Holy Trinity
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26 ESV
I’ll admit it. I occasionally talk to myself. I don’t answer back, but I still talk to myself.
When I talk to myself, I usually use the first or second person. “Wow, it’s 8:58, I better get going or I am going to be late.” “Didn’t you see what time it is? You better get going!” I realize that there is only one of me, but I still talk to myself.
The book of Genesis doesn’t set out to convince us that God exists, but rather it assumes that because of the natural knowledge of God, we all know that God exists. If we pay attention, we note already in the first two verses of the Bible that God isn’t like us. He (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth. He (Spirit of God) was hovering over the face of the waters. If we only had those two verses, we might (wrongly) conclude that there are two gods.
When God tells us about the creation of the first human beings (male and female), He reveals something about Himself. When God speaks to Himself He uses the first plural pronoun, He says, “Let US make man in our image.” For while there is one God, that God is also three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the “reasonably unreasonable conclusion” we draw from simply listening to God’s Word.
I can’t fit God into my little round head, but I trust that He is as He reveals himself. I’m glad that He knows and loves me better than I comprehend Him!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in Three persons, blessed Trinity!
The Lutheran Hymnal 246:4