Gen 1:26-31 | KingComments | STEP | Also on the sixth day God speaks twice. The creation of man is introduced in a special way and explained in a special way. We hear the special introduction in the words “let Us make man”. It means that there has been consultation in God. The word “Us” indicates that God is triune. The special explanation is that God creates man “in Our image, according to Our likeness”. We see the image of God in the position that man occupies as the head of creation: he is God’s representative in it. The likeness of God is expressed in man’s actions : he acts with insight into creation. Because of this high place of man we are called to honor all people ( ; ), even though man has fallen into such decay by sin and is sometimes compared to an unreasoning animal ( ; ). God creates man “male and female” ( ; ; ; ). There is, so to speak, a male and a female variant of man. God has created one man, and this man is, as it were, a two-unity. Modern man makes frantic efforts to erase the distinction, but that is downright folly. For the difference between man and woman, the attack on it and the rebuttal by means of the Word of God, see the booklet ‘Sexuality, a gift from God. Part 1’ on https://www.oudesporen.nl/Download/OS1021.pdf .] “God blessed them” by saying to man that he may fill the earth and subdue it. This blessing is more than giving the strength to be fruitful and to become numerous, as has been said of sea animals and birds ( ). It is also the power over the earth and all animals.

‏ Genesis 1:26-31

The Sixth Day: Man

Also on the sixth day God speaks twice. The creation of man is introduced in a special way and explained in a special way. We hear the special introduction in the words “let Us make man”. It means that there has been consultation in God. The word “Us” indicates that God is triune.

The special explanation is that God creates man “in Our image, according to Our likeness”. We see the image of God in the position that man occupies as the head of creation: he is God’s representative in it. The likeness of God is expressed in man’s actions: he acts with insight into creation. Because of this high place of man we are called to honor all people (1Pet 2:17; Jam 3:9), even though man has fallen into such decay by sin and is sometimes compared to an unreasoning animal (Jude 1:10; 2Pet 2:12).

God creates man “male and female” (Gen 1:27b; Gen 5:2; Mt 19:4; Mk 10:6). There is, so to speak, a male and a female variant of man. God has created one man, and this man is, as it were, a two-unity. Modern man makes frantic efforts to erase the distinction, but that is downright folly.

For the difference between man and woman, the attack on it and the rebuttal by means of the Word of God, see the booklet ‘Sexuality, a gift from God. Part 1’ on https://www.oudesporen.nl/Download/OS1021.pdf.]

“God blessed them” by saying to man that he may fill the earth and subdue it. This blessing is more than giving the strength to be fruitful and to become numerous, as has been said of sea animals and birds (Gen 1:22). It is also the power over the earth and all animals.

The Sixth Day: Food

After God has finished His acts on the sixth day, He tells man what his food and that of the animals will be. For man, this food is every plant yielding seed, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed. This means that man feeds himself with what in himself has the power of life. That is for the body. The food for the soul is the Word of God (Mt 4:4), which is also compared to seed, but then imperishable seed (1Pet 1:23). The beasts and birds get every green plant for food.

The food of man does not originally include the meat of animals, nor do the animals eat each other. Violent killing of animals is not an issue. This will only happen when the fall into sin and the flood have occurred (Gen 9:3). That there are originally no carnivorous and tearing animals is also proven by the state of the realm of peace.

When God’s kingdom is established and sin can no longer do its devastating work, the killing in the realm of the animals will stop: “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den” (Isa 11:6-8).

The Sixth day: Everything Was Very Good

After each day of creation, God said of the result: “It was good.” The sixth day is a unique day. If God sees the result of all His work on this day, He can have it recorded as a conclusion of the entire work of creation: “And behold, it was very good.” This means that everything is perfect, so that every creature serves the purpose for which God created it.

In all of God’s actions in this chapter we see a picture of His plan with the world we live in now. God gave the earth to Adam and Eve to rule over it. Thus, soon He will be giving to Christ, “the last Adam” (1Cor 15:45), together with the church, of which Eve is a picture (2Cor 11:2-3), the government over all things in heaven and on earth, “the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth” (Eph 1:10). And so, “as Head over all things”, God “gave Him … to the church” (Eph 1:22).

Christ will then be the center of the universe. Everything shall be put under His feet (Psa 8:4-9) and honor Him: “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, [be] blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever”” (Rev 5:13).

In the spiritual development of the believer, this is also the goal toward God is working. He wants Christ to be formed in every believer (Gal 4:19), that he shows Christ in his deeds (2Cor 3:3). If one’s life is only about Christ, in spiritual growth the ‘father’-stage is reached (1Jn 2:13-14).