Who Is Us?

Hello, just a question. I'm new to the forum. I'll introduce myself later.
I'm reading Today's New International Version. Genesis 1:26.......Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, etc. etc." My question is, who is, " us?" Up to that point the indication, of course, was that God was acting alone with His creation. But all of a sudden the reference is to, "us", or more than one, if you know what I mean.
Can anyone explain that change? I always very simply assumed of course, that God was the sole creator. Is there something this mortal is missing? Is it a misstep by TNIV in their human frailty?
Thank you.........Dave

I've always read this to mean the Godhead.. Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the one God.

Jesus was with the Father in the beginning 'all things were created through Him'

The Holy Spirit was there as Gods Spirit 'hovering across the face of the waters'

The Father there as the Creator, Headship.

Some may say the us is God and His angels..but people are not made like angels.

I think Polytheists like to call the 'us' many Gods... but that contradicts the rest of scripture.

Some people believe that the Us is a trinity of 3 persons in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Now while this may be true I do not believe that in this scripture it means that but it is a prophetic statement to the coming Son of God.

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh so He is God and man the visible manifestation of the invisible God.

Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations who is Abraham) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

God calls things that have not happened yet as though they already happened for if it is a plan of God to happen in the future it is the same as if it happened in the beginning for it will surely come to pass with no hindrance.

Which the Bible says the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world, and the prophets blood was shed from the foundation of the world, and all the works were finished from the foundation of the world although they did not happen until years later.

The Word was in the beginning and the Word became flesh who is God manifest in flesh which it was a plan of God to come in the future in flesh so it was the same as if it was in the beginning.

Jesus is the beginning of creation, and the firstborn of every creature although He was not born until 4000 years later but Jesus is the first plan God had before He laid down the foundation of the world.

Which without the Word God would of not created anything He created for Jesus is the reason creation is successful to give eternal life and judge people and angels.

The Son the man Christ Jesus was considered being in the beginning before He was born because God calls things that have not happened as though they already happened.

God had the plan to come in the future in flesh before He laid down the foundation of the world.

Adam was made in the image of God which is an innocent nature in flesh.

In the New Testament it says Adam was made in the figure of Him to come who is Jesus so Adam was made in the image of Christ.

The image of God is the image of Christ an innocent nature in flesh but Christ is God Himself manifest in flesh.

God had the plan to come in the future in flesh before He created Adam and created Adam in the image that He would appear in the future.

So I believe the Let us make man in our image is God and the Son the man Christ Jesus for the man Christ Jesus is a part of that image for Adam was made in the image of Christ.

So while there may be a trinity in this scripture it seems to mean God and the man Christ Jesus a prophetic statement to the coming Son of God.

Concerning God manifest in the flesh which the man Christ Jesus is the personal human body of God and the visible relationship of the invisible God to the Father might throw people off because God is bigger than a human body.

It means that God manifest all His attributes to the man Christ Jesus for He is the fulness of the Godhead in a bodily image, and it pleased the Father that in Him all fulness shall dwell, and He has the Spirit without measure.

And the Spirit in the man Christ Jesus is still connected to the omnipresent Spirit of Christ for God cannot be divided.

God is an omnipresent Spirit that the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain so He does not have to move for He is already there.

Jesus does not have His own personal Spirit that moves around with Him for there cannot be a double portion of the Spirit in one space and there cannot be an empty space where the Spirit is not occupying but Jesus moves through the Spirit and wherever space He is occupying the Spirit is there.

Which might help to explain how an omnipresent Spirit can be considered God manifest in flesh.

1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Jesus is God but there is more to Him than being manifest in flesh for He is an omnipresent Spirit.

Jesus dwells in the light which no person can approach unto, and no person has seen Jesus, and no person will ever see Jesus for He is an invisible Spirit but He showed us a visible image of Himself which the throne in heaven is the throne of God and the Lamb who is God in the glorified body of the man Christ Jesus.

Pogo once said "We have met the enemy and he is us". I believe there is an element of truth in that. Glad to have you onboard with us. Welcome to CC.

the answer is in chapter one of Genesis and chapter one of John

Yes, 'let us' and 'our' are plural terms. The explanation is that there is the Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit- three separate entities comprising one God.

