INTRODUCTION
For years I had trouble combining the first and second chapters of Genesis, regarding the creation of man. These two chapters seemed to portray two separate accounts of the creation of Adam. Though I began to see that this creating and making of man was progressive, I still could not make it all fit together. There were too many discrepancies in the way it was being interpreted. I even considered the thought that perhaps these two accounts were actually given in allegoric form, thus we could choose the account that we thought was the highest revelation. In fact, this interpretation is accepted in many circles of religion. I now understand that it is one account of God creating and making mankind into his own exact image.
Truth marches onward! I soon began to believe that God was actually prophesying what he intended to do, when he said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen.1:26. God began to do this very thing when he formed man out of the dust of the ground, as it is recorded in Gen.2,7. I believe that this work was a process, so that man shall finally stand in the very image of God; even as God himself had prophesied. This interpretation satisfied me for a long time until many questions began to arise concerning these scriptures. For example in Gen.1;27, it states that God did CREATE MAN in his own image during the sixth day. But the formation of man in Gen.2,7 does not take place until after the long seventh day of rest which would be the eighth day. Gen.2,2. Could there be another solution to the problem of these two seemingly different accounts?
Light began to break through on the word “IMAGE.” What kind of image did God mean? Was it to be a natural or spiritual image? God is Spirit! What would his image be like? Meditating upon these questions God gave me the word “EXACT.” Therefore, we present these thoughts contained in this article entitled, “THE EXACT IMAGE,” for your consideration. May we be workers together in him, approved of God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. God’s Word is Truth. Though Truth stands alone, it stands victorious. Only Truth can set free completely from the dogmas of men. Be not fearful! Even error enhances the truth! Only making Truth brighter! “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” 11 Cor.13:8. “For we have no power to act against the truth, but only for it.” 11 Cor.13:8. NEB.
From the very beginning it was God’s intention to make man in his own image and likeness. In the first chapter of the Bible we hear him say: “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness.” Gen.1:26. Here he is stating his divine intention. He has never changed his mind. Neither sin, nor death, nor time, nor spirit, nor any other force can alter, or stop God in fulfilling his plan. He is sovereign in all that he does. “I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it: God doeth it, that men should fear before him.” Eccl.3:14.
The words, “Let us make” infers a process. To make anything requires time, and often different methods to reach the intended goal. There is a vast difference between “making” and “creating”. To create is to bring forth the first original idea, or thought-image into visible form. A copy of this first original idea is not created, but made. Thus we find in Gen.1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This original idea of creation came forth out of the Spirit of God by the spoken Word (Logos.) Ps.33:6 Rom.11:36 “It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God’s Word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen.” Heb.11:3 GNT. “By faith we perceive that the universe was fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible came forth from the invisible.” Heb.11:3 NEB
How can anything be made plainer than these two translations of this scripture? In the first original creation God simply spoke the Word and it was done! But from Gen.1:2, we begin to see a process. The earth was made, or “became” without form and void. The words, “was made,” or “became” denote a change. We will speak of this in detail later. Right now we want to look into the fact that in the remainder of Gen. 1:2 to Gen.2:3, we find two words used regarding the creation. They are “create” and “make”. We even find these two words used together in one verse. “Created and made” Gen.2:3.(This is rendered “Created to make” in the marginal reference.) Therefore the creation as it is today came forth through a process—and it is still a process. This behooves us not to judge anything yet, for God is not finished. He is still moving all creation unto his own ultimate and glorious goal!
In agreement with science, the bible indicates long progressive periods of development in the creating and making of mankind, into the exact image of God. With these thoughts in mind let us study in detail the profound scriptures recorded in Genesis. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen.1:26-27. Notice that the man is both created and made. In his first creation man is both male and female in one spiritual body.
