September 24, 2025 • 47 mins
In this message from Genesis 1–2, David Platt points us to God’s good design for humanity, created for His glory.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast with sermons andmessages from pastor, author and
teacher David Platt.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
We're in week three of a series we're calling God's
Good Design, looking at God'sgood design for creation,
humanity, sexuality, work, rest,marriage all in the first two
chapters of the Bible, knowingwe're living in a day where
these foundations are beingradically redefined in ways that
(00:30):
are contrary to God's gooddesign for us and, as a result,
in ways that are not good for us.
I love the way Mike put it thefirst week.
He said when oceans transgresstheir designed boundaries, we
call that a disaster, and whenwe transgress God's good design
for our lives, it's tragic.
And tragic is the right word,particularly as we approach this
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topic of humanity today.
So here's the fundamentalquestion we're going to answer
today what does it mean to behuman?
And how we answer that questioncan lead to tremendous good in
the world or horrendous evil.
I think of all the good inhistory that's been done on
behalf of the poor and theoppressed, the unborn, the
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enslaved, the abused, thedisabled, when people have
believed that all humans havedignity and worth.
This last week, at our churchfamily meeting, we shared about
a partnership we've started withan Afghan house church network.
We're helping spread the gospelto literally hundreds of
thousands of Afghans and I wastalking last week with one of
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the Afghan leaders of that work,who told me about how, when
women in Afghanistan hear thatGod values them equally as much
as he values men, it's shockingto them, turns their whole
worldview upside down and givesthem dignity that they never had
.
And many, particularly women,are coming to faith in Jesus in
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Afghanistan.
In any culture, in any country,in any relationship where a
woman or a man is treated asinferior, then we are going
directly against the good designof God and those who believe
that will work for the equaldignity of women and men.
But that's just it.
So much evil occurs andcontinues when people don't
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promote or believe the truththat all humans are equally made
in God's image.
We know this from history.
Listen to this.
Adolf Hitler, in his book MeinKampf in 1927, wrote that the
stronger members of society arequote images of the Lord, while
the weaker members aredeformities of that image that
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need to be cleansed from society, which led, we know, to filling
gas chambers with people whowere deemed physically or
intellectually disabled, only tobe followed by millions of men
and women who were gypsy orJewish.
But we don't have to cross anocean to see this danger here in
our history.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr arguedthat Native Americans were quote
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not as fully God's image as theso-called white man.
So it was appropriate, he said,for the red man to be rubbed
out.
Similar arguments have beenmade to demean Asian Americans
and really is at the root of allethnic prejudice and pride.
We know millions of Africanswere enslaved by professing
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Christians and church leaderswho believed Africans were less
human than them.
And it didn't stop with theCivil War.
In 1900, in a book on the imageof God published by the
American Book and Bible House,charles Carroll wrote if the
white was created in the imageof God, then the negro was made
after some other model.
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Similar arguments have been madein our history to demean women
because of their gender or whenit comes to disability.
Here in the state where I'mstanding, the Virginia
Sterilization Act of 1924 waspassed and remained in effect
until 1979, during which timethousands of women were
sterilized because they weredeemed mentally defective.
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And Oliver Wendell Holmes Jrfamously said in a majority
ruling of a Supreme Court casein 1927, three generations of
imbeciles are enough.
Margaret Sanger, founder ofPlanned Parenthood, said every
feeble-minded girl or woman ofthe hereditary type, especially
of the moron class, should besegregated during the
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reproductive period.
Otherwise she is almost certainto bear imbecile children who,
in turn, are just as certain tobreed other defectives, imbecile
children who, in turn, are justas certain to breed other
defectives.
And just in case all this seemslike a bygone era, just listen
to conversations today abouteugenics, arranging human
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reproduction, genomics, writinghuman genetic code these
conversations that are happeningaround the world right now.
Josiah Zahner is a biohackerknown for his
self-experimentation withgenetic material.
He declared not long ago we didit.
We genetically engineered anembryo.
Our humanity has just beenchanged forever.
I view it as one of the mostgroundbreaking things that's
been done in science In all ofhuman history.
We didn't get to decide whatgenes we have right.
(05:24):
Now we do.
Walter Isaacson wrote a book ongene editing and those who are
leading the way in this field.
He put it this way from hisevolutionary perspective After
more than three billion years ofevolution of life on this
planet, one species us hasdeveloped the talent and
temerity to grab control of itsown genetic future.
There is a sense that we havecrossed the threshold into a
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whole new age, perhaps a bravenew world, like when Adam and
Eve bit into the apple, he wrote.
Figuring out if and when toedit our genes will be one of
the most consequential questionsof the 21st century.
And this is all on top ofdiscussions about artificial
intelligence and the blurring oflines between man and machine.
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Stephen Hawking, who I quotedfrom last week, once said the
development of full artificialintelligence could spell the end
of the human race.
It would take off on its ownand redesign itself at an
ever-increasing rate.
Humans who were limited by slowbiological evolution couldn't
compete and would be superseded.
Now just to pause there for amoment, it took God about one
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second in Genesis, chapter 11,to confound the plans of man.
So we have no reason to beworried or afraid.
But have I convinced you?
It's important to have theright answer to this question
what does it mean to be human?
And today I want to show youthe answer to that question
straight from the mouth of theone who makes humans.
(06:53):
And we're going to cover a tonof scripture, because I want you
to see what God says about youand me and every other human
being on the planet.
So get ready to take some notes, turn in your Bibles, and it's
going to get pretty dense atpoints, but hang with me, I
promise you it will be worth it.
(07:14):
So let me start by setting thestage for what we're about to
read in Genesis 1.
Tselem is a Hebrew word, sowe're jumping right into the
brew from the beginning.
Tselem is a Hebrew word, sowe're jumping right into the
brew from the beginning.
That's often translated imageor idol.
So if you were living in OldTestament times when you saw
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this word, you'd likely have oneof two pictures in your mind.
On one hand, you might picturean image that a king would set
up to represent himself, and theking would require people to
give homage to it.
That's what happens in Daniel,chapter 3.
In Babylon, king Nebuchadnezzarmade an image of gold whose
height was 60 cubits and itsbreadth six cubits, and he tells
everybody in the kingdom to bowdown to it as a picture of
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bowing down to him.
And then the other picture thatmight come to your mind when
you see Selim is a temple that'sdedicated to a God, and in that
temple there would be an imageor images of that God.
2 Kings, chapter 11, verse 18,talks about how all the people
of the land went to the house ofBaal, this false God, and tore
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it down, his altars and hisimages.
They broke in pieces.
But here's where God's peoplewere totally countercultural
because they didn't believetheir king was a God and they
were commanded not to makeimages, any images of any kind
of God, including the one, trueGod.
And that background makes whatwe're about to read stunning.
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Because Genesis, chapter one,verse 26, after everything else
in the universe has been createdsun, moon, stars, skies, land,
water, fish, birds, animals,everything.
Then God said let us make manin our what Image and that's the
word that we just talked aboutSell them after our likeness and
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let them have dominion over thefish of the sea and over the
birds of the heavens and overthe livestock and over all the
earth and over every creepingthing that creeps on the earth.
So God created man in his ownwhat Image.
In the image of God, he createda male and female.
He created them Three times.
We see this Hebrew word God inhis word word is saying that
humans, that's what man is areference to humankind.
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People are images, they'rerepresentations of him, almost
like this world is a temple andthe images or idols in this
world that represent God arehuman beings and not just some
humans like the elite, or aparticular ethnicity or gender.
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No, this is stunning.
God is saying all humankind,without exception, including
male and female, regardless ofethnicity, disability, anything.
All humans are created in theimage of God or the likeness of
God, which is a parallel concepthere.
(10:14):
And then read what happens next.
And God blessed them.
And God said to them befruitful and multiply and fill
the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish ofthe sea, over the birds of the
heavens and over every livingthing that moves on the earth.
And God said behold, I've givenyou every plant yielding seed
that's on the face of all theearth and every tree with seed
in its fruit.
You shall have them for foodand to every beast of the earth
and every bird of the heavensand everything that creeps on
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the earth, everything that hasthe made.
And behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and therewas morning, the sixth day.
Oh, there's so much here and,like I said, it's stunning.
God has just described thecrown jewel of all creation.
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And do you realize what it is?
It's us, amen.
It's you and me, all of us,without exception, unlike
anything else in all creation.
You and I, people, are imagesof the creator.
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Mark it down Humanity'sdefining characteristic is that
we are all equally made in theimage of God himself.
This is who we are.
Now some might say don't youmean were?
This is who humans were beforesin came into the world in
Genesis 3?
And I don't mean that, becausethe Bible doesn't say that.
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You look in Genesis chapterfive, verses one through three,
and Genesis chapter nine, versesix, after sin has come into the
world, the Bible still sayspeople are made in the image of
God, which means this truthapplies all the way to you and
me today.
God's image in us has not beenlost or destroyed or broken.
You and I, right where you'resitting right now, you are in
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the image of God, which thenbegs the question what does that
mean about me?
I want to show you God's answerto that question in two ways,
both of which answer what itmeans to be human.
According to the Bible, to behuman, to be made in the image
of God, means that you aredesigned one for close
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relationship with God.
Just see the close connectionhere between humans and God in
Genesis 1 and 2.
Right before what we just readin Genesis 1, 26,.
