Since this is my first blog, it felt right to begin at the beginning. God, the Father appears to humans in many ways - pillar of clouds; pillar of fire; burning bush; unapproachable light; "no man can see me and live" - clearly, humans were not modeled after the Father.
NKJV Genesis1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image" - God must be talking about the image of the Son. Multiple times in Exodus and elsewhere, men are seeing God, the Father and the Son - the Father as some form of power and light, the Son as a man. God the Father, utilized the Son as his model for man and also likely for the angels. Most if not all references about angels are in human male appearance. Most strikingly when two angels came into Sodom looking for 10 righteous men and stopped at Lot's home NKJV Genesis 19:5 "Where are the men who came to you tonight?"
God, the Father created angels, then man in the image of God, the Son. The angels were created to do the will of God, the Father - without choice or feeling. Angels are unable to feel pride or joy or greed or lust - they simply and completely do as God, the Father commands.
Humans were created by the Father for relationship. The Father wanted a being that had the ability to choose this relationship with Him. The Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in continuous relationship as God, and the angels were not created for this purpose, opening this path for man.
Man was created from dust by the hand of the Father, modeled after the Son, then having life breathed into him NKJV Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Choice is the key component in all of the Bible and God's Holy word. In order to have a true relationship, man must choose God, the Father. Therefore, choice must be provided on earth. This is the absolute most important concept in God's word. I believe the two most misunderstood aspects in the Bible are 1; the Holy Trinity and 2; Choice and all it's ramifications.
There must be choice at every level and in every decision man makes - to choose God or to rebuke Him. The job of providing this key element on earth, this singular most important element leading to a true relationship with the Father was given to His greatest angel, the morning star, Satan. We get a glimpse into this with Job NKJV Job 1:8 "the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them" then God speaking to Satan in Job 1:12 "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person"
To summarize today's lesson - We have God, as the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The creation of angels in the image of the Son, to do God's will. The creation of man, in the Son's image, granted choice for relationship with the Father. The reality of Satan, directed by the Father, to provide this choice on earth. Much more to come...
In Christ,
Reverend Doctor Douglas Stephenson
