Scripture help.

[lil~peanut]

I've never been able to understand this. Can ya'll explain this to me?

Gen 1:26-28
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." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 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."
NKJV


Who is (US and OUR) ? Why is that in there and then the use of the "HIS" really confuses me. Thanks for you help.

 

[GK]

Us = The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While the Son was not "begotten" incarnately on the earth until a couple thousand years ago, He existed in the beginning, with the Father (see John 1). Same with the Holy Spirit. While the Spirit was "sent" into the world by Christ from a strategic standpoing, the HS existed from the beginning.

 

[lil~peanut]

Okay, that I got it. Now, 'cause we are made in HIS image, does that mean that God looks like us? and vice versa? only that we're mortal and have flaws and the Lord is or had neither?

 

[Knowledge3]

I've never been able to understand this. Can ya'll explain this to me?

Gen 1:26-28
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." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 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."
NKJV


Who is (US and OUR) ? Why is that in there and then the use of the "HIS" really confuses me. Thanks for you help.

Hmm. . .

I imagine God's viewpoint is omniscient and vastly different than ours. God must have had people in mind when He created Us in His own image.

Now we are supposed to be created in the image of His Son. Sort of like an imperfect image being made of the perfected Image of Christ.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Not sure myself, but some have said the likeness is His Spirit...as in our souls are come from His Spirit so we are like His.
The spirit lives on forever after.

Peace!

 

[Globalnomad]

Our likeness to God is in our soul, which has the capacity to know Him and to respond to His love - not in anything to do with the shape of our bodies.

 

[Raphael777]

Possibly, being made in God's image makes reference to the immorality of our soul - in the same way God is immortal, so too is our soul. It does not refer to God's physical image, since "God is spirit" (John 4:24). What is more, the OT constantly emphasises the inability to "see" God's holiness - contrary to what some believe, God spoke through "the angel of the Lord" to Moses in the burning bush in Exodus 3:2.

As for the "us" "we", I believe there are several interpretations:
1. It alludes to the Trinity.
2. It alludes to God amongst the heavenly court of angels.
3. (perhaps more controversially, yet a no. of liberal theologians subscribe to this view)The concept of monotheism had not yet to be developed fully in Judaism, so the author refers to other "gods" in this passage - hence the "us" and "we" - whilst at the same time emphasising the fact that "God" is superior to them. This, I believe, is called henotheism - one chief God and other lesser gods. I don't necessarily agree with this view, but these theologians further argue that the Psalmist alludes to the "gods" to which Yahweh to the cheif of (i.e. Psalm 82:1 and 86:81). But when the Prophets started to emphasise the concept of monotheism, it is argued, these gods were later seen as "angels" to avoid the conflict.

 

[GK]

"In His image" refers to the relational/communal nature, not to physical traits. This relational nature is what separates us from the beasts. As God's nature is communal (three-in-one), so is our nature. We are not meant to exists as individuals (as western philosophy would teach), but as a corporate body, joined to one another as we are joined to God.

 

[hannabl]

Possibly, being made in God's image makes reference to the immorality of our soul.

You forgot the 't' ! What a mistake to make....

 

[Raphael777]

You forgot the 't' ! What a mistake to make....

... tell me about it...

 

[Aaron-Aggie]

Tob

 

[lil~peanut]

Thank You all very much. That's cleared up a lot