He Shall Have Dominion

Well, this will be our last week in Genesis 1 as we continue on what we began last week the image of God and we talked about specifically the image of God and Creation and ask the question.

What does it mean? To be made in the image of God to be created in the likeness of God and the answer we said in many words was

That man was made to be like God in every way that a creature can be like God And We talked about there being a broad and a narrow sense to man being the image of God in relation to the fall

On the one hand we said the ethical foundation the very dignity of human life

The reason that we hold a funeral and bury a body Is in no small part due to the fact that man has retained the image of God even after the fall into sin

There's something about the personal moral Rational nature of man that still retains the image of God on the one hand, but on the other hand the theological foundation of the gospel

Begins with affirming the fact that man lost the original righteousness in which he was created

Which made him fit for life with God and in that sense he lost the image of God And this morning we're going to move forward from image of God and creation to talk about image of God and Dominion and that brings us

More more closely to verse 28, which is sometimes referred to as the Dominion mandate

So beginning with verse 27 God created man in his own image in the image of God He created him male and female

He created them then God blessed them and God said to them be fruitful and multiply fill the earth and subdue it have

Dominion over the fish of the sea over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth

So this morning we want to consider this passage in three parts First we want to talk about image bearing and Dominion.

In other words, what what is this passage describing? Secondly we want to consider its full development in the

Bible and then we'll be talking about the last Adam Jesus Christ and his new creation and then lastly briefly

We'll make a few applications as we talk about being conformed to the image of Christ through communion

So first image bearing and Dominion one of the things that we're trying to do is make helpful distinctions

So we began our series in Genesis by distinguishing God's Transcendence from his eminence in other words the fact that he's above all and outside of all but also that he's near and present

We also made a distinction between the broad retention of the image of God and the narrow sense in which it was lost and now we also need to make a

Distinction this morning between talking about being God's image in a representational way and being

God's image in a functional way So that's the big distinction the big vocab for today

First, what does it mean to be God's image? Representationally in the ancient

Near East around the time that Moses was writing the accounts of Genesis Images were thought to represent or to mediate the presence of their likeness

This wasn't just true of idols or false God images But even of statues of kings and of rulers wherever they conquered territory

They would set up images of themselves as a representation of their ownership or their reign over a new domain

When it comes to the idols this is the case even more so the bond would have been even stronger for the idea of a an idol or a

God and you have to understand in the ancient Near Eastern Mindset deities were localized the idea is that our

God is the God of this land or this tribe this Ancestral area and therefore this is his domain and his image represents his reign over this domain

And Yahweh is always condemning the fact that he is he is the

God of all All the hills belong to him the earth belongs to him and its fullness

So we have to understand this Representational nature of being an image it mediates the presence of the

God for an ancient Near Eastern mindset and this seems to be exactly a Sort of counterfeit of what

God's actually doing with man. It's a counterfeit an idolatrous counterfeit of something that's recognized

We make an image out of something to represent or mediate its presence because we are image bearers of God Representing or mediating his presence

For an idol as Edward Curtis says the statue was placed where the deity was present and manifested itself

Thus the presence of the God and the blessing that accompanied that presence were affected through the image

And so this is why you have the pagans coming to certain sacred sites or sacred hills or temples to worship

Venerate an image The idea is the presence of that God and the blessing of that God are going to be coming through the image

It's going to have a mediating Presence and God says do not make an image of me for that very reason

This all has a bearing then on what it means for humans to be the image of God in this representational way the fundamental idea of humanity in this sense is that we

Represent the presence of God we make manifest his blessing upon what he has made

That was the original intention of God's creation I'll say it again in other words as image bearers

Humanity mediates the presence of God in the world we mediate as Those made in his image the presence of the

Creator in creation That's what it means to represent

God as his image human beings as image bearers Mediate the presence of God in the world.

