Genesis 1:26-31
Man and Woman are Made in the Image of God
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Matthew 22:15-22
Paying Tax to Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.”They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
Jesus teaches us the eternities...We see this throughout the gospels as He travels around teaching us...
Moses, years before Jesus came and dwelt on the earth, wrote that we are made in the Image of God, in the likeness of those in the heavenly host...God gave man the right to rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground...And so it is written that God created mankind in His Own image, and in His Image He created mankind...God blessed the male and female He created and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it...Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”...Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it...They will be yours for food...And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.”...And it was so...God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—so on the sixth day mankind was created...
So man is made in God's Image...We are His creation, as is everything in the world...We seek Him and are restless until we find Him and rest in His arms...He gave us a soul, a heart, and a Spirit to seek Him -and we do seek Him in our own ways...
Jesus one day was approached in a challenging way that relates to the stories of images of things and how images relate to God...One day the Pharisees went out and made plans to trap Jesus in His own words...They sent out their disciples to Him along with the Herodians...“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are a Man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth...You aren’t swayed by others, because You pay no attention to who they are...Tell us then, what is Your opinion?...Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”...But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap Me?...Show Me the coin used for paying the tax.”...They brought Him a denarius, and He asked them, “Whose image is this?...And whose inscription?”...“Caesar’s,” they replied...Then He said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”...When they heard this, they were amazed...So they left Him and went away...The Pharisees realized coins and money meant little to Jesus...
There is something ordinary about a coin, but nothing ordinary about any man...Images can be just images on things...But mankind is made in God's Image...While many coins and monies have the image of different men and women on them, we do not...God has created each one of us individually, with a heart, a soul, and a Spirit...So while a tax can be paid with the image of a man with money, getting to heaven takes the Image of God that is Spiritually written on our soul...Let us give God our hearts and our Spiritual souls...