Greetings brother... Have you ever thought about this? I considered making a thread on it, but I know you would appreciate the significance at just a glance... Col 1:15 "He is the image (eikon) of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;"
God created Adam and Eve in his image. Gen 1:27 "And God went on to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them." This image of God is to have in subjection, to rule. Gen 1:28 "Further, God blessed them, and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.” It was Gods instruction for mankind to subdue and rule this world, in which they failed. Therefore they were no longer in the image of God once they sinned. However, within the first prophecy was presented a future creation of man that would again be the image of God when coming to earth for the purpose of rule. Gen 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head, and you will strike him in the heel.” Christ Jesus came to this world in order to fulfill Gods command for mankind to be in his image, in order to subdue and have in subjection this world, in which Christ Jesus fulfills. Col 1:15 "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;" Christ Jesus, just as Adam was (and lost) is the image of his God Jehovah, because of Gods right to put in place those who are to rule, and Christ Jesus submitted himself to God as the one in his image. Jehovah had, and always has had the right to put in place those who would rule his creation, yet those in the garden decided on their own to determine their own fate, and in so doing questioned Jehovah's right to direct the steps of his creations, and to appoint whom ever he wishes to rule. Mankind, and time has been sufficient in proving the premise that creation may decide their own fait, wrong, and in our Fathers due moment all creation will testify to his right to rule, and they will glorify him through their lives guided by their dedication to him...
I'm truly ready to see that day. The planet Earth keeps going downhill and with it the people on it. How wonderful will it be when Jesus accomplishes Jehovah's purpose.
The scripture at Genesis 1:28 can be misinterpreted, as giving full control over everything on earth in any way, according to those in power. Let’s look at the original Hebrew word that is translated as “subdue”. The Hebrew word is kabash (kaw-bash’) meaning: 1. to subject, subdue, force, keep under, bring into bondage a. (Qal) 1. to bring into bondage, make subservient 2. to subdue, force, violate 3. to subdue, dominate, tread down b. (Niphal) to be subdued c. (Piel) to subdue d. (Hiphil) to bring into bondage The word is used 15 times in the Hebrew scriptures. It is translated as: bring into bondage, bring into subjection, force, keep under, and subdue. When I was much younger, we used the word “kabash”, which I learned from my Jewish friends. It had the meaning of putting an end to something. Or in other words, take control. “We’ll put the kabash on that guy!” The other word used in this verse is dominion. The Hebrew is radah (rah-dah), having dominion over, or to dominate. This does not mean to be cruel. “You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God.” ( Le 25:43 NASB ) Unfortunately, the Israelite leaders did not listen to Jehovah’s instructions. “You have not made the weak strong; and you have not healed the sick, and you have not bound up the broken. And the banished have not been brought back, and you have not sought the lost, but you rule them with force and with harshness.” ( Eze 34:4 LITV ) “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the [f]diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. ( Eze 34:4 NASB ) “The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” ( Eze 34:4 AKJV ) From these scriptures we see that those who chose to become rulers have followed the God of this world instead of Jehovah God. We can easily see the results. They are the “image” of the slanderer. When Men are In Charge of the Earth 2001 Translation: An American English Bible At Genesis 1:28, God gave mankind the following commission: ‘Reproduce, multiply, fill the earth and control it. Rule over the fish of the seas, the winged creatures of the skies, all the herding animals of the ground, all the slithering animals that crawl on the ground, and the whole earth.’ However, it appears as though the first humans (Adam and Eve) relinquished their rights to this commission when they sinned and submitted their lives to the Slanderer. For notice what the Slanderer later said to Jesus (as recorded at Luke 4:6): ‘I will give you power over all of these [worldly governments] and the glory of them, because they have been given to me and I can give them to whomever I wish.’ So, it appears as though our forefathers gave away our commission to rule over the earth and its creatures when they followed the directions of the evil one. However, the Bible also tells us that after the Slanderer loses a great war, Jesus and his ‘chosen ones’ will become kings on the earth, and then the power that the wicked one has over this earth and its creatures will no longer be his, for it will fall back into the hands of faithful mankind. And after that, we can scarcely imagine what powers will be returned to humans when the full commission that God gave to us over this earth and its creatures is restored. With no opposition, and with each man and woman endowed with a full measure of the power of God’s Holy Breath, the blessings to this earth and its creatures could be virtually limitless. (Notes from 2001 Translation: An american English Bible)
I might add that our Lord showed us what rule was, that Adam had lost. To rule in the image of God is to assist. The Liar obviously no longer wished to be helpful, but desired to have other creations worship him, instead of he assisting them. Ish 14:13 "You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens. Above the stars of God I will lift up my throne, And I will sit down on the mountain of meeting, In the remotest parts of the north." Jehovah is life, and gives his infinite life to others, in order for them to enjoy consciousnesses. Jehovah is love, while evil is nothingness, the very absence of Jehovah. Nothing will be without him, therefore the least common denominator is, the image of God is love.