The way man is formed today out of dust he could not be two flesh bodies in ONE body. Only two or more spirits could be together in one body, occupying the same space. When we are joined to the Lord, we are ONE SPIRIT. 1 Cor.6:17. God is Spirit! Therefore, in creation God brought forth spiritual beings out of himself. The bible confirms this! “God is the FATHER of spirits.” Heb.12:9. God speaks of Adam as both “him” and “them” singular and plural. Also in Gen.5:2, “God called their name Adam.” Both male and female are called “man” or “humanity” showing their perfect unity in bringing forth creation. Furthermore God commanded that THEY were (while yet in this high spiritual state) “to be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion. Gen.1:28. They were to do this while yet in their ONE SPIRITUAL BODY.
Immediately after God commanded Adam to be fruitful and to multiply, we find God resting on the seventh day. Gen.2:2. This seems very strange! At one time in my searching after truth, I thought that God was idle for at least a thousand years. Just think after pronouncing that everything was very good which God had created made during these first six days, I now had God resting, just letting everything lay idle and dormant until God again began to work toward his plan by forming man out of the dust, according to Gen.2:7. Praise God! Light is finally penetrating my subconscious mind. This rest of God was not inertia! For God never slumbers nor sleeps! He is always active! Nothing is ever halted, stagnate nor void! In majestic stages God is moving all creation, visible or invisible onward into his intended goal.
I fully believe that this Spiritual Man, Adam, in his glorious dual body of male and female began to produce after his own kind: this is, Spiritual Beings! He became fruitful and multiplied and replenished the earth. God had set his plan in motion to bring many sons to glory in his own image and likeness. After starting things off (so to speak) during the first six days of creation, we read that God rested on the seventh day from all that he had created and made. To be sure God rested from this work of creating, but Adam obeyed his command. He started to work, bringing forth myriads of Spiritual Beings, according to God’s command and plan. The word “multiply” means to increase by division. Could this be an increase in development by one cell dividing into two cells, and two cells dividing into four cells, etc? even as an embryo is formed in the womb? Let that be as it may, it was a Spiritual Multiplication in order to replenish (fill up again) the earth. Praise God, they stood integrated together in perfect unity, subduing the earth; having dominion over all the work of God’s hands. This will again be seen in greater measure in the GREAT BODY OF CHRIST: male and female swallowed up in him---many members in ONE CHRIST EXPRESSION, filling the universe with his glory.
Adam (male & female) in this Spiritual Creation did not receive his flesh body until after the seventh day in which God rested. In Gen.2:7, we read that God made an earthen vessel for this man to dwell in. “God formed man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man BECAME a living soul. Gen.2:7. The identity, personality, character and nature are found in the soul. We know each other by our spirit-soul expression. The flesh changes in appearance continually, from our pre-natal conception, through baby-hood, childhood, manhood into full age. Our flesh bodies have gone through many stages of growth, yet we know each other. This dust formation of man is marvelous to consider. He was made from the highest dust of the world. Prov.8:26. We cannot go into this aspect of this soulish formation at this time, neither can we explain in detail the meaning of the word “became”. Just hold it in mind that it means a CHANGE HAD BEEN MADE FROM ONE REALM TO ANOTHER REALM.
As soon as this soulish flesh man is formed, we find that God places him in the Garden of Eden to “till and keep (guard) it. Gen.2:15. We can readily see why God needed a fleshly material man to work in this material world; for at this point in his plan, “there was no man to till (cultivate) the ground. Gen.2:5. Only a mist arose from the earth to water the ground. Man has now become a triune being: spirit, soul, and body. In his spirit he is God-conscious; in his soul he is self-conscious; and in his body he is material-conscious. Only in this bodily aspect of his being could he till the ground, or become visible to the animal world around him; thus having fellowship with the natural creation.
