Monday, October 27, 2025

MAN, GOD’S IMAGE (Part 2)

 

Text: Colossians 3:9-10: [Shows “Christ our very Life”]:

·        Vs 9: “Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds”:  vs 10: “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”.

I left off in part 1, in Genesis 1:24, the earth brought forth “man” as a living creature with a body containing a soul, a spirit and mind in it.  This man, the living creature, that the earth brought forth, in Genesis 1:24, is called in 1st Corinthians, “earthy”.

·        1st Corinthians 15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy:  the second man is the Lord from heaven.

Earth in this verse means soil; a region or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (incl the occupants); earth as arable (suitable for plowing).  In other words, the earth God brought man forth from was that which pertained to carnality or flesh, which brought on death.  But God delivered him and brought him from death to life, from darkness to light, from corruption to incorruption, from mortality to immortality.

EARTHY is the root word choikos’, meaning dusty or dirty (soil-like).  It also means cho’os, which is a heap (as poured out); rubbish; dust. 

Dust in Genesis 2:7 is aphar’, meaning dust (as powdered or gray); clay, earth, rubbish (to be absurd, nonsensical, or worthless talk or ideas; useless).

·        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 (was made) a living soul.

That’s what this “living creature” (man) was, being of the earth, earthy.  He was a heap as poured out; dust (gray – the color of death); rubbish; sensitive; and of a frail state, of low degree, until God (Elohiym) made (asah’) [prepared; dressed; advanced; appointed; brought him forth; furnished; fashioned]  him in His own image after His likeness with God mindedness in him and gave him a command to subdue (bring under their control) and have dominion (rule; reign) over the earth.

So God created and made (prepared; dressed; appointed; furnished) man in His image, after His own likeness by reviving “the man” (Adam), nourishing him up; preserving, repairing, making him whole (complete and entire) in every area, of his being (heart, soul, mind, and body), with God’s own vitality or life source in him and advanced him into a place of dominion, power and authority, in and over the earth.

This is the purpose of man, or the objective or aim of God for man.  The objective of God was, is, and always will be, to manifest Himself (the invisible God), in the earth visibly within and through man (male/female).

Exodus 3 [God sends Moses into Egypt to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage]:  In verse 11, Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt”?  Notice, Moses used the phrase “Who am I”?  He didn’t realize that he was getting ready to come to know that he was I AM”!!

·        Vs 13: And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you:  and they shall say to me, “What is his name”?  What shall I say unto them?  Vs 14: And God said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM”:  and he said, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.  Vs 15: And God said moreover unto Moses, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you”  this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations”.

AM, in Hebrew is hayah’, meaning, to exist; be or become; come to pass.  The other Hebrew word AM comes from havaw’, meaning, to breathe; to be thou.  In other words, Moses was actually breathing (inhaling) God, and (exhaling) God, in the face of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  Moses was I AM THAT I AM God that went into Egypt, and delivered the Israelites.

In verse eleven Moses said, “Who am I”?  But in verse 14, he was “I AM” that had gone into Egypt to deliver the people of God!! 

People, John 4:24 says, “God is Spirit”.  But in this earth realm He uses man (male/female), to get done what He wants done!!  So don’t let religion tell you that God doesn’t need you.  That’s the lie the enemy want you to believe!  Well, God may not need those that believe that lie, but those of us that God has revealed this truth too realize that God need us to do what He wants done in this physical realm.  God Himself chose this!  It’s not that we are trying to make ourselves God, but it’s that God chose to make Himself man!!!

·        St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:  vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us!

Look at what God said in the latter part of Exodus 3:15: “This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations”.

Name is the root word shem (shame), meaning, through the idea of definite and conspicuous (standing out so as to be clearly visible) position; appellation (name; title; the action of giving a name to a person or thing), as a mark or memorial of individuality; honor; authority; character.

So the mark of individuality, honor, authority, and character that God has given to man (male/female) that puts him (man) in a conspicuous (clearly visible) position to manifest God in flesh form in the earth is having the name “I AM THAT I AM”!   

We know that Jesus Christ was God, in flesh form, but that wasn’t the only form He took on.  Jesus Christ has always been.  It’s just that He appeared in different forms, and not just as a man!

·        Genesis 2:9 - He was the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.

·        Exodus 4:1-17- He was the Rod in Moses’ hand when God sent him into Egypt, to show signs to Pharaoh, to let God’s people go.

·        Exodus 14:16He was the Rod in Moses’ hand that he stretched out over the sea and divided the waters.

·        Exodus 17:1-7He was the Rock that gave the Israelites water to drink in the wilderness.

·        Numbers 21:8-9He was the brass fiery serpent Moses made and put upon a pole. 

·        St. John 1:1, 14He was the Word made flesh or God in flesh form.

·        St. John 1:20-34 He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world!