You see, all these othercreatures that were created
according to their kinds.
Let the earth bring forthliving creatures according to
their kinds, livestock andcreeping things and beasts of
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the earth according to theirkinds.
And it was so.
God made the beasts of theearth according to their kinds,
the livestock according to theirkinds, everything that creeps
on the ground according to itskind.
And God saw that it was good.
But then, in the very nextverse, with humans the language
is totally different.
There's no other kind like them.
They're made in the likeness ofGod, and God didn't just use
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the more impersonal let there beor let the earth bring forth
this or that.
Instead, god says verypersonally let us make A
reference, by the way, to theTrinitarian nature of God.
Let us make man in our image,after our likeness.
And then check this out Genesis,chapter 2, verse 6, describing
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how God created man.
We read then the Lord Godformed the man of dust from the
ground and breathed into hisnostrils the breath of life, and
the man became a livingcreature.
How close, intimate, is that.
God breathing life, god sharingbreath with man.
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And then the first thing Goddoes after he makes man and
woman is.
He blesses them and he givesthem all these things.
We see that word give twice.
I give you all these things.
And then God, looking athumanity, says I saw everything
that I made.
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And behold, up until now, godsaw what he made and it was good
.
God saw what he made.
It was good.
This day, god saw what he madeand it was what.
God saw what he made.
It was good.
This day, god saw what he madeand it was what Very good, like
really, really, really good.
See it, god made you and me forclose, unique, special
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relationship with him.
Unlike anything else in allcreation, just let this soak in.
The God who spoke the world intobeing the omnipotent,
omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, infinitely holy, just,
righteous, loving, sovereign,creator and sustainer of
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everything, has personally madeyou for close relationship with
him.
You've been made for intimaterelationship with God.
That's awesome, and I do notuse that word lightly.
This is breathtaking.
What we're made for, and thensecond.
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So to be human, to be made inthe image of God, means that you
are designed watch this as aroyal representative of God.
Remember this is what it meansto be an image.
Images represented kings or gods, and what the Bible is saying
is that you and I have theresponsibility and privilege and
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place of representing God inthe world.
And I say responsibilitybecause, to be clear, we are not
God, we're creatures.
He's the creator.
We're dependent on God andwe're accountable to God to
carry out a royal commission.
That is also breathtaking.
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You and I represent the king ofthe world to all the world.
It's what we do as people madein God's image, which is what
God means when he says I giveyou dominion.
The word means royal rule.
I give you royal rule torepresent me, to reflect my
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goodness and my justice and mybenevolent rule over creation.
I've made you to do this.
Now make the connection here Torepresent me in close
relationship with me, whichmakes sense.
You can't rule creation as arepresentative of God apart from
close relationship with God.
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This is where the way Genesis 1and 2 is written is amazing.
If you were here last week, wetalked about how Moses wrote
this creation account for God'speople when they were journeying
from slavery in Egypt through awilderness to the promised land
, and we saw last week theparallels between the promised
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land and the Garden of Eden, asGod was intentionally saying to
his people through the way thisstory is written.
I'm bringing you back to mygood design for you to dwell
with me, and that word dwell isa key word in this whole story.
So when Adam and Eve in Genesis3 are driven out of Eden, the
Bible tells us verse 24, thatGod drove out the man and at the
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east of the garden of Eden heplaced the cherubim and a
flaming sword that turned everyway to guard the way to the tree
of life.
Now look at this word placedit's the Hebrew word shekan,
which means to dwell.
So the picture is God causesthese cherubim or angels to
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dwell at the spot to keep Adamand Eve from the Garden of Eden,
from the tree of life.
But then what's interesting iswhen you get to Exodus, the next
book in the Bible, as we readabout these wanderings in the
wilderness, god uses this sameword to describe how he's going
to dwell among his people inwhat's called the tabernacle.
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This is really important.
So the tabernacle was like aportable temple that signified
God's presence in the middle ofhis people.
And after God rescues them fromslavery in Egypt and gives them
his law, the Ten Commandments,god says in Exodus 25, verse 8,
let them, make me a sanctuarythat I may dwell in their midst.
Same word, shekan, that we sawin Genesis, chapter 3, verse 24,
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at the entrance to Eden.
And that's what leads into Godgiving specific instructions.
I'm gonna show you the patternfor the tabernacle, all its
furniture, so you'll make itexactly how I said to make it.
And then we have all thesespecifications about the
tabernacle, this place where Godwill dwell among his people.
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And what's interesting is, whenyou look at how the tabernacle
is described, it looks a lotlike Eden, and I wish I had time
to turn all these places withyou.
I don't.
So I'll just give you a list ofparallels between Eden and the
tabernacle and you can go backand look later if you like.
So first, in Genesis 1, seventimes we read and God said we
see seven specific creative acts.
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And after the seventh time weread about God resting on the
Sabbath.
Well, in the construction ofthe tabernacle you look from
Exodus 25 to 31, tabernacle youlook from Exodus 25 to 31,.
Exactly seven times we read theLord said.
And after the seventh time weread that the Lord talks about
the Sabbath.
Then in Genesis, chapter 3,verse 8, we read about how God
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was walking in the Garden ofEden.
And in Leviticus, chapter 26,verses 11 and 12, specifically
verse 12, we see the exact samelanguage describing how God is
walking with his people in thetabernacle.
And then in Genesis, chaptertwo, verse 10 through 12, eden
is described as a place filledwith gold, delium and onyx, all
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of which are represented in thetabernacle.
And delium's really interesting, because you might say, well,
that's just kind of acoincidence, but delium is only
mentioned one other time, afterGenesis 2, and it's referring in
the book of Exodus Exodus 16,33, to the manna that God
provided in the wildernessNumbers, chapter 11, verse 7,.
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Those two verses together makeclear there was some of that
manna that was to be included inthe middle of the tabernacle.
Then Eden had the tree of lifeat the center of it and the
tabernacle had a lampstand in itExodus 25, verse 31 through 40,
.
That's described, depicted likea tree, complete with blossoms
and branches and flowers.
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And then so I'll show you thisone Remember the cherubim, those
angels that were flanking theentrance.
Remember the cherubim, thoseangels that were flanking the
entrance to the Garden of Eden,keeping Adam and Eve from the
Tree of Life, well, in thecenter of the tabernacle you
have what's called the mercyseat, which symbolizes God
sitting among his people.
And look what's flanking bothsides of the mercy seat Exodus
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25, verse 18.
You shall make two cherubim ofgold, of hammered work.
Shall you make them on the twoends of the mercy seat?
Make one cherub on the one endand one cherub on the other end.
So in both places you havecherubim guarding the way to the
presence of God.
And then one last parallel justlike we saw last week, the
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entrance to eden was on theeastern side genesis 3, 24.
And you'll never guess wherethe entrance is to the
tabernacle, also on the east.
The point is and is that whengod was giving very specific
instructions for theconstruction of the tabernacle,
which we sometimes wonder, whythis?
Why God was very intentionallygiving his people a picture that
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paralleled Eden in Genesis 1and 2, the place that he
originally designed for humanityto dwell with him.
Now here's where humanity comesin, what it means to be made in
the image of God.
So check this out.
I promise, hang with me, thisis going to be worth it.
Look at Genesis, chapter 2,verse 15.
I promise, hang with me, thisis gonna be worth it.
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Look at Genesis, chapter two,verse 15.
In this creation account weread the Lord, god took the man
and put him in the Garden ofEden to work it and to keep it.
Now we're gonna talk more aboutwork in the coming weeks, but I
wanna show you today thiscombination of work and keep
these two Hebrew words thatMoses uses here.
He only uses in what he writesto refer to one other thing, and
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that one other thing that heuses these two words to describe
is priests who were working inthe tabernacle.
I'll show you an exampleNumbers, chapter 18, verse 7.
You and your son shall guardyour priesthood for all that
concerns the altar and that iswithin the veil, and you shall
serve.
The word here for guard is thesame word that's translated keep
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in Genesis 2.15, and the wordthat's serve here is the same
word that's translated work inGenesis 2.15.
And so what is happening here isMoses, in describing the priest
in the tabernacle, is drawing aparallel between the priest and
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Adam in the Garden of Eden, andyou'll never guess what the
priest would wear.
They'd wear gold and onyx, justlike we see in Eden in Genesis,
chapter 2.
God is telling us in his wordthat Adam this human, made in
the image of God, was like apriest in a tabernacle or a
temple.
And just like priests dwelledwith God in the tabernacle, adam
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this human was made to dwellwith God in Eden.
But then what happens?
Adam and Eve sin, right, theyturn away from God and his
presence.
They decide they know betterwhat is best for their lives
than God does, the one who madethem, and as a result, they lose
their innocence, they realizetheir nakedness, they experience
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guilt and shame before God,before each other, guilt and
shame like we all experience andstruggle with as humans in this
world.
And God provides a sacrifice tocreate a covering for them.
Genesis, chapter three, verse21, says the Lord, god, made for
Adam and for his wife garmentsof skin and clothed them.
So that word garments rightthere.
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Picture it here in Eden.
They now needed clothesassociated with a sacrifice to
cover over them.
So watch this.
Now we're getting really closeto how all this applies to cover
over them.
So watch this.
Now we're getting really closeto how all this applies to you
and me.
Hang with me.