Though he now had to eat food to sustain his natural body, I am sure he enjoyed cultivating the ground, as there were no noxious weeds and thorns to oppose his efforts. In this peaceful state of innocence we can see that Adam enjoyed the natural things around him. Especially the animal world! He learned all about them—their habits, character, and nature. When God paraded them before him he was able to name each one according to their nature. In his close observation of them he noticed that each had his, or her mate. Only he himself was the only one who had no visible, bodily mate. We soon read that it was “not good” for man to live alone in this state. “And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help MEET for him.” Gen.2:18. God did not say that he would make a HELP-MATE, but a HELP-MEET (fit-worthy) for him. An animal would not do, neither anything lower than himself. She had to be his exact counter-part, standing face to face with him, therefore had to be taken out of his own body.
Only having a wife like unto himself could he reproduce after his kind. Though Adam was both male and female in one body, he only had that one body. He could not reproduce for it requires two bodies to bring forth in this realm. To be sure the female was there evenly integrated within him, like her hormones, femininity, etc…but she was not fused in a solid body. As we have already indicated, two solid bodies cannot occupy the same space. Therefore the female part of Adam had to be separated from him before he could multiply in this bodily realm.
“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs (cells) and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made (builded) he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now (was once) bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man, therefore a man shall forsake his father and his mother and cling to his wife, and they two become one flesh. And coming are they two, the human and his wife to be naked yet are not shaming themselves.Gen.2: 21-25.
We want to point out a number of things indicated in this scripture.
1. While Adam lay in a deep sleep, God removed his female cell or side; called an “angular organ” in the CCV, and built a woman to be his counterpart or complement. Gen.2,20. CCV
2 The making of woman was a process. She was built with great care and fashioned in beauty. She also was foreordained of God, and not just an after thought to help out in a bad situation!
3 The evidence of this operation is confirmed by the scar or seam still seen on every male’s reproductive organs. At birth every baby boy has a seam on the underside of his pelvis and testicles.
4. When God brought her “to be with Adam” (Gen.3:12) she was to be his companion, not his possession. Adam named her Woman, because she was taken out of man. We find further that woman also means, “The man with the womb.” She was given the glorious privilege to bear the precious seed.
5. Again we find that the Man is to leave his father and mother and cling to his wife in order to protect her as the weaker vessel. But in our marriage ceremonies this has been reversed. Now, the woman, the weaker vessel is commanded to leave her father and mother and cling to her husband through thick or thin. This often leaves her exposed to all manner of abuse—not even her kinfolks living close enough to help her. It is time this error is corrected by the clergy.
6. United in marriage they BECOME ONE FLESH in their SEED, or offspring. The father and mother are perfectly integrated in their children, one flesh which cannot be separated in anyway.
7. They are now totally dependent upon one another in order to fulfill God’s command to be fruitful and replenish the earth.
8. The woman was made of the same substance as the man. “Bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.” If she is in anyway lower or more sinful than the man, then this lower sinful part was in him all the time! Thank God for the light breaking forth in this area, setting all mankind free!
Before leaving this part of our subject we must emphasize the fact that men and women still carry the evidence in the bodies that they once were both male and female in one body. They both have male and female hormones, feminine and masculine characteristics, etc. They both go through the menopause, and can both contract breast cancer; also after conception it is several weeks before the embryo decides what sex it will be. All evidence that they once were united in one body. Again may I say that man being made of the dust of the ground indicates the light soil in the atmosphere or air, carried about by the wind. The cells of man are really hollow. Man is mostly empty space! Thus there is plenty of room for the spiritual man to dwell inside, integrating the whole man with the Spirit of God. (See 11 Cor. 4,7.)
MAN’S POWER OF REPRODUCTION
God has never taken away the power of reproduction from Adam and Eve. In fact God himself again, set in motion the GENERATIONS OF ADAM in this natural realm. Gen.5,7. For in this natural realm in which we now live, it is first the natural and then the spiritual. All of mankind is now born, one by one, into this natural, death state, but PRAISE GOD, after this experience, all of this natural mankind will become spiritual. Paul explains this for us.
