In the Image Of, Created He Thee

In the Image Of, Created He Thee

Blueprint to Glory Study Series by Christine Huck ©

•  Creation of Man – Genesis 1:26-28, 31: 
• (26) And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  
• Personally, what is the overall feel you have of who you are?  
• Is there an “image” or impression of God in you? To what degree?
• What sense of a God given purpose do you have?

•  (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 
•  What do you sense of the “image” of God in the opposite sex? Partnership? Overbearing rulership? Fearful, passive submission? 
•  Do you have a sense of the goodness of God in relationships when He created the opposite sex? 
• Do you prefer the fellowship of the same sex? Socially? Sexually?  
• (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 
•  The sense of dominion was birthed into the American Dream, in the land of plenty. Do you have a dream? We don’t all live in the garden. What represents your garden? 
•  (31) And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
• Do you have the sense that God is pleased with your life:  relationships, work, goals and dreams? 

• The Basis of Belief – Genesis 2:4, 7: 
•  (2:4) These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, [the account of creation in the book of Genesis, chapters one and two].  
•  Creation? Or Evolution? Which is your belief system based on? 
•  What hope is there is happenstance? Have you reached an end of your strength? 
•  Do you have a dread of looking ahead or hope? 
•  Does your hope rest in the original state of creation, perfection, fruitfulness, right relationships and peace with God? 
•  (7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  
• Stop to consider:  Your very breath could be taken from you. Do this. Hold your breath for as long as you can without passing out, then breath in and out one breath. Do you sense the gift of life, that your body breaths in and out without even thinking about it? As your chest moves up and down, do you have the sense of being created with divine purpose, sustained by another’s will outside of your control?  
•  Or do you take your breath for granted? 

•  God set a limitation on Man – Genesis 2:9, 15-17:  
•  (9) And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  
•  This world is full of offense. Are you offended by the very thought, God put limitations on you?
• To have the knowledge of good and evil, do you recognize your vulnerability to either? What do believe they are?  
•  What do you believe the tree of life is? Eternal passage? Or the regeneration of your cells?  
•  (15) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  
•  (16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  
•  (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.  
•  Have you recognized the consequence of choice in your life?  
•  What do you know of death? Physical, Spiritual, Relational, Positional?  
• Have you lost a loved one? Pet, Spouse, Parent, Child?  
•  Are you faced with weakness in your own body? Gender limitations, Deformities, Dismemberment, Infirmities, Emotionally, Developmentally?  
•  Are you approaching death? In what manner? Accident, Disease, Self-Inflicted, Victimization, or Natural? 

• It is Not Good that Man Should Be Alone – Genesis 2:21-25: 
•  (21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;  
•  (22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  
•  (23) And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  
•  As a man:  
• Do you sense the oneness of body, beyond sexual intimacy, that causes you to honor and cherish a woman?  
• What belief of being complete does a woman offer you?  
• Do you believe God literally took a rib from Adam’s side to form Eve?  
•  As a woman:  
• Do you sense the gift or delight in being one with a man, beyond sexual intimacy, that causes you to respect the role of man and your need of him?  
• Are you moved by feminism, which is autonomy?  
• Do you believe God literally took a rib from Adam to form the woman? How could that be considered a good?  
•  (25) And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.  
•  Naked. With all of you showing, do you walk with pride or embarrassment?  
• Unashamed. What does the word represent to you? What is your initial feeling? Have you ever been unashamed? What did that mean for you?  
•  Vulnerable. With tender body parts exposed, do you have a sense of safety?  
•  Do you share a mutual sense of intimacy in your:  Emotions? Hopes? Dreams? Trust? Reliance? 

• The Fall of Man – Genesis 3:1-6: 
• (1) Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  
•  What is your thought? Why did the serpent speak only to the woman?  
•  (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  
•  Are you innocent in your beliefs? Do you also have a sense of being naive?  
• Naïve definition - having or showing a lack of experience or knowledge; to be innocent or simple.  
•  (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  
• Was this her conscious speaking or her belief?  
• What is the difference between the two to you?  
•  (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  
•  WARNING: Contradiction to the words God spoke.  
•  (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.  
•  WARNING: The act of being led astray.  
•  (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  
•  WARNING: James 1:14, but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 

•  Choice – Genesis 3:7-11: 
•  (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  
• You’re busted. You’re guilty. What is your response?  
• Do you try to cover up your shame, your nakedness, and your sin?  
•  (8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  
•  (9) And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?  
• When you lose your sense of peace, do you hide from, avoid or ignore God?  
• What life changing conclusions have you drawn from avoiding God? Is He an angry God? Do you fear Him? Has your fear turned to anger towards Him? Have you decided there no God?  
•  (10) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.  
• What is your initial response to authority when you are exposed? Fear? Shame? Anger? 
•  Or do you hide? In what way?  
•  (11) And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.  
• Have you ever confessed your motive when found out?  
• Have you ever shared with others how it felt to be busted?  
• Even when you know in your heart you are wrong, are you willing to admit your shame?  

• Beliefs of God Extended to Others - Genesis 3:12:  
• (12) And the man said, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”  
• “What’s for dinner, Honey?” Whose fault is it, really?  
• Do you see the false argument and blame?  
• Your altered sense of who God is extends into relationships with others. Do you defend yourself at the cost of or loss of relationship?  
• Looking ahead, God tells us of the greatest commandment. “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” (Luke 10:27). How would you rate yourself in this area? Could you hold it up to God and still stand? Or do you concede?

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Job 42:1-6