In the Image of God – Part 2
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27)
I'M GOING TO STEP ASIDE AND LET J. Vernon McGee give us his thoughts on verse 27. The whole article is his work and I’m thankful to be able to share it with you.
“WE HAVE HERE JUST THE SIMPLE FACT of the creation of man. This is the third time we find the word bara, which means to create out of nothing. So we see that man is created; he is something new. Bara is the same word that occurred in the first verse of Genesis:
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." He created the physical universe. Then He created life: "And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth …" (Genesis 1:21). Now we see that God created man: "So God created man in his own image." God will give us the details of His creation of man in the next chapter, and we can see from this that God has left out a great deal about the creation of the universe.
"IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH" is all the information He has given to us, and it's about all we can know about it. He could have filled in details, but He didn't. He will go into more detail about only one act of His creation, and that is His creation of man. Do you know why? It is because this record was written for man; God wants him to know about his origin. It is as if God were saying, "I would like very much for you to pay attention to your own creation and not be speculating about the creation of the universe." This verse tells us something tremendous.
"SO GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE." I want to submit to you that this is one of the great statements of the Word of God. I cannot conceive of anything quite as wonderful as this. What does it mean? Well, man is like God, I think, as a trinity. Immediately someone is going to say, "Oh, I know what you mean. You mean that man is physically and mentally and spiritually a being." Yes, I believe that is true.
“PAUL, IN 1THESSALONIANS 5:23 SAYS THAT VERY THING: "… And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Although this is true, we will see when we get into the next chapter that it actually means more than that. I think that it refers to the fact that man is a personality, and as a personality he is self-conscious, and he is one who makes his own decisions. He is a free moral agent. Apparently that is the thing which is unique about mankind. I believe this is what is meant by God creating man in His own image.
"MALE AND FEMALE CREATED HE THEM." These verses do not give to us the details of how man was created and how woman was created. We won't find that until we come to the second chapter. That is the reason that I say that God did not intend to give us the details concerning the creation of this great universe that we are in or He would have given us another chapter relative to that. But He offers no explanation other than He is the Creator.
“THIS PUTS US RIGHT BACK O THE ALL-IMPORTANT TRUTH which we find in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Hebrews 11:3). Things we see today were made out of things which did not even exist before. The creation was made ex nihilo, out of nothing. Somebody says, "Explain that." My friend, I can't explain it. And evolution doesn't explain it either.
“EVOLUTION HAS NEVER ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF HOW NOTHING becomes something. It always starts with a little amoeba, or with a garbage can, or with a little piece of seaweed, or with an animal up in a tree. Our minds must have something to start with, but the Bible starts with nothing. God created! This is the tremendous revelation of this chapter.” (McGee)
Read Through the Bible in a Year
JULY 17, 2018 – TUESDAY
A.M. Psalms 22-24 P.M. Acts 20:1-16
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.) If you are behind in reading, read the passage for today and then go back.
●Good Memory Verse:
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (Psalm 34:18) (Write verse on scrap of paper and put in your pocket to memorize.)
●Song for Today:
I Believe In Miracles (2:38) (Norma Zimmer) (and also by the Melody Four)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_mErZxHVwM
I finally found: I Believe in Miracles, written by Carlton Buck and music by John Peterson. This song was a sequel to: It Took a Miracle. I first heard this song soon after it was written, 1956. Norma Zimmer (1923-2011) is the best solo artist I could find. She sang for Lawrence Welk for 22 years and was known to have a love for traditional hymns. This recording was made at an early Billy Graham meeting, about 1956. The pianist is probably Ted Smith, a concert pianist from Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbOhlte5Bko
The Melody Four quartet will also sing: I Believe in Miracles. This quartet may have been part of a larger group, Dick Anthony, and His Sixteen Singing Men. They became known in the 50’s. Piano, guitar, string-bass accompaniment. (The pianist is a little frilly.)
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