Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #9 The Formation of woman #2

The testimony of Moses in regard to the formation of woman brings to light a very interesting phenomenon, which has since been amply proved to be the result of a natural law. It is, that man may be made insensible to pain by being placed in a deep sleep. The Lord Elohim availed Himself of this law, and subjected the man He had made to its operation; and man, because he is in His likeness, is also able to influence his fellow-man in the same way. The art of applying the law is called various names, and may be practised variously. The name does not alter the thing. A man’s rib might be extracted now with as little inconvenience as Adam experienced, by throwing him into a deep sleep, which in numerous cases may be easily effected; but there our imitative ability ceases. We could not build up a woman from the rib. Greater wonders, however, than this will man do hereafter; for by “the Man Christ Jesus” will his Bride be created from the dust, in his own image after his own likeness, “to the glory of God, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen”.

When the Lord God presented the newly formed creature to her parent flesh, Adam said,

“This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Ishah (or Outman), because she was taken out of Ish, or man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh”. {a Genesis 2:21–24}

Thus, Adam pronounced upon himself the sentence that was to bind them together for weal or woe, until death should dissolve the union, and set them free for ever. This was marriage. It was based upon the great fact of her formation out of man; and consisted in Adam taking her to himself with her unconstrained consent.There was no religious ceremonial to sanctify the institution; for the Lord Himself even abstained from pronouncing the union. No human ceremony can make marriage more holy than it is in the nature of things. Superstition has made it “a sacrament”, and inconsistently enough, denied it, though “a holy sacrament”, to the very priests she has appointed to administer it. But priests and superstition have no right to meddle with the matter; they only disturb the harmony, and destroy the beauty, of God’s arrangements. A declaration in the presence of the Lord Elohim, and the consent of the woman, before religion was instituted, is the only ceremonial recorded in the case. This, I believe, is the order of things among “the Friends”, or nearly so; and, if all their peculiarities were as scriptural as this, there would be but little cause of complaint against them.

“Man”,

says the apostle,

“is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of the man”;

and the reason he assigns is, because

“The man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man”. {b . 1 Corinthians 11:7–9.}

She was not formed in the image of man, though she may have been in the image of some of the Elohim.

“Man” is generic of both sexes. When, therefore, Elohim said,

“Let us make man in our image”;

and it is added,

“male and female created he them”,

it would seem that both the man and the woman were created in the image and likeness of Elohim. In this case some of the Elohim are represented by Adam’s form, and some by Eve’s. I see no reason why it should not be so. When mankind rises from the dead, they will doubtless become immortal men and women; and then, says Jesus,

“they are equal to the angels”;

on an equality with them in every respect. Adam only was in the image of Him that created him; but then, the Elohim that do the commandments of the invisible God, are the virile portion of their community: Eve was not in their image. Theirs was restricted to Adam; nevertheless, she was after the image and likeness of some of those comprehended in the pronoun “our”. Be this as it may, though not in the image, she was in the likeness of Adam; and both “very good” according to the subangelic nature they possessed.

 – Thomas, D. J.; Elpis Israel: an exposition of the Kingdom of God (electronic ed., pp. 49–50). Birmingham, UK: The Christadelphian.

Michelangelo’s fresco Creation of Eve on Sistine Chapel ceiling Tomb of Eve in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia Site of Eve’s burial in Cave of Machpelah

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Notes:

a. Genesis 2:21–24 (ESV):

²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

b. 1 Corinthians 11:7–9 (ESV)

⁷ For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

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Preceding:

Creation of the earth and man #17 Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #1 In the image and after the likeness

Creation of the earth and man #18 Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #2 Assimilation of character

Creation of the earth and man #19 Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #3 Beholding image and likeness of the invisible God

Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #8 The Formation of woman #1

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Find also

1. An anarchistic reading of the Bible (2)—Creation and what follows
2. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
3. Creator and Blogger God 2 Image and likeness
4. Creator and Blogger God 3 Lesson and solution
5. Creator and Blogger God 5 Things to tell
6. Father counterpart of the mother
7. Dignified role for the woman
8. Silencing Women – Of God or Men ?
9. Relating to God is it possible
10. The Seven Daughters of Eve

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Further reading:

1. First Glance:Genesis 1-3
2. Recap: What Every Christian Should Know About Genesis 1-4
3. The Calling of Genesis 3
4. First Woman
5. How Many Children Did Adam Have?
6. Finding Eve Among Cain And Abel
7. Adam’s Problematic Princess
8. Adam, Eve & Noah
9. NaPoWriMo: Day 2
10. Daughters of Eve, You Get To Be Free!
11. Womanhood After the Order of Christ

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Related articles

• Love Is???
• Glory of only One God Who gives His Word
• Which man is mentioned most often in the Bible? Jesus, Moses, Abraham or David?
• Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit

Creation of the earth and man #18 Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #2 Assimilation of character

