Genesis and Man: Part One of Series of Three

Dearly beloved, the Word of God introduces man into the narrative of Genesis in a truly unique way. It does not mention his physical body or the life of his flesh; He waits until chapter two to discuss them when he expands on the events mentioned in chapter one. Here He speaks of the unique element that distinguished man from every other living creature.

Genesis 1:26 and 27 AV
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.

Why does it say, “And God said. . .” and then change to, “Let us . . .” and then change back to, “So God . . . ?”

“Let us”, is the usage of the figure of speech heterosis, which is an exchange of one Voice, Mood, Tense, Person, Number, Degree, or Gender, for another.

Here it changes from the singular to the plural and then back to the singular. The exchange of the plural for the singular emphatically draws our attention to the importance of what God is about to say. Heterosis is also known as “the royal we”, such as “We, the Queen”.

Further, to capture our attention He uses another figure of speech, Hendiadys. Hendiadys uses two words to express one thing. The two words are, “image” and “likeness”. These are not two different things; they are the same.

One of the two words expresses the thing, and the other intensifies it by being changed (if a noun) into an adjective of the superlative degree, which is, by this means, made especially emphatic.

He uses a third figure of speech to mark the significance of this remarkable event.

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

The word “image” at the end of the first statement is repeated and begins the second. This is the use of the figure, Anadiplosis, the same figure used at the end of Genesis 1:1 and the beginning of verse two. He repeats the words and thereby places the emphasis where He desires.

The words, “created man . . . in His own image” and then, “in the image of God . . . created He him”. The words are repeated in the reverse order or backwards. This is the figure, Epanodos. This again draws our attention to the “image of God”.

If that was not enough, He repeats the word, “create” three times, which grammatically was not necessary. This is the figure Repetition. God does not want us to miss the truth that He is creating something that previously did not exist.

Only God could mark His Word with such brilliant precision. He uses every literary device possible to seize our attention and alert us to the importance of the truth that He is revealing here. A figure of speech works the same as an emergency siren. When we hear it, we stop and take note of what is coming.

The truth that God is impressing upon us is that He created man in His image. What is God’s image or likeness? Genesis 1:2 said, “. . . the Spirit of God moved . . .”

John 4:24 AV
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is Spirit. Spirit life is a different category of life than soul life. Soul life is common to humans and animals; it is breath life. Soul life is mortal; it is subject to death.

God is not subject to death, nor does He consist of flesh and bones. God does not have a human form. He is Spirit. “No man hath seen God at any time. . . ” according to John 1:18. You cannot see, hear, smell, taste or touch spirit.

Hebrews 4:12 AV
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word of God distinguishes between soul and spirit. Soul is natural life and spirit is supernatural life. The Word of God speaks of soul and spirit as two separate entities.

God created Adam in His image or likeness – spirit. Whenever God creates, He brings something into existence for the first time.

Why is soul life or the body not mentioned in these verses? God does not want us to miss the all-important truth that He created man in His image; spirit. He established His relationship with Adam based on spirit.

The spirit is what made Adam and Eve so unique. Man was the only earthly being to whom God created in His image; that of spirit.

The spirit of God made it possible for God and Adam to have a very close functioning relationship. God communicated with Adam Spirit to spirit.

The first thing we are told after God created man in His image is that He gave them dominion over the earth and all living things on it. The spirit enabled them to exert this dominion.