Wednesday 11th 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)
This seminal passage at the very beginning of the story of creation sets the ground rules by which we are to understand humanity as intended. We will read later in Scripture about the devastating effects of sin on the relationship between men and women. In the beginning the good and just will of God was that humanity, male and female, would rule over all in land, sea and sky – despite being the last and latest created – and He blessed them and instructed them to fill the earth and subdue it.
The pronouncement upon the woman following the deception by the serpent, (a creature that moves along the ground… and hence should be subject to humanity), is as follows:
“To the woman he said,
‘I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labour you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.’” (Genesis 3:16) (NIVUK)
The consequence of sin is that the equality God built into creation between men and women is now broken. There will be a contest, and sadly, as is evidenced in many parts of the world, men will rule over women. Some argue that the New Testament affirms that the effects of this curse are to continue, that women must be subject to men as an accepted lived reality this side of Jesus’ return. I am convinced the ‘good news’ is just that – ‘good’! The gospel transforms and changes things – and that is the reality we should align ourselves with now.
The beauty of Genesis 1 however is that we are granted a picture of how things are meant to be. Paul believes that in Jesus, the second Adam has arrived, and He has restored and renewed creation such that these divisions are overturned (Galatians 3:28) and the curse is removed (Galatians 3:13). The broken image is restored – male and female He created them.
