Something Changes When God Creates Man
In Genesis 1, God creates everything by command:
“And God said, Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:3)
“Let there be a firmament…” (Genesis 1:6)
“Let the earth bring forth…” (Genesis 1:11)
Notice something:
God never says, “Let us make light.”
He never says, “Let us make the sea.”
He never says, “Let us make animals.”
He simply commands.
But when we reach man, something dramatic happens.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26)
The vocabulary changes.
Why?
God uniquely says, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26).
Who Is God Speaking To?
Some argue God was speaking to angels.
But Scripture never says angels participated in creation.
In fact:
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made.” (Psalm 33:6)
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3)
Angels are created beings (Colossians 1:16). They are observers, not co-creators.
So if angels did not create, who is included in “us”?
The text itself begins answering.
The Shock in the Pronouns
Genesis 1:26 says:
“Let us make man in our image… and let them have dominion…”
Notice:
- Man (Hebrew: Adam) — singular.
- Let them rule — plural.
How can Adam be “them”?
Verse 27 explains:
“So God created man (Adam) in his own image… male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)
Now look carefully.
Adam is:
- A “him”
- And a “them”
This is not accidental.
Adam Is Not Just One Person
Genesis 5:1–2 removes all doubt:
“In the day that God created man (Adam)…
Male and female created he them…
And called their name Adam.” (Genesis 5:1–2)
Did you see that?
God called their name Adam.
Adam is not merely the male.
Adam is male and female together.
One Adam.
Two persons.
Adam is both “him” and “them” — male and female together (Genesis 1:27; 5:2).
How Eve Came From Adam
Genesis 2 clarifies the structure.
At first, Adam exists alone:
“But for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” (Genesis 2:20)
Then:
“The LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam… and he took one of his ribs (or side)… and made he a woman.” (Genesis 2:21–22)
Eve did not come from dust.
She came from Adam.
She was already part of Adam in origin.
Adam then says:
“This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” (Genesis 2:23)
He recognizes shared nature.
Not similar.
Not separate species.
Same flesh.
One Flesh — The Key Word
Genesis 2:24:
“They shall be one flesh.”
The Hebrew word for “one” here is echad.
This is the same word used in the Shema:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one (echad) LORD.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
Echad does not always mean singularity of person.
It often means unity of multiple persons.
Examples:
- Husband and wife — one flesh.
- A cluster of grapes — one cluster (Numbers 13:23).
- Many people — one nation.
Unity.
Not numerical isolation.
The Pattern Is Intentional
Now go back to Genesis 1:26:
“Let us make man in our image…”
God then creates Adam as:
- One nature
- More than one person
- Distinct yet united
Male and female:
- Different bodies
- Different physical characteristics
- Different gender
- Same human nature
They are not two Adams.
They are one Adam.
The Reflection of the Trinity
This is the key theological point.
Adam is:
- One being
- More than one person
- United by shared nature
God is:
- One Being
- More than one Person
- United by shared divine nature
The Father is not the Son.
The Son is not the Spirit.
The Spirit is not the Father.
Yet:
- They share one divine essence.
- One will.
- One nature.
- One God.
Just as:
- Male and female are distinct
- Yet share one human nature
- And are one Adam
Why This Matters
God’s plural pronouns:
- “Us”
- “Our”
The plural Adam:
- Him
- Them
The one flesh:
- Echad
All point to unity within plurality.
The image of God is not merely:
- Intelligence
- Morality
- Creativity
It includes relational unity.
God is eternally relational.
Adam reflects that relational structure.
Why God Changes His Language
Every other act of creation:
“Let there be…”
But for man:
“Let us make…”
Because man uniquely reflects the relational, personal nature of God.
Animals do not.
Stars do not.
Oceans do not.
Man does.
Not Three Gods
Just as:
Adam and Eve are not two humanities.
They are one humanity.
Likewise:
Father, Son, and Spirit are not three gods.
They are one God.
Unity of nature.
Distinction of persons.
The unity of distinct Persons sharing one Divine nature.
The Image of God Expanded
To be made in God’s image means:
- We are relational.
- We reflect unity in diversity.
- We mirror divine communion.
- Marriage itself reflects divine unity.
That is why marriage matters so deeply.
It mirrors something eternal.
Theological Beauty in Genesis
Before any New Testament verse.
Before John 1:1.
Before Matthew 28:19.
Genesis already whispers:
God is not solitary.
God is personal.
God is relational.
God is unity within plurality.
And Adam reflects that.
Go Deeper
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For deeper exegetical studies on Genesis, the Trinity, and the image of God:
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