You fast forward to thetabernacle Every year on the day
of atonement, which means theday of covering for the people's
sins, the high priest would puton particular clothes.
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Leviticus, chapter 16, versefour, says he shall put on the
holy linen coat, and that word,right there, is the same exact
word that was used in Genesis 3,verse 21, to describe Adam and
Eve's garments.
Here he shall put on this holylinen coat and shall have the
linen undergarment on his body.
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He shall tie the linen sasharound his waist and wear the
linen turban.
These are the holy garments.
He shall bathe his body inwater and put them on.
So got this picture of covering.
And then you see it fourdifferent times Linen, linen,
linen, linen.
Just remember that for later.
Why is linen emphasized so much, like that?
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So the picture is the priestgoing into the tabernacle, the
most holy place, where the mercyseat is flanked by these two
cherubim, these angels.
He offers a sacrifice for thepeople's sins and then
afterwards he takes off thoselinen garments, leaves them
there and changes into clothes,other clothes, to signify that
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the offering is complete.
Aaron shall come into the tentof meeting, shall take off those
linen garments that he put on,and the priest would do this
once every year, year after yearafter year, as a picture of the
need for humans to have theirsins covered or atoned for in
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order to be able to dwell withGod, and it was a continual,
annual reminder to all humanitythat we are all separated by our
sin from a holy God, the God inwhose image we were made.
And this is the human story.
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It's not just the Old Testamentor the Bible.
This is all of our stories, youand I.
So now bring it into your lap.
You and I were made for closerelationship with God.
I'll just make it specific toyou, just to let this soak in.
You were made for closerelationship with God.
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You are made to be a royalrepresentative of God in this
world, but you, just like me andevery other human, you have
turned from God.
You have said you know betterwhat is best for your life than
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the God who made you.
You have sin in your heart thatkeeps you from experiencing all
that you are made for, and youand I feel this every day in
this fallen world, as sinners ina world of sinners.
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This is the human story, but itis not the end of the human
story.
You turn the pages of the Bibleafter just spiraling sin
throughout the Old Testament, apicture of what looks like the
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hopelessness of humanity.
Until you turn.
Check out how the book of Johnopens in the New Testament In
the what Beginning.
That's the same language asGenesis, chapter one, verse one.
John's pointing us back tocreation.
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He says in the beginning wasthe word.
In the beginning, god said, godsaid, god said the word of God
and the word.
God said the word of God andthe word was with God and the
word was God.
He now, wait a second.
The word is a person.
The revelation of God is notjust words on a page.
It's a person he was, who wasin the beginning with God and
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all things were made through him.
Without him was not anythingmade that was made.
Wait a minute, who's thistalking about?
And the more we read on, westart to realize John is
introducing us to Jesus as theword, the revelation of God.
And it all becomes clear whenwe get to verse 14.
And John writes and the wordbecame flesh and dwelt among us.
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And we have seen his glory,glory as of the only Son from
the Father, full of grace andtruth.
What Do you know what this worddwelt means?
It's the same word that istranslated tabernacle in the Old
Testament.
You realize what this is saying.
Jesus is the tabernacle.
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He's the dwelling place of Godin the world.
God has come to us such thatwhen you see Jesus, you see the
glory of the Father face to face.
This is revolutionary.
Jesus is not just a prophet.
He's not just a great humanteacher.
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He is the image of theinvisible God.
He's not made in the image ofGod.
He is the image of God.
He's the epitome of humanity,god in the flesh.
Hebrews 1, 3.
He is the radiance of the gloryof God.
He's the exact imprint of hisnature.
He's the one who upholds theuniverse by the word of his
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power.
He is Emmanuel.
God with us who?
So now just come back to thebook of John here, which just so
happens to be our church'sBible reading right now, and
you're not gonna be able towrite all these down, so just
sit back and just soak it in Allthe ways.
John points us back to thiswhole picture.
John tells us that Jesus hascome to offer his life as a
sacrifice of our sins.
Listen to the language.
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Behold the Lamb of God.
That's Exodus language whotakes away the sin of the world.
God's people delivered out ofslavery in Egypt.
Jesus came to deliver us out ofslavery to sin and death.
Then, in John chapter two, jesusis the temple.
Jesus answered them destroythis temple, talking about the
building, and in three days Iwill raise it up.
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The Jews said it was taking 46years to build this temple.
You raised it up in three days.
He was speaking about thetemple of his body.
Jesus says I am the place whereyou encounter the glory of God,
not just this building.
You're going to kill me and I'mgoing to be raised up in three
days.
That leads to John, chapterfour.
Remember the river flowing fromEden?
Well, jesus is.
(31:13):
Oh sorry, I skipped Johnchapter three.
Verse three tells Nicodemusanyone who is born again can see
the kingdom of God.
In other words, you were madein the image of God.
You need to be remade from theinside out to experience the
life that you're designed tolive.
Which then leads to Johnchapter 4, the river flowing
from Eden.
Jesus is a spring of water whowells up to eternal life.
(31:35):
John chapter 7, whoever isthirsty let him come to me and
drink.
Whoever believes in me, out ofhis heart will flow rivers of
living water.
Or John chapter 6, think aboutthe manna in the tabernacle
After Jesus feeds the 5,000,.
People are saying God gave hispeople manna in the wilderness.
What are you gonna give us?
Jesus says I am the bread oflife.
Whoever comes to me shall nothunger.
(31:56):
Whoever believes in me shallnever thirst.
John, chapter eight thinkingabout the lampstand in the
tabernacle, jesus says I am thelight of the world.
Who causes people to say Johnnine, I was blind.
Causes people to say John 9, Iwas blind, but now I see.
John chapter 10, he is the doorto dwelling with God.
Then you think about the treeof life.
John, chapter 11, verse 25,jesus says I am the resurrection
(32:18):
and the life.
Whoever believes in me, thoughhe dies yet, shall he live.
Everyone who lives and believesin me shall never die.
John, chapter 14, in my Father'shouse are many rooms.
The word means dwelling places.
It's the same word thatRevelation uses to describe
heaven.
In my Father's house are manydwelling places for you, and I
am the way there.
I am the truth, I am the life,I am the vine.
(32:42):
John, chapter 15.
John chapter 16, to all who areburdened by sin, in this
sin-sick world, in this world,in your fallen humanity, you
will have tribulation, but takeheart, I have overcome this
world.
John chapter 17,.
Jesus is the high priest whointercedes for us.
And then check this out.
John chapter 18, we come toguess what.
(33:04):
When Jesus had spoken thesewords, he went out with the
disciples across the BrookKidron, where there was a garden
Well, that's interesting whichhe and the disciples entered,
this garden of Gethsemane, whereJesus, the image of God in the
flesh, faces a choice.
(33:25):
Back in the garden in Genesis,there was a man made in the
image of God who failed and saidnot your will, but mine be done
.
Here in the garden we have thesinless man who is the image of
God, who says not my will, butyours be done.
And then he's arrested.
(33:46):
In John 19, listen to whatPilate says in verse six.
Jesus came out wearing thecrown of thorns, the purple robe
.
Pilate said to him behold theman.
Do you see this?
Pilate literally says beholdthe human.
Pilate has no idea thesignificance of what he's saying
.
Behold what humanity isdesigned to be Close
relationship with the father.
And what's the next thingPilate says in verse 14?
(34:09):
Behold your king, royalrepresentative of the king,
which leads to Jesus'scrucifixion, where, on the cross
, he cries out it is finished,the work is done.
And once the creator on thecross finishes his work of
redeeming his creation, what dowe read about in the very next
verse, sabbath?
(34:30):
None of this is coincidence.
It all fits together.
There is no book like this,book written by all these
authors in different languagesat different times over
centuries, that all tell oneoverarching story that points us
to Jesus.
And check this out, it getseven better.
So Jesus is buried.
We saw this last week.
But I want you to pay attentionto something new.
This out, it gets even better.
So Jesus is buried.
We saw this last week.
But I want you to pay attentionto something new this week when
(34:52):
they go to the tomb.
So Peter and John run there.
Peter went out with the otherdisciple that's how John refers
to himself and they were goingtoward the tomb.
Both of them were runningtogether, but the other disciple
outran Peter and reached thetomb first.
That's kind of funny that Johnpoints out for all history that
Peter was slow and he was fast.
Is this not like siblingrivalry?
Like I beat you Just want towrite it down for everyone to
(35:14):
talk about for history.
So anyway, they get there Stupidto look in.
John saw the linen cloths lyingthere, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came followinghim and went into the tomb.
He saw the linen cloths lyingthere and the face cloth which
had been on Jesus' head, notlying with the linen cloths
lying there, and the face clothwhich had been on Jesus' head,
not lying with the linen clothsbut folded up in a place by
(35:36):
itself.
Well, that's interesting.
Three times there's a focus onwhat kind of cloths Linen cloths
.
It's like John's trying to tellus something and he
specifically tells us they'refolded up.
Why?
It would have been sufficientto tell us Jesus died and rose
again.
John's telling us Jesus died,rose again and he made his bed.
Why is he telling us this?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
(36:03):
Look a couple of verses later weread Mary stood weeping outside
the tomb and as she wept shestooped to look into the tomb
and she saw two angels in whitesitting where the body of Jesus
had lain, one at the head andone at the feet.
Get the picture.
