In the Beginning
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He created the sun, moon and stars. He made day and night. He created vegetation - all plants and trees. He filled the sea with fish, the sky with birds and the land with all kinds of animals. Then God said, "let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." Genesis Ch. 1:26-27
What a wonderful picture we have. God had completed His work of creation. He had created a wonderful world. He had created earth, rich in everything that man might need - beauty, perfection and food. He had created a perfect man in His own likeness. He had endowed this man with a mind and a soul, and gave him complete freedom to use his mind and to dispose of his soul as he saw fit.
The creation of man was different from other acts of creation. It is much more personal - a special act of creation by the triune God as compared with somewhat impersonal call into existence of all other creation. God said, "Let there be . . . and there was." Man is the crown and climax of God's creation. Man is the special object of God's creation and providence. This gives man great dignity as a creature.
Man was uniquely made "in the image of God". What does this mean? It is obvious there is a link between man and God not seen in other created forms. The difference is seen at the very beginning in that man was made in a different way from animals. We are told, "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being." Genesis Ch. 2:7
Therefore, man was separately and uniquely made. But he was also created in the image or likeness of God. We see this as a spiritual connection. Man is able to talk to God and listen to what God says to him. Man was also created morally good and evil had no part in him - just like Jesus Christ the Son of God. So man was created to be like God in righteousness and holiness. When God had finished with His creation He was well pleased with it all. In Genesis Ch. 1:31 we read, "God saw all that He had made, and it was very good".
