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“And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26).
God created man as the last thing He made, and He made him quite different from all the animals. Animals live and act by instinct. That is, their minds are “programmed” to act in a certain way; they do not know any right or wrong. But man is different. He has a mind that can think and decide how to act in different ways. He also has a spirit which makes him conscious of God, and gives him an ability to communicate with God.
Man was made in the image of God, for man was to be God’s representative on this earth. Man was given “dominion” over all the various animals—quite a responsibility! Sadly, man has not done a very good job of governing this world, for he introduced sin into the world, and has often misused the authority God had given him. But he continues to have the place of dominion in this world.
But man is a moral creature; he was also made in the likeness of God. This means that he had a nature capable of recognizing right and wrong, and capable also of having a relationship with God. Again, what a privilege it is to be made like this!
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