Remember, God said “This is my name forever, and this is my memorial (zikrown’) [momento; record] / (zakar’) [to mark (so as to be recognized); (make) mention (of); be mindful; call to remembrance] unto all generations” (dor), meaning, revolutions of time; ages; dwellings; posterity.

That’s why the Psalmist said in Psalm 8:1-9 (speaking of God’s glory and Man’s honor):  Vs 3: When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained:  vs 4: What is man (enoshe’) that thou art mindful (zakar’) of him, and the son of man (aw-dawm’), that thou visit (paqad’) him?

God is mindful of “man”, because He knew that he was only an enoshe’ man, before He transformed him.  The enoshe’ man was only a mortal, a stranger to God.  The enoshe’ or anash’ man, was frail, feeble, melancholy, desperately wicked, incurable, sick, and woeful.  But when God visited the “enoshe’ man” with friendly intent He created and made him in His own image, and after His likeness.  This is when the “enoshe’ man” became the “Adam man”.  The Adam man (male/female) was the man with God’s innocent (not guilty; pure; Alpha) blood in him, and man became God’s memento or record of who God made him to be, which is, the invisible God, made visible, in flesh form, in the earth, in man.

Look at what God said to Moses:  Exodus 7: And the LORD said unto Moses, “See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh:  and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet”.

The word “god” in this verse, is the root word elohiym (eloheem’), meaning, gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically of the supreme God; mighty.  This word carries the same definition as God (elohiym) in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created, the heaven and the earth”.

But please let me remind you of something written in Psalm 82.

·        Vs 1: God (elohiym’) stands in the congregation of the mighty (el) [gods]; he judges among the gods (elohiyms’).  Vs 6: I have said, ye are gods (elohiyms’); and all of you are children (sons) of the Most High (elyown’) [an elevation; lofty; the Supreme: (Most, on) high (er; est); upper (most).

Therefore, we know to stay in our lane as elohiyms, because God is Elyown’, the Most High God!!

The majority of mankind is afraid to think themselves as gods, much less say it.  That’s because they feel that they are exalting themselves, but when we agree with what God Himself says, that is not self-exaltation at all.  That’s what’s called being in agreement with.  Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together except they be agreed (concur; be of the same mind)”?  How can a person totally walk with God, if he/she doesn’t believe what God says? Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: vs 6: Who being in the form of God thought (deemed; considered) it not robbery (thievery) to be equal (in agreement) with God.

If you’re afraid to even think that you are god, even though God says that you are, you will never become all He has ordained you to be.  For as he/she thinks in his/her heart, so is he/she (Proverbs 23:7).  Whose report are you going to believe? 

John 10:30-38: [Jesus stating proof of His deity and really ours to]:

·        Vs 34: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, I said, you are gods” (the’os) [a deity; the Supreme God; god; godly; Godward]?

That settles it!!  We are who God says we are!!

Still talking about Man, God’s image!

Genesis 4:25-26 (Adam and his wife have another son) [Cain killed Abel]:

·        Vs 25: And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth (sheth) [a substitute] (replacement; surrogate; cover; stand-in]: (or shiyth) [to place; apply; appoint; array; bring; consider; lay (up); make; mark; out (on); regard; set; show],  for God, said she, hath appointed (shiyth) [placed; put; set; stationed; fixed] me another seed (ze’ra) [fruit; posterity; offspring; descendant(s); sowing] instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.  Vs 26: And to Seth, to him also was born a son:  and he called his name Enos (enoshe’) [a mortal]/(anash’) [to be frail, feeble, melancholy:  desperately wicked; incurable, sick, woeful]:  then began men to call (qara’) [address by name; call (self)] upon the name of the LORD.

Seth’s name means (sheth) [a substitute] (replacement; surrogate; cover; stand-in]/(shiyth) [to place; apply; appoint; array; bring; consider; lay (up); make; mark; out (on); regard; set; show.  Seth [a type of Christ] was the appointed seed (posterity; offspring; descendant) that would compensate or be the substitute for Abel, to put in place or set a fixed law to predetermine (establish or decide in advance), the balancing power of good after every transgression (an act that goes against a law, rule, code of conduct), or offense.   

Enos (enoshe’) [a mortal], is the son of Seth, grandson of Adam (that had God’s innocent blood in him).  This lets us know that Enos had to be taught the Kingdom message of the ability to have God’s mind containing God’s wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in him.  He had to also be taught that he could possess God’s dominion, authority, and power to become one of God’s representatives in the earth!   Enos understood that he didn’t have to remain as a mortal (frail; feeble; desperately wicked; sick; woeful), but that he could become immortal, incorruptible, have divine health, perfect peace, and eternal life.  When he realized the ineffectiveness of his own efforts, living in that which pertained to the natural or carnal/flesh aspect outside of Spirit, it’s then that he begins to seek after God, the Higher Power.   It was at this time that men didn’t just call upon the name of the LORD only, but they began to call (qara’) [address; call (self)] their selves by name of the LORD!

