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Written by Boaz
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Monday, 31 January 2005 |
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| And God went on to say, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness ----” (Gen 1: 26)
Many people imagine that this refers to a physical likeness,
Is that a reasonable assumption, because the scriptures point out that
“God is a spirit, and those worshipping him must worship with spirit
and truth” (John 4:24), and flesh and blood cannot enter into the
heavens (1Cor 15:50 ----cannot inherit God’s kingdom---- Luke 24:39
---- because a spirit does not have flesh and bones. ) |
We can deduce from the foregoing that man
was made in the image of Jehovah in relation to spiritual qualities,
such as those listed in the book of Galatians chapter 5, in verse 22
love is first mentioned and the two greatest commands that Jesus
pointed out had to do with love.
Jesus’ reply to an enquiring Pharisee is recorded in Matt 22:37 - 39, which is love for Jehovah and love for neighbour.
This is consistent with Jehovah because “he that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love” 1John 4:8.
In fact it is the identifying mark of true Christians (John 13:35).
The apostle Paul outlined in 1Cor 13 the practical ways love is identified, for example :
verse 2; If I have the gift of prophesying and am acquainted with
all the sacred secrets and all knowledge and if I have all the faith so
as to transplant mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Verse 3; and if I give all my belongings to feed others, and if I
hand over my body that I may boast, but do not have love, I am not
profited at all.”
In making “man in our image,” we can appreciate another aspect of how closely we are made in God’s image.
Jehovah produced an only begotten son,
(Col 1:15 - 20 ) “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; ----”
John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only
begotten son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not
be destroyed but have everlasting life.”
Of all intelligent creation, only humans can have offspring,
whereas spirit creatures are not endowed with this ability, see Matt
22:30 and Luke 20:34 - 36
Humans know the pain of losing a loved one in death, the grief, the
tears. .
Like Jehovah, who’s only begotten son tasted death for every man (Heb 2:9 )
Therefore in this area alone we can better empathize with Jehovah and therefore draw closer to him.
Jesus displayed this toward his friend Lazarus.
Isn’t it ironic that of all intelligent creation, the least should be so close to God’s image.
The Rock, perfect is his activity, For all his ways are justice. A
God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; Righteous and
upright is he. Deut 32:4.
So when Adam sinned he no longer reflected Jehovah’s image and embarked on the road to death.
Romans 5:12.
Jehovah lovingly provided the means for Adam’s offspring to reflect God’s image as outlined in the prophecy of Genesis 3:15.
The details of which would play out over thousands of years, Christ being the key to the prophecy.
“For the son of God, Christ Jesus, who is preached among you
through us, that is, through me and Silvanus and Timothy , did not
become Yes and yet No, but Yes has become Yes in this case.
For no matter how many the promises of God are, they have become
Yes by means of him. Therefore also through him is the “Amen” said to
God for glory through us. 2Corinthians 1:19,20.
A priesthood was required with a high priest to act as a go between
for peoples approach to Jehovah, as shown in the example of the nation
of Israel, where they had to offer up numerous animal sacrifices
regularly because of their sinful state and the Law reminded them of
their sinful nature.
This, however, was a shadow of something better to come.
“ For since the Law has a shadow of the good things to come,
but not the very substance of the things, men can never with the same
sacrifices from year to year which they offer continually make those
who approach perfect.” Hebrews 10:1
.
Christ, who offered himself as a sacrifice once for all time,
replacing the animal sacrifices, and he entered heaven to present his
sacrifice before his heavenly Father, ( Hebrews 9:11 - 14) like the
high priest did in the shadow of things to come when the high priest
entered into the most holy of the temple.
Therefore,
this arrangement was replaced by a spiritual temple made up of living
stones with Christ as high priest performing priestly duties for
humankind to bring them to the point of reflecting, or in God’s image.
Recently there was a TV programme where a silversmith was
interviewed and the question was asked, how he knew when the silver was
refined or purified.
He explained that during the refining process, attention must be
fixed on the silver being purified because the point is reached, only
briefly, where he sees his face reflected in the silver being
processed, if you miss this “window” the process is ruined by refining
beyond this point.
Malachi3:2, 3 “But who will be putting up with the day of his
coming, and who will be the one standing when he appears? For he will
be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen. And he
must sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and must cleanse the sons
of Levi; and he must clarify them like gold and like silver, and they
will certainly become to Jehovah people presenting a gift offering in
righteousness.”
I never clearly understood this scripture until I heard about the comments of the silversmith.
Jesus said to Philip, “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.” John 14:9
Jesus perfectly reflected his Father.
The point will come where we too, benefiting from the spiritual
arrangement, will, like Christ perfectly reflect our heavenly Father.
In God’s image. 1Corinthians 15:20 - 28. |
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