“And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.’
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Gen.2:26-28
We understand from scriptures, as highlighted above, that man was not a product of evolution as science suggested, but that instead, man was created by God in His own image. This means man was a well thought out and divinely orchestrated creature of God. No wonder the psalmist said,
“I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made …” Psalms 139:14.
In the beginning, when God started the entire work of creation as recorded in the book of Genesis, the process of man’s creation was also well spelt out in chapter 2 and verse 7 of that book of beginnings.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”.
This verse unfolded the revelation of a three dimension to the creation and existence (manifestation) of man. That is, man was created a spirit that has a soul and lives in the body. The body of man was formed of the dust of the ground. The spirit of man originated from the breath of God—the Father of all spirits. While the soul of man was the end result of the breath of God (man’s spirit) inhabiting the dust-formed body. When God breathed into the nostrils of the man’s dust-formed body, God, the Eternal Spirit poured Himself into man. This breath of life, which was the very essence of God’s Spirit and Life, did not just only constitute the image of God inside the dust-formed human body; but it also powered man to become a living soul. This God-powered living soul (man), was supposed to exist, explore, manifest and deplore all of God’s potential (as embedded in the Spirit and Life of God – ZOE) in this natural earthly realm of existence.
This, then, is the mystery of divine creation of man!
“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33:4.
Remember, if like begets like; then, God the Spirit and the Source of Eternal Life cannot give birth to man in the creation other than in His own image as the spirit and the life of God.
This means that, the invisible God, with all of His divine attributes, as fully packaged in His Spirit and Life (ZOE) poured Himself in the same fullness into the visible, terrestrial dust-formed human body. It then follows that, man was the exact visible representation (replica) of the invisible God. Man was created the very image of God who was supposed to operate on earth the exact way God was operating in heaven. What this means was that: while God the Father of all spirits is having heaven as His own domain, man, the replica of His very being is created to have the earth as his own domain. For it is written:
“The heaven, even the heavens are the LORD’S: but the earth he has given to the children of men.” Psalms 115:16.
Please understand that man was supposed to do on earth exactly what God does in heaven not just because man was made the king of the earth but because man had inside Him all of God’s substance and stuff necessary to make that happen.
I submit therefore, that the Spirit and the Life of God inside man was not just the image of God in man but the very glory of man’s creation by the divine hands of God. This was why angels exclaimed:
“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet.” Psalms 8:3-6
This means that the glory and the honour with which man was crowned:
1. was the Spirit and the Life of God. Likewise, the same
2. mandated and empowered man to exercise dominion over all other creatures God created.
Therefore, to unravel the glory of the image of God (which man was made of originally in the beginning of his creation), it becomes necessary for us to appreciate the substance and the operation (manifestation) of God’s Life (ZOE) and God’s Spirit that constituted, this image of God inputted into man. We shall do this by unravelling the divine attributes (peculiarities) of the Spirit and Life of God. These include:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Gen.2:26-28
We understand from scriptures, as highlighted above, that man was not a product of evolution as science suggested, but that instead, man was created by God in His own image. This means man was a well thought out and divinely orchestrated creature of God. No wonder the psalmist said,
“I will praise thee: for I am fearfully and wonderfully made …” Psalms 139:14.
In the beginning, when God started the entire work of creation as recorded in the book of Genesis, the process of man’s creation was also well spelt out in chapter 2 and verse 7 of that book of beginnings.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”.
This verse unfolded the revelation of a three dimension to the creation and existence (manifestation) of man. That is, man was created a spirit that has a soul and lives in the body. The body of man was formed of the dust of the ground. The spirit of man originated from the breath of God—the Father of all spirits. While the soul of man was the end result of the breath of God (man’s spirit) inhabiting the dust-formed body. When God breathed into the nostrils of the man’s dust-formed body, God, the Eternal Spirit poured Himself into man. This breath of life, which was the very essence of God’s Spirit and Life, did not just only constitute the image of God inside the dust-formed human body; but it also powered man to become a living soul. This God-powered living soul (man), was supposed to exist, explore, manifest and deplore all of God’s potential (as embedded in the Spirit and Life of God – ZOE) in this natural earthly realm of existence.
This, then, is the mystery of divine creation of man!
“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33:4.
Remember, if like begets like; then, God the Spirit and the Source of Eternal Life cannot give birth to man in the creation other than in His own image as the spirit and the life of God.
