Surprises in Genesis Chapters 1–5
Ambassadors in God’s Image
“God saw all that he had made—and it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31 [NET])
Ambassadors administer all the affairs of the embassy, among other responsibilities. And like an ambassador, God’s representatives of His kingdom throughout the Bible administer God’s kingdom. God’s book about Himself begins with the creation account and ends with the final plans for a restored creation. The in-between part, for many, recounts quite a few mundane events. The book of Genesis combines both history and narrative literature, in an ancient text format unlike modern literature. The author, Moses, writes with a purpose. Any change in patterns would be obvious to the readers. Broken patterns emphasize a point. In Genesis, we will find three broken patterns before the end of chapter 5, which will be the topic of this three-part series. Passages sounding repetitive often contain a surprise visible to an observant reader.
Genesis chapter 1 contains the account of the creation of the world. God, our Ruler, created all that exists. God began with creating the heavens and the earth over six days, declaring several parts of creation as good: (1) light, (2) the separation of dry land and waters, and vegetation with seed, (3) a light to rule over the day and one to rule over the night, separating light from darkness, (4) living creatures in the waters and winged birds that multiply, and (5) living creatures on the earth. Then day six continues with God creating mankind as a unique living creature on the earth, made in the image of the Triune God. God bestows dominion on humans, over all living creatures in the water, on land, and flying above the earth, and calls it very good. A broken pattern. God gave people a separate and unique purpose, compared with the rest of creation. Men and women, created in the image of God who is Ruler over all, exist to rule over every living creature on earth, in the waters, and in the sky.
As the early Israelites, the recipients of the book of Genesis, read the account of creation, the treasure in the mundane stood out clearly—God made humans a very good part of creation. People, made in the image of God, would represent God and rule over the earth, just like God is Ruler over all. And although sin entered our world through the first humans, believers on earth are called to be ambassadors for God by representing God to everyone (2 Cor 5:20).
God’s ambassadors are witnesses for God. Believers are called to be His hands and feet, the tangible person representing God for many who may not read the Bible. Although we long to be more like Christ, and we are not perfect, we pray, pleading to see our sin and to be refined by the Holy Spirit, made more like Christ. Believers have a long way to go to reflect Christ, yet we are His witnesses. As Robert Browning wrote,
The truth In God’s breast
Lies trace upon trace on ours impressed:
Though he is so bright, and we so dim,
We are made in his image to witness him. [1]
The mundane has a broken pattern with a sparkling purpose! We are His ambassadors, made in His image, and called to be witnesses to what God has done and will do, as we carry out His purpose for us on earth.
[1] Elliot Ritzema, ed., 300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas, Pastorum Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013), Logos Bible Software.
References
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
