Who Did God Speak to in Genesis 1:26?

Genesis 1:26

26 And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

When God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," the Father was speaking directly to His Son, Jesus Christ Genesis 1:263SG 36.1+1. The plural pronouns "us" and "our" refer to the divine council and cooperative action between the Father and the Son in the work of creation3SG 36.1+2.

The Heavenly Council

Before the foundation of the world, the Father and Son were alone in the universeSSP 93.2. In the councils of heaven, the Father consulted His Son regarding the formation of man and the creation of this world3SG 36.1+1. This consultation underscores the unique position of Christ, who was the "express image" of the Father’s person and was equal with Him Hebrews 1:3Ed 131.5+1. 🕊️

The Roles of the Father and the Son

• Unity in Creation: Father and Son worked together with one mind to complete the work of creationSSP 93.2.

• The Son as the Agent: Christ was the Father's appointed heir by whom He made the worlds Hebrews 1:2BEcho July 15, 1893, par. 9+1.

• Divine Relationship: Christ was the first-begotten of the Father, and to Him the Father made known the divine plan of creation, including the order of beings that should people the earthSSP 93.2+1.

• Image and Likeness: Man was made in the image of God, a form that was perfectly represented in Christ, who is the outshining of the Father's gloryEGWSRGES 11.2+2.

Christ’s Pre-existence and Authority

The fact that the Father spoke to the Son reveals that Christ had a real existence before His advent to this worldGC88 524.2. He was the commander of all heaven and imparted the high commands of His Father to the angelic family3SG 36.1+1. While angels were created at the command of Jehovah to be ministers, they were not part of the "us" in the sense of being creators; rather, they watched the creative work with intense interest and amazementSSP 93.2+2. 🌟

Restoration of the Image

Because man was created through the Son, Christ also became the Author of our redemption when that image was marred by sin6BC 1105.5+2. To restore the moral image of God in fallen humanity, Christ clothed His divinity with humanity to reach the lost race10MR 236.2+2. This work of redemption is a continuation of the same divine cooperation that began at the creation of the world6BC 1105.5+2.