Who was God talking to? when he said let us make man in our image.?

Question

Genesis 2 .26

Answer 1

A court of deities

The Tanakh (OT) comes from many different texts and writings, some of which depict god as the head of a court of deities.

Answer 2

the Godhead or Trinity was talking to Himself. The Bible shows very clearly that there is only one God, and yet that there are three personal distinctions in His complex nature, traditionally referred to as "three Persons in the Godhead"—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each is distinct from the others but never acts independently. They are one in nature and purpose. This mystery is called the doctrine of the Trinity, though that term is not used in the Bible. The teaching, however, is present in seed form in the Old Testament and is revealed explicitly in the New Testament. Note passages such as Matthew 28:19; John 10:30, 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Our finite minds cannot understand or explain this mystery of God, which is nevertheless a fact. We must accept the truths found in the Word of God by faith even though we ourselves cannot comprehend them fully; read Hebrews 11:1,3,6 and 1 Corinthians 2:5-10;14; 13:12. It is really not surprising that the infinite God should be complex in His nature beyond the ability of finite humans to comprehend! This doctrine is absolutely essential to New Testament Christianity. Theologians have pointed out that if it were not true, the Bible would be unreliable, Christ would not be divine, and His death on the cross would not atone for our sins, being merely the death of a martyr.

Answer 3

The bible was translated from both the Hebrew and Greek Texts and the Greeks are known for believing in more than one God, there are other references like Gen 3:22 Then the Lord God said "behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, eat, and live forever"- notice the Us is capitalized as well.

Answer 4

To his firstson (Colossians 1:15-17) the one that is his helper (Proverbs 8:22-30) to the one the he said that he will sent (Malachi 3:1-3) according to John 1:1 the word was in the begining with God almighty so that is Jesus his firstson or first angel because all angels are sons of God (Job 1:6, 2:1)

Answer 5

The bible doesn't answer, so we can only speculate, here are some theories:
1. Royalty often spoke of themselves in plural terms, meaning that one person was a rep of their whole blood line, and would say "let us go out to the foyer," when he/she was the only one he/she was referring to.
2. God was referring to Angels
3. Other deities
4. Jesus

Could it just be a typo, a mistranslation, or a smudge on the paper possibly?

These are one of those things that could draw up petty arguing and separate believers. I couldn't care less which one of the above it may be. All I care about is that I know there's a God, and what do I need to do to grow in the relationship with him.

Answer 6

This was the first reference to God being three in one- The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Answer 7

Let's look at verses 26 plus 27 because they go together and give us a wider view of what's going on. God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness…. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (KJV)” This information came to us through the ancient Hebrews. So, hmm… Can we find things about the ancient Hebrews that fit with this statement? If we can, it might answer your question. And, yes, we can find things…

If we look underneath the English translation, by digging into the original Hebrew…. The Hebrew word used to denote God in Genesis is “Elohim”. Some experts say the word/name Elohim is a plural word. It’s formed by uniting a feminine singular “Eloh” with a masculine plural ending “im”. This makes Elohim a female potency united to a male principle… a Deity that manifests simultaneously as Female & Male / Mother & Father...

So, it’s possible to view “God”/”Elohim” as “Female & Male”/”Mother & Father” who were “talking” to “each other” during the Creation. Now we could point back to Genesis 1:27 where it mentions “male and female”. However... Please keep in mind that other experts dispute that and say it’s the Christian Trinity talking.

If you really want to understand ancient Hebrew beliefs, dig into ancient Hebrew history. There is archaeological evidence that the ancient Hebrew religion was influenced by their Canaanite neighbors. Canaanites believed in a Father God El who was married to at least one Goddess, who had god & goddess children, and who ruled over a council of lesser gods. The ancient Hebrews also believed in a Father God who – according to ancient evidence – may have been the same God El the Canaanites believed in. In fact, some passages from the Bible read so similar to Canaanite writings that they look “copied”. For example, look at 1 Kings 22:19-22 in the Bible where the LORD meets with his heavenly council. That’s the same description of heaven found in the Canaanite Ugaritic texts. Over time, as different philosophies developed, the Hebrew view of God evolved into the monotheism we see today. (“fireyhairedfairy” briefly mentioned this. I’m just supplying a few details.)

Some people don’t like that information so they try to disprove it or ignore it. But there’s evidence in the archaeology. Dig for yourself if you wish, starting with the links listed at the end.

Maybe look at it this way…

In Genesis 1:26 & 27, God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness…. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Which choice fits best with God’s statement? …..That there was a Male & Female God system of some kind involved here, “talking” with “each other” (maybe even including other divine beings, a divine council of some sort)? Or that three Male aspects of God (Father, Son, Holy Ghost) were “talking” with “each other”? Or maybe some other explanation? …..Which one fits best with ancient Hebrew religious views?

Making decisions about God can be very personal. So…. You make the final choice for yourself. When you’ve learned what fits best with ancient Hebrew beliefs, you probably have your answer.

Answer 8

“God went on to say: ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every moving animal that is moving upon the earth.’” (Genesis 1:26) Now, when God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness,” he was not talking to himself as if he were a two-in-one god or a three-in-one god. He was talking to at least one other heavenly person separate and distinct from himself and was inviting that spirit person to join him in the producing of an earthly, human creature.

11 However, at the time of the creation of man and woman, there were more than one spirit person in association with God. There were spirit persons whom God had created even before the creation of the earth. This fact was called to the attention of faithful Job of the land of Uz, when God said to him: “Where did you happen to be when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you do know understanding. Who set its measurements, in case you know . . . or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars joyfully cried out together, and all the sons of God began shouting in applause?” (Job 38:1-7) That occurred many thousands of years before the final part of God’s sixth creative day, at which time God created man and woman. (Genesis 1:27-31) Consequently those joyful “sons of God” were not creatures that had first been on the earth as humans and thereafter transferred to God’s presence in heaven. They were God’s spirit creatures from the start of their existence. God never populated the heavens from the earth’s inhabitants.

Answer 9

Of course God wasnt talking to himself or anybody else. What we read in the book of Genesis is the interpretation of one man who wanted to transmit to us the way in which he thought God had created the world.
Its not like there was an observer taking notes all of that time.
God is much larger than whatever you can understand.

Answer 10

G-d and the angels..

Our sages teach us that when G-d created Man, he was concerned that the angels would be jealous, for Man is the only creation like them who understands right from wrong. So G-d consulted with the angels before creating Man and aid, "Let us make Man." The lesson from this is that one should always seek advice, even from those who are inferior to you.

G-d consulted with the angels before creating Man and said, "Let us make Man." The lesson from this is that one should always seek advice, even from those who are inferior to you.

The next verse immediately says (in singular form) "And G-d created Man...". Nachmanides says that "Let us create Man," is referring to G-d and the Earth. For man is "In our image and form." Man consists of a body, which is in the image and form of earth; and a soul which is in the image and form of G-d.

[In Genesis 3:22, "us" is referring to G-d and the Heavenly Court.]

Answer 11

Emet Ha'Agur: "Our sages teach us that when G-d created Man, he was concerned that the angels would be jealous, for Man is the only creation like them who understands right from wrong."

Interesting. I thought that, according to the myth, Adam and Eve did not know "right from wrong" until after they ate a piece of fruit.