It's a Representational aspect to being made in God's image Now going back to what we said in the first week

This does not mean that God is somehow dependent upon man as though he had to make image bearers in order to be

Present in the world. We've already said no God is imminent in the world. He's personal and present in what he's made

He's free and independent from it, but he's chosen in that freedom to draw near But when we look to the creation of man as God's image bearer, we see this profound honor this profound dignity

That despite all of the various things all of the complexity of creation

God chose human beings to be the manifestation and the representation of his presence

And to mediate in their work and in their worship his blessing in what he had made

There's another aspect that flows out of Representing God in this way and that is it's functional

There's a functional aspect to being made in the image of God Another way of talking about this is there's a vocation

Which is another way of saying calling? There's a calling There's work to be done.

You know, you take up a trade or you go to vocational school You're pursuing a calling the fact that we were made to represent

God and to Mediate his presence and blessing to make it manifest in the earth means that humanity has this calling that was put upon them

This functional aspect of being God's image bearer is immediately connected to exercising dominion over creation

So realize what we're saying at the very beginning we represent God's presence on the earth

We manifest his blessing of creation in our calling and that calling is dominion verses 26 and then 28

So it's front -loaded you have dominion the creation of man in God's image dominion

Then God said let them have dominion over the fish of the sea Over the birds of the air and over the cattle over all the earth.

That's to say all creation Over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth and then

God blessed them this is after he made man in his image and God said to them be fruitful and multiply

Fill the earth and subdue it have dominion over the fish of the sea over the birds of the air

Over every living thing that moves on the earth again. This is the summation of creation and so see that God making man in his image

Immediately gives man the calling to exercise dominion over creation

Some of you would have heard this language of being God's vice regents Meaning he truly is the king of what he has made and yet he puts such dignity upon man that we reign with him

Man was created to be a vice regent to sit next to the throne of God as it were and reign and rule

On his behalf. There's this ruling function that flows out of being made in his image and likeness

And this is what we considered when we open the service with Psalm 8 again When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers the moon and the stars which you've ordained what is man that you're mindful of him

What what honor you would bestow upon us You've made him a little lower than the angels you've crowned him with glory and honor

You've made him to have dominion over the works of your hands.

Do you see? Creation is being summed up what God's hands have made you've put man in this position to reign over You've put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen even the beasts of the field the birds of the air the fish of the sea

It's a commentary on Genesis 128 Now when we get to chapter 2 in Genesis, we see the if we could put it this way the mundane specifics of how man exercises dominion

He cultivates the earth He labors in every relationship of creation in which he participates and it becomes for man and all

Encompassing pattern of a life lived unto God in work and worship as Co -equal parts of a life lived before God man exercises his dominion

He manifests God's presence and blessing on the earth. The Dominion then is never focused on man as man but rather man as God's image as Man and woman

Together began to work The glory and the beauty and the order out of Eden into the rest of the world they were to do so representing

God Exercising what God had given to them their their minds their morality the law written upon their hearts all of these things came to bear

Upon manifesting his bless his blessing and presence upon creation another way of talking about this is the idea of being a steward

There's a stewardship that was given to humankind. I love what

Henry Morris has to say about about this idea In order to subdue the earth we must first understand its processes

And so man was made with with knowledge to apply And that's applied in technology.

So engineering medicine Agriculture and we implement for use by all

Business commerce we transmit that to the next generation education Creation can be described and praised in the humanities and in the fine arts and so the

Dominion mandate encompasses every human occupation as a stewardship under God All of life lived with reference toward God Matthew Henry would say

God designed hereby to put an honor upon man that he might find himself More strongly obliged to bring honor to his maker and everything that he does

There's no sacred secular split There's no equivalent of going to church and doing something holy on a

Sunday and then just kind of grinding through the world the rest Of the week everything that man does he does as a representative of God?

Everything that man is is mediating the presence of God Everything that man does is an application of what

God has given him so that God may be honored through him See, this is how God created the world to be

I'm so tempted to go into the fall, but we're not in chapter 3 yet All of this gets flipped upside down as you know as Christians This Dominion is diminished and it's it's lost by the fall

But there's this providence of God that continues and in certain respects the

Dominion mandate Continues for all human beings as we said there is still this sense of being made in the image of God So just put a place marker there.

That's a world to unpack, but we really can't touch it until we get to Genesis 3 So again, we've seen so far man is made in God's image is representative of God, but also a

Functionary for God and then perhaps the best way to encapsulate this

As we can talk about the human being Being a king and a priest and a prophet

There's this kingly language in Genesis 128 Subdue the earth rule over it exercise dominion.