“If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. (This spiritual body is already there before there could even be a soulish body. It takes spirit and body to produce a soul.) “Thus it is written also, The first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam a vivifying spirit. But not first the spiritual but the soulish, thereupon the spiritual.” 1 Cor.15,45-46. As we have already stated, because a veil has been cast over the face of all men, we are not able to remember or comprehend with our natural mind that we were once spiritual beings. This is one of the many secrets that the Holy Spirit is revealing to us in this hour. Thus we can only go back in memory to when we were two or three years old. We can not even remember that we were once pre-natal. But that does not in any way disqualify the fact that we did exist! The very fact that we are alive in this natural realm proves that we once were in our mother’s womb. And now that we have been born of the Spirit, we can know that we came out from God! Isa.25,7-8: Romans 11, 36.
God has a use for all the GENERATIONS OF ADAM brought forth into this lower realm. He needs these earthen vessels in which to lower the spiritual creation for growth and development in the God-realm. God claims all souls, saying, “All souls are mine.” They came forth one by one into this earthly realm to fulfill a divine purpose. They are all needed in order to provide a house of clay for the spiritual creation. No matter how despised and lowly their birth, or how painful and meager their lives here on earth, it is still absolutely necessary that they be born into this realm of death and sin. This mortal (dying body) MUST put on immortality!
We see this in Jesus, our example! He pre-existed in God as the living Word. Then he was lowered into a human body to experience death for all. But now he has risen over death and hell taking his human body into the Godhead. He is now “The King Eternal” Immortal, Invisible, the only wise God.” He is the only one (being once mortal) that now has immortality. 1 Tim.1: 17; 6,16. As we are chosen in Christ before time began we are destined for the same goal. Praise God, by his life within us, we are being processed into the substance of the glory of God. We have a glorious expectation for the future. It is as a burning hope placed within us, and we shall not be denied! We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Jer.29,11: 1 John 3,2.
Thus we read that Adam knew his wife and she brought forth a son. She named him Cain—meaning: Possession, for she said, “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” But when she gave birth to her second son, she named him Abel, meaning “vanity.” She soon realized that they were not the promised seed that would bruise the serpent’s head. Life was becoming vain and empty until God gave them another son. “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” Gen.4,25. Eve was very concerned over her sons. We realize this in the meaning of the names she called them. Though they were not the promised seed, she still acknowledged them as being given by God. Yes, and God continued to give life on this natural realm through their son Seth. He also had a son whom he named Enos, meaning—Man. Thus the generations of Adam have continued unto this day. Thank God for it! For all who have borne the image of the first man, Adam, shall also bear the image of the last man, Adam. 1 Cor.15, 49. Changed from being a living soul into a quickening spirit.
These generations of Adam are all in his own image. They are not in the image of God. He could not reproduce anything higher than himself. He could not bring forth eternal life for death was in his seed. Many children die in their mother’s womb before committing either good or evil. They do not die because of their own sin, but because death is already in them. Let us examine two scriptures for confirmation. “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and BEGAT A SON IN HIS OWN IMAGE; and called his name Seth.” Gen.5,3. “Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all mankind, ON WHICH ALL SINNED.” Rom.5,12. CCV
In these scriptures we find that Adam begat a son in his own image. Death had entered into his loins because of his disobedience. Therefore death was already present in the seed at the conception in the womb of Eve. The seed could die in the womb before birth. Paul explains this in his writings. Death is passing through unto all mankind by the seed containing death. This causes a weakness or lack of eternal life, which in turn causes a tendency or leaning toward sin. Notice the phrase, “ON WHICH ALL SINNED” not ‘FOR THAT ALL HAVE SINNED.” KJV. Death does not pass on to all men because they sinned—but death is already there in the seed and they can die before committing one small sinful act or thought! Death causes a lack in the seed. Man being born with this lack in his being, craves for fulfillment. When he yields to this weakness, fulfilling his desires unlawfully, it is sin; and then the more he sins the quicker his whole body will deteriorate finally dying completely. We thank God for his plans to bring life out of death; a life in Christ that death or sin can never touch again! This is a much higher realm of life than which the spiritual creation has ever enjoyed. Thus we read that God himself lowered his creation into the realm of death. This subjecting all into the vanity of death is actually for growth into the very life of God.
