God's Work with Planet Earth

It really is incredible exactly how God made humans. But first, let’s address the limitations of AI image generation.

1. Genesis 2:25 says “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” But you and I would rightfully be ashamed if I posted a picture of a naked Adam. And AI doesn’t understand how to render a robe of pure light.
2. Christ, as described by both the prophet Daniel and the apostle John in visions, has:
   • “Eyes like a flame of fire”
   • “Hair white like wool”
   • Feet like polished brass or bronze

I tried getting AI to generate an image of Jesus in glorified form like this, but it looked like a terrifying wizard. So the non-glorified Jesus and the toga-clothed Adam will have to do. Why Jesus? Because a lot of New Testament passages say that Christ created the world before He was born as a human.

God creates Adam

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

Now, if I got close enough to you to blow air into your nostrils, it would be socially uncomfortable. I’d be bursting your personal space bubble. God spoke the rest of Creation into existence, but when it came to humans, His method was personal, close, even intimate. It expresses a special care and attention that was not given to animals, birds or fish.

Yes, Genesis 2:19 says that God also formed animals “out of the ground”, but Genesis 1:24 already told us how the animals came from the ground. They were spoken into existence, rather than “formed from the dust” like Adam.

“Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.” Genesis 1:24

God creates Eve

“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:21-22

Again, this first ever surgery was a very personal way to create the first woman. And I know what you’re thinking: Wouldn’t Eve be tiny if she was the size of one of Adam’s ribs? All I know is: a God who can speak the world into existence from nothing has no problem making Eve the right size to be a suitable “helper” for Adam.

What does “helper” mean? I got out a concordance and looked up the Hebrew word “ezer”. It means to help or assist, an aid, a support. Okay, help Adam how?

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15

So here you go, Adam, I created a perfect paradise for you to live in. Now, you need to take care of it. So Eve was helping Adam care for their beautiful garden home. But I believe the rib was symbolic also. Not a hair, to reign over her husband, not a toenail to be under his feet, but a partner to be at his side.

Dominion

Well, it goes a little beyond being a simple gardener.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26

The Hebrew word “radah” (have dominion) means to tread down, subjugate, reign, or rule over. They were basically the leaders of Planet Earth, with authority over everything. But a good ruler knows that if he takes care of his subjects, they’ll take care of him. This was not about using nature for selfish reasons, but instead caring for it, guiding it. Humans were meant to give nature the same kind of care and leadership that God provided to them.

In God’s Image

This is an important statement. God created both a man and women in His “image” or “likeness”. What does this mean? Does God have two eyes and a mouth? He might. But all through the Bible this “image” seems to be related to character just as much as physical features. In other words, God created them holy and good, without evil desires, just as the rest of Creation was originally created without sin – perfect without thorns or predatory animals.

If we look around at each other today, it might be hard to see humans as being made in the image of a holy, perfect, glorious God. That’s because the fall into sin did some serious damage to us! But it’s God’s desire to lift up humanity, in the same way Jesus lifted up Peter from sinking beneath the waves in a storm on the Sea of Galilee. (Matthew 14:25-32)

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” 1 Corinthians 15:49

These verses clue us in on some things:

• We humans were first created by God in His image or likeness – similar to Him in spiritual and physical ways
• When humanity rebelled and sinned, a degradation resulted (discussed in depth in a future post) and we began to bear an image of a fallen, mortal man, “the man of dust”
• But God is determined to bring us back to the glory He originally created us with
• First, this requires removal of sin from our hearts, and God’s love replacing it, which is accomplished by God’s Spirit – an inner transformation of character back toward the image of God
• The “heavenly Man” is Jesus, Who was,
  • Born as a human like us
  • Suffered rejection, hate, ridicule, violence, death, more than any human has
  • Was resurrected, glorified, taken to Heaven (God’s dwelling place) as our “forerunner”, and now stands in God’s presence (Hebrews 6:19-20)
• God’s purpose and intention is to do with every human who will listen to Him what He did with Jesus – He will resurrect us from the grave, glorify our bodies, and take us to heaven

God want’s to get humans back to the starting place of Creation by first recreating us internally when we accept Jesus as our Savior.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” Philippians 1:6

When Jesus comes a second time, there will be a physical transformation, to go along with the spiritual transformation which has begun during our earthly lives now.

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Just as the New Earth will not be full of dangers, hostile environments, and natural disasters, (like this world we live in now), our glorified bodies will not be susceptible to pain and weakness, disease and aging.

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul starts out comparing our earthly bodies to tents and our heavenly, glorified bodies to houses, which are far more durable and offer far better comfort and protection. He describes this body upgrade as “not made with hands” and “eternal in the heavens”. Does this mean we would be able to fly through space without suits and spaceships, like the angels? With God, anything is possible.

The Bible gives us glimpses of the future, but urges us to focus on preparing ourselves and others for the day when this transformation will happen, when we are brought back to the image of how God originally created humans.