Tuesday 3rd January
Read Genesis 1:26-28
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” (NIVUK)
Before we consider the creation of humanity in God’s image consider the repeated refrain through this majestic ode to creation. Ten times we are told ‘God said’ in seven days. Ten and seven; numbers that are loaded with significance as we move through God’s word.
Remember that after saving His people from Egypt and meeting them at Sinai God provided ten words – the decalogue – to communicate what it means to live in relationship to this awesome God. Those ten words followed closely upon ten plagues that struck Egypt. The ten plagues (cf Exodus 5-12) were an act of uncreation by Yahweh upon Egypt. Just as the poet of Genesis 1 has carefully contradicted the divine beliefs of the people surrounding Israel – so too does Yahweh show His glory over the ‘gods’ of Egypt. Systematically removing order from their realms and letting chaos return.
If you have time this holiday season, make a note of each of the plagues that befell Egypt and compare them with the ten words of creation God spoke in the beginning. There are some things deliberately woven into the text for us to meditate on. The ten words of creation, the ten words of judgment and decreation on Egypt and the ten words of redemption at Sinai are amongst them.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-3) (NIVUK)