“For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him who subjected it, in expectation that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” Rom.8,20-21.CCV Please note that God has given every man HOPE. There is always hope for everyone no matter how bound in sin and degradation. He is lowered into this death realm in EXPECTATION of something even better than what he had before. Man can exist in this death realm because the future always looks brighter. When man loses this hope he also loses his mind and finally his life. We are saved by HOPE!
Solomon saw the travail that was laid upon the sons of men that they should be EXERCISED thereby. Exercise brings perfection! Through the interplay of good and evil our senses are exercised to discern both good and evil. Again in this process, Jesus is our example and forerunner. He learned obedience by the things that he suffered, or experienced. He was made perfect and became the AUTHOR of Eternal Redemption, and was made a priest after the order of Melchisadec. He is the first finished man! He conquered death, placing it under his feet. And he is now the image of the Invisible God. Eccl.3,9: Heb.5,14:5,8-10: Col.1,15: Heb.2,8-9.
Since we were chosen in him before time began, we follow him step by step. And by his life within us we are changed from glory to glory even into his very own image. In this glorious processing of God we will ultimately stand in the exact image of Christ, who is the image of God. 11 Cor.3,18: 4,4. This is not a dim photo, or a distorted caricature of God; (part God and part man), but we shall stand in his EXACT LIKENESS, completely changed into his glorious, immortal body; who is the image of the invisible God. “Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of his glory.” Phil.3,21 CCV
Having barely begun our investigation in this tremendous subject, we plan to continue it in our next issue. These thoughts are not given out for contention, but are given out for your consideration and constructive criticism, that we may all come into the truth that liberates into the wide expanse of God. When God said, “let us make man in our image” he meant his VERY SAME IMAGE! He did not mean a faded or dim photograph of himself, neither a distorted likeness as an idol or false God. He meant his own exact image and likeness. In the New Testament the Holy Spirit is very exact when speaking of his image.
In fact we are told the whole Sonship Body—Head and Body as ONE are called “His express image.” In Hebrews 1,2, God is speaking in SON (of SONSHIP). The articles “a” or “the” are not in the original text. It reads like this: “God…hath in these last days spoken unto us in SON, whom he appointed heir of all things, in whom also he made the worlds (eons). Thus this SON includes all God’s Sons who are CO-HEIRS with Jesus Christ, who will eventually inherit the universe. In the Old Testament times the word “Image” had lost its true meaning. It could mean a huge idol or statue, like Nebuchadnezzar’s image which he set up in the plain Dura for all peoples to worship. Or it could mean those two golden calves which the Children of Israel set up for worship in Samaria. Or again it could mean a coin with some inscription of an emperor or king. When Jesus was asked by his disciples whether they to pay tribute to Caesar, Jesus said, “Give me a penny.” Then he asked, “Whose image is this?” And they answered, Caesar’s.” Thus a small coin or a huge statue, or some distorted idol could all be an image. This was not so in the beginning when God said, “Let us make man in our own image and likeness.” God meant his EXACT IMAGE AND HIS EXACT LIKENESS!”
In the Book of Hebrews we find a good example of how minute and particular the Holy Spirit is in speaking of the image of God. Here we find Paul explaining to the Jewish Christians that in the tabernacle of the wilderness, nearly everything was purged with the blood of animals, but that a greater sacrifice was needed to purge the things found in the heaven themselves. Let us read these verses together.
“It was therefore necessary that THE PATTERN of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but THE HEAVENS THEMSELVES with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are THE FIGURES OF THE TRUE, but into THE HEAVENS ITSELF, now to appear in the presence of God for us…For the law having a SHADOW of good things to come, and not THE VERY IMAGE, can never with these sacrifices make the comers there unto perfect.” Heb.9,23-24; 10,1.