Just to name a few god-men:  Abel; Samuel; Joel; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Ezekiel; Daniel; Zechariah, etc.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). 

As He (God) was then, so is He now!!  God had a body of people then that He called Adam.  There was a group or body of people called Israel, which He called His son at one point (Exodus 4:22).  In another place God called this body of people His wife (Jeremiah 3:14b): “For I am married unto you”.  

Throughout scripture, men (male/female) were considered gods (Psalm 82:6).  God still has a body of people that are considered gods (John 10:34), but we are called Christ (Romans 12:5; 1st Corinthians 12:12)!!

That’s because Jesus was born (genna’o) regenerate: bear; beget; bring forth; conceived; delivered of] as Jesus [Greek] (Iesous’) [Heb] (Yehowshuw’a) [Jehovah saved] Savior; deliver; defend; rescue], but He was called (leg’o) [to lay forth] Christ (Christos’) [Anointed] (Matthew 1:16). 

In Hebrew Messiah (mashiy’ach) means anointed; consecrated.  Jesus was made (poie’o)[appointed; bring (forth); ordained; purposed] Christ.  

·        Acts 2:36: Therefore let all the house of Israel, know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord (Supreme in authority) and Christ (the Anointed One).

But, Jesus could not be Christ by Himself.  1st Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many, is one body:  so also is CHRIST. 

We are still talking about, “Man the Image of God”!

Someone might ask, “How did He become the one body”?  I’m glad you asked.  That was the flesh Man Jesus that died on the cross.  But when He rose the third day, He arose a many-membered body, called Christ.

Matthew 27:45-56 (Jesus’ death):  vs 50: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  Vs 51: And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent:  vs 52: And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose:  vs 53: And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 

Luke 24:13-35: [Jesus appears to Cleophas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus where He abode, sat at meat with them, took bread, and blessed it, and break, and gave to them]: 

·        Vs 31: And their eyes were opened, and they knew him:  and he vanished out of their sight. 

They recognized Him by what He did!!

Remember, in John 20:11-18:  [Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, after His resurrection, and she thought He was the Gardener]: 

·        Vs 16: Jesus said unto her, “Mary”.  She turned herself and said unto him, “Rabboni”, which is to say, Master. 

Mary recognized Him by what He said!!

Had Jesus appeared to those disciples on the road to Emmaus and Mary Magdalene in the body He went to the cross with, surely, they would have recognized Him.  But He was now appearing in those saints that had now been awakened out of the sleep of death from the graves.  When Jesus rose from the dead, the Christ that had been put to sleep in the earth through Adam, was now awakened!!

·        1st Corinthians 15:22: In Adam all die; even so in CHRIST, shall all be made alive!!

1st Peter 3:18: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit:  vs 19: By which also he went and preached (kerus’so) [proclaimed divine truth (the gospel)], unto the spirits in prison.

When Christ arose, He brought together those that were in the spirit realm and those of us in this natural realm together as one body! He was now appearing and will always appear, in His new body, His people called CHRIST. 

Mark 12:18-27 [Jesus talks to the Sadducees about the resurrection]:

·        Vs 26: And as touching the dead, that they rise:  have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke unto him, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”?  Vs 27: He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living:  you therefore do greatly err.

The Resurrection is a person, Jesus Christ Himself, and not a coming event.  John 11:25: Jesus said to her (Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life”.

Get this: Death does not change man and bring him into the resurrection and eternal life:  but the resurrection (anas’tasis) [recovery of spiritual truth) delivers man from sin and death, and brings him into eternal life.

So, when those saints arose in Matthew and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many, it wasn’t just the Jerusalem of that day, but it was the holy city, New Jerusalem that John saw coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2).  This was and is the bride that has now become, the Lamb’s wife, the church, which we all are, that one body, called CHRIST!

·        1st Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one and hath many members (limbs; parts), and all the members of that one body being many are one body:  so also is CHRIST.  Vs 13: For by one Spirit (not water) are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free:  and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

·        Hebrews 12:22: But you are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels:  vs 23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.  Vs 24: And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Because, Jesus was God in a flesh body, therefore we are the flesh of God in the earth now also.  St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God:  vs 2: And the same (you/I) was in the beginning with God:  vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. 

·        Ephesians 5:30: We are members (limbs; parts) of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.

·        1st John 4:17: “As he is, so are we, in this world”!

So this makes us God’s congregation or assembly of gods in the earth today, and as it will be forever!! 

·        John 10:34: Jesus said to them (the Jews), “Is it not written in your law, I said, you are gods”?

You are that which is seen, of Him who is invisible!

Believe, and receive this truth today!!

Pastor Gracie Perry

No comments: