GEN.1:26-28 KJV

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 creeps 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. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

When I read this section of scripture there are several questions that come to mind. Whenever I read the Word of God, I always read it in a questioning fashion. Mainly because it helps me to really concentrate and zone in on what I am reading. The first question that comes to mind is concerning the word “image”. What exactly is an “image” and when we hear the term “in our image” what does that entail. “the image of God”. In Hebrew that word comes from an unused root which probably meant “to shade”. It means “ a representative figure, an idol, a phantom. It is used 16 times in the O.T. and is referred to man 5 times. God made man in such a way as to reflect some of His own perfections – perfect in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness and has given us dominion over the creatures. Tselem is not an exact duplicate but only a shadow of a thing represented. The other term, “after our likeness”. Likeness in Hebrew means resemblance, model, shape, fashion, manner, similitude and occurs 26 times in the O.T. So we are representative figures of God on the earth that are to reflect His perfectness in knowledge, righteousness and holiness…

In these sections of scripture God also gave man a mandate. In verse 28 He gives man dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. What does that word “dominion” mean? In the Hebrew “radah” (dominion) means to tread down (as a winepress with the feet), to subjugate, subdue, to crumble, to oppress, to walk on a person, to rule and cause to rule, to reign, to prevail against, to take (as in taking possession of honey from a hive), to scrape out. So we are Representative figures of God on the earth who are to reflect His perfectness in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, and with a mandate to dominate every living thing that moves on the earth. What an awesome responsibility!

In the fall this dominion was forfeited to Satan but Glory be to God dominion was restored back to man in Christ Jesus. Even though man was tarnished by sin as a result of the fall, he still maintains the essential nature of God and is an exact equivalent to “tselem”. So how do we reflect the perfection of God? Ephesians 4 gives us the solution. Paul tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Then in Colossians 3, he tells us, “to put off the old man with his deeds and to put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him (God) that created him (man).

How do we put on the new man? Romans 10:8-10,13 says: “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”.

DECLARATION OF FAITH

I am created in the image and likeness of almighty God. I have been given authority (complete rule and dominion) over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field and every creeping thing on the earth. I am a representation of God’s authority and likeness, and have been given ruler ship of this planet. He has blessed me and commanded me to take dominion over it and subdue it for His glory.