Transformed after “God’s image” or after the “image of the beast”?
“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.” Genesis 5:1 KJV
God created Adam after His own likeness. What does it mean by “after His own likeness”? Is it the physical features such as with face, shoulders, legs, and toes, or something else?
We read the same phrase when Adam begat Seth.
“And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth.” Gen 5:3 KJV
We cannot read the same phrase when Cain was born. There is no such as thing as “and Adam begot Cain after his own likeness after his image”.
Adam fathered Seth “after the image of God”
With the very first unfortunate human murder (Cain killed his brother Abel) ever occurred in the lives of Adam and Eve, the first parents learned their lessons well. And so Adam fathered Seth “in his own likeness, after his image”. He learned this from what God did to him as His son. God fathered Adam in the ‘likeness of God, after the image of God’.
This begetting (includes parenting) of the children “after the likeness and image of God” means a process of teaching the children about God’s character which ultimately leads to worshiping God. God taught Adam about a character of true worship, and Adam taught Seth about this as well, thus Seth lived a life that is pleasing to God.
The lineage of God to Adam to Seth signifies a lineage of men that worshiped God.
Jesus is the visible image of God
Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15 that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation.”
And in the next chapter, Paul added that “in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body” (Colossians 2:9). Indeed, if we want to know what “God’s likeness, after His image” is we only need to look unto Jesus. By beholding Jesus we become changed (2 Corinthians 3:18).
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In this end times, Satan has a counterpart to God’s image.
“And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had the power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Revelation 13:14 KJV
The dragon, the beast, and the image of the beast ultimate goal are to lead the world to worship Satan instead of God.
Are we being molded to His likeness, after His image? Do we teach our children to worship God as well like what Adam did to his son Seth? Every single day we need the Holy Spirit to cast our character into the “likeness and after the image of God”.
“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6 KJV
Jeremiah 18:6 KJV