Seth was also “in Adam’s own likeness”. While image, then, hath reference to form or shape, “likeness” hath regard to mental constitution, or capacity. From the shape of his head, as compared with other creatures, it is evident that man has a mental capacity which distinguishes him above them all. Their likeness to him is faint. They can think; but their thoughts are only sensual. They have no moral sentiments, or high intellectual aspirations; but are grovelling in all their instincts, which incline only to the earth. In proportion as their heads assume the human form in the same ratio do they excel each other in sagacity; and, as in the monkey tribe, display a greater likeness to man. But, let the case be reversed; let the human head degenerate from the godlike perfection of the Elohim, the standard of beauty in shape and feature; let it diverge to the image of an ape’s, and the human animal no longer presents the image and likeness of the Elohim; but rather, the chattering imbecility of the creature most resembling it in form. Adam’s mental capacity enabled him to comprehend and receive spiritual ideas, which moved him to veneration, hope, conscientiousness, the expression of his views, affections, and so forth. Seth was capable of the like display of intellectual and moral phenomena; and of an assimilation of character to that of his father. He was therefore in the likeness as well as in the image of Adam; and, in the same sense, they were both

“after the likeness of the Elohim”.

But, though Adam was “made in the image and after the likeness” of the “Holy Ones”, the similitude has been so greatly marred, that his posterity present but a faint representation of either.
The almost uncontrolled and continuous operation of “the law of sin and death”, {a: Rom. 7:23.} styled by philosophers “the law of nature”, which is an indwelling and inseparable constituent of our present economy, has exceedingly deformed the image, and effaced the likeness of God, which man originally presented. It required, therefore, the appearance of a New Man, in whom the image and likeness should re-appear, as in the beginning. This was “the man Christ Jesus”, whom Paul styles “the last Adam”. He is

“the Image of the invisible God” {b Colossians 1:15.} (εἰχὼν του̂ Θεου̂);

“the effulgent mirror of the glory, and the exact likeness of his person,” {c: Heb. 1:3.} (ἀπαύλαδμα τη̂ς δόξης χαι χαραχτὴορ τη̂ς ὑποστάσεως αὐτου̂).

Hence, in another place, Paul says, he was

“in the form of God” {d:  Phil. 2:6, 7, 8.} (ἐν μορφῃ̂ Θεου̂)

and also

“made in the likeness of men, and in the form of a man”.

Please, mister, take my likeness, by Purviance, W. T. (William T.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Being thus the image and likeness of the invisible God, as well as of man, who was created in the image and likeness of the Elohim, he made himself equal with God in claiming God for his Father, {e: John 5:18.} though born of “sinful flesh”. Though thus highly related in paternity, image and character, he was yet

“made a little lower than the angels”;

for he appeared not in the higher nature of Elohim, but in the inferior nature of the seed of Abraham. {f: Heb. 2:16.} This was the first stage of his manifestation, as the present is of the saints who are his brethren. But he is the appointed

“heir of all things, on account of whom” (διʼ ου̂̔),

“the ages were rearranged (χατηρτὶσθαι τοὺς αἰω̂νας) by the word of God, so that the things seen exist not from things apparent”. {g:  Hebrews 1:2; 11:3.}

But, says the apostle,

“we do not yet see all things put under him: but we see. Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man”. {h: Hebrews 2:8, 9.}

Having been thus laid low, and for this gracious purpose, he is no longer “lower than the angels”. He is equal to them in body: and made so much superior to them in rank, dignity, honour, and glory,

“as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” {i:Hebrews 1:4.}

– Thomas, D. J.; Elpis Israel: an exposition of the Kingdom of God (electronic ed., pp. 39–40). Birmingham, UK: The Christadelphian.

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Notes and quotes:

a: Romans 7:23 (ESV) ²³ but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

b: Colossians 1:15 (ESV): ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

c: Hebrews 1:3 (ESV): ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

d:  Philippians 2:6–8 (ESV): ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

e: John 5:18 (ESV): ¹⁸ This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

f: Hebrews 2:16 (ESV): ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

(IEHE): For certainly (it needs hardly to be said) not of angels does he take helpful hold, but of Abraham’s seed he does take helpful hold.

g 1: Hebrews 1:2 (ESV): ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

g 2: Hebrews 11:3 (ESV): ³ By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

h: Hebrews 2:8–9 (ESV): ⁸  putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. ⁹ But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

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Preceding

Creation of the earth and man #13 Formation of man #5 Living soul

Creation of the earth and man #17 Man in the image and likeness of the Elohim #1 In the image and after the likeness

Gone astray, away from God

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Additional reading

1. Inner feeling, morality and Inter-connection with creation
2. Jesus begotten Son of God #6 Anointed Son of God, Adam and Abraham

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Further reading, from not connected or not always like-minded organisations

1. In the Image of God?
2. The Image of God
3. The image of God, by Ngobesing Romanus from Your success inspire
4. Q&A: “Are we a part of God?” (In His Image)
5. Likeness of God
6. God being made in the likeness of men?
7. What has ‘Being made in the likeness of God’ to do with Freedom of Speech?
8. The Image is the vision
9. Assumptions?
10. Your Identity: Back to the Image of God – Dan Mohler
11. Favorable Death – In the Beginning 2
12. being human, part 1
13. being human, part 2: on suicide
14. What difference does the doctrine of humans being in “the image of God” make?
15. A Passage to a New World, with Conditions, That Must Be Met!
16. Life and Conduct

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