You got two angels flankingthis scene with linen cloths
nicely folded up and leftbetween them.
Does that sound familiar?
Remember when the priest on theday of atonement, would put on
(36:26):
linen clothes, would go into thecenter of the tabernacle where
the mercy seat was, with twoangels, one on each side, and
the priest would offer thesacrifice.
And then he would leave thoseclothes there, change into
something else.
Are you seeing this?
Jesus, the complete human, theperfect priest, has gone into
the most holy place.
He has offered not the blood ofanother sacrifice, he has
(36:48):
offered his own blood once andfor all sinners.
He has said it is finished andhe has walked out, leaving those
sacrificial clothes behind,neatly folded up forever,
because there is no need forsacrifice anymore.
He has paid the price forsinners to have their sin
totally covered by his blood.
(37:09):
And then he speaks to Mary.
And what is Jesus, this man whois the image of God?
What's the first word that hespeaks after rising from the
dead?
In the book of John he sayswoman, which takes us all the
way back to Genesis, chapter two, where Adam looked at Eve and
said woman, and they beganworking together in God's
presence.
So here Jesus commissions Maryto join him in spreading the
(37:30):
good news that he's risen fromthe dead.
Then Jesus gets together withhis disciples.
Watch this.
Jesus said to them peace bewith you, as the Father has sent
me.
Even so, I'm sending you.
And when he had said this, hebreathed on them and said to
them receive the Holy Spirit.
That's Genesis two.
God in the flesh is nowbreathing new life by his spirit
(37:54):
into a new humanity.
Are you serious?
The Holy Spirit of God, theholy presence of God, is going
to dwell inside all who trust inJesus.
For what purpose?
For this purpose.
2 Corinthians, chapter 3, verse17.
The Lord is the Spirit.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And we are all with unveiledface beholding the glory of the
(38:17):
Lord being transformed into thesame image from one degree of
glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord,who is the Spirit to all who
believe in Jesus.
You have the Holy Spirit in youand you are free from the
penalty of sin in your life.
You are free from the power ofsin in your life.
You are free to be transformedinto the image of Jesus from one
(38:40):
degree of glory to another.
This is the Christian lifebecoming more and more and more
like Jesus every single day.
Romans, chapter 8, verse 28,.
God's working everythingtogether in your life for good.
What's that good?
So you'll be healthy andwealthy and have all you want in
this world and everything worksout the way you want.
No, we know that for those wholove God, all things work
(39:01):
together for good.
What is that For those who arecalled according to his purpose?
What's his purpose?
For those whom he foreknew?
He predestined to be conformedto the image of his son.
That's our purpose to look morelike Jesus.
God's working all thingstogether in our lives so that we
will be more conformed to theimage of Jesus, knowing that
being conformed into his imageis the highest good of humanity.
(39:24):
Was it Elizabeth Elliot whosaid God will not protect you
from anything in your life thatkeeps you from becoming more
like Jesus?
This is a high calling thateverything in your life, even
things you don't understand, areworking together toward.
So Colossians, chapter three,verse nine and 10,.
Let's put off the old self withits practices.
(39:44):
Let's put on the new self,which is being renewed in
knowledge after the image of itscreator.
This is the purpose of yourlife to be conformed into the
image of your creator.
So let this soak in Takeawaystoday.
Man or woman, every man orwoman made in the image of God,
(40:05):
that's all of you.
You have sacred dignity, soworship God with humility.
You let this soak in rightwhere you're sitting right now.
You have sacred, holy dignity.
Unlike anything else in allcreation, you are made in the
image of God.
(40:26):
So, yes, look at the GrandCanyon to see God's glory.
Look at the sunrise over themountains.
Look at the sunset over thehorizon and see God's glory.
Look at the billions of starsin the sky, at stellar galaxies,
and see God's glory.
But do you really want to seeGod's glory?
Look in the mirror.
Look in the mirror when youlook at your reflection.
(40:55):
Do not believe the lie from theadversary who's telling you
you're not enough this or you'renot enough that, when the truth
is, you are God's prizedcreation.
He doesn't make mistakes.
So do not believe the messagesof this world that you have to
do certain things in order toearn dignity, because good news,
true dignity, is received fromGod, not achieved by you.
(41:18):
So worship your creator as theone you're created for.
Your heart is made for God, inthe words of Augustine.
You have made us for yourself,o Lord, and our hearts are
restless until they find theirrest in you.
And it's not just you.
(41:38):
Everyone has sacred dignity.
So love others with honor.
Love every other person made inthe image of God with honor.
This includes your friends andthis includes your enemies.
This includes the people inyour camp and this includes the
people not in your camp.
This includes every singleperson on social media, without
(42:01):
exception.
Honor them.
This includes every leader inthe government, without
exception.
Honor them.
1 Peter 2,.
Honor everyone, even theemperor who's looking to kill
you.
Honor them.
They are made in the image ofGod.
This includes the poor, theoppressed, the needy, the
disabled, the broken, thehurting, from the womb to the
(42:22):
tomb.
Every human being, in everytribe, language, people and
nation.
We are royal representatives ofGod in this world, which means
we do justice, we love mercy andwe walk humbly with God, loving
others with the dignity God hastold us they possess, and not
just dignity.
Let this soak in.
(42:43):
You have an eternal destiny.
So behold and become more likeJesus.
Your destiny is to be conformedinto the image of Jesus, 2
Corinthians 3.
So behold him every day in hisword, fix your eyes on him, walk
with him in the world and makeit your aim, by the power of his
spirit in you, to look morelike Jesus tomorrow than you do
(43:04):
today.
More like Jesus next week thanyou do today.
This is what you're made for.
1 John, chapter 3.
Beloved, we're God's childrennow.
What we will be has not yetappeared, but we know that when
he appears we shall be like him.
We shall see him as he is, andeveryone who thus hopes in him
purifies himself as he's pure.
And we know, one day thesebodies in this world are going
(43:24):
to stop working, but praise God,that won't be the end.
1 stop working, but praise God,that won't be the end.
1 Corinthians, 15, 49,.
Just as we have borne the imageof the man of dust, we shall
also bear the image of the manof heaven.
All who know and trust in Jesusas Lord will have a new,
resurrected body, just as Jesusdoes.
And check this out Revelation,chapter 5, verse 9,.
The song of heaven to Jesus.
(43:44):
Worthy are you to take thescroll to open its seals, for
you were slain by your.
Worthy are you to take thescroll to open its seals, for
you were slain by your blood.
You ransomed, you redeemedpeople for God from every nation
, tribe and language, and peopleand nation from all across
humanity, and you have made thema kingdom and priest to our God
and they shall reign on theearth.
Talk about destiny.
(44:05):
Your destiny is a kingdom andpriest.
We, yes, we love countries here, but we're living for another
country where we have a kingdom,where we are priests to our God
and we will reign forever onthe earth.
Oh, heaven is not sitting onclouds and endless choir
practice.
It is a physical place where weare gonna fully experience what
(44:27):
we're made for in a new heavenand a new earth close
relationship with God, royalrepresentation of God in a world
with no more sin, no moresorrow, no more sadness and no
more death, which leads to thelast implication.
Because it's not just us.
Everyone has an eternal destiny.
So make disciples of Jesusamong all the nations.
(44:47):
Every single person in thiscity, every single person in the
world was made for closerelationship with God, and the
only way they can experiencethat is through Jesus and his
love for them.
So let's give our lives, let'slay down our lives, leading
people to life in him in ourcity, leading people to life in
him around the world.
(45:07):
This is what we're in thisworld to do, as humans made in
the image of our god.
Will you pray with me?
Just will you bow your heads.
For me, that was so much, and Ijust want to give you a moment,
a quiet moment, just to let itsoak in Hear, god saying to you
(45:35):
this is who you are.
And if you're a follower ofJesus, if you know Jesus as the
Savior and Lord of your life,been forgiven of your sin, been
freed from its power and penaltyin your life, then just pray,
god, make me more like Jesus,and pray in specific ways.
(45:56):
God, refine me in this way.
That way, god, show me theareas of my life that don't look
like Jesus, confess that Iwanna turn from that.
Or, god, these circumstancesI'm walking through, make me
more like Jesus through them.
I don't understand what's goingon, but I pray you'd make me
more like Jesus through them.
And if you have never put yourtrust in Jesus as Savior and
(46:19):
Lord of your life, let this bethe moment.
What are you waiting for?
God loves you.
He's made a way for you toexperience close relationship
with him, for Jesus, his deathon the cross, his resurrection
from the dead for you.
So I invite you just to say tohim right now God, yes, yes, I
(46:40):
want to be restored to closerelationship with you To the
reason for which I was made.
I believe Jesus died on thecross for my sin.
With you to the reason forwhich I was made.
I believe Jesus died on thecross for my sin.
I believe today Jesus rose fromthe dead for me to have life,
and I want life in you.
I turn from my sin and myselfand I trust in you as my Savior
(47:02):
and Lord.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of
David Platt Messages.
For more resources from DavidPlatt, we invite you to visit
Radicalnet.
You are listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast with sermons andmessages from pastor, author and
teacher David Platt.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
We're in week three of a series we're calling God's
Good Design, looking at God'sgood design for creation,
humanity, sexuality, work, rest,marriage all in the first two
chapters of the Bible, knowingwe're living in a day where
these foundations are beingradically redefined in ways that
(00:30):
are contrary to God's gooddesign for us and, as a result,
in ways that are not good for us.