In these scriptures we find a contrast made between the PATTERN of the earthly tabernacle and the REALITY of the things in THE HEAVEN THEMSELVES (of which the earthly tabernacle is only a pattern.) Jesus Christ is now the image of the invisible God. While in the earth he walked in humanity. He was made in the image of sinful men, and was found in the fashion of a man, confined in the limitations of all mankind. Paul declares that according to the flesh he came from the seed of David. His genealogy is traced back to David, Abraham and Adam, who was the son of God. Luke 3;38: Rom.1,2-3. Only after he had finished the work God gave him to do did he make another change back into the Spirit. He is now a life-giving Spirit, and as such he is the image of the invisible God.
“This same Jesus has been made (or has become) both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2,36. He brought his whole being, body, soul, and spirit, back into the realm of God. He overcame the world, the flesh and the devil. His very flesh has become God! Yes, he and his Father are ONE! This brings us to that most enlightening word, “BECOME” found in Genesis 2,7. “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 soul.” This word “became” denotes a change was made. A person has to exist before he can become something else. Therefore we believe that Adam preexisted in the realm of the Spirit. In the Spirit he was created and made, Gen.1,26-27. But his flesh body was formed of the dust of the ground.
After God breathed into this flesh body the breath of life, Adam’s spirit entered into it: thus he BECAME A LIVING SOUL. A change was made from the spiritual to the soulish realm. This is plainly revealed as we look into the scriptures. Again Jesus is our example! We follow him in every detail; for the Head and Body are ONE! They are made of the same substance, and in the Spirit are always together; doing the same things: Head and Body follow each other! We read wonderful things about Jesus Christ; what he was, what he is, and what he is yet to become! “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…And the Word WAS MADE flesh, and dwelt among us.” John 1,1-14. KJV. “And the Word BECAME flesh and tabernacles among us.” John 1,14 CCV. “Before the world was created, the Word already existed…The Word BECAME a human being and lived among us.” John 1,1-14. Good News Version. “The first man, Adam became an animate being, whereas the last Adam has become a life giving Spirit.” 1 Cor.15,45 N.E.B
In these four versions before us we see that the words, “was made and became” actually mean the same thing in the original scriptures. So even as the Son of man (Jesus) made a change from the spiritual realm into the earthly realm, we must concede by the use of the same word, “became” that Adam did likewise. He also was lowered from the spiritual to the soulish, fleshly realm. In this lowering of Adam into this soulish realm that would eventually lead into death, we now find the term (even the Christ) also entering into this death realm through the body of Jesus in order to abolish death by the very means of death. Jesus is an incarnation of the Word or Christ. “The children of a family share the same flesh and blood; and so he too shared ours, so that through death he might break the power of him who had death at his command.” Heb.2,14 N.E.B.
Since the children, as he calls them, are people of flesh and blood, Jesus himself BECAME like them and shared their human nature. He did so that through his death he might destroy the devil, (adversary) who has the power over death, and so set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.” Heb.2,14. Good News Version.
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Quote:
"Right here may we say that the devil (should use capital D but purposely won’t) never had the power of death. A devil did not bring sin, sickness or death into the world---Adam did! By one MAN (not a devil) came sin into the world and death by sin.) Look in the story of Job! There we find that the devil could not take his life. Thus the devil in this scripture cannot be Satan, but it is our adversary, which is actually Adam himself in this fallen state. We read that in Adam all die! 1 Cor.15,22. Death had entered into Adam’s seed. He could only bring forth death. Thus all his posterity dies! Death is in them at conception. Only Christ has life and therefore can reproduce it! John 5,21. Because the children of a family share the same flesh and blood, Jesus Christ as the Head of a large family of Sons, likewise shares in this same flesh and blood." Royce Kennedy
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