“In the beginning Yehovah created…” appears to be a subordinate or supportive statement as opposed to an independent clause. Assuming subordinate/supportive is accurate, the clause is better rendered: “When Yehovah began to create the heavens and the earth…”

The Robert Alter English Translation of Torah assumes this subordinate/supportive rendering: “When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth then was “welter and waste” (or “tohu wabohu” or “emptiness or futility”) and darkness was over the dee and God’s breath “hovering” (Yehovah’s ruach, like an eagle tending her young, moved about or over the chaos, rapidly, back and forth) over the waters…”

The purpose of the opening passage of Torah is to reveal/introduce Yehovah to the reader. Here in this passage one is introduced to the Creator who singly turns chaos into order. Extra-biblical, pagan-based writings also capture this sense from a perspective of a creator battling a god-like creature that is referred to as both chaos and the behemoth.

The creation was also about Yehovah making distinctions and separating that which had become mixed into single elements, best described as chaos. Darkness is separated from light; form is brought into being from formlessness; the firmament is established in the midst of water; dry land is formed in the midst of the separated water; life is created out of lifelessness.

Earth at the beginning of our passage is described as formless and void, indicating something unmentioned in our text, that is part and parcel of the chaos. Conventional, natural thinking might lead one to conclude that Yehovah started out His creative endeavor by creating earth in this stated chaotic state, but such thinking contradicts what we know about the Creator’s character. Yehovah is a Being of complete order and integrity. It is thus fitting and sensible to consider this passage more of an overview of Yehovah bringing about beautiful, perfect order out of utter chaos and disorder. How the chaos came about is a subject/topic of tremendous debate and unending speculation. Nevertheless, regardless how many letters exists before the names of such speculators, the text in no way, form or fashion reveals how this chaos came about. I believe this to be one of those areas of scriptural truths that Abba has chosen not to reveal to His human creation. As I have said many times on this program, there are some things that belong to man, but there are also a great many things that belong exclusively to Yehovah. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with speculating. But speculating becomes problematic when the various conclusions that arise from the speculation are thereafter treated as biblical truth.

One of the greatest principles this passage teaches those of us who are the Elect of Yehovah is that Yehovah demands distinction and separation in His creative order. Yehovah, in fact, abhors hybridization. Hybridization is a corruption of the creative order that was brought about the fallen ones (i.e., the Watchers of Enoch fame) and later on by humanity.

We’re talking mixing of species; types; things; religion. And because Father is this way, we are required to be the same way. It falls to us to learn and understand that which pleases Yehovah and that which displeases Him. We must learn to distinguish between that which is good from the bad; that which is holy from the profane.

One of the greatest examples of this critical topic of distinction in Yehovah’s creative order is found in the distinction that Father placed between the Sabbath/7th Day and the other 6 Days of Creation Week. Yehovah sanctified/blessed the 7th Day, an act He did not do for any of the other days of Creation Week. Thus the 7th Day would ultimately become a covenant-sign between Yehovah and His chosen ones. Unfortunately, much of the world outside of Judaism and our Hebraic Faith Community find themselves incapable of making this critical distinction between the days of the week. We who are chosen of Yehovah are blessed to have been granted eyes to see this fundamental distinction between the days of the week.

The Sabbath is Yehovah’s gift to His chosen ones. And this passage is a revelation of this reality. The Sabbath, like so many other sacred things, points us to Mashiyach. For in Mashiyach the chosen one finds rest and forgiveness of his/her sins. Master revealed that Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath (Mar. 2:27).

Humanity, specifically Adam, would be created in Yehovah’s image (1:26). Adam and Eve carried or bore similarities or characteristics of the Creator. Thus the concept of man being made in Yehovah’s image. We’ll discuss more about this in just a moment.

The phrase “let us…” is believed by a great many in denominationalism, and not too few Messianics, to be indicative of Yehovah’s consultation with the trinity in His creative venture. Hebraists tend to side with Yehovah consulting or working with the angelic host during this juncture of Creation. (I tend to favor the Hebraic thinking over that of the trinitarian thinking, primarily because of Job 38:7. We find in Job 38:7 Yehovah questioning Job as to his presence when the foundations of the earth were established by Yehovah and the morning stars sang and the sons of Elohim shouted for joy. Extra-biblical sources such as the Book of Jubilee I believe, talk about the angels being created on Day 1 of Creation Week–Jubilee 2:1-4.) Still, other theorists chalk the “let us” statement is an old statement of majesty that is often tied to Kings of old making and establishing edicts and such–let us do such and such a thing; let us see you; etc.

