God makes everything good · and makes us in his image
A Bible story to tell as a family · Genesis 1:26–31 · ages 3–10 · 10 min
The story
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Before that there was no morning or night, no little birds, no smell of rain. The Bible says the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. But someone was already there: the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters, like someone watching over something that is about to be born.
Then God spoke. “Let there be light,” and there was light. God didn’t need a hammer, paint or a helper: his word was enough. On the second day, he separated the waters and made the sky. On the third, he gathered the seas into one place and dry land appeared, full of grass, plants and trees loaded with fruit with seeds inside. And at every step, God looked and saw that it was good.
On the fourth day, God lit the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night. And the text mentions it almost in passing: “And He made the stars as well.” Billions of stars, in a single sentence! On the fifth day, the seas swarmed with fish and great sea creatures, and the sky filled with wings. On the sixth came the livestock, the creatures that crawl and the beasts of the earth. Imagine the noise: moos, buzzes, roars.
Then something different happened. God didn’t just say “Let the earth bring forth.” He said: “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” And God created human beings in his image: male and female he created them. No star, no lion, no whale received this gift. Being God’s image means we were made to reflect who he is: to love, create, care and rule with kindness.
God blessed the man and the woman and gave them a task: to fill the earth and care for the fish, the birds and all the animals. He also gave them food: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees. The next chapter tells the same story up close: the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He planted a garden in Eden and placed the man there to work it and keep it.
But someone was missing. The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” The animals paraded before the man, and he gave each one a name, but none was a companion fit for him. Then God formed the woman and brought her to him. The man was so happy that he spoke in the form of a poem: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”
At the end of the sixth day, God looked at everything: the light, the seas, the flowers, the ants, the whales, the man and the woman. And the Bible says: “And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” Not just good. Very good. On the seventh day, God rested, not because he was tired, but because the work was complete, and he blessed that day. When you look in the mirror today, remember: you were made on purpose, by a God who calls his work very good.
26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.” 27So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” 29Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. 30And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
What the Bible says
- v. 26: God decides to make human beings in his image and likeness and entrusts them with the care of the animals.
- v. 27: man and woman, both of them, are created in the image of God.
- v. 31: “God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.”
What we learn
God needs nothing in order to create: his word is enough, and everything he makes is good. Human beings receive a unique dignity, because man and woman bear the image of God, and so every person deserves respect, whatever their age, color or way of being. We also receive a mission: to care for creation, not exploit it. The New Testament says that all things were made through Jesus, the Word (John 1:3), and it is in him that this image, stained by sin, begins to be restored.
Questions to talk about
For little ones
- Which animal that God made do you like best?
- What did God say when he looked at everything he had made?
For kids
- What makes people different from all the other creatures God made?
- If every person is made in God’s image, how does that change the way you treat a classmate you don’t like?
For teens
- The text says human beings are very good before it says anything about what they do. What does that mean for someone who only feels valuable when they perform well?
- Caring for the earth and ruling over it: where is the line between governing and exploiting?
For adults
- In what area of our home do we treat people like tools instead of as God’s image?
- How can we practice the seventh-day rest in a routine that never stops?
Activity
Fold a sheet of paper into seven sections and, in each one, draw what God made on that day. In the sixth box, each person in the family draws themselves. In the seventh, draw something that helps you rest together.
To memorize: Genesis 1:31
Prayer
Creator God, thank you for the light, the animals, the plants and every person in this home. Thank you for making us in your image. Teach us to care for what is yours and to treat everyone with respect. Amen.