I love the way Mike put it thefirst week.
He said when oceans transgresstheir designed boundaries, we
call that a disaster, and whenwe transgress God's good design
for our lives, it's tragic.
And tragic is the right word,particularly as we approach this
(00:54):
topic of humanity today.
So here's the fundamentalquestion we're going to answer
today what does it mean to behuman?
And how we answer that questioncan lead to tremendous good in
the world or horrendous evil.
I think of all the good inhistory that's been done on
behalf of the poor and theoppressed, the unborn, the
(01:16):
enslaved, the abused, thedisabled, when people have
believed that all humans havedignity and worth.
This last week, at our churchfamily meeting, we shared about
a partnership we've started withan Afghan house church network.
We're helping spread the gospelto literally hundreds of
thousands of Afghans and I wastalking last week with one of
(01:37):
the Afghan leaders of that work,who told me about how, when
women in Afghanistan hear thatGod values them equally as much
as he values men, it's shockingto them, turns their whole
worldview upside down and givesthem dignity that they never had
.
And many, particularly women,are coming to faith in Jesus in
(02:00):
Afghanistan.
In any culture, in any country,in any relationship where a
woman or a man is treated asinferior, then we are going
directly against the good designof God and those who believe
that will work for the equaldignity of women and men.
But that's just it.
So much evil occurs andcontinues when people don't
(02:23):
promote or believe the truththat all humans are equally made
in God's image.
We know this from history.
Listen to this.
Adolf Hitler, in his book MeinKampf in 1927, wrote that the
stronger members of society arequote images of the Lord, while
the weaker members aredeformities of that image that
(02:44):
need to be cleansed from society, which led, we know, to filling
gas chambers with people whowere deemed physically or
intellectually disabled, only tobe followed by millions of men
and women who were gypsy orJewish.
But we don't have to cross anocean to see this danger here in
our history.
Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr arguedthat Native Americans were quote
(03:06):
not as fully God's image as theso-called white man.
So it was appropriate, he said,for the red man to be rubbed
out.
Similar arguments have beenmade to demean Asian Americans
and really is at the root of allethnic prejudice and pride.
We know millions of Africanswere enslaved by professing
(03:28):
Christians and church leaderswho believed Africans were less
human than them.
And it didn't stop with theCivil War.
In 1900, in a book on the imageof God published by the
American Book and Bible House,charles Carroll wrote if the
white was created in the imageof God, then the negro was made
after some other model.
(03:50):
Similar arguments have been madein our history to demean women
because of their gender or whenit comes to disability.
Here in the state where I'mstanding, the Virginia
Sterilization Act of 1924 waspassed and remained in effect
until 1979, during which timethousands of women were
sterilized because they weredeemed mentally defective.
(04:13):
And Oliver Wendell Holmes Jrfamously said in a majority
ruling of a Supreme Court casein 1927, three generations of
imbeciles are enough.
Margaret Sanger, founder ofPlanned Parenthood, said every
feeble-minded girl or woman ofthe hereditary type, especially
of the moron class, should besegregated during the
(04:36):
reproductive period.
Otherwise she is almost certainto bear imbecile children who,
in turn, are just as certain tobreed other defectives, imbecile
children who, in turn, are justas certain to breed other
defectives.
And just in case all this seemslike a bygone era, just listen
to conversations today abouteugenics, arranging human
(05:02):
reproduction, genomics, writinghuman genetic code these
conversations that are happeningaround the world right now.
Josiah Zahner is a biohackerknown for his
self-experimentation withgenetic material.
He declared not long ago we didit.
We genetically engineered anembryo.
Our humanity has just beenchanged forever.
I view it as one of the mostgroundbreaking things that's
been done in science In all ofhuman history.
We didn't get to decide whatgenes we have right.
(05:24):
Now we do.
Walter Isaacson wrote a book ongene editing and those who are
leading the way in this field.
He put it this way from hisevolutionary perspective After
more than three billion years ofevolution of life on this
planet, one species us hasdeveloped the talent and
temerity to grab control of itsown genetic future.
There is a sense that we havecrossed the threshold into a
(05:47):
whole new age, perhaps a bravenew world, like when Adam and
Eve bit into the apple, he wrote.
Figuring out if and when toedit our genes will be one of
the most consequential questionsof the 21st century.
And this is all on top ofdiscussions about artificial
intelligence and the blurring oflines between man and machine.
(06:07):
Stephen Hawking, who I quotedfrom last week, once said the
development of full artificialintelligence could spell the end
of the human race.
It would take off on its ownand redesign itself at an
ever-increasing rate.
Humans who were limited by slowbiological evolution couldn't
compete and would be superseded.
Now just to pause there for amoment, it took God about one
(06:33):
second in Genesis, chapter 11,to confound the plans of man.
So we have no reason to beworried or afraid.
But have I convinced you?
It's important to have theright answer to this question
what does it mean to be human?
And today I want to show youthe answer to that question
straight from the mouth of theone who makes humans.
(06:53):
And we're going to cover a tonof scripture, because I want you
to see what God says about youand me and every other human
being on the planet.
So get ready to take some notes, turn in your Bibles, and it's
going to get pretty dense atpoints, but hang with me, I
promise you it will be worth it.
(07:14):
So let me start by setting thestage for what we're about to
read in Genesis 1.
Tselem is a Hebrew word, sowe're jumping right into the
brew from the beginning.
Tselem is a Hebrew word, sowe're jumping right into the
brew from the beginning.
That's often translated imageor idol.
So if you were living in OldTestament times when you saw
(07:37):
this word, you'd likely have oneof two pictures in your mind.
On one hand, you might picturean image that a king would set
up to represent himself, and theking would require people to
give homage to it.
That's what happens in Daniel,chapter 3.
In Babylon, king Nebuchadnezzarmade an image of gold whose
height was 60 cubits and itsbreadth six cubits, and he tells
everybody in the kingdom to bowdown to it as a picture of
(07:58):
bowing down to him.
And then the other picture thatmight come to your mind when
you see Selim is a temple that'sdedicated to a God, and in that
temple there would be an imageor images of that God.
2 Kings, chapter 11, verse 18,talks about how all the people
of the land went to the house ofBaal, this false God, and tore
(08:20):
it down, his altars and hisimages.
They broke in pieces.
But here's where God's peoplewere totally countercultural
because they didn't believetheir king was a God and they
were commanded not to makeimages, any images of any kind
of God, including the one, trueGod.
And that background makes whatwe're about to read stunning.
(08:42):
Because Genesis, chapter one,verse 26, after everything else
in the universe has been createdsun, moon, stars, skies, land,
water, fish, birds, animals,everything.
Then God said let us make manin our what Image and that's the
word that we just talked aboutSell them after our likeness and
(09:07):
let them have dominion over thefish of the sea and over the
birds of the heavens and overthe livestock and over all the
earth and over every creepingthing that creeps on the earth.
So God created man in his ownwhat Image.
In the image of God, he createda male and female.
He created them Three times.
We see this Hebrew word God inhis word word is saying that
humans, that's what man is areference to humankind.
(09:30):
People are images, they'rerepresentations of him, almost
like this world is a temple andthe images or idols in this
world that represent God arehuman beings and not just some
humans like the elite, or aparticular ethnicity or gender.
(09:52):
No, this is stunning.
God is saying all humankind,without exception, including
male and female, regardless ofethnicity, disability, anything.
All humans are created in theimage of God or the likeness of
God, which is a parallel concepthere.
(10:14):
And then read what happens next.
And God blessed them.
And God said to them befruitful and multiply and fill
the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish ofthe sea, over the birds of the
heavens and over every livingthing that moves on the earth.
And God said behold, I've givenyou every plant yielding seed
that's on the face of all theearth and every tree with seed
in its fruit.
You shall have them for foodand to every beast of the earth
and every bird of the heavensand everything that creeps on
(10:36):
the earth, everything that hasthe made.
And behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and therewas morning, the sixth day.
Oh, there's so much here and,like I said, it's stunning.
God has just described thecrown jewel of all creation.
(10:57):
And do you realize what it is?
It's us, amen.
It's you and me, all of us,without exception, unlike
anything else in all creation.
You and I, people, are imagesof the creator.
(11:20):
Mark it down Humanity'sdefining characteristic is that
we are all equally made in theimage of God himself.
This is who we are.
Now some might say don't youmean were?
This is who humans were beforesin came into the world in
Genesis 3?
And I don't mean that, becausethe Bible doesn't say that.
(11:43):
You look in Genesis chapterfive, verses one through three,
and Genesis chapter nine, versesix, after sin has come into the
world, the Bible still sayspeople are made in the image of
God, which means this truthapplies all the way to you and
me today.
God's image in us has not beenlost or destroyed or broken.
You and I, right where you'resitting right now, you are in
(12:08):
the image of God, which thenbegs the question what does that
mean about me?
I want to show you God's answerto that question in two ways,
both of which answer what itmeans to be human.
According to the Bible, to behuman, to be made in the image
of God, means that you aredesigned one for close
(12:29):
relationship with God.
Just see the close connectionhere between humans and God in
Genesis 1 and 2.
Right before what we just readin Genesis 1, 26,.
You see, all these othercreatures that were created
according to their kinds.
