The Sex God
And Elohim created the man in His image, in the image of Elohim He created him – male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27 (SRI)
Male and Female – Why do you suppose the Scriptures reiterate the fact that God created human beings male and female? I mean, isn’t it obvious? Wouldn’t it be sufficient to simply say that God created human beings (which is what it does say in the first half of the verse)? You might answer, “Well, it’s about the cultural environment of the author.” You would be partially correct. Most of the cultures that surrounded Israel practiced some form of fertility cults. These cults believed that the sex act was a spiritual replication of divine procreation. In other words, they thought of their gods as male and female. They believed that sexual activity among the gods produced the fundamental constituents of the world and therefore, human sexuality mimicked divine intercourse. That’s why fertility cults engaged in temple prostitution and orgies. Sex was a very big deal. It was part of the magic of the gods, a little slice of creative power bequeathed to humans.
But notice the implications of the Hebrew view. God creates sexuality. Sexuality is not resident in the divine being. Sex is something new on the scene. Contrary to the fertility religions, God did not bring the world into existence through copulation with a female divinity. Human beings are made male and female for other purposes. Their sexuality does not imitate a divine original.
There’s something else about the Hebrew view that is too often obscured in an attempt to apply our cultural values to sexuality. The Bible puts an enormous emphasis on sex. Just think about it. Creation of the entire universe occupies a few terse verses in the opening chapter, but creation of sexual distinction between human beings is a much bigger deal. The story of the creation of woman, found only in the Hebrew ancient literature, stands at the pinnacle of the entire creative activity of God. Furthermore, sexuality in both positive and negative demonstration is woven throughout the entire biblical text. Marriage dominates the metaphorical landscape as a symbol of our relationship with God. Sexual misbehavior is front and center in descriptions of idolatry and disobedience. And the covenant mark for males is located on the instrument of sexual performance. There is no doubt about it. The God of the Bible is the God of sex.
Fertility cults continue to oppose God’s playing field. We might not have temple prostitution or believe that we are reenacting divine orgasms, but the culture is saturated with the idea that sex is divine and we are demigods in its performance. Nearly everything is laced with sexuality, but it is sexuality in the wilderness, outside of God’s fences. The Bible is not prudish. God is not Victorian. He just knows a bit more about sex than we do, and He knows sexuality was created for Garden experiences. Next time you see a commercial, magazine cover, television show or MTV video, ask yourself if you’re being persuaded to believe that sex is about your slice of divine power. God’s view of sexuality is about Garden play. There’s a very big difference.
Topical Index: sex, male, female, Genesis 1:27, fertility cult
-He created him male and female He created them. – (Genesis 1.27)
-Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.- (Genesis 5:2)
He called their name “Adam”. “red”, a Babylonian word, the generic name for man, having the same meaning in the Hebrew and the Assyrian languages (Easton’s)
earthy; red (Hitchcock’s Bible Names)
(Makes you wonder if Adam was a redhead!..) Adam was not only the name of the first “male” type of our species, but also (generically speaking), is the term used to represent all humans. Male and female. (I’ll have to interject a small bit of humor here- “mankind” is made up of two words.. “mank” and “ind!”-sorry about that- just had to do it..) Now for the non-humorous.. Our Bible announces- “in Adam all die”.
(1 Corinthians 15.22) That’s no fun.. the party’s over!.. but wait.. there’s hope!– start the music and let’s dance again!.. (Part B- the “rest” of the story).. For as in Adam all die, even so “in Christ” shall all be made alive.
And so it is written, (I do like these three words- “it is written”!)- The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Whether “male or female”, the real question is.. (according to 1 Corinthians 15.22)-are we (the created ones) now “in Adam” or are we “in Christ?”
If we can say with confidence and assurance, yes, we are assuredly “in Christ”, then put on some music and let’s dance! -Hallelujah for the cross!
Hi Carl,
Just some random thoughts.
Psychologically speaking, we all have some aspects of our father and mother in us.
We tend to associate red with “fire” and “blood,” not “breath.”
I’m assuming Adam is the father of all men, not just the Jews?
Christ is the English term for the Greek Χριστός (Khristós) meaning “the anointed one”.[1] It is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ). Wiki
I am not sure what “being in Christ” means.
Is it the same as being connected to God?
Just walked my dog Max over to the “ballfield” in Milpitas, where I can let him off the leash and still keep him under control, and had some more thoughts about “being in Christ.”
Makes me think of the opening scene in Hombre, where a long-haired Paul Newman is tricking a herd of wild horses into a corral where they can be “domesticated.”
Probably should mention that the ballfield is named after some guy name Michael de Jesus who died some time ago on 11/26, twenty days after my birthday.
Sort of funny, isn’t it?
Just a quick note. Being “in” Christ is a technical term invented principally by Paul. It is a special use of the Greek preposition, carrying a lot more weight than we customarily believe. It is about a radical reorientation to life – a movement from one world “into” another world. Sort of like Dune, traveling without moving. Anyway, there is a great article on this in the back of the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 4
There is a lot more to say about this small word. We will get around to it someday.
hey Michael.. not just funny.. but also “Providential!” I just love it when G-d “shows up” this way!. As the real estate people constantly tell us.. location,location, location! In this case, it is “in Christ”. I’ll just come out and ask (bluntly), where is your trust? I’ll also go ahead and “testify”, I am totally depending upon the finished work of the “Annointed One” and the blood of the perfect Lamb that was sacrificied for me on a hill called Mt. Calvary for my salvation (both here daily and in all days to follow until eternity ends). I am very much today “in Christ”. There is a book that could be written (and I’m sure there is already one or more on the market!) about our being “in Christ!” Skip has written (from the ancient Today’s Word) about the preposition “in”. We not only been moved “out of” the kingdom of darkness but also “into” G-d’s new kingdom of light. Those who have received Him (by faith) as Savior and LORD realize and recognize the magnificent metamorphis taking place within them in the daily walk with Him. 2 Corinthians 5.17 says (in the Amplified New Testament) -“Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” I would highly encourage you to look long and hard about our being “in Christ”. This is so foundational to our faith. We are in a blood covenant union with YHWH! Do you know who you are and what you have “in Christ?” G-d is so good!
“where is your trust?”
Hi Carl,
For starters, I put my trust in “open communication” and “partnership” on the one hand, and in what Cool Hand Luke looked up to and called the “Old Man” on the other 🙂
Regarding your comments in general, I don’t disagree with your reading and do think of myself as “fenced in” by Christ, when using the Lord’s prayer.
On a practical level, I think of Jesus as a Rabbi, as the Massiah, as the Son of Man, and as the Son of God, but to think of Jesus as God is a paradox to me.
How about, Yeshua as the manifestation of God in the flesh, just as He was once manifest in physical form in the OT.