Brainstorming
by Bro. Duane Marshall
09/17/2023
Suggested Reading: Psalm 139:1-6
Genesis 1:26-27 - “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Did you ever think about the complexity of the meeting between the Trinity when it came time to form the man and the woman? There was a deliberate counsel considering this very important undertaking according to Genesis 1:26, “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
I think it’s because humanity was to be the masterpiece of the visible world. A solemn council of the Sacred Persons was called to decide on the making of such a rare piece of work. Maybe because we were to bear the stamp of the Divine and were made partakers of many divine qualities.
Certain men of the ancient East did not think so. Plato’s definition of man was a two-legged animal without feathers. He was ridiculed, and rightly so, by Diogenes who produced a plucked cock, saying, “Here is Plato’s man.”
Some animals and birds may have the ability to imitate the human voice and mimic a few words, but they cannot create words. Only humans have the power of speech and can originate thoughts. How ridiculous it would be to try and educate an ape to understand and translate the original manuscripts of Scripture!
Humanity is the only creation of God with moral qualities to know the difference between right and wrong. Who would ever think of trying to improve the nature of animals by beginning to preach the Gospel to them, or distribute Bibles among their kind? The beasts of the field have bodies, but not souls such as man (Genesis 2:7, “man became a living soul.”). We are the only ones who have the faculty of reasoning with God.
The soul is the trinity in unity, possessing heart, mind, and will. My soul is myself and represents self-consciousness, just as the body stands for world consciousness. Within the soul is the mind, the source of knowledge and intelligence. 1 Corinthians 2:11 says, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” With the mind we think, animals do not possess this faculty. Psalm 32:9 says, “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding.”
There is also the heart, which is the source of love. Psalm 139:1-2 - “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” Why would God care to know about our daily life? Psalm 139:3 - “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” What is it about us that keeps His interest? Psalm 139:5-6 - “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;”. The word beset means ‘to surround’. His hand is a tender guiding hand. What have we done to deserve such intimate care? Mind-boggling isn’t it?
09/17/2023
Suggested Reading: Psalm 139:1-6
Genesis 1:26-27 - “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Did you ever think about the complexity of the meeting between the Trinity when it came time to form the man and the woman? There was a deliberate counsel considering this very important undertaking according to Genesis 1:26, “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
I think it’s because humanity was to be the masterpiece of the visible world. A solemn council of the Sacred Persons was called to decide on the making of such a rare piece of work. Maybe because we were to bear the stamp of the Divine and were made partakers of many divine qualities.
Certain men of the ancient East did not think so. Plato’s definition of man was a two-legged animal without feathers. He was ridiculed, and rightly so, by Diogenes who produced a plucked cock, saying, “Here is Plato’s man.”
Some animals and birds may have the ability to imitate the human voice and mimic a few words, but they cannot create words. Only humans have the power of speech and can originate thoughts. How ridiculous it would be to try and educate an ape to understand and translate the original manuscripts of Scripture!
Humanity is the only creation of God with moral qualities to know the difference between right and wrong. Who would ever think of trying to improve the nature of animals by beginning to preach the Gospel to them, or distribute Bibles among their kind? The beasts of the field have bodies, but not souls such as man (Genesis 2:7, “man became a living soul.”). We are the only ones who have the faculty of reasoning with God.
The soul is the trinity in unity, possessing heart, mind, and will. My soul is myself and represents self-consciousness, just as the body stands for world consciousness. Within the soul is the mind, the source of knowledge and intelligence. 1 Corinthians 2:11 says, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” With the mind we think, animals do not possess this faculty. Psalm 32:9 says, “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding.”
There is also the heart, which is the source of love. Psalm 139:1-2 - “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.” Why would God care to know about our daily life? Psalm 139:3 - “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” What is it about us that keeps His interest? Psalm 139:5-6 - “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;”. The word beset means ‘to surround’. His hand is a tender guiding hand. What have we done to deserve such intimate care? Mind-boggling isn’t it?
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