This is royal language Man was created with this royal imagery as a representative of God But then there's also this idea of of a priestly mediation as as man as God's image is

Mediating God's presence and blessing that's priestly You mediate the blessing of God So there's this priestly function to being human and then as God's vice -regents as his image bearers

Ruling over all of the earth for the glory of God. They there's a law written on the heart In fact

Adam the first thing he hears Is the law of God the law of God and in that sense he becomes a prophet

And so man is this Prophet priests King that is integral to what it means to be the image of God Don't just take it my word on that this this is the threefold office we call it prophet priests

King I'm saying this is something inherent to being the image of God Herman Bovink one of just the great

Herman Bovink Go by Bovink There's there's some great abridgments of some of his work

This is what he has to say. The image of God is not a static entity But extends and unfolds itself in space and time.

It's both a gift and a mandate It's another way of saying it's something that's represented and something that works that functions it's a gift and a calling

Only humanity in its entirety as one complete organism summed up under one single head spread out over the whole earth as Prophet proclaiming the truth of God as priests dedicating itself to God as ruler

Controlling the earth and the whole of creation only then is it fully the finished image the most telling and striking likeness of God Now what bearing as we move to the second point what bearing?

Does man in God's image as a representation as a vocation and a function as a prophet priest and King?

What bearing does that have on Christ as the image of God? Christ as the last

Adam We've already said last week from Colossians 1 that he is the image of the invisible

God He is the firstborn over all of creation and we again connect this immediately to dominion

All things were created through him and for him we read things that were created in heaven and on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or Dominions or principalities or powers even the

Dominions are under his dominion That's what Colossians want to say And we read this in light of Genesis 1 28 the idea of Dominion is preeminence humanity made in Genesis 1 28

Preeminent over all of God's creation and then specifically drawing all of that to Christ who is preeminent over all

And that's why as we saw Hebrews 2 Makes Psalm 8 all about Jesus Christ Psalm 8 is reflecting on Genesis 1 26 through 28

Hebrews 2 says Psalm 8 is properly understood ultimately as a reference to Christ himself

What is man that you're mindful of him? The writer of Hebrews quotes or the son of man that you take care of him

You've made him a little lower than the angels You've crowned him with glory and honor you're set him over the works of your hands

You've put all things in subjection under his feet And this is a reference to Jesus For in that he put all in subjection under him under Jesus He left nothing that is not put under him.

Jesus is the man to whom Dominion is given over all of creation Because he's the image of God That's the significant thing here

But I'm not probably saying anything brown great, you know groundbreaking to say to you

Jesus is preeminent Jesus has authority overall Jesus exercises dominion what

I'm trying to emphasize is this he does so as the image of God That's what you have to see

And if you don't see that you will not be able to make sense of the larger Entailment of what it means to be human and the larger picture of why we are saved.

That's how important this is Jesus exercises dominion Not because he's the divine

Lord only but because he is the image of God He's the image of God All of salvation in other words is bound up with God's plan to glorify his son

Through a people that will be conformed to that image The image of prophet priests in King the mediating presence of God in the world the the vessel of blessing upon all that God has made

In you Abram nations shall be blessed same idea that's unfolded

Christ came Galatians 3 So that the blessing of Abraham could come upon the

Gentiles you see this is how the gospel begins to unfold in flower Romans 8 29

For whom he foreknew this is God whom he foreknew he predestined To be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren

Here we have again a different way of expressing what it means to be new creatures in Christ a new creation in Christ Paul is saying nothing less than this

Christ is the firstborn of creation a new creation a new humanity

That fulfills God's original design and intention for humanity So Christians participate in the fulfillment of who

Christ is and what he's done and as we Participate as we are in union with him by faith walking according to his way

We're being conformed by degrees into his image and into his likeness That's wonderful flowery language.

But what does that mean? We have to go back to what it means to be the image of God in the first place That's why this is so important It's Christian East to say.

