why the plurals in genesis?

[Arash_the_archer]

I have always been obsessed with this.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

I guessed it was a miss spelling in the KJV, so i searcher further back in time, the hebrew bible and found this.

Genesis 3:5 For He knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be as gods (elohim), knowing righteousness and evil.

Elohim? what is that? So i searched the word up and found this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elohim

It seems that Elhoim is divine in plural in old hebrew.

But why the plurals? Is it just how they wrote in the old hebre days? Meybe that is how god talks saying we? or was he talking to the angels?

[Floatingaxe]

God is Three....Father, Son and Holy Spirit. always was, always will be!

[exrockstar]

include angels.

[Floatingaxe]

include angels.

God was not including angels when He said, "Let us make man in Our image." They were not the creating force.

[Ovedya]

include angels.

God was not including angels when He said, "Let us make man in Our image." They were not the creating force.

Right. Angels had no part in the creation.

[exrockstar]

include angels.

God was not including angels when He said, "Let us make man in Our image." They were not the creating force.

Right. Angels had no part in the creation.

The question is who is "us?" I never said they were part of the creation but could of been included in the conversation.

ummm angels are "messengers." are you not a messenger?

angels were created to serve God. Do you not serve God?

There is a hierachy in angels. Do you not think there is a hierachy in the government God established?

Some angels will be condemned and so will some men.

Angels have volition. Do you not have volition?

I am not saying that angels participated in the creation of man but you'll be surprised

how close we are to them.

When God created the garden don't feel as though "the serpent" was not around at this point in time.

And most definately don't think that God has a chip on His shoulder that He "hates" Satan to where

He didn't allow Him to enter the garden because Satan did.

Don't forget that the garden was guarded by angels with swords

if memory serves me correctly.

All this to say:

don't dismiss that there might be a chance that there were angels observing the creation of man.

edited to say: actually this is my error. I responded with the thought of who is present. I did not mean

to confuse and say that angels were involve did the creation process. However, my pojnts still stand that

angels may have been present when man was created.

Edited March 28, 2007 by exrockstar

[Floatingaxe]

include angels.

God was not including angels when He said, "Let us make man in Our image." They were not the creating force.

Right. Angels had no part in the creation.

The question is who is "us?" I never said they were part of the creation but could of been included in the conversation.

ummm angels are "messengers." are you not a messenger?

angels were created to serve God. Do you not serve God?

There is a hierachy in angels. Do you not think there is a hierachy in the government God established?

Some angels will be condemned and so will some men.

Angels have volition. Do you not have volition?

I am not saying that angels participated in the creation of man but you'll be surprised

how close we are to them.

When God created the garden don't feel as though "the serpent" was not around at this point in time.

And most definately don't think that God has a chip on His shoulder that He "hates" Satan to where

He didn't allow Him to enter the garden because Satan did.

Don't forget that the garden was guarded by angels with swords

if memory serves me correctly.

All this to say:

don't dismiss that there might be a chance that there were angels observing the creation of man.

edited to say: actually this is my error. I responded with the thought of who is present. I did not mean

to confuse and say that angels were involve did the creation process. However, my pojnts still stand that

angels may have been present when man was created.

Yes the eternal hosts of heaven were witness to the Creation!

[elkieDannsa' Air An Drochaid]

When reflecting on what Jesus said, " the Scriptures were writtne to witness of me". One can understand knowing that The Lord God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and has created us and is our only Creator. Reflect again in the Book of John. All things that have been created were created by Him, thorugh Him and for Him ( meaning the Word; who is Jesus. ) Also John says, in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was GOd, It as the same with God. This is an all inclusive way of wirting the same was with God as with Jesus Christ. That both shows that Jesus is our Creator and that He belongs to the "Uncreated" being Himself God. As John goes on to say, Everytihng that was created was created by Him. One can read other places saying Jesus, a Son over His Own house.

This clearly shows that Jesus is our Creator. Genesis is showing that the God, our Creator is Father , Son and Holy Spirit. It shows idenity in Christ as well.

~~~~ I have read that the Patriarchs also understood the plurality of God.~~~~~~~

It is not referring to angels in that passage in Genesis. Agels are "created" not the Creator.

We know the Holy Spirit moved and was also Creator.

God is One in Father , Son and Holy Spirit all distinct, but the same in essence and Diety and only One God.

Thus, in the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God."

~~~~~~~~~~

Reflect in the NT where it says, Jesus is the exact image of God.

~~~~~~~~~~

We are made in His Image. GOds' Image.

~~~~~~~~~~

Another important point is where the Scriptures say, "the right arm of God" that is referring to "power" in the way they wrote in Hebrew. It does nto mean Jesus is on the side of the throne. For Scripture also says that GOd says that HEwill not share His worship with another, but to the Son He says Thy Throne, O GOd is forever and ever. Says there is no other god formed before GOd, no,He has not seen any(God speaking shows uncreated God, eternally the same) also says, to HIs angels to worship Christ, and God only allows worship to Himself, HE forbids that to angels and angels wil reject any person who tries to worship them,as worship belongs only to GOd. So. we see GOd on the Throne and clearly Jesus on the THrone. We see in GOd alone is Saviour and King, we see Jesus is Saviour and King.

There is so much more, But, hope this helps you. I hope you wil enjoy researching this further.

God Bless,

elkie

[Grace1479]

God is Three....Father, Son and Holy Spirit. always was, always will be!

Agreed. The US in this context refers to the Holy Trinity. If we look at John 1:1 it tells you.

My own words: The Word became flesh, and and all things were created through the Word and for the Word, and the Word was God.

The Word in this context is Jesus. So God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit was present in creating. That is why it is also called the Trinity.

[Elkan]

Well said Elkie.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are the divine trinity as the original hebrew refers. It is in Their image that we are made.

Scripture tells us that there are different types of angels (which were also created). Ezekial describes the cherubim (not little babies with wings) in his vision and we also know there are seraphim as well as others. The cherubim guarded the East entrance to the garden of eden After Adam had sinned. Notice also that there was a flaming sword that went in every direction (God?). (I loved researching this when writing our book. It is so fascinating.)

If memory serves me, scripture tells us that we are actually above the angels. We are closer to God than any other part of His creation. We are made special, in His image.