Image of God

The creation week reaches its climax in Gen. 1:26-28 with the creation of humanity. Notice that the author spends more time on the creation of humanity than on any other thing and also emphasizes humanity being made in the image of Yahweh. This shows that humanity was the apex of all creation.

• Gen. 1:26—Yahweh states that the purpose of creating man in His image is to rule and subdue.
• Gen. 1:27—Yahweh creates mankind in His image, both male and female.
• Gen. 1:28—Yahweh commands man and woman to rule and subdue the creation as His image.

It is clear from these verses that a large part of what it means to be made in the image of Yahweh is ruling and subduing the creation. The idea of image and likeness communicates the idea of reflection and representation. Thus humanity was to rule over creation as the representatives of Yahweh and subdue or conform the creation to the will of Yahweh.

This is exactly what is being restored back to believers as we are made Christ-like (image) through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. We are called to go out and make disciples (rule and subdue) and to join Yahweh in the redemption of creation (Jn. 3:16; 2 Cor. 3:7-8; Rev. 21:1-4). However, Christ has called us to do this through love and servant-hood, not through power and coercion as the world does.