2024.01.08 // Page 1

1 SPIRITUAL: BIBLEPROJECT (GENESIS 25-28, PSALM 8)

KINGS IN BIBLICAL TIMES DEFINED THEMSELVES AS "IMAGE OF GOD" AND HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DEFINE GOOD & EVIL. THEY OFTEN MADE STATUES OF THEMSELVES CALLED "'TSELEM" IN HEAVEN MEANING "IDOL" OR "IMAGE".

• THE EXCEPTION WAS ISRAEL - THEIR KINGS WERE NOT VIEWED AS GODS AND THEY WERE NEVER TO MAKE IMAGES OF GOD - WHICH WAS REALLY UNIQUE FOR THAT TIME AND CULTURE.
• ISRAEL BELIEVED YOU CAN'T REDUCE THE CREATOR DOWN TO ANY ONE THING IN CREATION AND THAT GOD HAS ALREADY MADE IMAGES OF HIMSELF.
  • BACK IN CHAPTER 1 OF GENESIS: "ALL HUMANS ARE KINGS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD!"
• THE PICTURE WE'RE GIVEN OF MAN'S RULE IS GARDENING.
  • HARNESSING ALL THE EARTH'S RAW POTENTIAL AND MAKING SOMETHING MORE AND NEW OUT OF IT.
• SIMILAR TO "CANDIDE" BY VOLTAIRE
• JESUS THEN BOUND TOGETHER ALL OF HUMANITY BY SHOWING US WHAT IT MEANT TO TRULY RULE AS A HUMAN.
  • JESUS RULED BY SERVING AND BY SEEING THE BEST FOR OTHERS; BY PUTTING HIMSELF UNDERNEATH THEM AND LOVING NOT JUST HIS FRIENDS, BUT ALSO HIS ENEMIES.
    • "IMAGE OF GOD" OR "THE NEW HUMAN"

BUT WHAT DOES ALL OF THAT REALLY LOOK LIKE?

"SO, PRACTICALLY, THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID IT'S LIKE PEOPLE BEING FILLED BY JESUS OWN PRESENCE AND SPIRIT– FILLED WITH LOVE + JOY+ PEACE + PATIENCE + KINDNESS + GOODNESS + INTEGRITY + GENTLENESS + SELF-CONTROL ... THIS IS THE NEW HUMANITY THAT GOD WANTS TO CREATE IN US SO THAT WE BECOME PEOPLE IN WHOM GOD'S IMAGE IS BEING RESTORED. PEOPLE WHO WILL MOVE THE HUMAN PROJECT FORWARD. " // JOAN COLLINS & TIM MACKIE