Multiplication that Matters

“So God created man in His own image…male and female. ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth…’” Ge 1:27-28

Like you, I have read this verse so many times over the course of my life. I have never really given much thought to the deeper meaning until my Bible study offered clarity to the passage. I believe I have always thought that God wanted us to understand that physically we are patterned after Him. If we look at ourselves…two arms, two legs, ten fingers and ten toes …we can at least catch a likened version of God. Also, I felt this verse was His command for us to work hard and fill the earth with future generations. But digging deeper today, I realize that it encompasses so much more than my surface understanding. ‘Because all people were made in the image of God, we reflect His brilliant glory. As Adam and Eve were supposed to multiply and be fruitful, in essence they were to spread the brilliant glory of God throughout the earth…Because we are made in the image of God, when we make disciples [fruitfulness], we are spreading [multiplying] the glory of God across the earth." (Parenthesis mine) Trustworthy, Lysa TerKeurst, p. 131.

Exodus 34:34-35 records that anytime Moses went to communicate with the Lord, his face reflected a radiance that others could see. ‘But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence…they saw that his face was radiant.’ I believe when God told us that we were born in the His same image, He was telling us that when we live a life walking and communicating with Him, we will reflect His glory, not the world’s. If the Israelite's could see the impact of Moses’ time with God, why can’t people in our world? I believe they can, because God says it is His desire that we multiply His image…His radiant glory. So, I’m left wondering this morning, do we have the God glow 7 days a week or only after church on Sundays? Do our actions reflect His heart image, or does it reflect our heart of flesh? If we truly believe the Bible, we must believe that we are created in every part of His image instead of just the physical. We only need to look at His spirit to see the fruit that is available from walking in His image. ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.’ Galatians 5:22-23. We cannot walk in the fruit of His spirit and image without His help. I’m thankful to know that any of these attributes that I lack, God will provide. I pray that we will be a radiant people multiplying God’s glory and bringing others to Him.  May people see us coming from a mile away!