Why?
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26a)
The when, why and how mankind is created… and why in GOD’s image?
GOD made mankind: In the image of our Creator, man is created! The Father of all mankind creates man in His likeness: Man has soul because GOD has a soul; Man has spirit, because GOD has spirit.
Philippians 4:8 says, “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
And so as I share this blog post with this in mind, I focus on the goodness of GOD. We seek to identify the motive behind GOD creating mankind in His own image. We are the Bride of Christ, seeking to grow in His likeness, His wisdom, His knowledge and understanding.
Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story
How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective.
Creation peaks
GOD has already made angels, He has made galaxies, He has made life! Now the culmination of all of this is one entity who will watch over His earthly creation. He makes man, and He makes it clear man is created in GOD’s own image. This suggests to me that no other part of His creation is in His own image, not even the angels.
Man is made after all the other beasts. He is made last…. GOD saved the best for last, as the saying goes!
He is made after the universe is created, and after the angels. Job 38:7 suggests Job [aka man] was nowhere “When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God [aka angels] shouted for joy”. The devil inhabited the serpent in the garden and therefore, Lucifer (the archangel who became proud and was cast from heaven and was given the new identity of Satan, the devil) had to have pre-existed Adam.
Man is called to have dominion over the animals
We learn that, in order for the earth and the animals to be stewarded, Man is given dominion over all Creation… including “every creeping thing that creeps on the earth”. (Genesis 1:26)
Man is made to exercise dominion over the earth
The angels were made before GOD made Adam. Before the creation of man, already Lucifer had fallen and had taken a third of the other angels with him (Isaiah 14). He was hurled to the earth when, in His pride, the angel of worship fell and his identity was transformed from the angelic to the demonic. He became Satan, the devil. Take note that in due course, it is the devil who enters a creeping thing and deceives Eve. Did the serpent allow this or was it trust upon him?
Why did GOD make Man?
GOD made man in His image.
GOD made man to look after all the rest of Creation. Yes, He made man to take dominion over the earth. But He also made man for relationship; He made man to walk with Him, talk with Him, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day”. (Genesis 3:8)
And yet in His generosity and love, GOD realised it was “not good” for man to be alone in his kind and so GOD made a mate, a female, as an equal and as a helper.
“And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18)
Were the consequences expected?
Did GOD know that the Eve would listen to the serpent? Did GOD know that Adam would join with the woman and defy Him? Did GOD know that would happen? He must have. So why did He do create a situation where this could happen?
Perhaps it hinges on Lucifer’s fall.
Perhaps GOD made man to stand in contrast to the fallen, the demons. Maybe He created man to deal with Satan. In the long run, we already know that Jesus defeated the devil and our faith in Him is the way back to GOD. Perhaps on the journey of mankind to turn back to GOD, man turns his back on Satan as a necessary step in GOD’s redemption plan.
Is it possible that one reason for Mankind’s existence is to demonstrate the inferiority of Satan’s power compared to GOD’s? Is it possible the creeping creature, superior to other creatures with each organic life form being more advanced than the previous, was proud like Lucifer and resented a superior creation succeeding him? These two factors could lay the foundation which would lead mankind first to choose death rather than the Life-giver, but would take humanity through a long process which would lead us ultimately, back to the GOD we deserted? Is it possible that the battle between GOD and Satan continues until man returns to GOD, completing GOD’s purposes and intentions for dominion and relationship?
Let’s dig deep
May I encourage us all to contemplate GOD’s motives for creating man, in an effort to discover Him more deeply. I don’t have definitive answers but as I attempt to draw closer to GOD and look from His perspective, I discover Him more, and myself too. Because as I delve into questions, I pray for my mind to be transformed, made closer to His. And that has to be a good thing.
Hallelujah! However long the course may be, GOD has already won!