This means that, the invisible God, with all of His divine attributes, as fully packaged in His Spirit and Life (ZOE) poured Himself in the same fullness into the visible, terrestrial dust-formed human body. It then follows that, man was the exact visible representation (replica) of the invisible God. Man was created the very image of God who was supposed to operate on earth the exact way God was operating in heaven. What this means was that: while God the Father of all spirits is having heaven as His own domain, man, the replica of His very being is created to have the earth as his own domain. For it is written:
“The heaven, even the heavens are the LORD’S: but the earth he has given to the children of men.” Psalms 115:16.
Please understand that man was supposed to do on earth exactly what God does in heaven not just because man was made the king of the earth but because man had inside Him all of God’s substance and stuff necessary to make that happen.
I submit therefore, that the Spirit and the Life of God inside man was not just the image of God in man but the very glory of man’s creation by the divine hands of God. This was why angels exclaimed:
“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou has made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet.” Psalms 8:3-6
This means that the glory and the honour with which man was crowned:
1. was the Spirit and the Life of God. Likewise, the same
2. mandated and empowered man to exercise dominion over all other creatures God created.
Therefore, to unravel the glory of the image of God (which man was made of originally in the beginning of his creation), it becomes necessary for us to appreciate the substance and the operation (manifestation) of God’s Life (ZOE) and God’s Spirit that constituted, this image of God inputted into man. We shall do this by unravelling the divine attributes (peculiarities) of the Spirit and Life of God. These include:
HOLINESS, DOMINION AND POWER
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is and is to come.’ ” Rev. 4:8.
As depicted in the above verse of scriptures, the Spirit and the Life of God, identified, experienced and proclaimed by the beasts and the angels of God’s presence is holy, dominion-full (Lord, God) and powerful (Almighty).
It means the substance, the stuff, the essence and the manifestation of the Life and the Spirit of God in God Himself is holiness, dominion and power. It was so obvious and vivid to the extent that the angels and the beasts that surrounded the throne of God made a song out of it. So, when God’s Spirit and Life was poured into the dust-formed body of man, man’s body was filled and permeated with the holiness, dominion and power of God.
“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is and is to come.’ ” Rev. 4:8.
As depicted in the above verse of scriptures, the Spirit and the Life of God, identified, experienced and proclaimed by the beasts and the angels of God’s presence is holy, dominion-full (Lord, God) and powerful (Almighty).
It means the substance, the stuff, the essence and the manifestation of the Life and the Spirit of God in God Himself is holiness, dominion and power. It was so obvious and vivid to the extent that the angels and the beasts that surrounded the throne of God made a song out of it. So, when God’s Spirit and Life was poured into the dust-formed body of man, man’s body was filled and permeated with the holiness, dominion and power of God.
IMMORTALITY, BRIGHTEST OF LIGHT AND THE BLESSING
“…O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:…” Psalms 104:1-5.
“…O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:…” Psalms 104:1-5.
“…who is the blessed and only potentiate, the King of kings, and Lord of Lords,
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, who no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” 1 Tim. 6:15-16.
The verses of scriptures above also revealed other virtues of the Spirit and the Life of God which are immortality, brightest of light and the blessing. They also buttressed the greatness and the power of God. The Spirit and Life of God is immortal and shines as the brightest of light. Likewise, the blessing of God that makes rich without adding sorrow to it is also domicile in the Spirit and the Life of God. These same virtues were other attributes of the Spirit and the Life of God found in man as the created image of God.
Man was supposed to be immortal. He was to reflect God as he shines the brightest of God’s Light he was made of. The blessing of God in man as the image of God was to give a Midas touch to whatever he lays his hands upon. There was supposed to be no iota of darkness within and around him. He was supposed to exude the blessing, immortality and light to the fullest on the earth as God does in heaven. Death did not even exist when man was created let alone he having to dominate death. He was immortal created to exist forever in a complete, unabated form as the image (Spirit and Life) of God.
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, who no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” 1 Tim. 6:15-16.
The verses of scriptures above also revealed other virtues of the Spirit and the Life of God which are immortality, brightest of light and the blessing. They also buttressed the greatness and the power of God. The Spirit and Life of God is immortal and shines as the brightest of light. Likewise, the blessing of God that makes rich without adding sorrow to it is also domicile in the Spirit and the Life of God. These same virtues were other attributes of the Spirit and the Life of God found in man as the created image of God.
Man was supposed to be immortal. He was to reflect God as he shines the brightest of God’s Light he was made of. The blessing of God in man as the image of God was to give a Midas touch to whatever he lays his hands upon. There was supposed to be no iota of darkness within and around him. He was supposed to exude the blessing, immortality and light to the fullest on the earth as God does in heaven. Death did not even exist when man was created let alone he having to dominate death. He was immortal created to exist forever in a complete, unabated form as the image (Spirit and Life) of God.
