Who is god talking to in these verses of the bible?

Question

These verses make it sound like there are several gods:

Genesis 1:26
And God said, let us make man in our image.

Genesis 3:22
And the Lord God said, Behold, then man is become as one of us, to know good and evil.

If there is only one god, what is going on here?

latterrain276: what did that have to do with the question? If you are not going to attempt to provide an actual answer, please do not post here.

Answer 1

There are two theories here:

G-d is using the "royal I"

OR

G-d DID create angels before He created anything else. Angels are also in G-d's image. So, in creating anything else, G-d is justified in speaking to the angels in saying those verses.

Answer 2

There is only one God. In the beginning he created sons, the first created was Jesus (Revelation 3:14) (Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Genesis 6:2). So God was not alone. Indeed there are other gods, but they are not the Supreme being. Indeed there are other lords, but they are not Jesus. (I Corinthians 8:5-6). So just as God created man in his image, he created his sons in his image as well. There is only one creator, that is the Father. (Malachi 2:10) All of the gods, lords, and sons of God know good and evil. So God was simply speaking to the host of heaven.

On an aside believers in other gods shall live after judgment day, however, unbelievers and sinners shall not. (Micah 4:5)

Answer 3

Jen D,

Remember the Bible is the word of God. In 2 Tinothy 3:15 we read, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

In Jeremiah 36:1-4 God gives us an example of how the Bible was given to man.

Secomdly, God is an infinite being! How can our little minds completley understand an infinite God? We cannot... However God does give us information about Himself in the Bible that we have to examine very closely before arriving at a conclusion.

In Isaiah 33:6 we read, "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."

In Isaiah 45:22 we read, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

In Isaiah 46:9 we read, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

In Hosea 11:9 the Bible says, "I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city."

But then in 1 John 5:7 we read, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. "

This is where the doctrine of the tri-unity or trinity came from. God is three-in-one. Bit how can we explain this? We cannot. However, we believe it because it is in the Bible. Recall when Jesus was being baptized in the Jordon....the Father spoke from heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove, and here was the Son.

Answer 4

God was talking to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

While there is only one God, there are many spirits. God was not alone when he created the Heavens and the Earth, he did have quite an audience. While the Bible doesn't teach it, each of us was with Him at the creation, as His spirit children.

Answer 5

The simple answer would be that jesus was god's first creation, and together they created everything. The idea that jesus is a separate being kind of goes against the dogma of the trinity though. All this leads to the common sense question: Why would an all-powerful, all-knowing god create a written word that everyone would interpret so differently?

Answer 6

You're going to get a lot of different opinions on this, but I believe God was talking to the trinity. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are 3 distinct entities - but all God. Notice the use of the word "us". So it is very possible for God to talk to Jesus and vice versa. Remember when Jesus walked the earth, He prayed constantly to the Father, which seems normal since Jesus was in physical human form. But it's hard for us to imagine what it's like in heaven and the "conversations" that take place between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Just my two cents.

Answer 7

There is Only One and True Living God but in three persons (Trinity), Matthew 28:19. 1John 5:7( John 1:1). God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. That's why the LORD GOD is so Powerful: God is Omnipotent, possessing unlimited power!
God is Omniscience, all knowing, infinite knowledge!
and God is Omnipresence, He can be in every place at the same time!

And if you still confused, pray to God, even Lord Jesus Christ to show you the truth. Amen.

Answer 8

God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Compare this verse from the Gospel of John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."
John 1:1-3

Or this statement about Jesus Christ from Paul:

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Colossians 1:15-17

Answer 9

There are numerous examples od conversation in the Godhead - the Father speaking to the Son and the Son speaking to the Father.
Just a couple examples:

I will proclaim the decree of the LORD :
He said to me, "You (Jesus) are my Son ;
today I have become your Father. (God the Father)
Psalm 2:7

"The LORD (God the Father) says to my Lord (Jesus, the Messiah):
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."

Psalm 110:1

Answer 10

He was speaking about the trinity. God is three persons in one.
1. God the Father
2. God the Son (Jesus)
3. God the Holy Spirit.

Answer 11

In the first verse he is expressing his character in his word as he is creating another as he is, with different offices, a Son, a Father, a spirit, or another way of looking at it is that we are created a body, with a soul, but we are spirit. God, who is a spirit, knew then that he would come to earth in bodily form as a living soul.

In the second verse he is talking to the angels who did know good and evil.