The Creation of Human Beings in Genesis 1:26
God is portrayed as having planned for the creation of
human beings as marked by the phrase "And now we will make human beings; they will be like us
and resemble us". This implied that God was not alone in His
work of creation.
God created human beings, both male and female at the
same time meaning that both are equal before Him.
Human beings both male and female were created in God's
likeness. This implied that human beings share some qualities of God.
Besides, by creating human beings as male and female, God
had initiated monogamous marriage. God went on to bless human beings to have
many children meaning that He ordained sex for procreation.
God commanded human beings to bring the world under their
control. This meant that they had to continue working as co-creators.
God put human beings in charge of the fish birds and all
the wild animals. This symbolized the supremacy of human beings over other
creatures.
God also provided man with all kinds of grain and all
kinds of fruit for them to eat. This meant that human beings are dependants on
God's provision.
God was very pleased with what He had done meaning that
human beings should enjoy and be satisfied with their work.
The
Creation of Man in Genesis 2
God is presented as having finished His work by the
seventh day. He blessed that day and set it apart as special day.
However, there were no plants on the earth because He had
not sent any rain and there was no one to cultivate the land though water would
come up from beneath the surface and water the ground.
Man is portrayed as having been the first creature God
made before others eventually followed in which God freely allowed Him to name
them.
He took some soil from the ground, formed a man out of
it. Here, God is presented as a physical being working. However, man seemed
weak and fragile since he was made from the soil.
God went on to breathe a life-giving breath into the
man's nostrils and he began to live. It implied that God is the source of life.
Besides, God planted a garden in the East of a place
named Eden thus the name Garden of Eden and placed the man in it to cultivate
and guard it. This portrays man being created as a worker.
He also made all kinds of beautiful trees to grow and
produce good fruits in the Garden of Eden and in the middle it was a tree that
gave life and knowledge of what was good and bad.
God permitted man to eat the fruit of any tree in the
garden except the tree that gave knowledge of good and bad. This is implied
that man knew what was good and bad. Therefore, eating the forbidden fruit
would be an act of disobedience.
God justified His warning about eating the forbidden
fruit that man would die the same day. Therefore, he had to obey this command
if he wanted to continue living.
However, God realized that it was not good for man to be
alone and thought of making a suitable companion for him. This showed that
cared much about man's wellbeing.
He went on and took some soil from the ground and formed
all the animals and the birds which He brought to man to name only to realize
that none of them was a suitable companion to help him. This implied that human
beings are helpmates and they can only be at peace in the presence of another.
God responded to the man's predicament by making him fall
into a deep sleep after which He took out one of his ribs and closed up the
flesh.
He formed a woman out of the man's rib He had taken and
brought her to him to his delight as summed up in his own words "At last,
here is one of my own kinds”. Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh.
Woman is her name ... “This implied that man and woman are complementary.
God declared that a man would leave his father and mother
and get united to his wife for them to become one. This implied that God had
initiated marriage and unity in it.
Both, the man and the woman were naked but were not
embarrassed. This probably was because they were of the same kind and made for
each other.
Revision
Question
Complement on the creation of man in Genesis 1 and 2
The
Creation of Human Beings in God's Image and Its Meaning (Genesis 1:26)
In Genesis 1: 26 God reached the climax of His work and
created human beings as male and female in His likeness. He is quoted as having
said, "And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and
resemble us."
He went on to give them power over other creatures,
blessed them to have many children with the command that they had to bring the
earth under their control and provided for them as well.
This meant that human beings, both male and female are
equal before God for they resembled God and were created at the same time.
Therefore, they were of equal importance before God.
It meant that human beings were supreme as compared to
other creatures for God gave them power over other creatures.
It meant that human beings were created for procreation
as God blessed them to have many children so that their descendants would live
over the earth.
Besides, it meant that human beings are co-creators with
God for He commanded them to bring the world under their control.