Oh, yes, we were saved that we might be conformed his image And that might just sound like we sort of lay back and are slowly molded despite any effort

You see what I'm saying understand what it means to be the image of God You have a calling now to be a prophet and a priest and a king

To rule in those ways that Christ has authority that's given to you to mediate his blessing in his word as both

Prophet and priest this is what it means to be conformed into the image of Christ So when you read the gospel accounts you you read it as the creator coming to dwell in creation and Then all of the gospel story is bound up with Genesis 1 and what it means to be the image of God The Creator comes to dwell in his creation the express image of the invisible

God and He humbles himself to suffer his own curse upon fallen man

For the sake of a people that he will create new in the newness of his risen life when he rose from the grave

Having power over death and what does he do to his people to his disciples? He breathes upon them with the

Spirit in the same way that Adam as we'll see in chapter 2 is Formed and breathed upon and given life

Christ does that to his people newly formed newly born He breathed the Spirit into them taking them out of that that dry valley of bones out of a state of death

Dead and their trespasses and sins he breathes into them new life as new creations as a new

Humanity in him now, they're being conformed into his image and likeness This all comes about in Christ Galatians 6 16

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision avails anything but a new creation

Please note not justification Which is the whole theme of Galatians Wouldn't you expect

Paul to say that for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything But being justified by faith alone that no man may boast in his work.

That's what you'd expect he says This is dealing with the old man with old creation.

This doesn't matter. You need to be a new creation And how does that come about in Christ Jesus?

In Christ Jesus these things don't avail anything whether you've been made alive in him as a new creature as a new life

Second Corinthians 5 17 you all know it so well Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation old things have passed away behold all things have become new

Where have they become new and why have they become new in Christ? That's what he says new creation

New Adam new humanity the restoration and the consummation of what it means to be the image of God Christ risen in glory radiates the fullness of humanness very important point

He brings humanness into the heaven of heavens He sits at the right hand of God in the flesh of humanity

He wasn't some apparition when he just when he ascended into the sky he brings

The atoms and the molecules of a body that was made for him That was nursed by his mother trained and encouraged by his stepfather blessed by friends and neighbors

He brings that flesh to the right hand of God And it's entirely correct to say that the intent of all of God's creation was and is to present his son in his preeminence as the head of a new humanity

Which perfectly reflects his divine image? And therefore as Christians we understand that we are new creations in Christ Because we're being conformed to his image not that we're just being restored

Back to what Adam was but we're coming to Christ What I'm saying is this there's a real sense in which it's it's just not that we're restored to the image of God It's that we understand what the image of God really is

It's the image of Christ Christians are being conformed to the image of Christ To the likeness of Christ who is the express image of God.

That's a vital point The entire Old Testament storyline

Unfolds to reveal this great mystery of the coming of Christ We sang about it as we sang joy to the world

It centers upon the preeminence of Christ as the last Adam as we'll see in chapter 2 from his torn side

He creates the bride of his glorified saints, but we're living between the now of that fulfillment in the not yet Christ has been exalted and all authority has been given to him

But there's the sense in which those salvation has been inaugurated. It's awaiting the consummation

It's awaiting the full revelation of it, which is coming on that coming day. All of this turns upon Christ as the image of God Exercising the dominion of an image of God first Corinthians 15

I Want to show you again Christ raised from the dead the express image of God The glorified humanity that was always the design and how that's immediately connected to Christ Exercising dominion as the image of God Okay, Genesis 1 into 1st

Corinthians 15 beginning in verse 20, but now Christ is risen from the dead

And has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep For since by man came death

By man also came the resurrection from the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive

But each one in his own order Christ the firstfruits afterward those who are Christ's at his coming then comes the end and The end here is the completion of dominion

Subdue the earth right? That's the dominion mandate Subdue the earth and Paul is saying

Then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father When he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power for he must reign

Until he has put all enemies under his feet Do you notice that language from Psalm 8?

all things under his feet The last enemy to be destroyed is death

Christ's Exercises this at the very beginning when he bursts out of the grave

He inaugurates he begins. This is the Normandy invasion of salvation to use a very famous analogy

Once the Allies got on the beachhead at Normandy Anyone who knew the difference between north and south knew that it was just a matter of time

But they still had to push through the Ardennes forest There was still this holdout this stubborn resistance the

Battle of the bulge all the way before they could finally make their way into Berlin And that's where we are

It's over. The war has been won, but we still have to press in to the kingdom

We still have to press into Berlin There's an enemy that remains and is retained until that coming day and Christ must reign

Until he has put all enemies under his feet In Christ we are conformed to this image -bearer

Exercising this dominion over all of creation He was always the firstborn always meant to rule in this way

He establishes a new humanity in his image and Mediates his presence and the blessing of his kingdom as he subdues the earth and fills it with new life and new hope

And this all turns on Christ Being risen from the dead.

