古代君王建造殿宇时，把神像安奉在里面的那一刻是建造的最高峰；神像通常是一具大型雕塑像，神像安放在那里，是要叫每一个人都记着那位神的能力、美丽、和德行。
创世记中创造的故事达到最高峰时，耶和华神使一个有生命气息的形像和样式成为祂创造的中心。神按自己的形像创造了人类，祂又赐他们以神的形像生活的尊严和使命。神管理万物，所以祂也创造人类来管理万物。
J.R.R. 托尔金花了数十年时间，精心细致地创造了一个虚幻的世界，我们可以在他的著作看得到，例如哈比人历险记（The Hobbit）和魔戒（The Lord of the Rings）。托尔金有时以“分判创造”来形容他的著作。
神创造了我们，祂也同时吩咐我们去创造。我们是分判创造者，目的是去说话、建造、照料，和管理，为要反映神的仁爱、公正、美善、和真理。
单单想到神雄伟和壮丽的创造，便足以令我们深深谦卑下来，这是抑制我们的傲气的灵药；但它同时也能把我们从没有意义和盼望的感受中提升起来，因为我们被造是要成为君王和王后，在神治理的工作上有份。神造了我们，我们雄伟的身份，不亚于君王和王后。
“耶和华我们的主啊，你的名在全地何其美！”（诗篇8:1）。祢在荣耀里创造了世界，祢更造了我们，叫我们去管理祢手所造的大功。阿们。
创世记 1:26-31
26神说：“我们要照着我们的形象，按着我们的样式造人，使他们管理海里的鱼、空中的鸟、地上的牲畜和全地，并地上所爬的一切昆虫。”
27神就照着自己的形象造人，乃是照着他的形象，造男造女。
28神就赐福给他们，又对他们说：“要生养众多，遍满地面，治理这地，也要管理海里的鱼、空中的鸟和地上各样行动的活物。”
29神说：“看哪，我将遍地上一切结种子的菜蔬和一切树上所结有核的果子，全赐给你们做食物。
30至于地上的走兽和空中的飞鸟，并各样爬在地上有生命的物，我将青草赐给它们做食物。”事就这样成了。
31神看着一切所造的都甚好。有晚上，有早晨，是第六日。
"Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule. . . ." - Genesis 1:26
When an ancient king built a temple, the crowning moment would happen when he placed an image of a god in that temple. This was usually a great carved statue, placed there to remind everyone of the god's strength, beauty, and virtue.
As the creation story of Genesis reaches its peak, the Lord God places a living, breathing image and likeness at the center of his creation. God creates humankind in the very image of God. And God gives humankind the great dignity and task of living in God's image. God rules, so human beings are made to rule.
J.R.R. Tolkien labored for decades to create an imaginary world in great depth and detail. We can read about it in his books such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien sometimes described his work as "sub-creation."
God, in creating us, also created us to create. We are sub-creators, intended to speak, build, tend, and rule in ways that reflect God's goodness, justice, beauty, and truth.
Just thinking about the majesty and grandeur of all that God has created can profoundly humble us. It is an antidote to our pride. At the same time, it can lift us up from feelings of meaninglessness or hopelessness, for we are created to be kings and queens, participating in God's rule. We are created for no less than majesty!
"LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" (Psalm 8:1). You have created the world in glory, and you have made us rulers over the works of your hands. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
