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Genesis 1:26-31
26And 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 creepeth upon the earth.
27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28And 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 moveth upon the earth.
29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Devotional
As the climax and crown of creation, God created the man and the woman. They were an integral part of the earth, being formed from its dust. And along with members of the plant and animal kingdoms they were commanded to reproduce after their kind.
But the man and the woman were made different from the rest of creation. They were created in the image of God! What does this mean? Does this degrade God, suggesting that He is a Bigger Man. Impossible! Jesus tells us that God is a Spirit (John 4:24). In no way does this concept degrade God. What it does, rather, is to elevate man. It makes him special, distinct and different from the rest of creation. He was made in the image of God, with dominion over the creatures.
As we grow in our understanding of the implications of this teaching we grow in our respect for God the Creator. But we also grow in our respect for ourselves, for each other, and for our children. We were made in the divine image 'in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures'!* We reflect God Himself!
God's children cannot call any man 'trash' (to quote Schaeffer again). We have to see all men, even our children in their recalcitrant moods, as being wonderful! God enables us to see in ourselves and others what the unregenerate man cannot see.
We can appreciate the nobility that clings to the least attractive of men. After all they are men, and men have been granted to share in some of the attributes of the Creator.
Surely this teaching clothes our family with a very special dignity.
*Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 10
We are happy to have obtained permission to post as our current daily devotional Heirs Together of Life: Daily Bible Reading for Husbands and Wives, published by The Banner of Truth Trust. Don't be misled by the subtitle. As the book's "Preface" indicates (see below), although Heirs Together of Life is "especially prepared for couples,"the authors declare, "Since the basis for this guide is God's Word, we believe it would have value for any reader."
Charles and Norma Ellis are husband and wife and the authors not only of Heirs Together of Life (which was first published in 1980 and continues in print today), but also of Wells of Salvation (first published in 1985, and likewise still in print today). The latter contains a series of short studies covering the entire book of Isaiah, while the former contains a series of almost 200 short studies covering the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Both books by the Ellises can be ordered from the publisher, The Banner of Truth Trust. We trust that these daily Bible readings, posted daily on our site, will be helpful to you in your Christian walk before God. Whether married or not, all of us are members of families and members of the family of God.
Charles Ellis was educated at Wheaton College and Westminster Theological Seminary. Upon graduation from Westminster (where he earned not only a Th.B. but also a Th.M.), he was ordained to the ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and pastored a number of OPC churches, including Immanuel OPC in West Collingswood, New Jersey; First OPC in Cincinnati, Ohio; Covenant OPC in East Orange, New Jersey; Knox OPC in Silver Spring, Maryland; and Lakeview OPC in Rockport, Maine. Less biographical information is available about his wife, but it is known that they served as parents of seven children. After retiring from the ministry, Charles Ellis went to be with the Lord in 2003, but he and his wife left us with a beautiful legacy in the two books they have given to the world, and we are proud to share the daily Bible readings from Heirs Together of Life here with you.
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