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[[File:002.The Creation of Eve.jpg|thumb|200px|''The Creation of Eve,'' Gustave Doré, 1866: Male and female were created in the image of God.]]
<!-- interlanguage:start -->[[ko:하나님의 형상]]<!-- interlanguage:end -->The statement in Genesis that humankind was created in the '''image of God''' has sparked many theological discussions. In particular, the verse where God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” and then creates male and female, has long remained a profound mystery in biblical studies. If [[the Creator]] were only [[God the Father]], the expression would be expected in the singular form. Yet, the [[Bible]] records it in the plural—“Let us make man.” This mystery is easily understood when we move beyond traditional assumptions. The “image of [[God]]” referred to as “us” signifies not only the male image of God but also the female image—that is, [[God the Father and God the Mother]]. From [[Genesis]] to [[Revelation]], the Bible consistently testifies to the existence of both. The God who said “us” in Genesis is prophesied in Revelation to appear in the last days as [[the Spirit and the Bride]], giving the [[The Water of Life|water of life]] to humankind.
The statement in Genesis that humankind was created in the '''image of God''' has sparked many theological discussions. In particular, the verse where God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” and then creates male and female, has long remained a profound mystery in biblical studies. If [[the Creator]] were only [[God the Father]], the expression would be expected in the singular form. Yet, the [[Bible]] records it in the plural—“Let us make man.” This mystery is easily understood when we move beyond traditional assumptions. The “image of [[God]]” referred to as “us” signifies not only the male image of God but also the female image—that is, [[God the Father and God the Mother]]. From [[Genesis]] to [[Revelation]], the Bible consistently testifies to the existence of both. The God who said “us” in Genesis is prophesied in Revelation to appear in the last days as [[the Spirit and the Bride]], giving the [[The Water of Life|water of life]] to humankind.


==The Image of God Referred to as “Us”==
==The Image of God Referred to as “Us”==

Latest revision as of 16:47, 26 November 2025

The statement in Genesis that humankind was created in the image of God has sparked many theological discussions. In particular, the verse where God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” and then creates male and female, has long remained a profound mystery in biblical studies. If the Creator were only God the Father, the expression would be expected in the singular form. Yet, the Bible records it in the plural—“Let us make man.” This mystery is easily understood when we move beyond traditional assumptions. The “image of God” referred to as “us” signifies not only the male image of God but also the female image—that is, God the Father and God the Mother. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible consistently testifies to the existence of both. The God who said “us” in Genesis is prophesied in Revelation to appear in the last days as the Spirit and the Bride, giving the water of life to humankind.

The Image of God Referred to as “Us”

In the Hebrew text of Genesis chapter 1, the word Elohim, meaning “Gods,” appears. In fact, throughout the original Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used about 2,500 times.

The Image of God in Genesis:

Male and Female

A record that reveals the image of God is found in Genesis 1:26, where, after creating the heavens and the earth, God creates humankind in His own image:

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.”

Genesis 1:26


If God existed only as God the Father, the verse would read, “Let me make man in my image, in my likeness.” However, it uses the first-person plural pronoun “us” instead of the singular “me.” This expression has long been a source of debate within Christianity[1] and remains an unresolved mystery.

“ God does not say, “Let there be man.” Instead he says, “Let us make man (adam) in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). This passage has long been a puzzle for interpreters of the Bible. “
— Mysteries of the Bible, Reader’s Digest Association Inc., 1988

The answer to the Bible is found within the Bible itself. The meaning of the “image of God” referred to as “us” is explained in the very next verse.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27


The man created in the image of God was male and female, showing that God exists in both male and female forms.

For ages, humanity has called God “Father,” recognizing only the male image of God. Accordingly, the female image of God is “Mother.” In other words, both God the Father and God the Mother exist—and this is why God referred to Himself as “us.”

Elohim

In the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the term used for God is Elohim (אֱלֹהִים). Elohim is the plural form of the singular terms El (אֵל) or Eloah (אֱלוֹהַּ), meaning “God,” and therefore means “Gods.” It appears approximately 2,500 times in the Old Testament. Even in the very first verse of Genesis—“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”[2]—the Creator is referred to using this plural noun, Elohim.[3] This reveals that the One who created the heavens, the earth, and humankind is not a single being but more than one—God the Father and God the Mother, who together said, “Let us make man in our image.”[4]

Is the Image of God the Trinity?

The Trinity can be understood through the state changes of water.

Some interpret the God who said “us” as referring to the Triune God—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. However, if this interpretation were correct, one of the three would necessarily have a female image, since the man created in the image of God was male and female. Yet the concept of the Trinity refers only to God the Father. Furthermore, If humankind had been made in the image of the Trinity, three types of human beings would have been created—but the Bible records only two: male and female.