Genesis 1:1 says: "In the beginning God [אֱלֹהִ֑ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)] created the heavens and the earth." Elohim is plural; that's why is says "us."

As for who "us" is, I've always believed it's the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We know Jesus was there and created all things: "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."—Colossians 1:16

You ask a great question here from Genesis 1:26------My question is, who is, " us?"

I don't think your alone in your wondering about who is the Us in this scripture ---

This is how I would explain it --just my take on it

I believe that God is 3 distinct persons with 3 distinct functions --all being one God ----which makes up the Us ----God The Father ----God The Son and God The Holy Spirit -----

God the Father ---being the First Person of the Trinity --He is Superior over the Son and the Holy Spirit ---He is presented as the Source --- Planner and Sender of Salvation -----

God the Son ---being the Second Person of the Trinity ---He is the achiever of Salvation sent by His Father --The Son came to fulfil and accomplish His Fathers Will -----Jesus spoke or did nothing on His own when He walked this earth He Spoke and Did what His Father wanted Him to do ---Scripture below see verse 49

John 12 NIV
Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

47 “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.

49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.

50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”


God the Holy Spirit ----is the 3rd Person of the Trinity ----The Holy Spirit has many functions that this Person is responsible for ----the most prominent function is to ----Convict us of our sins ----convinces us we need a Saviour and converts us from sinners to Saints ----that is changes our Human corrupt Spirit to be Holy and Blameless before God ----

Hope this maybe helps a bit as to the understanding of the Us ----

.
According to John 1:1, God's voice is a person. So then where we see "God
said" we're looking at two persons; one person is speaking, and the other
person is the speaker's words. Jews were believing this way, way before
Christianity ever came along,

According to the Targums, which were at one time accepted as sacred
Jewish beliefs, God's voice is a sentient being; actually God himself. So then,
His speech is to be worshipped, and served, and obeyed, and spoken to as
the Ultimate Sovereign.

The Targums taught that God's voice reigns supreme upon The Almighty's
throne.

T. Deut 4:7 . . For what people so great, to whom the Lord is so high in the
Name of the Word of the Lord? But the custom of (other) nations is to carry
their gods upon their shoulders, that they may seem to be nigh them; but
they cannot hear with their ears, (be they nigh or) be they afar off; but the
Word of the Lord sits upon His throne high and lifted up, and hears our
prayer what time we pray before Him and make our petitions. (Targum
Jonathan)

According to the Targums, Jacob, an important progenitor of the people of
Israel, worshipped God's voice as his own divine sovereign.

T. Gen 28:20-21 . . And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: If the Word of Jehovah
will be my support, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me
bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's
house in peace; then shall the Word of Jehovah be my God. (Targum
Onkelos)
_

Thank you all for your kind replies.
That's "us" everycbody! The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That certainly keeps it simple. And that's often what this feeble mind needs to keep things moving forward.
Almost 40 years ago I was reborn. I won't go into a lot of detail but I was confused, and I was a mess. But not a hopeless mess. The preacher convinced me of that, and guided me to Jesus, and salvation, and my life changed forever. I'm 74 years old now, and after that day I never went to church again. But that's another story, possibly for the future. I live alone, although I do have two beautiful children whom I see regularly. I try to keep things as simple as I can, and have always believed that the entire concept of salvation, and forgivness of sins, and man's relationship to God, has to be easily accessible, for all to be able to benefit from that salvation. God and I are always on good speaking terms, and we talk often. It's a beautiful thing.
Anyway, I could go on and on. But again, thanks for your comments, and God Bless!..............Dave

Welcome to CC, Dave...
If you're a reader, I would encourage you to read Dr. Michael Heiser's The Unseen Realm. It will provide answers to your questions.

If you're more of a listener, I'd direct you to his The Naked Bible Podcast where the same information is available, on his website, drmsh.com.

I take the "us" to mean either a royal way of saying "Let me do some creating here" as is the case often.

It could also mean literally multiple people, my best guess would be the Father and His Son.

Or it could just mean the heavenly host in general