We should never think that the presence of human beings on the earth is a coincidence. Before any man landed on the moon, scientists conducted many studies and had many theories about life on the moon. On the one hand, they were developing the technology needed to land on the moon, and on the other hand, they were speculating whether any organisms were living on the moon. At that time, I was not sure that technology would enable men to go into space or land on the moon, but I was certain that no organisms would be found on the moon. Now technology has advanced to the point that humans have landed on the moon, and this same technology has proven that there are no organisms on the moon. The moon is not a suitable place for man to live. It is not a coincidence that we live on the earth. If the earth were slightly nearer to the sun, we would be burned. If the earth were slightly farther from the sun, we would be frozen. The distance between the earth and the sun is just right. It is not too far and not too near; hence, the temperature on earth is suitable for man’s existence. These facts are not a coincidence. They speak to the mystery and the meaning of God’s creation of the universe.
God has an intention for this universe. He desires to gain a group of people to be His expression. God created the heavens, the earth, all things, and human beings because He desires to work Himself into a group of people so that they would not only express Him but also represent Him. We must express God in order to represent God. A dog cannot represent you. No matter how much you love your dog, it cannot represent you. A dog can bark, but a dog can never represent you. Hence, it is not a matter of whether you are willing to let a dog represent you. The fact is that a dog is unable to represent you. Some people love their dog very much; they even let their dog sleep on their bed. Nevertheless, no matter how much they love their dog or even train their dog, their dog cannot represent them.
The position of man in the universe is very noble. It is so noble that man can be God’s expression and representation. Man is qualified and capable of representing God, because this is God’s delight; God created us for this purpose. However, there may be a big question mark within us concerning how we can represent God. Let us consider the example of a dog. First, dogs are not qualified to represent us, because they are not of our species. It is an insult to say that a person is a dog. Second, dogs are not able to represent us, because they have neither human consciousness nor a discerning ability to represent man. Are we qualified to represent God? Yes, we are qualified because we are like God. We were created in His image. No other organism or animal can represent God, because they were not created in God’s image. Neither can any organism represent man, because they do not have the human life.
We should never regard human beings as just another animal. The animal life is the animal life; it is not the human life. The Bible says that in the universe there is God’s life, human life, animal life, and plant life. Although many animals are beautiful, they cannot be compared to man. The record concerning God’s creation is less than two chapters in Genesis. Creation may appear to be very simple; however, the mystery in it is difficult to clearly explain. No matter how many discoveries there are in science, they cannot explain the record in Genesis. There is no other record in the world that tells us that man was created by God and created in God’s image. Only the Bible says this. Not only does the Bible say that man was created by God; it also says that man was created in God’s image. In other words, God created us with Himself as the mold, the pattern. We were created to be the same as God (1:26).
The record in Genesis 1 concerning creation is very simple. On the first day God spoke a simple sentence: “Let there be light; and there was light” (v. 3). On the second day God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters” (v. 6). Thus, air was created. On the third day God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear...And God said, Let the earth sprout grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit...and it was so” (vv. 9, 11). Thus, the plant life was generated. On the fourth day God created the heavenly bodies to rule over the day and the night (vv. 14-18). On the fifth day God created the creatures in the waters and the birds to fly above the earth (vv. 20-21). On the sixth day God created the animals on the earth (vv. 24-25). After all these things were created, God created man. However, the record concerning God’s creation of man is not as simple as that of His creation of other living things or the heavenly bodies. God did not create man by simply speaking. Before God created man, there was a council. “God said, Let Us make man in Our image” (v. 26). God used the pronouns Us and Our in reference to Himself.
We should consider God’s reference to Himself as “Us” and “Our” before He created man. We probably understand that God is triune. Even though we know the doctrine of the trinity, no one can clearly explain what it means for God to be three yet one. Genesis 1:26 says, “God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” In this verse Us refers to God, who is three yet one. He is the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” By considering these two verses together, we see that God said “Us” and “Our” when He created man because it involved His economy and arrangement. The mystery of the three-yet-one God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—is not a doctrine; it is for Him to work Himself into us.
When God created man, He referred to Himself as “Us” and “Our” because the Father, the Son, and the Spirit were involved. The Father as the Creator and Inaugurator of all things is God being invisible, the Son is God being manifested, and the Spirit is God indwelling us. The Father is the source, the Son is the expression, and the Spirit is God entering into us. Hence, the Father planned, the Son accomplished what the Father planned, and the Spirit enters into us to apply to us all that the Father planned and the Son accomplished. Hence, after the Lord Jesus came into the world, He died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead to become the Spirit. After His resurrection, the Lord charged His disciples to go and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the Father, the Son, and the Spirit so that His believers may be completely one with the Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.