For me, Genesis 1:26-27 are two of the most significant verses in Scripture.

These verses teach us who we are and how we came to be. They teach about our relationship to our Creator and God’s purpose for His creation.

Then 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 air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

These verses teach us the specialness of human beings. We are created in the image of God, and we have divine purposes for our creation.

Genesis 1:27 shows the uniqueness of the creation of human beings. This verse speaks of human beings rather than simply the creation of the first man. The word “Adam” means human beings.

It is easy to see that this is the case in the phrase, “Male and female, he created them.”

This verse also shows that humans are different from the animals. Humans are created for relationship with God.

The word “create,” bara in Hebrew, is only used with God as the subject. Humans make, form, and mold but only God creates. The use of the word helps show the significance of human kinds. After Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”), the word create is not used again until the creations of humans. Then it is used three times in quick succession, a device to show great significance.

Also, the number three is often used for completion or perfection. This also shows the significance of human beings.

What is our significance?

We were created as special objects of divine love. God did not have to have humans. He wanted us. He desires to have relationship with those He created for relationship.

We were created to use and care for God’s created order. We are to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

We are created to carry out all of God’s purposes. As special objects of His love, we are to reflect His image as we love others and seek to bless them as God has blessed us.