Christ as God's Image

In Genesis 9:6, a telling verse reveals that a new age had commenced and a new aspect of God's dealings with man had been inaugurated, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man".

In this verse we see man as resembling and representing God, for he is made in God's image. We also see him rebelling against God, for in shedding man's blood, in committing murder, he desecrates and destroys God's representative upon earth and thereby exhibits the deepest depravity of the human heart. Man also acts in righteous retribution for God, for in response to the deepest depravity, the most severe sentence is to be executed, "by man shall his blood be shed". Man acting as judge in taking the life of the murderer was not desecrating the image of God but upholding the value of that image in man by executing righteous retribution upon one who would commit such evil.

How does this speak of Christ? In the New Testament on two occasions the Greek word eikon is used of the Lord Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15). This word is rendered "image" and has a similar meaning to the Hebrew word used in Gen 9:6.

As the image of God, the Son of God represents the "invisible God". He also perfectly resembles God, being Himself God "manifest in flesh". He could say "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9) and it is recorded that "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18).

If I want to know what God is like I examine the Son and I find a full revelation of God's person and character for, "There is no thought in the mind of God but Christ is it's expression; there is no glory in God but Christ is it's manifestation" (William Lincoln).

How solemn this makes the rejection and murder of the Son of God! In the parable told by the Lord, the guilty tenants of the vineyard said "This is the heir, come let us kill him" (Matt 21:38). The apostles preached (Acts 3:14-15) and prayed (Acts 4:24-28) as if the ultimate crime against God had been committed at Calvary - and it had!

Everything that Jesus did, and everything that He said, perfectly revealed God to man. No excuse therefore can be made that God was poorly represented or incorrectly resembled by the Son. How did man treat this perfect "Image"? He spat in the face of his Creator, and set about to kill the "author of life" (Acts 3:15)! He gave to Christ the cross, the cruelest form of execution known to men, thus revealing the deep well of his depravity by his attitude to the Creator.

Is it any wonder then that men will be punished eternally for this most heinous of crimes? Never let us forget that "He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him" (John 5:23). The Man whom they "slew and hanged on a tree" (Acts 5:30) has God's "authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man" (John 5:27). One day those who have stood in judgment upon the Saviour, and have rejected Him, will stand before Him and tremble as they recognise their Judge to be the One they despised and hated. They will receive righteous retribution for the ultimate crime, the damning sin of Christ-rejection. Their question then will not be "What shall I do with Jesus?" but "What will He do with me?"

"True Image of the Infinite
Whose essence is concealed,
Brightness of uncreated light
The heart of God revealed: 
Worthy O Lamb of God art Thou
That every knee to Thee should bow!"