The biblical doctrine of the Trinity teaches that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same God. Therefore, the Triune God cannot be expressed in the plural form.

To briefly consider the relationship between the Father and the Son, the Old Testament prophesied that Jesus, who would be born as a child, is in fact God the Father Himself. The Son, Jesus, is none other than God Jehovah, the Father.


For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father.

Isaiah 9:6


The Son and the Holy Spirit are also one. Revelation 19 speaks of “the Lamb and His Bride,” while Revelation 22 refers to “the Spirit and the Bride”:


“For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”

Revelation 19:7

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”

Revelation 22:17


A comparison of the two verses shows that the Lamb and the Spirit are the same being. The Lamb refers to Jesus;[5] therefore, Jesus and the Spirit are one and the same. In other words, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God—the Father.

Looking back to the time of Creation, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit did not exist as three separate entities but as one—God the Father. However, God the Father alone cannot be expressed as “us.” The “us” in Genesis, therefore, does not refer to the Trinity, but to God the Father and God the Mother.

The Work of God, Who Said “Us”

God the Father and God the Mother referred to Themselves as “us” when They created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, and since then, They have continued to carry out the work of redemption together.

The Halting of the Tower of Babel Construction

The Tower of Babel , Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1563: God, who referred to Themselves as “us,” intervened to stop the construction of the Tower of Babel.

In their pride, the descendants of Noah built the Tower of Babel in an attempt to reach the heavens.


“Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” . . . there the LORD confused the language of the whole world.

Genesis 11:6–9


The one who said that he came down to confuse the language and halt the construction of the Tower of Babel is referred to as “us.” Verse 9 clarifies that it was the LORD—God Himself—who confused their language. Therefore, the “us” refers to God. This shows that God the Father and God the Mother together intervened to stop the building of the Tower of Babel.

Sending of the Prophets

God the Father and God the Mother also worked together in sending the prophets:


Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah 6:8


The voice of the Lord is the voice of God, who did not say “for me” but “for us,” once again revealing the presence of both God the Father and God the Mother.

The Saviors in the Last Days: The Spirit and the Bride

God the Father and God the Mother, who have worked together since the beginning, appear in the last days as the Spirit and the Bride to give the water of life to humankind:


The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Revelation 22:17


In the biblical concept of the Trinity, the Spirit is God the Father. The identity of the Bride is revealed by the angel who showed Apostle John the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down from heaven.[6] The Jerusalem that is above represents God the Mother:


But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.

Galatians 4:26


God the Father and God the Mother, who referred to Themselves as “us” to reveal the image of God, appear in the last days as the Saviors who grant the water of life to humankind.

Christ Is the Image of God

In the New Testament, Christ is described as the image of God:

God, who is invisible to the human eye,[7] appeared on earth 2,000 years ago as Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, humankind came to know the invisible God as though seeing Him with their own eyes. Therefore, Jesus is the image of God. Through the image of the resurrected Christ, humanity came to understand the image of God—who has existed in heaven since before the Creation of the world and has led the work of redemption—and came to believe that we, too, will bear that image in the resurrection.[8][9][10] Through Christ, the holy character of God is also revealed. Jesus Christ, who is in very nature God, came not to be served but to serve, living a life of humility and gentleness.[11] He gave up heavenly glory and came to this earth to demonstrate the love that sacrifices His life for the salvation of humanity.[12] This character of Christ is the divine nature that Christians must emulate.[13][14] Therefore, the Apostle Paul emphasized that the inner self of a Christian must be renewed in the image of God and created as a new self.[15][16]

See also

External links

Related videos

  • Why Are There Men and Women?

  • God Refers to Himself as "US"

References

  1. ↑ The Secret to the Rapid Growth of the Church of God, Weekly Chosun, Issue No. 2450
  2. ↑ "Genesis 1:1".
  3. ↑ Hebrew-English Bible Comparison (Genesis 1:1), Blue Letter Bible
  4. ↑ "Galatians 4:26".
  5. ↑ "John 1:29".
  6. ↑ "Revelation 21:9–10".
  7. ↑ "1 Timothy 6:16".
  8. ↑ "1 Corinthians 15:49".
  9. ↑ "Philippians 3:20–21".
  10. ↑ Ahnsahnghong, Chapter 22 What Will Become of Our Body at the Resurrection?, VISITORS FROM THE ANGELIC WORLD, Melchizedek Pub. Co., Ltd, 2021
  11. ↑ "Matthew 11:29".
  12. ↑ "Matthew 20:26-28".
  13. ↑ "2 Peter 1:4".
  14. ↑ "John 13:15".
  15. ↑ "Galatians 4:19".
  16. ↑ "Colossians 3:5-14".
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