When God prepared to create humanity, He made a surprising declaration: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Throughout the creation account, God had spoken with singular authority. Why, at this moment, did He suddenly say "us" and "our"? Was someone else present at Creation?
Puzzling Passages
Why Did God Say, Let Us Make Man in Our Image?
Scripture — Genesis 1:26
Genesis 1:26
26 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
The Biblical Account
Understanding the Passage
Christians have traditionally understood these words as an early indication of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although Genesis does not explicitly explain the Trinity, the New Testament reveals that the Son was present and active in Creation. John tells us that all things were made through the eternal Word, whom he identifies with Jesus Christ.
Another interpretation is that God was addressing His heavenly court, the angels who attend Him. Scripture elsewhere portrays heavenly beings gathered before the Lord. However, the following verse makes clear that God Himself created humanity in His own image, not in the image of angels.
Some commentators also understand the plural as God expressing His own divine deliberation. The language may emphasize the solemn importance of creating humanity, uniquely fashioned to reflect His character.
Conclusion
From a Christian perspective, the words are especially meaningful in light of the New Testament revelation of the Trinity. While Genesis does not fully explain whom God was addressing, the passage is consistent with the Christian understanding of one God eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever the precise meaning of the plural, Scripture leaves no doubt that humanity was created by God and bears His image.