Why was Man Created?

[JimmyB]

44 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

sounds like you haven't read though much of this thread. But no problemo - here's Genesis 1:26, Then God said, "Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”

I have an aversion to quoting single verses as a) the source documents are not divided that way and b) it can lead to misunderstanding.

Here is that verse -- in context -- (from the NRSVue), with the verse numbers removed and the footnotes inserted)...

Then God said, “Let us make humans [the Hebrew word is "adam"] 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 [and over all the earth] and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

So God created humans [the Hebrew word is "adam"] in his image,
    in the image of God he created them; [Hebrew: him]
    male and female he created them.

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.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

-------------------------------------------------

Regarding the OP, I believe that human beings were created because God wanted children!  I am a father and grandfather, so I can identify.  God created plants and animals (including fish, etc.), but He didn't have a relationship with any of them.  He clearly had a relationship with the first humans, and showed true fatherly behavior when, after justly punishing them for their disobedience, He made garments of skins for the man and for his wife and clothed them.

Of course, after many, many years of dealing with His creation, He had to send His true son to redeem people and thereby make them His actual children.

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by JimmyB

[farouk]

48 minutes ago, JasperWalls11 said:

I am not sure that the Bible lays out a specific reason that we can cite as a purpose for creating man.  God doesn't always answer every question and we can't really expect all of our questions to be answered. If you have a verse that speaks to the reason why mankind was created, please share it so we can all learn.

@JasperWalls11 Indeed I am reminded of Romans 9.19: "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?"

[Vine Abider]

12 minutes ago, NConly said:

in my post I said this:

(God is perfect Love. We were created in his image and likeness.)

sounds like Gen 1:26.

We were not created to rule over earth were created to learn how to apply love in all situations encountered while on earth the beginning of pure love. when we leave this earth will not have attained pure love just found the path that leads to it.

Yes, that's part of it (image & likeness. But what else does God say in Genesis 1:26?

"Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”

With the image & likeness of God, He said we were to "rule over . . . all the earth."  

[JasperWalls11]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

sounds like you haven't read though much of this thread. But no problemo - here's Genesis 1:26, Then God said, "Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”

I see.

Edited May 29, 2023 by JasperWalls11

[NConly]

3 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

created to learn how to apply love in all situations encountered while on earth the beginning of pure love. when we leave this earth will not have attained pure love just found the path that leads to it.

I answered that too,

  created to learn how to apply love in all situations encountered while on earth the beginning of pure love. when we leave this earth will not have attained pure love just found the path that leads to it.

it appears you did not read my post at all. My post answered both your questions before you ask. Thanks  

[Marilyn C]

5 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Thought I addressed this before . . . but my thought is He saw it was necessary to have the progression and examples of faith (and the law) through Noah, Abraham, and the children of Israel with the old covenant as a type and example for us.  As is stated in 1 Cor 10:11 - "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."

You didn`t say why God didn`t fix things up earlier. You just mentioned the B/C, but then how does that make a difference if all God is doing is fixing up the earth and placing man there again?

[Marilyn C]

9 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

Good morning, Marilyn,

By spiritual, I was referring to the created angels and the heavenly host. They were created before us and are not restricted to the dimensional world we are placed into. Interestingly, spirits can and do occupy the same space and time as us, but we cannot see or sense them. Could this be something humanity lost because of sin, blindness in part?

I think we (humanity) were initially intended to be one family with the heavenly host and interact. There is great joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, and that tells me the heavenly host is concerned about our welfare and lives, as friends and families do.

Right or wrong, here are some more of my thoughts. Angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Archangels, etc., seem more like a job description than a name or title. I think the same could be said about being created in the image of God, and I suspect being made in the image of God is much more than a set of attributes.

Hi Dennis,

It seemed from your other post that you were saying God desired physical people and also spiritual people. 

If the physical people are for the earth, then where do you see the spiritual people go to?

[A friend of admin]

On 5/22/2023 at 2:22 AM, Vine Abider said:

So why are we here - what did God have in actually mind for us? 

Was it to:

a) Be nice people?

b) Give Him something to do?

c) Provide amusement?

d) Fulfil a purpose?

If you picked "d" please show the verse(s) that tell that purpose. Chicken dinner* for the winner!

 

 

* virtual 

Man and Woman were created because Jesus Christ has shared His love with them.

Love creates. Love creates babies.

[Dennis1209]

13 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi Dennis,

It seemed from your other post that you were saying God desired physical people and also spiritual people. 

If the physical people are for the earth, then where do you see the spiritual people go to?

Good morning again, Marilyn,

Now I am getting a little confused, which is becoming more and more common with me these days LOL. I was relating my thoughts between people (humans), and the spiritual realm (ʼĕlôhîym).

The Hebrew word ʼelôhîym can mean lessor or little gods in the Bible. Capitalized (ʼElôhîym) indicates the One true superior Creator God. Overall, ʼelôhîym generally means spirit. I do not recall any human people called or referred to by that name.

Psalm 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods אֱלֹהִים ʼĕlôhîym; and all of you are children of the most High. [emphasis added]

Romans 8:16 The Spirit (pneûma) itself beareth witness with our spirit (pneûma), that we are the children of God: [emphasis added]

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

It seems, by extension, if the angels and heavenly host (ʼelôhîym) are children of the most High and we are also, that makes us siblings, the family of God.

I know that angels and the heavenly host are not eligible for crowns or rewards, and it is also not said angels or the heavenly host were created in God's image. As imagers of God, it seems we were created to occupy this planet and dimension for eternity. In eternity will we be allowed to leave Earth and explore the new creation and universe? I do not know.

Where God physically dwells, I would say that would also be Heaven. Our eternal home, the New Jerusalem, comes to Earth, and Jesus Himself will live with us for all eternity. It appears planet Earth will be our eternal home, not Heaven, where the Father and His throne reside.

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

I am unclear on what you refer to as "spiritual people?" I speculated before the fall Adam & Eve could see, communicate and interact with the elohiym (spiritual) realm. Today we might call that dimensional. Some of the prophet's and witnesses' eyes were opened to see armies of angels, ascending and descending ladders, Jacob physically wrestling with an Angel (I suspect it was the pre-incarnate Jesus), as well as a donkey who did not want to be whacked with an angelic sword.

But anyway, I am not dogmatic on these views; they are merely thoughts of how I interpret and formulate scripture. This got a little long 😊

[Vine Abider]

18 hours ago, NConly said:

I answered that too,

  created to learn how to apply love in all situations encountered while on earth the beginning of pure love. when we leave this earth will not have attained pure love just found the path that leads to it.

it appears you did not read my post at all. My post answered both your questions before you ask. Thanks  

Actually, that quote was not from me, but @NConly so you may want to reply to him on that!