Let the earth bring forthliving creatures according to
their kinds, livestock andcreeping things and beasts of
(12:50):
the earth according to theirkinds.
And it was so.
God made the beasts of theearth according to their kinds,
the livestock according to theirkinds, everything that creeps
on the ground according to itskind.
And God saw that it was good.
But then, in the very nextverse, with humans the language
is totally different.
There's no other kind like them.
They're made in the likeness ofGod, and God didn't just use
(13:14):
the more impersonal let there beor let the earth bring forth
this or that.
Instead, god says verypersonally let us make A
reference, by the way, to theTrinitarian nature of God.
Let us make man in our image,after our likeness.
And then check this out Genesis,chapter 2, verse 6, describing
(13:37):
how God created man.
We read then the Lord Godformed the man of dust from the
ground and breathed into hisnostrils the breath of life, and
the man became a livingcreature.
How close, intimate, is that.
God breathing life, god sharingbreath with man.
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And then the first thing Goddoes after he makes man and
woman is.
He blesses them and he givesthem all these things.
We see that word give twice.
I give you all these things.
And then God, looking athumanity, says I saw everything
that I made.
(14:19):
And behold, up until now, godsaw what he made and it was good
.
God saw what he made.
It was good.
This day, god saw what he madeand it was what.
God saw what he made.
It was good.
This day, god saw what he madeand it was what Very good, like
really, really, really good.
See it, god made you and me forclose, unique, special
(14:40):
relationship with him.
Unlike anything else in allcreation, just let this soak in.
The God who spoke the world intobeing the omnipotent,
omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, infinitely holy, just,
righteous, loving, sovereign,creator and sustainer of
(15:01):
everything, has personally madeyou for close relationship with
him.
You've been made for intimaterelationship with God.
That's awesome, and I do notuse that word lightly.
This is breathtaking.
What we're made for, and thensecond.
(15:23):
So to be human, to be made inthe image of God, means that you
are designed watch this as aroyal representative of God.
Remember this is what it meansto be an image.
Images represented kings or gods, and what the Bible is saying
is that you and I have theresponsibility and privilege and
(15:45):
place of representing God inthe world.
And I say responsibilitybecause, to be clear, we are not
God, we're creatures.
He's the creator.
We're dependent on God andwe're accountable to God to
carry out a royal commission.
That is also breathtaking.
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You and I represent the king ofthe world to all the world.
It's what we do as people madein God's image, which is what
God means when he says I giveyou dominion.
The word means royal rule.
I give you royal rule torepresent me, to reflect my
(16:26):
goodness and my justice and mybenevolent rule over creation.
I've made you to do this.
Now make the connection here Torepresent me in close
relationship with me, whichmakes sense.
You can't rule creation as arepresentative of God apart from
close relationship with God.
(16:49):
This is where the way Genesis 1and 2 is written is amazing.
If you were here last week, wetalked about how Moses wrote
this creation account for God'speople when they were journeying
from slavery in Egypt through awilderness to the promised land
, and we saw last week theparallels between the promised
(17:12):
land and the Garden of Eden, asGod was intentionally saying to
his people through the way thisstory is written.
I'm bringing you back to mygood design for you to dwell
with me, and that word dwell isa key word in this whole story.
So when Adam and Eve in Genesis3 are driven out of Eden, the
Bible tells us verse 24, thatGod drove out the man and at the
(17:34):
east of the garden of Eden heplaced the cherubim and a
flaming sword that turned everyway to guard the way to the tree
of life.
Now look at this word placedit's the Hebrew word shekan,
which means to dwell.
So the picture is God causesthese cherubim or angels to
(17:55):
dwell at the spot to keep Adamand Eve from the Garden of Eden,
from the tree of life.
But then what's interesting iswhen you get to Exodus, the next
book in the Bible, as we readabout these wanderings in the
wilderness, god uses this sameword to describe how he's going
to dwell among his people inwhat's called the tabernacle.
(18:18):
This is really important.
So the tabernacle was like aportable temple that signified
God's presence in the middle ofhis people.
And after God rescues them fromslavery in Egypt and gives them
his law, the Ten Commandments,god says in Exodus 25, verse 8,
let them, make me a sanctuarythat I may dwell in their midst.
Same word, shekan, that we sawin Genesis, chapter 3, verse 24,
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at the entrance to Eden.
And that's what leads into Godgiving specific instructions.
I'm gonna show you the patternfor the tabernacle, all its
furniture, so you'll make itexactly how I said to make it.
And then we have all thesespecifications about the
tabernacle, this place where Godwill dwell among his people.
(19:03):
And what's interesting is, whenyou look at how the tabernacle
is described, it looks a lotlike Eden, and I wish I had time
to turn all these places withyou.
I don't.
So I'll just give you a list ofparallels between Eden and the
tabernacle and you can go backand look later if you like.
So first, in Genesis 1, seventimes we read and God said we
see seven specific creative acts.
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And after the seventh time weread about God resting on the
Sabbath.
Well, in the construction ofthe tabernacle you look from
Exodus 25 to 31, tabernacle youlook from Exodus 25 to 31,.
Exactly seven times we read theLord said.
And after the seventh time weread that the Lord talks about
the Sabbath.
Then in Genesis, chapter 3,verse 8, we read about how God
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was walking in the Garden ofEden.
And in Leviticus, chapter 26,verses 11 and 12, specifically
verse 12, we see the exact samelanguage describing how God is
walking with his people in thetabernacle.
And then in Genesis, chaptertwo, verse 10 through 12, eden
is described as a place filledwith gold, delium and onyx, all
(20:07):
of which are represented in thetabernacle.
And delium's really interesting, because you might say, well,
that's just kind of acoincidence, but delium is only
mentioned one other time, afterGenesis 2, and it's referring in
the book of Exodus Exodus 16,33, to the manna that God
provided in the wildernessNumbers, chapter 11, verse 7,.
(20:30):
Those two verses together makeclear there was some of that
manna that was to be included inthe middle of the tabernacle.
Then Eden had the tree of lifeat the center of it and the
tabernacle had a lampstand in itExodus 25, verse 31 through 40,
.
That's described, depicted likea tree, complete with blossoms
and branches and flowers.
(20:51):
And then so I'll show you thisone Remember the cherubim, those
angels that were flanking theentrance.
Remember the cherubim, thoseangels that were flanking the
entrance to the Garden of Eden,keeping Adam and Eve from the
Tree of Life, well, in thecenter of the tabernacle you
have what's called the mercyseat, which symbolizes God
sitting among his people.
And look what's flanking bothsides of the mercy seat Exodus
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25, verse 18.
You shall make two cherubim ofgold, of hammered work.
Shall you make them on the twoends of the mercy seat?
Make one cherub on the one endand one cherub on the other end.
So in both places you havecherubim guarding the way to the
presence of God.
And then one last parallel justlike we saw last week, the
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entrance to eden was on theeastern side genesis 3, 24.
And you'll never guess wherethe entrance is to the
tabernacle, also on the east.
The point is and is that whengod was giving very specific
instructions for theconstruction of the tabernacle,
which we sometimes wonder, whythis?
Why God was very intentionallygiving his people a picture that
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paralleled Eden in Genesis 1and 2, the place that he
originally designed for humanityto dwell with him.
Now here's where humanity comesin, what it means to be made in
the image of God.
So check this out.
I promise, hang with me, thisis going to be worth it.
Look at Genesis, chapter 2,verse 15.
I promise, hang with me, thisis gonna be worth it.
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Look at Genesis, chapter two,verse 15.
In this creation account weread the Lord, god took the man
and put him in the Garden ofEden to work it and to keep it.
Now we're gonna talk more aboutwork in the coming weeks, but I
wanna show you today thiscombination of work and keep
these two Hebrew words thatMoses uses here.
He only uses in what he writesto refer to one other thing, and
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that one other thing that heuses these two words to describe
is priests who were working inthe tabernacle.
I'll show you an exampleNumbers, chapter 18, verse 7.
You and your son shall guardyour priesthood for all that
concerns the altar and that iswithin the veil, and you shall
serve.
The word here for guard is thesame word that's translated keep
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in Genesis 2.15, and the wordthat's serve here is the same
word that's translated work inGenesis 2.15.
And so what is happening here isMoses, in describing the priest
in the tabernacle, is drawing aparallel between the priest and
(23:23):
Adam in the Garden of Eden, andyou'll never guess what the
priest would wear.
They'd wear gold and onyx, justlike we see in Eden in Genesis,
chapter 2.
God is telling us in his wordthat Adam this human, made in
the image of God, was like apriest in a tabernacle or a
temple.
And just like priests dwelledwith God in the tabernacle, adam
(23:44):
this human was made to dwellwith God in Eden.
But then what happens?
Adam and Eve sin, right, theyturn away from God and his
presence.
They decide they know betterwhat is best for their lives
than God does, the one who madethem, and as a result, they lose
their innocence, they realizetheir nakedness, they experience
(24:07):
guilt and shame before God,before each other, guilt and
shame like we all experience andstruggle with as humans in this
world.
And God provides a sacrifice tocreate a covering for them.
Genesis, chapter three, verse21, says the Lord, god, made for
Adam and for his wife garmentsof skin and clothed them.
So that word garments rightthere.
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Picture it here in Eden.
They now needed clothesassociated with a sacrifice to
cover over them.
