Introduction
The Bible contains numerous references to "The Law and the Prophets". The Law is often considered from regions deep and progressively deeper into Torah/Tanahk/Bible. It therefore may come as a surprise to discover The Law quite possibly exists and starts right at the beginning, in Genesis 1:26.
In the beginning, God presents a very concise contract with man, male and female. This article will attempt to highlight the apparent terms of the contract with supporting detail.
This article is but a short introduction that will hopefully highlight the basics of the law, with supporting declarations.
For the premise to be reasonable, it would appear that the contract should be found to bind man to God's work of creation. Further, each clause should serve as root category/node for all aspects of the purpose for which God created man in His image and likeness.
This article is but a short introduction that will hopefully highlight the basics of the law, with supporting declarations.
For the premise to be reasonable, it would appear that the contract should be found to bind man to God's work of creation. Further, each clause should serve as root category/node for all aspects of the purpose for which God created man in His image and likeness.
The Law: A Brief Beginning
What follows appears to be a, or the, contract defined by God, to be performed by man.
26 And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and they shall rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heaven and over the animals and over all the earth and over all the creeping things that creep upon the earth."
27 And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the sky and over all the beasts that tread upon the earth. "
29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every seed bearing herb, which is upon the surface of the entire earth, and every tree that has seed bearing fruit; it will be yours for food.
30 And to all the beasts of the earth and to all the fowl of the heavens, and to everything that moves upon the earth, in which there is a living spirit, every green herb to eat," and it was so.
31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good, and it was evening and it was morning, the sixth day.
Connecting the Dots
Genesis 1:26 is the declaration of the law. It defines who is being created, in terms that are clearly elaborated.
While Genesis 1:26 declares the law, it is too terse and devoid of detail for any and all readers to clearly understand and follow. For this reason, and as in the laws of man, elements of the verse will be found to relate to subsequent and supporting clauses/scripture.
For example, the first declaration of Genesis 1:26 appears to find support in the immediately subsequent verse, Genesis 1:27, in its entirety:
The first clause of Genesis 1:26 is:
While Genesis 1:26 declares the law, it is too terse and devoid of detail for any and all readers to clearly understand and follow. For this reason, and as in the laws of man, elements of the verse will be found to relate to subsequent and supporting clauses/scripture.
For example, the first declaration of Genesis 1:26 appears to find support in the immediately subsequent verse, Genesis 1:27, in its entirety:
The first clause of Genesis 1:26 is:
1:26(1) "Let us make man in our image"
The wording of Genesis 1:26(1) is contained, and therefore, directly related to Genesis 1:27 in its entirety:
1:27 And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
The wording of Genesis 1:26(1) is contained, and therefore, directly related to Genesis 1:27 in its entirety:
1:27 And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
While Genesis 1:27 is supported by Genesis 1:27, it contains multiple clauses and lacks detail required for any and all to completely understand. Furthe support of Genesis 1;27 will be found to be supported further within the text.
The first term enumerated in 1:27, "And God created man in His image" is directly supported, and expanded on, and by the same terms used on 1:26 and 1:27, by Genesis 2:7 (see my earlier article for further detail). The text of Genesis 2:7 follows:
The first term enumerated in 1:27, "And God created man in His image" is directly supported, and expanded on, and by the same terms used on 1:26 and 1:27, by Genesis 2:7 (see my earlier article for further detail). The text of Genesis 2:7 follows:
7 And the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life, and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:7 provides detail related to scope, context, detail, and purpose in support of prior declarative verse(s). Genesis 2:7 begins to expand on earlier constructs, to assist man in understanding not only what it means to be created, but how to (begin to) perform in accord with the law, as "man in His image".
This article is intended to simply be a proof, serving as an introduction to deeper meaning and the very real purpose God states for having created man and the law as it applies to His creation.
A Quick Summary
The following table highlights the law of Genesis 1:26, followed by scripture supporting the first clause. As new articles are produced to highlight further connections, the detail and date created will be added here.26 Let us make man in our image...
- Genesis 1:26 is the law. All subsequent laws should trace their roots to at least one clause of it.
- The first clause of Genesis 1:26 is expanded first by Genesis 1:27.
- The first clause of Genesis 1:27 is supported by Genesis 2:7.
- The second clause of Genesis 1:27 is supported by Genesis 2:8-20, and Genesis 1:2-10; the first 2 days of creation and the creation of earth and seas of day 3. [Added 9/11/17].
This article is intended to simply be a proof, serving as an introduction to deeper meaning and the very real purpose God states for having created man and the law as it applies to His creation.
Enter Neurology (A Brief Detour)
Neurology is about brains. When we learn, we grow brains. The growth of knowledge in our brains looks similar to stuff that grows in real life. Brains and real things are so similar in appearance and function, that brain growth structures are often called real-life things, like trees and such.The interconnectedness of biblical scripture appears to also be described in similar, real-life stuff, and neurological terms, too. In fact, brain stuff, neurology, looks to be described on day three of creation:
11And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, seed yielding herbs and fruit trees producing fruit according to its kind in which its seed is found, on the earth," and it was so.
Connecting scriptural verse, as is here being presented by the law and supporting scripture, is quite similar to growing grass, neural connections/interconnectivity, in the mind. God uses an economy of expression in His Book to ensure scripture can be applied in and to myriad contexts. Using plants to describe plants in a garden appears now to relate to both plants upon earth and within the mind.
What this appears to mean is that God knows we're growing neurology by reading scripture. It also suggests God is referring to at least two earths in scripture. The first earth, the planet, and the second, the mind.
If scripture applies to earth/planet and earth/mind, it would further suggest the creation of at least two (2) gardens, one on earth, and one in the mind.
Both earth and garden, outside and inside the mind, appear to share the same legal requirements: that man has been created to tend them to ensure the health of each, and all. It should be clear, if true, that scripture, as written, applies to each earth and garden without modification (a statistically significant statement and one that, if true, is simply awesome with regards to implementation detail.)
Conclusion
This article has attempted to serve as an introduction to God's Law described in Genesis chapter one, verses 26-31. Verse 26 declares the law as it applies to man. In the interest of brevity, verse 26 has been shown to be supported by all of verse 27, by position and terms used.
In order to show that scripture beyond the verses in chapter one provide further support of the law, a link between verse 1:27, the first part, has been made to Genesis 2:7, in which man is expressly created in the same terminology as 1:26 and 1:27.
A brief detour has been taken into neurology, the study of the mind. I've attempted to highlight how scripture refers to earth as, at minimum, two distinct entities: the planet and the mind. Is true, It logically follows that each earth grows a garden that man alone is responsible for tending forever and ever, amen.
Subsequent articles will attempt (to continue) to shed light on the interconnected nature of scripture and as it applies to the law described in Genesis chapter one. Though my sincere hope is that, if true, one can begin to explore further the awesome nature of God through His law and prophets.