After each step in the process of creation, God evaluated His work and pronounced it to be “good”, but after creating man in His own image and likeness, He pronounced him to be “very good”. Human beings are the capstone of God’s creation and have inherent glory about them even though the image of God in them has been marred by sin and needs redemption.
One of my favourite Psalms is Psalm 8, in which David celebrates the glory of God, the glory of His creation and the glory of humankind.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psa 8:1-9)
David begins by reflecting on the glory of God and the glory of the heavens He has made before he considers the glory of humankind. The majesty of the night sky spread out before him humbles him and prompts him to ask this question:
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? (3)
He is aware that God cares about us, in fact, that his mind is full of thoughts about us. Having created us, He also sustains us providing for our every need. Jesus reminds us of this saying: So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mat 6:31-33)
David then moves on to speak of the status of man in God’s order, saying;
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. (5)
The Hebrew word translated here in the NIV as “heavenly beings” is Elohiym which could also be translated as “angels”, “gods” or the “supreme God”. Friends, this is our status, we have been made just a little lower than God himself and the heavenly beings that attend Him. This should give us a sense of status and worth. Remember too, that you and I have been crowned with glory. May that glory become more evident as God’s Spirit transforms us from glory to glory.
Man has also been imbued with authority to rule over all of God’s earthly creation.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (6-9) The fact that we have been given this role and these responsibilities should give us a sense of destiny and purpose. May we rise to the challenge and begin to steward the creation and this planet in a way that pleases God for we shall one day be called to give an account. Let’s cease to plunder and pollute its resources in our ignorance and greed.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for who and what you have made us to be. We thank you that we are glorious beings just a little lower than the angels and that we have authority over all your created order on this planet. May we take up our God-given role, fulfill our responsibilities with wisdom and live in a way which brings you glory and honour. Amen!
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