He came in the likeness of man And then he's risen from the earth in the glory of a new humanity.

He's the first fruit The first sprout of what we shall be of what we were always meant to be

Adam as God's image -bearer was not the full intention of God's design for humanity

The full intention and design of God for humanity was in Christ's always

Christ was the goal Christ was the design Christ is the fullness of what it means to be human

Thus in Christ we see the fullness of a prophet the fullness of a great high priest the fullness of a sacrificial and noble King As truly

God and truly man Jesus Christ comes to exercise dominion over every

Facet of life every square inch of the cosmos he created because it was created for him to rule over Charles Hodge the great

Princeton theologian says the universal dominion this universal dominion as we learn from the scriptures has been realized and attained only by the incarnation and exaltation of the

Son of God But as God sees the end from the beginning as his plan is immutable and all comprehending the supreme exaltation of humanity

Was designed from the beginning and included in the dominion with which man was invested.

Do you see what Hodges saying? Christ's dominion was always the goal and Yet because God sees the end from the beginning here in Genesis 1

He is attributing this calling and this dignity and this honor to exercise dominion and subdue the earth

He gives that to man knowing that Christ is the one to whom it will be fulfilled That's why as we closed last week

We we had this statement God's purpose in creating man in his image is completely realized in the person of Jesus Christ Frankly this is why as we even began a series we said we don't begin creation

With the debates about you know creationism we begin creation with Christ We begin creation where John 1 begins creation where Colossians 1 begins creation

Christ is the preeminent one You cannot make sense of Genesis. You cannot make sense of the

Bible You cannot make sense of what it means to be human unless you understand that Christ is the center of it all

This is what Stanley Grenz has to say he's talking about How Christology unfortunately, you know, if you if you have ever looked at a theology book

Especially in the Western tradition. We always have the same categories in which we do theology Theology meaning the study of God and there's different ologies that go into a standard

Systematic theology. So even our confession is a good example as we look at the different chapter headings of our confession

We have different different headings different ologies and Stanley Grenz is making this point that You know, we begin with the doctrine of God maybe doctrine of Trinity and then doctrine of Christ and he's saying it

That's good. You have to order it somehow, but don't let that Take you away from the centrality of Christ to everything

Listen to this. This is just gold Christology meaning the study of Christ the revelation of Christ Christology Is a theology informing locusts meaning subject

Christology informs the doctrine of God you begin with the doctrine of God You can't understand the doctrine of God without Christology For we cannot know who

God truly is except through Jesus who is the true image of God the true revelation of God Christology is crucial for the doctrine of creation as we're seeing

Insofar as God's purposes for creation Cannot be seen unless they're seen in relationship to Jesus who as the image of God fulfills the human calling as the cosmic

Christ Christology informs the doctrine of humanity. What does it mean to be human?

For we cannot know what it means to be human without looking to Jesus who as the image of God Embodies what

God intended for humanity and is the true human? This is

I think one of the most profound Areas Of our faith is that the

Creator became creation is that God became man We we rightly and as you heard me at the funeral yesterday

The cross is at the center of our faith because it's our faith and our hope You know, that's a

Western tradition and the Eastern tradition sort of the centerpiece of their faith and worship is the incarnation

And I got to tell you they're on to something with that Not at the expense of the cross, but they're on to something that This is the great mystery that was hidden for ages

That that God would come to dwell with his people Not as a plan

B to humanity not as all the humans the humans blew it I guess I'll have to send my son as a human now so I can try to do something with you

Christ's before God created anything Christ's preeminence was planned by him becoming the creation

