God's Internal Dialogue in the Early Chapters of Genesis
In the early chapters of Genesis, God reveals some instances of His own internal dialogue.
God’s words to Himself concerning Man, Genesis 1:26: Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
God’s words to Himself concerning woman, Genesis 2:18: Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
God’s words of judgment against fallen Man, Genesis 3:22: Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
God’s words of judgment against pervasive rebellion, Genesis 6:7: So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
God’s words of judgment against hubris, Genesis 11:6-7: And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
I take it, based on passages such as Isaiah 55:8-9, that God is incomprehensible-the Creator is infinitely higher than His creation-and that these examples of internal dialogue, while revealing something true and beneficial about God, are adapted to our limitations.
I find it significant that each instance of God's internal dialogue concerning Man following humanity's descent into sin involves judgment.
God’s words to Himself concerning Man, Genesis 1:26: Then 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 birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
God’s words to Himself concerning woman, Genesis 2:18: Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
God’s words of judgment against fallen Man, Genesis 3:22: Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
God’s words of judgment against pervasive rebellion, Genesis 6:7: So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
God’s words of judgment against hubris, Genesis 11:6-7: And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
I take it, based on passages such as Isaiah 55:8-9, that God is incomprehensible-the Creator is infinitely higher than His creation-and that these examples of internal dialogue, while revealing something true and beneficial about God, are adapted to our limitations.
I find it significant that each instance of God's internal dialogue concerning Man following humanity's descent into sin involves judgment.
Labels: Bible study
posted by Andrew Lindsey | 6:45 AM
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