Regardless, both theories are fraught with problems. It is safe to conclude, in a general sense, that this question of who the “us” were is one of those mysteries that cannot be fully understood until Father deems it time to reveal to us.

Now, the term “image” or “likeness” that is used to describe the make-up of Adam and Eve–both being made in Yehovah’s likeness or image–in a Hebraic manner of speaking, bears a couple significant implications:

1. Taking into account the term is often used to refer to that which is “carved” or “sculpted,” such as relates to idols (cf. Num. 33:52; 1 Sam. 6:5, 11), one could conclude that Adam bore some level of resemblance to His Creator. Adam looked like Yehovah in one way or another. But how is this possible given the fact that Yehovah is invisible. Our Master described Yehovah as a Spirit (Joh. 4:24) Who must be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth. This being the case, the idea of man looking like His Creator probably extends beyond the visual.
2. The term image or likeness can denote “model” or “shape,” whereby Adam being formed in Yehovah’s likeness or image, would serve as Yehovah’s representative in the earth. Messianic author and teacher Dr. Tim Hegg, describes Adam as Yehovah’s “viceroy” in the earth.
3. Adam possibly denotes a distinct outline of Yehovah in one form or another. But how can this be when Yehovah is, again, a spirit?

I tend to side with Hegg’s “viceroy” angle, especially in light of the chaos that was rendered to the earth by an unrevealed force of some sort. That chaos rendering force, assuming my assertion is accurate, clearly would have NOT have had Yehovah’s image/or would have imaged Yehovah on the earth if it set out to bring about the chaos to Yehovah’s creation that it did. But even this angle/theory falls flat when we consider that the chaos creating force would not have existed before creation. Yet another area of mystery.

Humanity bearing Yehovah’s image in the earth, would ideally right the wrong that led to earth’s chaotic state. Humanity was purposed to bear Yehovah’s image–reflect Yah’s image as he/she ruled /reigned on the earth. The creation is evidence, or a testimonial of Yehovah’s power and wisdom. Humanity was designed to fulfill the purpose of imaging Yehovah in the earth. This was Adam and Eve’s purpose –“me-‘od tov.” Humankind would be the primary creative concern of Yehovah on this planet. It could be said that every other element of creation was created for humankind. Even the Sabbath was set-aside for Yehovah’s people.

Humanity’s purpose is to image Yehovah in the earth. (I’ve spoken at length about this in previous postings of this program.) Humanity finds and fulfills her divine purpose as God-imagers when she enters into and maintains an obedient, covenant relationship with the Eternal. Clearly, being made in Yehovah’s image factors in an understanding that one possesses talents, intellect and other inherent abilities that are characteristic of Yehovah Creator. Those imputed character traits were gifted to Adam and Eve, and by extension, Adam and Eve’s descendants, to facilitate their role as imagers of Yehovah in the earth. Again, by extension, our gifts are meant to enhance and facilitate our imaging of Yehovah in the earth in our day.

The human heart is the “seat” of its intellect/volition/imaging. The human soul is the unique element of the person: the person’s talents; abilities and such. Humanity is purposed then to be the Creator’s collective and individual/unique imaging agents in the earth, created to glorify Yehovah.  Sin, unfortunately, inhibits or diminishes humanity’s imaging purpose. Sin essentially causes humanity to forfeit her purpose in the earth. Instead of imaging the Eternal in the earth, sin causes humanity to image its father, hasatan, as well as to promote herself, which is humanism.

Humanity’s intended imaging of Yehovah in the earth is such a fundamental focus of His that He enacted capital punishment for murder (Gen. 9:6). For murder serves, in essence, to erase or eliminate Yehovah’s image on this earthly plane.

This whole imaging paradigm that underscores this week’s Torah Reading comes only through a true and substantive relationship between Yehovah and His imagers. Without such a relationship, humanity is incapable of fulfilling their intended purpose. We were made to be Sons of Elohim. Praise Yehovah. Through Mashiyach’s personal ministry, we are becoming/being made into Yehovah’s Sons.

Yahoshua was described by Shaul as the “Last Adam.” We know that Shaul also described Yahoshua as the image of the invisible Elohim and the firstborn of every creature (Col. 1:15-17). Of that imaging relationship, Master declared that He and Father are “echad” (i.e., one) (Joh. 10:30). Truly, Master fulfilled His divine purpose at every intended level. But first and foremost, He showed us how Yehovah purposed His chosen ones to reflect or image Him in the world. As disciples of Mashiyach, we are required to imitate–image our master in every conceivable way. In so doing, we naturally begin to image Yehovah, our Creator, and fulfill our created purpose in the earth.