STRENGTH BEYOND WEARINESS AND FAINTING
“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.” Isaiah 40:28.
The everlasting God does not faint nor is He weary. By pouring Himself into man at creation, God’s Spirit and Life that transcends fainting and weariness invested the dust-formed human body to put him above weariness and fainting. What I am saying is that the glory of the image of God in man was divine strength that weariness and fainting cannot tamper with, diminish nor abate.
This means when man was created in the image of God, he had strength the way God has it and he could not be identified with weariness and fainting just as God is devoid of these.
“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.” Isaiah 40:28.
The everlasting God does not faint nor is He weary. By pouring Himself into man at creation, God’s Spirit and Life that transcends fainting and weariness invested the dust-formed human body to put him above weariness and fainting. What I am saying is that the glory of the image of God in man was divine strength that weariness and fainting cannot tamper with, diminish nor abate.
This means when man was created in the image of God, he had strength the way God has it and he could not be identified with weariness and fainting just as God is devoid of these.
UNSEARCHABLE UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM BEYOND COMPREHENSION
“Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite.”
Psalms 147:5.
“… there is no searching of his understanding.” Isaiah 40:28
“Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite.”
Psalms 147:5.
“… there is no searching of his understanding.” Isaiah 40:28
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Rom. 11:33.
The Life and the Spirit of God is made up of the unsearchable understanding and wisdom that is beyond comprehension. And as we have unfolded above, man became the image of God because God poured His Spirit and Life into him.
It therefore means at creation, man as the image of God, was loaded with unsearchable understanding and wisdom that was beyond comprehension. Just as God founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding (Prov. 3:19); man was also supposed to be a co-creator with God through the operation and manifestation of the Spirit and Life of God which he was made of in the same dimension of wisdom beyond comprehension and understanding that is unsearchable which God was operating with. And just as the heavens both declare the glory of God and show forth His handiwork (Psalms 19:1); so also is the earth supposed to declare man’s glory and show forth man’s handiwork after the order of God. The same way we sing of the excellence, beauty and perfection of all that God created we are supposed to sing of the excellence, beauty and perfection of the creative ability of God in man in terms of wisdom and understanding demonstrated in co-creating with God.
Let me conclude by saying, the operation of the Spirit and Life of God in man after creation as manifested in terms of the above listed virtues / attributes, made man to truly reflect the image of God. Because man was made up of the same substance as God, he was thinking in the class of God and he named all the animals created by God correctly. Gen. 2:19-20.
Likewise, though Adam (the first man) was put to sleep when God was forming Eve, he knew what transpired and this made him to exclaim:
“…This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Gen. 2:23.
Beyond every doubt, God’s image (man) was crowned with glory and honour at his creation because the Spirit and the Life of God was the very substance and essence of his creation. And man exuded the Spirit and the Life of God as highlighted above the same way God exudes it and designed him (man) to exude it.
The Life and the Spirit of God is made up of the unsearchable understanding and wisdom that is beyond comprehension. And as we have unfolded above, man became the image of God because God poured His Spirit and Life into him.
It therefore means at creation, man as the image of God, was loaded with unsearchable understanding and wisdom that was beyond comprehension. Just as God founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding (Prov. 3:19); man was also supposed to be a co-creator with God through the operation and manifestation of the Spirit and Life of God which he was made of in the same dimension of wisdom beyond comprehension and understanding that is unsearchable which God was operating with. And just as the heavens both declare the glory of God and show forth His handiwork (Psalms 19:1); so also is the earth supposed to declare man’s glory and show forth man’s handiwork after the order of God. The same way we sing of the excellence, beauty and perfection of all that God created we are supposed to sing of the excellence, beauty and perfection of the creative ability of God in man in terms of wisdom and understanding demonstrated in co-creating with God.
Let me conclude by saying, the operation of the Spirit and Life of God in man after creation as manifested in terms of the above listed virtues / attributes, made man to truly reflect the image of God. Because man was made up of the same substance as God, he was thinking in the class of God and he named all the animals created by God correctly. Gen. 2:19-20.
Likewise, though Adam (the first man) was put to sleep when God was forming Eve, he knew what transpired and this made him to exclaim:
“…This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Gen. 2:23.
Beyond every doubt, God’s image (man) was crowned with glory and honour at his creation because the Spirit and the Life of God was the very substance and essence of his creation. And man exuded the Spirit and the Life of God as highlighted above the same way God exudes it and designed him (man) to exude it.
[powered by Covenant and Light Gospel Mission, Ile-Ife, Nigeria]
0 comments:
Post a Comment