5. What was outstanding about man’s creation as compared with other acts of earthly creation?

⁵ Counting you among the happy exceptions, let us look back at the story of communication and see how it got started, and what we can learn from it. In the Genesis account of creation, Ge chapter one, we note that on each day, up to the sixth day, the action is introduced by the form of the Hebrew verb that means that something should take place. Yes, God was communicating his instructions, but no person is mentioned as responding thereto. However, when it comes to the crowning act of earthly creation, we note a marked change when we read: “And God went on to say: ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.’” Though in a position to issue a directive as to a subordinate, the Creator was now inviting cooperation. A friendly, kindly tone is implied; a good relationship, a happy partnership. This is how it should be between married partners. If you are a husband, is that how you talk to your wife, saying: “Come on, let us . . .”?​—Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26.

EXEMPLARY PATTERN OF GOOD COMMUNICATION

 7. How does John identify the one to whom God spoke as recorded at Genesis 1:26?

⁷ Returning to our story, do we know the one with whom Jehovah was communicating at the time of the creation of man? The answer will help us to appreciate the depth of meaning as to man’s being made in God’s image and likeness. John, introducing his Gospel account of Jesus, identifies him as “the Word,” who was “in the beginning with God. All things came into existence through him,” including man. Further, John says: “The Word became flesh . . . and we had a view of his glory . . . full of undeserved kindness and truth,” and that he, being “in the bosom position with the Father is the one that has explained him.” Surely this delightful description of Jesus breathes the very spirit of a fine relationship and a ready communication.​—John 1:1-3, 14, 18; see also Proverbs 8:22, 30, 31.

 8. What is the significance of the title “the Word,” and how does this apply to Christ Jesus?

⁸ This is further seen in the significance of the title “the Word.” It has the meaning of message bearer or spokesman, like the officer in former times who stood in front of a curtained window and conveyed aloud to others the message of the king, who was unseen inside. That officer was entitled Kal Hatze, meaning “the voice or word of the king.” As for God’s Son, he was the Mouth or Spokesman for his Father, Jehovah. He was the trustworthy means of communicating to others whatever the Creator wished to convey. He faithfully served in the same way during his earthly ministry. He said on one occasion: “I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak. . . . Therefore the things I speak, just as the Father has told me them, so I speak them.” He again speaks and acts in the same capacity when he leads the heavenly armies in the execution of God’s righteous judgments at the battle of Har–Magedon, being called “the Word of God.”​—John 12:49, 50; 14:10; Rev. 19:13.

 9. What fine pattern is set for us at Genesis 1:26, and is it still possible to conform to this?

⁹ With these things in mind, how deeply impressed we should be to think that man was created in the image and likeness of the great Creator and his beloved Son! The fact that we can appreciate and talk to one another about this in itself shows that this is true. Furthermore, Jehovah has kindly conveyed to us in his written Word the pattern of good relationship and communication, and even after six thousand years of sin and imperfection, it is still possible to conform to that pattern.