Who was God talking to in Genesis 1:26 when He said "Let us?" Is it possible He was talking to His angels?

Question

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:26

Answer 1

The most common theological opinion is that the word "us" refers to the nature of the Trinity - three in one. The three persons of the Trinity are God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The concept of the Trinity is important, yet mysterious in the Christian faith. I would recommend www.apologetics.com for further in-depth discussion on the issue.

Regarding the angels, check out Hebrews 1. This passage makes it clear that they are not regarded as God's equals, in fact, the angels are created beings. Therefore, it is unlikely that God would say "us" when referring to himself and the angels.

Great question and I suggest you keep doing the reading so you reach a conclusion yourself. www.biblegateway.com is a great site to look up passages and search for passages on a subject.

Answer 2

The angels are not made in God's image, therefore he wasn't talking to them (also, if you study the bible deep enough, you'll see the angels were made to serve and help us, man, and we were created at a higher place then the angels "just a little lower that God". If you read the full book, and this story in context, you'll see that the was talking to his Son and the Holy Ghost. Man was made in the image and likeness if God, and periodically he refers to the Son, Jesus as Lord at times, or "us" as he does here, and there are many other references. Jesus, like God has been around since the beginning of man, he just was not made man, until we really needed him just over 2000 years ago.

Answer 3

as I look over all of your answers I realize that im the only apostolic who is going to answer this so i hope i can do this justice.

First how can God who is omnipresent have an image he cannot as the scripture reads "where is God not", I believe that God seeing through the scope of time saw the need for himself to be made a perfect sacrifice.

As you can see I don't believe in the trinity of God, for one thing the work trinity is not in the bible at all. And for so many other reasons it contradicts itself. Why would the almighty God send his son to do a job only he could. Why would Jesus pray in the Garden of Gesemene(not correct spelling) if they are all co-equal Gods. And in Mathew it states that the Holy Spirit came upon Mary, so that would make God the father not really God.

I know people aren't really going to agree or understand as I have not done justice to the question, but at least my belief is their

Answer 4

The Hebrew for that verse is very specific in assigning a plurality to God. There are many verses in the Old Testament where God is used in the plural. Christians use these as proof of the Trinity in the Old Testament. Jewish believers usually explain that as being the royal "WE" of the English language. The problem they have is that it is plural in the Hebrew language also.

Answer 5

In this verse God was actually talking to himself. Often kings Refer to themselves in this way. The word God in Hebrew (Elohim) is plural, so the statement likely indicates that God was taking cousel with himself. This may also hint at the mystery of the Trinity--in unity of God there is plurality. But some people -like yourself- also think this describes God speaking to his heavenly court of angels.

Answer 6

No sir! Actually, this is proof of the Holy Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy spirit. Three enteties that make up the Trinity. That is who "Us" is! Great question.

Answer 7

Medievalists used to point out that passage as "proof" of the Trinity.

I prefer a more literary reason. Ever hear of the royal "We", or the editorial "We"?

Makes more sense than trying to say that God was deliberately trying to "tell us something" *use creepy Crypt Tales voice*

Answer 8

Simple! God exists in 3 persons (which we refer to as Father, Son, and Spirit) and the 3 persons were having a conversation with each other... hence... "we"

I know it's weird and hard for us mortals to understand.

Answer 9

These words are directed not to the earth, out of which man was made, as consulting with it, and to be assisting in the formation of man, as Moses Gerundensis, and other Jewish writers, which is wretchedly stupid; nor to the angels, as the Targum of Jonathan, Jarchi, and others, who are not of God's privy council, nor were concerned in any part of the creation, and much less in the more noble part of it: nor are the words spoken after the manner of kings, as Saadiah, using the plural number as expressive of honour and majesty; since such a way of speaking did not obtain very early, not even till the close of the Old Testament: but they are spoken by God the Father to the Son and Holy Ghost, who were each of them concerned in the creation of all things, and particularly of man: hence we read of divine Creators and Makers in the plural number, Job_35:10 and Philo the Jew acknowledges that these words declare a plurality, and are expressive of others, being co-workers with God in creation : and man being the principal part of the creation, and for the sake of whom the world, and all things in it were made, and which being finished, he is introduced into it as into an house ready prepared and furnished for him; a consultation is held among the divine Persons about the formation of him; not because of any difficulty attending it, but as expressive of his honour and dignity; it being proposed he should be made not in the likeness of any of the creatures already made, but as near as could be in the likeness and image of God. The Jews sometimes say, that Adam and Eve were created in the likeness of the holy blessed God, and his Shechinah ; and they also speak of Adam Kadmon the ancient Adam, as the cause of causes, of whom it is said, "I was as one brought up with him (or an artificer with him), Pro_8:30 and to this ancient Adam he said, "let us make man in our image, after our likeness": and again, "let us make man"; to whom did he say this? the cause of causes said to "`jod', he, `vau', he"; that is, to Jehovah, which is in the midst of the ten numerations. What are the ten numerations? "`aleph', he, `jod', he", that is, "I am that I am, Exo_3:14 and he that says let us make, is Jehovah; I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God: and three jods testify concerning him, that there is none above him, nor any below him, but he is in the middle:

Answer 10

There are three that bear witness in heaven.
God the Father, Jesus the Son (the Word), the Holy Ghost.