It implied that human beings are dependent on God. They
enjoyed His free provision as He gave them all kinds of grain and fruit to eat.
It meant that human beings shared a unique relationship
with God. Of all creatures, they resembled Him.
It showed that human beings were created as God's
representatives on earth. Other than resemble Him, they were given power over
other creatures. Therefore, they were empowered to overseer creation here on
earth.
It implied that human beings had the wisdom to judge
between right and wrong or good and bad since they were like God who knew His
work.
It meant that human beings have some qualities of God
since they were made in their likeness. However, God remains superior to them
since they are His creatures.
It portrayed God's love for human beings for He chose and
made them in his likeness out of all creatures.
It meant that human beings would worship God in a special
way as a means of showing their respect for Him.
It meant that human beings had to live a holy life and
approach God in their state of holiness.
Revision Questions
1.
Discuss the meaning of man being
created in the image of God
2.
Comment on the creation of human
beings in God's image
3.
Examine the meaning of Genesis 1: 26
4.
Discuss the significance of the
creation of human beings in God's image
5.
Account for the creation of man in the
likeness of God
Ways
in which Human Beings are living up to God's image.
Exercising authority over other creatures like animals
and birds both domestic and wild reserved in national parks.
Practicing and preaching about the equality of all
especially through the judicial system in which everybody is equal before the
law.
Human beings have continued with procreation as many
children are being produced every now and then.
People are continuing with the work of co-creation
through planting trees and building houses among others.
People often turn to God through prayer especially when
they are in need of something thus showing their dependence on Him.
Human beings have continued to working hard in different
areas of life meaning that they are copying the example of God who worked for
six days.
Respecting and observing the Sabbath as a special day
dedicated to God as He rested from His work of creation.
People give assistance to the needy like the orphans and
the widows with some through charity organizations such as Watoto Children.
Such people provide items like food and shelter.
More and more discoveries and inventions like space
centres using their God-given wisdom. People participate in fellowship. On such
occasions, they congregate to share their religious experience and encourage
one another in their faith.
People repent of their sins so that they are put right
with God as they try to serve and approach Him with holiness.
Monogamy is upheld today as the ideal type of marriage
considering that God created human beings as male and female.
MAN'S
FAILURE TO LIVE IN GOD'S IMAGE
The following are the ways through which human beings
today are failing to live up to the expectation of being created in God's
image.
Discrimination basing on tribes, religion and sex among
others for this undermines the equality of all before God.
Some people are ever idle and disorderly. Their
redundancy shows that they have failed to copy the example of God who worked
for six days.
Cases of sexual immorality like defilement, lesbianism
and rape continue to exist but such situations undermine God's intention for
sex meant for procreation.
The practice of celibacy is common in the present
situation for different reasons. However, such individuals contravene God's
desire for man to have many children.
In a similar way birth control measures like pills and
the use of condoms undermine God's will for procreation.
Some people worship idols like trees and portraits among
others which they should have had power over.
Cases of murder are common in the society today. However,
God planned that man should procreate.
In some cases, natural events like floods and landslides
among others have taken control of man's destiny.
Some people have continued to manufacture weapons of mass
destruction like nuclear and atomic bombs. Consequently, many people are losing
their lives and living in misery.
Some individuals have gone ahead to clone human beings
but this is contrary to God's work of creating human beings as male and female.
There are people who tend to change .their physical
appearance through using cosmetics and machines. This is under looking God's
creation.
Some people tend to destroy their environment by cutting
down trees, applying or dumping toxic materials and burning grasses among
others.
There is over exploitation of natural resources like
gold. This destroys God's creation and the free provision for human beings.
Some people are involved in wars as opposed to peaceful
means of solving disagreement.
Revision Questions
1.
How have some people lived up to the
expectation of being created in the image of God?
2.
Examine man's failure in living up to
the expectation of being created in God's image
3.
To what extent have human beings today
lived up to the expectation of being created in the image of God?