So watch this.
Now we're getting really closeto how all this applies to cover
over them.
So watch this.
Now we're getting really closeto how all this applies to you
and me.
Hang with me.
You fast forward to thetabernacle Every year on the day
of atonement, which means theday of covering for the people's
sins, the high priest would puton particular clothes.
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Leviticus, chapter 16, versefour, says he shall put on the
holy linen coat, and that word,right there, is the same exact
word that was used in Genesis 3,verse 21, to describe Adam and
Eve's garments.
Here he shall put on this holylinen coat and shall have the
linen undergarment on his body.
(25:12):
He shall tie the linen sasharound his waist and wear the
linen turban.
These are the holy garments.
He shall bathe his body inwater and put them on.
So got this picture of covering.
And then you see it fourdifferent times Linen, linen,
linen, linen.
Just remember that for later.
Why is linen emphasized so much, like that?
(25:33):
So the picture is the priestgoing into the tabernacle, the
most holy place, where the mercyseat is flanked by these two
cherubim, these angels.
He offers a sacrifice for thepeople's sins and then
afterwards he takes off thoselinen garments, leaves them
there and changes into clothes,other clothes, to signify that
(25:54):
the offering is complete.
Aaron shall come into the tentof meeting, shall take off those
linen garments that he put on,and the priest would do this
once every year, year after yearafter year, as a picture of the
need for humans to have theirsins covered or atoned for in
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order to be able to dwell withGod, and it was a continual,
annual reminder to all humanitythat we are all separated by our
sin from a holy God, the God inwhose image we were made.
And this is the human story.
(26:39):
It's not just the Old Testamentor the Bible.
This is all of our stories, youand I.
So now bring it into your lap.
You and I were made for closerelationship with God.
I'll just make it specific toyou, just to let this soak in.
You were made for closerelationship with God.
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You are made to be a royalrepresentative of God in this
world, but you, just like me andevery other human, you have
turned from God.
You have said you know betterwhat is best for your life than
(27:20):
the God who made you.
You have sin in your heart thatkeeps you from experiencing all
that you are made for, and youand I feel this every day in
this fallen world, as sinners ina world of sinners.
(27:41):
This is the human story, but itis not the end of the human
story.
You turn the pages of the Bibleafter just spiraling sin
throughout the Old Testament, apicture of what looks like the
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hopelessness of humanity.
Until you turn.
Check out how the book of Johnopens in the New Testament In
the what Beginning.
That's the same language asGenesis, chapter one, verse one.
John's pointing us back tocreation.
(28:21):
He says in the beginning wasthe word.
In the beginning, god said, godsaid, god said the word of God
and the word.
God said the word of God andthe word was with God and the
word was God.
He now, wait a second.
The word is a person.
The revelation of God is notjust words on a page.
It's a person he was, who wasin the beginning with God and
(28:44):
all things were made through him.
Without him was not anythingmade that was made.
Wait a minute, who's thistalking about?
And the more we read on, westart to realize John is
introducing us to Jesus as theword, the revelation of God.
And it all becomes clear whenwe get to verse 14.
And John writes and the wordbecame flesh and dwelt among us.
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And we have seen his glory,glory as of the only Son from
the Father, full of grace andtruth.
What Do you know what this worddwelt means?
It's the same word that istranslated tabernacle in the Old
Testament.
You realize what this is saying.
Jesus is the tabernacle.
(29:29):
He's the dwelling place of Godin the world.
God has come to us such thatwhen you see Jesus, you see the
glory of the Father face to face.
This is revolutionary.
Jesus is not just a prophet.
He's not just a great humanteacher.
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He is the image of theinvisible God.
He's not made in the image ofGod.
He is the image of God.
He's the epitome of humanity,god in the flesh.
Hebrews 1, 3.
He is the radiance of the gloryof God.
He's the exact imprint of hisnature.
He's the one who upholds theuniverse by the word of his
(30:12):
power.
He is Emmanuel.
God with us who?
So now just come back to thebook of John here, which just so
happens to be our church'sBible reading right now, and
you're not gonna be able towrite all these down, so just
sit back and just soak it in Allthe ways.
John points us back to thiswhole picture.
John tells us that Jesus hascome to offer his life as a
sacrifice of our sins.
Listen to the language.
(30:33):
Behold the Lamb of God.
That's Exodus language whotakes away the sin of the world.
God's people delivered out ofslavery in Egypt.
Jesus came to deliver us out ofslavery to sin and death.
Then, in John chapter two, jesusis the temple.
Jesus answered them destroythis temple, talking about the
building, and in three days Iwill raise it up.
(30:53):
The Jews said it was taking 46years to build this temple.
You raised it up in three days.
He was speaking about thetemple of his body.
Jesus says I am the place whereyou encounter the glory of God,
not just this building.
You're going to kill me and I'mgoing to be raised up in three
days.
That leads to John, chapterfour.
Remember the river flowing fromEden?
Well, jesus is.
(31:13):
Oh sorry, I skipped Johnchapter three.
Verse three tells Nicodemusanyone who is born again can see
the kingdom of God.
In other words, you were madein the image of God.
You need to be remade from theinside out to experience the
life that you're designed tolive.
Which then leads to Johnchapter 4, the river flowing
from Eden.
Jesus is a spring of water whowells up to eternal life.
(31:35):
John chapter 7, whoever isthirsty let him come to me and
drink.
Whoever believes in me, out ofhis heart will flow rivers of
living water.
Or John chapter 6, think aboutthe manna in the tabernacle
After Jesus feeds the 5,000,.
People are saying God gave hispeople manna in the wilderness.
What are you gonna give us?
Jesus says I am the bread oflife.
Whoever comes to me shall nothunger.
(31:56):
Whoever believes in me shallnever thirst.
John, chapter eight thinkingabout the lampstand in the
tabernacle, jesus says I am thelight of the world.
Who causes people to say Johnnine, I was blind.
Causes people to say John 9, Iwas blind, but now I see.
John chapter 10, he is the doorto dwelling with God.
Then you think about the treeof life.
John, chapter 11, verse 25,jesus says I am the resurrection
(32:18):
and the life.
Whoever believes in me, thoughhe dies yet, shall he live.
Everyone who lives and believesin me shall never die.
John, chapter 14, in my Father'shouse are many rooms.
The word means dwelling places.
It's the same word thatRevelation uses to describe
heaven.
In my Father's house are manydwelling places for you, and I
am the way there.
I am the truth, I am the life,I am the vine.
(32:42):
John, chapter 15.
John chapter 16, to all who areburdened by sin, in this
sin-sick world, in this world,in your fallen humanity, you
will have tribulation, but takeheart, I have overcome this
world.
John chapter 17,.
Jesus is the high priest whointercedes for us.
And then check this out.
John chapter 18, we come toguess what.
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When Jesus had spoken thesewords, he went out with the
disciples across the BrookKidron, where there was a garden
Well, that's interesting whichhe and the disciples entered,
this garden of Gethsemane, whereJesus, the image of God in the
flesh, faces a choice.
(33:25):
Back in the garden in Genesis,there was a man made in the
image of God who failed and saidnot your will, but mine be done
.
Here in the garden we have thesinless man who is the image of
God, who says not my will, butyours be done.
And then he's arrested.
(33:46):
In John 19, listen to whatPilate says in verse six.
Jesus came out wearing thecrown of thorns, the purple robe
.
Pilate said to him behold theman.
Do you see this?
Pilate literally says beholdthe human.
Pilate has no idea thesignificance of what he's saying
.
Behold what humanity isdesigned to be Close
relationship with the father.
And what's the next thingPilate says in verse 14?
(34:09):
Behold your king, royalrepresentative of the king,
which leads to Jesus'scrucifixion, where, on the cross
, he cries out it is finished,the work is done.
And once the creator on thecross finishes his work of
redeeming his creation, what dowe read about in the very next
verse, sabbath?
(34:30):
None of this is coincidence.
It all fits together.
There is no book like this,book written by all these
authors in different languagesat different times over
centuries, that all tell oneoverarching story that points us
to Jesus.
And check this out, it getseven better.
So Jesus is buried.
We saw this last week.
But I want you to pay attentionto something new.
This out, it gets even better.
So Jesus is buried.
We saw this last week.
But I want you to pay attentionto something new this week when
(34:52):
they go to the tomb.
So Peter and John run there.
Peter went out with the otherdisciple that's how John refers
to himself and they were goingtoward the tomb.
Both of them were runningtogether, but the other disciple
outran Peter and reached thetomb first.
That's kind of funny that Johnpoints out for all history that
Peter was slow and he was fast.
Is this not like siblingrivalry?
Like I beat you Just want towrite it down for everyone to
(35:14):
talk about for history.
So anyway, they get there Stupidto look in.
John saw the linen cloths lyingthere, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came followinghim and went into the tomb.
He saw the linen cloths lyingthere and the face cloth which
had been on Jesus' head, notlying with the linen cloths
lying there, and the face clothwhich had been on Jesus' head,
not lying with the linen clothsbut folded up in a place by
(35:36):
itself.
Well, that's interesting.
Three times there's a focus onwhat kind of cloths Linen cloths
.
It's like John's trying to tellus something and he
specifically tells us they'refolded up.
Why?
It would have been sufficientto tell us Jesus died and rose
again.
John's telling us Jesus died,rose again and he made his bed.
