The Imago Dei Revealed Through The Book of Genesis, Part 6 - Its Finest Example

The Latin term 'imago Dei' means "the image of God". It is considered one of the most influential anthropological concepts about what it means to be human. It occurs in various forms only four times in the first nine chapters of Genesis but is considered the chief reason for the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights declaring the inherent equality of all human beings, and the reason that human life is treated as exceptional by all nations around the world. This important motif is introduced in Genesis 1:26-27 without definition or explanation, yet it has spawned hundreds of thousands of books and articles exploring its consequences and significance. Dr. Brent Strawn, in the Cambridge Companion to Genesis, makes the point that no where in Genesis is the "imago Dei" (image of God) ever singular. From its literary establishment in Genesis 1:27 it is plural ("male and female") and throughout "the unfolding of the book" it continues to be revealed as a plural. After the depiction of the Fall in Genesis 3, from chapters 4 to 36 it is revealed as intact yet presented as broken leading to fratricide, violence, deceit, depravity, and innocent deaths. Yet, in all this, the doctrine of the imago Dei remains the pillar for understanding the answer to the psalmist's question: "Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?  Of what importance is humankind, that you should pay attention to them?" (Psa. 8.4 NET) The doctrine of the Imago Dei is the most uplighting insight into what it means to be human and has shaped the The U.N.’s Declaration of Human Rights and west civilisation itself. But these three distortions of it have become far from what GOD intended for humankind. Have a listen to this podcast and discover for yourself what they are. In this episode we conclude this short series by seeing the Book of Genesis bookends its opening introduction about the image of God and show how during the darkest section of human wickedness and evil, GOD shine a light by opening Rachel's womb and giving her a baby whom she named 'Joseph'. In this episode I show how there was at least 11 parallels between Joseph and Jesus. And then explain how this is relevant for you and me today. For more Biblical teaching via podcast subscribe to Messages That Matters with Dr. Andrew Corbett on iTunes, Soundcloud or Spotify: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/messages-that-matter-by-dr-andrew-corbett/id1059252114 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3GuYKpgiAyKiF56LCekRSS Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/DrAndrewC Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/u/0/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjY5NjkzNjY5L3NvdW5kcy5yc3M