02. Image, Priest, King, Son

In this lesson, we cover four essential aspects of who God originally created mankind to be.

Image —

To bear God’s image is to represent God’s loving and righteous rule in creation and make his presence known. 

God is love, and mankind was made in love, to be loved, and to be love.

In Genesis, God creates, then places his image inside creation, revealing that his rule is designed to be expressed through his image-bearers and not merely by his divine decree.

Image is not about how humans look, but rather about why they exist, and for whom they exist.

Think about when Jesus is tested regarding paying taxes. 

He says, “Show Me the coin used for the tax. And they brought Him a denarius. Whose image is this?” … “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Mankind was created to stand in the world and by their very lives declare, “This world belongs to God and we ourselves belong to him.”

Priest —

The Hebrew verbs used here in Genesis are ʿavad meaning “to serve/to work” and shamar “to keep/guard”.

These exact same two verbs appear together in Levitical priestly instructions in Numbers 3:7-8 where Levites are to serve (ʿavad) and guard (shamar) the tabernacle. (See also Numbers 8:26; 18:5-6)

This shows us that Eden functioned as God’s first sanctuary and Adam was placed there as a priest.

Before sacrifice, law, or altar, his role is to serve God in his presence, and also to guard the sacred space from corruption. 

Seeing this helps us understand that Exodus and Leviticus don’t "invent priesthood,” but restore in shadow what was lost in Eden.

King —

This is royal language. 

Mankind is given a kingly role at creation. Although humans are given dominion, they are to rule under God.

In Genesis, Adam exercises kingship through dominion, cultivation, discernment, guarding God’s boundaries, stewarding God’s word, and sharing rule under God’s authority.

Biblically, kings are to judge, guard justice, and restrain chaos. 

Adam fails at this and is sent with Eve into exile when he does not restrain the serpent (which we’ll speak more of in the next lesson.)

Later in the story, countless evil kings arise and seek to grasp authority as owners, instead of rule as stewards and servants. (Mt. 20:25-26)

To be clear: the original design of kingship was not individual, but rather shared.

Rule is given to both together. 

Sin distorted true kingship. 

After the fall, rule becomes domination, and power is abused.

But God never revokes human kingship. Instead, he disciplines it, redirects it, and restores it through covenant. 

Then we see Christ fulfills kingship by reversing Adam’s failure. 

Jesus is called “The Son of Man”, “The Last Adam”, and “King of kings”. 

He does what Adam did not by resisting temptation and exercising authority in perfect obedience rather than self-assertion. 

Through Christ, believers share in restored kingship and reign in life. (Rom. 5:17)

The reign is not domination, political conquest, or self-exaltation, but it is faithful stewardship under Christ.

Adam failed.
Christ fulfills.
Humanity is restored in him.

Son —

To be clear, Adam is not called son of God by birth, but by direct creation and relationship.

Throughout Scripture, “son” speaks of one who comes from, who bears likeness, and represents their father.

This is what Genesis is showing. 

Adam received life directly from God’s breath, he bears God’s image, and is entrusted with God’s work.

Throughout Scripture, sonship is tied to purpose.

Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” (John 5:19)

Adam and Eve were created as son and daughter, meant to live in trust, obedience, and shared rule with their Father.

Sonship expresses the relational heart of image, priesthood, and kingship. 

The Bible’s unified story ends with a full circle connection to this: 

 
Additional scriptures for…

Image = Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:22-24, Rev. 22:4

Priest = Rom. 15:16, 1 Pet. 2:9, Rev. 1:6

King = 2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 1:6, 5:10, Rev. 22:5

Son = Gal. 4:6, 1 Jn. 3:1, Rom. 8:14-17