lineage started making tools, sewing, and forming rituals.  The same “season” described in the garden story.

To be continued:

[Lessons from Creation’s Parables: Genesis and Standard Science, Sung as One, by Jo Helen Cox.]

Also in this series:

Genesis Revised – Introduction + Day 1, The Big Bang

Genesis Revised – Day 2, Opening Sky and Ocean

Genesis Revised – Day 3, Opening Land

Genesis Revised – Day 4, Filling the Universe

Genesis Revised – Day 5, the Evolution of Life

Genesis Revised – Day 6 v24-25, the Land Animals

Genesis Revised – Day 6 v28-31 “Dominion”

Genesis Revised – Day 7

Genesis Revised – The Second Genesis

Also see series:

Genesis Revisited

Eden Revisited