May 3, 2025 – Our Bodies Speak – Genesis 1:26-28
Genesis 1:26-28 outlines God’s creation of humanity. God declares, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness,” and grants them dominion over the earth and its creatures. He then creates humanity in his own image, both male and female, blesses them, and instructs them to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Genesis 1:26: God initiates the creation of humanity, stating the intention to create “humankind in our image, according to our likeness”. This signifies that humans are not merely created like other animals, but are made in God’s likeness, reflecting his character and purpose.
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Genesis 1:26 (continued):
God also grants humanity dominion over the earth and its creatures, signifying their role as stewards and rulers over creation.
God also grants humanity dominion over the earth and its creatures, signifying their role as stewards and rulers over creation. - Genesis 1:27: God then creates humanity in his own image, explicitly stating “So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God, he created them; male and female, he created them”. This reinforces the concept of humans as unique creations, reflecting God’s nature.
- Genesis 1:28: God blesses humanity and instructs them to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth and subduing it. This establishes a mandate for humanity to expand and develop their dominion over creation. In essence, Genesis 1:26-28 emphasizes the special status of humanity, created in God’s image, given dominion over creation, and tasked with multiplying and filling the earth.
Genesis 1:26-28
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
26 Then God said, “Let us make humans[a] in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth[b] and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27
So God created humans[c] in his image,
in the image of God he created them;[d]
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”