If we human beings, who stand at the top of the elevation of earth’s creation, had miracle power to reach down to a lower level of creation, say to the apes, and in the gestures of the relationship and benefit to improve them, how far would we go to accomplish the purpose? It would have to be something practical, something that reached the understanding efforts of the animal neighbors we were addressing and lifting to a level of relationship that would make the miracle worthy of the effort and follow up context, for both the animal and the human being. The result would be presumed as gratifying by both the giver and the receiver, but if there is initiated rejection, it would come from the animal, either in neglect of the humanistic additions or outright rejection of our persons. Jungle life is felt to be better than a designed shelter, tender shoots from plants are preferred over prepared meals, picking lice is better than periodic bathing, and swinging from tree to tree better than eight hours a day in a job. The miracle person presses on to make it clearer and easier for the recipient to understand the advantages of the changing life culture. The main reason for all this effort would be to gain fellowship between two living entities, one that wants to give and has the power to do so with gifts of resources, and the other gaining the advantages and gifts of self-consciousness leading to safety, health and fulfillment of cultural growth related to choices and the future. The effort, to be of value must include both the efforts of the giver and the receiver. Something vital will be missing without the needed degree of mutuality between the parties. The gift is wasted if it is not assimilated and used for good by the receiver. The giver does not want to be a part of a failing project.
Perhaps with some clumsiness, the above represents what God means to do with mankind. He creates a field with living things, but gives to one creature something more of himself so to make, in his creation, persons with whom he can fellowship above the level of pets. He includes enough of himself in person creation so that fellowship is possible. His creation reflects some of his own personality (image), so arranges the plan of father, mother and child (reflective of his Trinity), and gives to that an institution of marriage, in which if all goes well, there is a continuing procreation reflective of his continuing life. To the created he gives the power of procreation so for mankind to do what he did – give life. Out of all this he speaks to us in the idiom of the creative gesture of the family. Nearly everything of importance that he has to say to lift this animal to the point of fellowship with him is cast in the idiom of the family. His initial guide to us is told in the family parable. Genesis is basically the story of six families in Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. In them, with their wives and children with extended family members appear virtually all the experience of mankind. But the story goes further in using human relationships to illustrate the ups and downs of the family receivers of the largess of the giver. The revealed benefits from God to love, care, learning, fulfillment, management, morality, devotion, and ultimate award are often rejected in the heady feeling of the human being of independence in the gifts of human life so as to offer the illusion of our becoming demi-gods. Even this is cast in family terms that violate the affirmatives of the persons made in the image of the Creator – like divorce, a negative. Without forgiveness we are lost.
Even at the end of the project the divine idiom holds up when God completes the plan for this creation in: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This follows the counsel of God that Christianity is made practical for the personal (individual person), and the social (persons in relationships) by accenting the individual’s needs and relationship with God, and accenting the social needs as application of God’s relationship with all persons accepting that relationship. God wants to make of persons, his family. That does not make human beings into gods, but it does, when the order is followed, make them special with God in all his creation. Mankind was made, only for a little while, lower than the angels of God. That does not diminish angels or magnify mankind. It does meet what God wants in relating both himself and his meaning to the universe in an intimate relationship that looks toward reflecting who God is. Through redemption he creates his family. We grafted into it in his love and plan. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020