Christ's humanity was the purpose of humanity That's how significant this is

So a few applications as we come to the third section Just just two points brief points about what it means for us then as Christians to conform

To Christ's image and the first is and you all know this as we do this progressively

We do this progressively 2nd Corinthians 318 we all with unveiled face

Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed Into that same image from glory to glory just as by or even as by the

Spirit of the Lord There's a progressive nature to being conformed to the image of Christ we call that sanctification

The Spirit of the Lord from glory to glory is making us more like our

Savior We speak like that you said things like that But you probably haven't thought of it in the fullness of what it means that Christ is the image of God and therefore

Christ Is the representation of God and the calling of God for humanity?

It's not just being made more pious If you could put it that way I'm being you know

Transformed into the same image because I'm slowly watching less and less YouTube videos. This is me becoming more like his image

May well be a part of it. But do you see what I'm saying? The image is so much deeper than that This is getting back to the fundamentals of how we represent and mediate

God's presence in this world Christ then shows us how to do that He shows us how to do this that in a broken and fallen world

Where men are stubborn and hardened and are quick to reject and persecute He shows us what it looks like to be truly human and to fulfill

God's calling for humanity in the flesh in a broken world When you read the Gospels read it in that way

We put off the old man with all those Corruptions all those defilements we put on a new man renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him

Christ We Put off that former conduct the old man

Which as we read in Ephesians 4 was full of deceitful lust and were renewed in the spirit of our mind

We put on that new man created in righteousness and holiness we put on Christ We put on Christ We're destined to be this new humanity in Christ We're progressively being transformed into the reality of a new creation in a new

Adam As his image bearers were being conformed to his likeness Christians are relearning

Degree by degree day by day However imperfectly how to follow Christ as a prophet as a priest and as a king knowing that on the day

We finally see him Will be made like him second point

First point again. We we conformed his image progressively Second point we conform to Christ's image in community

In community or maybe better put as community Conforming to the image of Christ is not something you do solo

It was never designed to be this way human beings were made as social creatures reflective of the

God who is social in a sense within himself Perfectly one and yet perfectly three the persons of the

Godhead relating and communing together And therefore

Conforming to the image of Christ must be communal Because the image of God is a triune image

It's a communal image the restoration of the image then the Sanctification that makes us more and more like our

Savior is lived out in communities lived out Not only in the wider community, but specifically in the church in the body

The wisdom of God is that he composed the body He gifted members with different gifts and abilities and he put them all together

To work out their salvation together so that in working out the grace that he's bestowing upon them

They can be collectively conformed to his image that means I cannot conform to the image of my

Savior without you and You cannot conform to the image of Savior without little old me

We need each other To conform to the likeness of the Son of God.

That's the glory of God's design and what happens when the church in particular is being conformed into the image of the

Son of God and is exercising dominion Out of the authority that was given to him

The dominion that he has as he's presently now reigning bringing all the enemies all those that opposed him in subjection under his feet

What does that look like for a church to do that Matthew 5 13 and following you become the salt of the earth?

The city on a hill You are the salt of the earth But if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?

It's good for nothing but to be thrown out trampled underfoot by men. You're the light of the world a City set on a hill that cannot be hidden Nor do any put a light

Under a basket, but they rather put it on a lampstand and it gives light to all those who are in the house

So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven

Do you see this is what it means for us together to be conformed to the image of the Son? We mediate his presence to the world as light as salt

Just as he himself came and mediated the presence of his father To a lost and dying world a world that would reject him and crucify him so Taking a big step back in the last few moments

I just want to give you the big 10 ,000 foot view of what we should take away from Genesis 1 even even

Genesis 1 26 to 28 in Hopes that will be prepared as we move into chapter 2 next week

Big step back big big picture here The chief end of man is to glorify

God and enjoy him forever That's the chief end of man There's a spatial and a progressive aspect to this

It takes place in space and it's something that's progressive This was true.

Not just after the fall. We're now the image of God becomes something missional through Christ's accomplishment

But even before the fall The enjoyment of God and the glory that man brought to God required space and progress in Genesis 1

God establishes the whole earth as the place of his dwelling and he appoints he literally plants

Adam and Eve in Eden to mediate and represent him to function as prophets priests and kings as royals and Then to begin to progress and spread out the order and the glory and that mediated presence

From Eden to cover the whole earth Eden is the prototype typical temple of God And we see that even when the temple was later built.

