Genesis 1:26 states, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:…”
This simple verse says volumes about God and man. God made a creature in His creation that looked like Himself. He did not create another God. Adam was not God, but he looked like God. He must have looked very clean, without spot or wrinkle. How do we look after we are born again and become a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17)?
I was sitting in a high school class one day and noticed a classmate staring at my hands. “Your hands are so clean,” he said. “My fingers and nails are yellow from holding cigarettes.” A day or two later I noticed some black saliva running from the corner of his mouth. He had decided to give up smoking. Whenever he felt the urge to smoke he chewed black licorice instead. I never said anything to him about smoking. I didn’t witness to him. I don’t remember if I was a Christian at that time. Later as I thought about it, I wondered about myself. “How clean am I?” I thought. I know that man looks upon the outward appearance but God looks upon the heart. Is the outward appearance important at all?
God gave Adam the job of keeping the garden. He no doubt got dirty. Part of his curse after choosing to sin, was that he would have to sweat to earn his living. I wonder how often he took a shower or bath?
How did the Israelites keep clean wandering around in the desert for forty years?
When Nehemiah and his crew were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, they labored from daylight until dark. Nehemiah 4:23 says, “So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.”
The leper was put without the camp. When anyone came near he was to cry out, “Unclean, unclean.” When we fail to wash ourselves and people come near us our bodies cry out, “Unclean, unclean!” There are circumstances where we are unable to shower or bathe. In general, the temples of God ought to be clean. The hippie generation rebelled against this idea.
Today we have a generation that delights in painting up their bodies with colorful tattoos. Leviticus 19:28 says, “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.” Why did God say that and then say, “I am the Lord?” It is like He is saying, I am the Lord, look at Me, you are made in My image, don’t color on the wall.
Our society has become accustomed to tattoos. When we love people we overlook tattoos and smell and many other things. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Self-righteousness and pride don’t look good on us either. Filthy rags are not God’s plan. In all of this we must focus on ourselves. How do I reflect His image?
There is a time coming when many will line up to get a tattoo on their hand or forehead. It will be the popular thing to do. Those who refuse or criticize it will starve to death, but they will escape eternal death.
I wonder in that day if someone will look at my hand and say, “I wish my hand was clean.”
