Genesis 1:26-2:3

How Jesus saw people

When you look at the poeple that Jesus interacted with, the pattern is quite remarkable. Fishermen, prostitute, tax collectors, widows, the zealots (terrorists of the day) children.

The Chosen gives a fascination portrayal of this. There was something about the way in which Jesus saw them. He saw something in them that society were not able to see. As a result, he was able help them be someone who they never thought they were capable of. Never thought they deserved to be.

The question then is:

How can we see that too?

Gen 1:26-31 “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and thee was morning—the sixth day.

Gen 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Summary of last Sunday’s message

Genesis 1 was written in the context of competing creation narratives of that period.

The author is trying to communicate to the people who the true Creator was, how he was and why he created the world.

We need to continue to keep this in mind as we read this passage

The Sixth Day (v26)

After creating the animals on the sixth day, the narrative slows down. There is focus on the creation of mankind. This is important. This is different. The pattern of text changes. The blueprint chagaes a bit.

Let “Us” make...- Who is “Us”?

Many gods?

Heavenly Host?

Trinity?

God most probaly spoke to his heavenly host mentioning that he is going to create mankind.

Job 38:7 NIV

while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

But more importantly, it shows, as I mentioned last Sunday, a sense of unity, plurality, and agreableness in creation. There was no conflict.

Image and Likeness

Similar meaning. When two words are used to describe the same thing it generally helps narrow the meaning.

Reflection

Old Testament (1:1-2:3: Creation)

In the ancient world an image was believed to carry the essence of that which it represented. An idol image of deity, the same terminology as used here, would be used in the worship of that deity because it contained the deity’s essence. This would not suggest that the image could do what the deity could do, nor that it looked the same as the deity. Rather, the deity’s work was thought to be accomplished through the idol. In similar ways the governing work of God was seen to be accomplished by people.

2. Relationship

Adam and Seth

Genesis 5:1–3 NIV

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

3. Representation

“In Mesopotamia a significance of the image can be seen in the practice of kings setting up images of themselves in places where they want to establish their authority.”

Image of God: Job description

1. To rule (v26, 28b)

A privilege and responsibility. Not to overpower, but to care. A good rule take care, serves. Doesn’t misuse or oppress. As co-rulers. Working alongside.

2. To reproduce (v28a)

What God made was a best seller. It was an open source. It was worthy enough for reproducability. When something works well and others start want to make more of it, it shows that this is a good product. That adds value. You were made so well that the world needed more of you. Acceptance.

3. To receive (v 29-30)

Other gods were said to have created humans to see what they could get out of them. How they could give to the gods. But in contrast, God gives us. He provides what is required. A good boss says this this is the job, whatever you need you got it. That again shows trust, value, validation.

First day on the job: Rest

Gen 2:1-3 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Taking leave before work starts. Joke my dad always cracked.

Illustration from Dune:

Paul: Dad what if I am not the future of house Atreides

Leto: A great man doesn’t seek to lead, he is called to it. But if your answer is no, you will still be the only thing I needed you to be. My son.

The day of rest as the first day on the job says that we are already what God wants us to be whether we are able to do what he expects of us or not. We are already made in his image.

The day of rest communicates grace.

It shows us that God created us to be “Human Beings” not “Human doings”

It shows that even those who are not able to do, still are made in the image of God. The word rest here simply means - Cease or stop work.

Children, Elderly, handicap, disabled, invalid, depressed, poor, uneducated, unemployed, minority. Everything that our world considers lesser.

The day of rest communicates to us that, God sees each of these people and anybody else, you, me -The same.

The second thing that the day of Rest communicates is that - it is about God and not us.

v 31- He say “All” that he had made and it was very good - not just mankind - “All”.

And then God comes and rests, he comes and dwells, establishes his footstool on earth. He Rests. We exist for him.

Sleep is a parable that God is God and we are mere men. God handles the world quite nicely while a hemisphere sleeps. Sleep is like a broken record that comes around with the same message every day: Man is not sovereign. Man is not sovereign. Man is not sovereign. Don’t let the lesson be lost on you. God wants to be trusted as the great worker who never tires and never sleeps. He is not nearly so impressed with our late nights and early mornings as he is with the peaceful trust that casts all anxieties on him and sleeps. - John Piper

We are the image, we are also “dust”. Creation was meant for God. And he gave his appraisal - Very good.

PS 100:3 “Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Human Dignity

“Human dignity is the recognition that human beings possess a special value intrinsic to their humanity and as such are worthy of respect simply because they are human beings.”

Dignity of labour

Indian Society is the opposite of this

Caste; Gender; Age; Education; Class; Economic;

Goverment has not value for life.

But Genesis 1 here says something counter-cultural.

Our dignity, our respect, our worth and value comes from the fact that we are already made in the image of God.

Example of Slavery

Ex 20.

Ephesians 6:5–9 NIV

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

1807 - Abolishment of Slavery (William Wiberforce)

How Jesus saw people - This is how. Having human dignity that comes from being the image of God.

Application

1. To Church/ Ministry

How we see people.

Mercy ministries - Not for pity, but because each one is created in the image of God.

Mother Teresa:

“I will never tire of repeating this: what the poor need the most is not pity but love. They need to feel respect for their human dignity, which is neither less nor different from the dignity of any other human being.”

2. Family/Home

How we see children. How we view non earning members.

What we expect from our children. Do they exist for us or because who they are meant to be?

Maids/Workers - different glass or cutlery. How do we speak and treat them. How do we see them?

3. Public life

Employees

DIsabled. Widows. Invalid.

Mumbai Diaries:

Hum Doctors hain. Humara kaam human body ko dekhna hain, human character ko nahin.”