It's it's retaining this garden imagery. This is the presence of God This is where man is planted

But that presence is meant to break out and fill the earth with God's glory

That was the intention and design of God Adam and Eve were to work as vice regents as stewards ruling over creation

Expanding the beauty in the order of Eden as they expanded by their own presence and by the generations they produced the glory of the

Lord's likeness over all of the earth and Thereby magnifying

God's glory to the ends of the earth as his image bearers communing with him That was all torn away by the fall it was turned inside out what was meant for God Then became against God But God promised

To Eve as we'll see a seed Really interesting, isn't it?

It's a seed a Seed that would come in due time

Crush the serpent save the people a Seed that lived a perfect life

We could not live died the curse of the death that we were to die and that seed when he died was planted in the earth and He sprouted forth he burst forth on the third day as the first fruits of what we shall be new humanity

Christ as the last Adam is now presently reigning, but there's still this progressive aspect to his rule

He's presently bringing all of his enemies and opposition under his feet until that coming day and we reign with him now

We will rule with him and will judge angels with him on that day we magnify his glory throughout a fallen earth as prophets priests and kings as ambassadors of his kingdom as citizens of the heavenly realm

We reflect the presence of his glory in the light of his life as new creations in an earth

That is groaning in awaiting a final consummation You could go as far as to say the goal of our salvation is not just to be forgiven of our sins and to escape judgment the goal of our salvation

Is to be conforms to the image of Christ the image of God that is the purpose of humanity and therefore the purpose of saving humanity and And as such

We are restored to an unbroken fellowship of God's presence where there's joy and Splendor at his right hand forever in which we dwell in a new heavens in a new hearth as new humanity

Conforms to the likeness of the one who saved us bowing and working and fulfilling a new calling

Without sweat or sorrow without tears or death and perfect communion with the

Savior who loved us at the cost of his own life And we'll finally know what it truly means to be human

He must reign until that day Until he's put all his enemies under his feet

That's the gospel Let's pray Lord we we are amazed to consider your design

There's really no words to say just to break out in the praise and the wonder of it all The depths of the riches of your knowledge of the counsels that you've made

In eternity past before anything was made You're designed to glorify your son to present to human beings that you would make

What it must be to be a human being and giving your son as a firstborn of creation preeminence overall

And that you would come and remedy our own sinfulness our own rebellion at the expense of of this one who loves so Perfectly who emptied himself and took the form of a slave and died the curse of death upon a tree

And that you planted him in the belly of the earth in the stomach of the great whale that swallowed

Jonah that he could burst forth on that third day the first fruits a

New humanity a redeemed humanity, but at the same time The everlasting intention for humanity what you had always purposed for humanity to be not so that we could dwell as Adam and Eve once dwelt with your presence, but An invisible presence or a presence manifested in different ways at different times

But rather that we could dwell with you as flesh to flesh and look into the face of our

Savior The true man and true God and see the face of the living triune

God We're amazed at the design of your salvation We're humbled if humbled is even the word that you would choose us and appoint us to be partakers co -heirs joint rulers images

Being conformed by degrees of glory into the likeness of this one Who loved our souls at his own sake?

Help us to understand Lord what it would mean for us to be restored in his likeness

Ways that we need to better mediate his presence and his blessing to others ways that we need to better come together and put off the ways of the old man and Put away the flesh as we learn to conform to his image together in community and become therefore the light and the salt of the earth

Help us To rule with him as we aid in our time in our efforts and our energy in our resources

To the advancement of his kingdom which shall know no end though the gates of hell war against it

Help us as priests a royal priesthood formed from his blood

To mediate his word and his blessing and his promises as well as his warnings to the world

That's so lost and set against him Let us be his emissaries as prophets demanding that the nation's the

Kings and the rulers Bow and kiss the Sun lest they perish in their way Help us

Lord each one of us and collectively as a whole To see the glory and the beauty and the calling of what it means to be conformed