Why is he telling us this?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
(36:03):
Look a couple of verses later weread Mary stood weeping outside
the tomb and as she wept shestooped to look into the tomb
and she saw two angels in whitesitting where the body of Jesus
had lain, one at the head andone at the feet.
Get the picture.
You got two angels flankingthis scene with linen cloths
nicely folded up and leftbetween them.
Does that sound familiar?
Remember when the priest on theday of atonement, would put on
(36:26):
linen clothes, would go into thecenter of the tabernacle where
the mercy seat was, with twoangels, one on each side, and
the priest would offer thesacrifice.
And then he would leave thoseclothes there, change into
something else.
Are you seeing this?
Jesus, the complete human, theperfect priest, has gone into
the most holy place.
He has offered not the blood ofanother sacrifice, he has
(36:48):
offered his own blood once andfor all sinners.
He has said it is finished andhe has walked out, leaving those
sacrificial clothes behind,neatly folded up forever,
because there is no need forsacrifice anymore.
He has paid the price forsinners to have their sin
totally covered by his blood.
(37:09):
And then he speaks to Mary.
And what is Jesus, this man whois the image of God?
What's the first word that hespeaks after rising from the
dead?
In the book of John he sayswoman, which takes us all the
way back to Genesis, chapter two, where Adam looked at Eve and
said woman, and they beganworking together in God's
presence.
So here Jesus commissions Maryto join him in spreading the
(37:30):
good news that he's risen fromthe dead.
Then Jesus gets together withhis disciples.
Watch this.
Jesus said to them peace bewith you, as the Father has sent
me.
Even so, I'm sending you.
And when he had said this, hebreathed on them and said to
them receive the Holy Spirit.
That's Genesis two.
God in the flesh is nowbreathing new life by his spirit
(37:54):
into a new humanity.
Are you serious?
The Holy Spirit of God, theholy presence of God, is going
to dwell inside all who trust inJesus.
For what purpose?
For this purpose.
2 Corinthians, chapter 3, verse17.
The Lord is the Spirit.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And we are all with unveiledface beholding the glory of the
(38:17):
Lord being transformed into thesame image from one degree of
glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord,who is the Spirit to all who
believe in Jesus.
You have the Holy Spirit in youand you are free from the
penalty of sin in your life.
You are free from the power ofsin in your life.
You are free to be transformedinto the image of Jesus from one
(38:40):
degree of glory to another.
This is the Christian lifebecoming more and more and more
like Jesus every single day.
Romans, chapter 8, verse 28,.
God's working everythingtogether in your life for good.
What's that good?
So you'll be healthy andwealthy and have all you want in
this world and everything worksout the way you want.
No, we know that for those wholove God, all things work
(39:01):
together for good.
What is that For those who arecalled according to his purpose?
What's his purpose?
For those whom he foreknew?
He predestined to be conformedto the image of his son.
That's our purpose to look morelike Jesus.
God's working all thingstogether in our lives so that we
will be more conformed to theimage of Jesus, knowing that
being conformed into his imageis the highest good of humanity.
(39:24):
Was it Elizabeth Elliot whosaid God will not protect you
from anything in your life thatkeeps you from becoming more
like Jesus?
This is a high calling thateverything in your life, even
things you don't understand, areworking together toward.
So Colossians, chapter three,verse nine and 10,.
Let's put off the old self withits practices.
(39:44):
Let's put on the new self,which is being renewed in
knowledge after the image of itscreator.
This is the purpose of yourlife to be conformed into the
image of your creator.
So let this soak in Takeawaystoday.
Man or woman, every man orwoman made in the image of God,
(40:05):
that's all of you.
You have sacred dignity, soworship God with humility.
You let this soak in rightwhere you're sitting right now.
You have sacred, holy dignity.
Unlike anything else in allcreation, you are made in the
image of God.
(40:26):
So, yes, look at the GrandCanyon to see God's glory.
Look at the sunrise over themountains.
Look at the sunset over thehorizon and see God's glory.
Look at the billions of starsin the sky, at stellar galaxies,
and see God's glory.
But do you really want to seeGod's glory?
Look in the mirror.
Look in the mirror when youlook at your reflection.
(40:55):
Do not believe the lie from theadversary who's telling you
you're not enough this or you'renot enough that, when the truth
is, you are God's prizedcreation.
He doesn't make mistakes.
So do not believe the messagesof this world that you have to
do certain things in order toearn dignity, because good news,
true dignity, is received fromGod, not achieved by you.
(41:18):
So worship your creator as theone you're created for.
Your heart is made for God, inthe words of Augustine.
You have made us for yourself,o Lord, and our hearts are
restless until they find theirrest in you.
And it's not just you.
(41:38):
Everyone has sacred dignity.
So love others with honor.
Love every other person made inthe image of God with honor.
This includes your friends andthis includes your enemies.
This includes the people inyour camp and this includes the
people not in your camp.
This includes every singleperson on social media, without
(42:01):
exception.
Honor them.
This includes every leader inthe government, without
exception.
Honor them.
1 Peter 2,.
Honor everyone, even theemperor who's looking to kill
you.
Honor them.
They are made in the image ofGod.
This includes the poor, theoppressed, the needy, the
disabled, the broken, thehurting, from the womb to the
(42:22):
tomb.
Every human being, in everytribe, language, people and
nation.
We are royal representatives ofGod in this world, which means
we do justice, we love mercy andwe walk humbly with God, loving
others with the dignity God hastold us they possess, and not
just dignity.
Let this soak in.
(42:43):
You have an eternal destiny.
So behold and become more likeJesus.
Your destiny is to be conformedinto the image of Jesus, 2
Corinthians 3.
So behold him every day in hisword, fix your eyes on him, walk
with him in the world and makeit your aim, by the power of his
spirit in you, to look morelike Jesus tomorrow than you do
(43:04):
today.
More like Jesus next week thanyou do today.
This is what you're made for.
1 John, chapter 3.
Beloved, we're God's childrennow.
What we will be has not yetappeared, but we know that when
he appears we shall be like him.
We shall see him as he is, andeveryone who thus hopes in him
purifies himself as he's pure.
And we know, one day thesebodies in this world are going
(43:24):
to stop working, but praise God,that won't be the end.
1 stop working, but praise God,that won't be the end.
1 Corinthians, 15, 49,.
Just as we have borne the imageof the man of dust, we shall
also bear the image of the manof heaven.
All who know and trust in Jesusas Lord will have a new,
resurrected body, just as Jesusdoes.
And check this out Revelation,chapter 5, verse 9,.
The song of heaven to Jesus.
(43:44):
Worthy are you to take thescroll to open its seals, for
you were slain by your.
Worthy are you to take thescroll to open its seals, for
you were slain by your blood.
You ransomed, you redeemedpeople for God from every nation
, tribe and language, and peopleand nation from all across
humanity, and you have made thema kingdom and priest to our God
and they shall reign on theearth.
Talk about destiny.
(44:05):
Your destiny is a kingdom andpriest.
We, yes, we love countries here, but we're living for another
country where we have a kingdom,where we are priests to our God
and we will reign forever onthe earth.
Oh, heaven is not sitting onclouds and endless choir
practice.
It is a physical place where weare gonna fully experience what
(44:27):
we're made for in a new heavenand a new earth close
relationship with God, royalrepresentation of God in a world
with no more sin, no moresorrow, no more sadness and no
more death, which leads to thelast implication.
Because it's not just us.
Everyone has an eternal destiny.
So make disciples of Jesusamong all the nations.
(44:47):
Every single person in thiscity, every single person in the
world was made for closerelationship with God, and the
only way they can experiencethat is through Jesus and his
love for them.
So let's give our lives, let'slay down our lives, leading
people to life in him in ourcity, leading people to life in
him around the world.
(45:07):
This is what we're in thisworld to do, as humans made in
the image of our god.
Will you pray with me?
Just will you bow your heads.
For me, that was so much, and Ijust want to give you a moment,
a quiet moment, just to let itsoak in Hear, god saying to you
(45:35):
this is who you are.
And if you're a follower ofJesus, if you know Jesus as the
Savior and Lord of your life,been forgiven of your sin, been
freed from its power and penaltyin your life, then just pray,
god, make me more like Jesus,and pray in specific ways.
(45:56):
God, refine me in this way.
That way, god, show me theareas of my life that don't look
like Jesus, confess that Iwanna turn from that.
Or, god, these circumstancesI'm walking through, make me
more like Jesus through them.
I don't understand what's goingon, but I pray you'd make me
more like Jesus through them.
And if you have never put yourtrust in Jesus as Savior and
(46:19):
Lord of your life, let this bethe moment.
What are you waiting for?
God loves you.
He's made a way for you toexperience close relationship
with him, for Jesus, his deathon the cross, his resurrection
from the dead for you.
So I invite you just to say tohim right now God, yes, yes, I
(46:40):
want to be restored to closerelationship with you To the
reason for which I was made.
I believe Jesus died on thecross for my sin.
With you to the reason forwhich I was made.
I believe Jesus died on thecross for my sin.
I believe today Jesus rose fromthe dead for me to have life,
and I want life in you.
I turn from my sin and myselfand I trust in you as my Savior
(47:02):
and Lord.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of
David Platt Messages.
For more resources from DavidPlatt, we invite you to visit
Radicalnet.
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