The closing chapters of Exodus provide and insanely detailed blueprint for the Hebrew Tabernacle. God is very exacting in His instructions to Moses and is clear in calling artisans to build the structure. The Exodus account gives precise measurements, details the exact shape of the ornamentation, and dictates the building materials to be used throughout the structure. Here is an example: “The sockets for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver, and the overlay of their capitals was silver and all the pillars of the court had bands of silver.” (Exodus 39:17) Admittedly, this is not the most engrossing section of the Bible. Nonetheless, it reveals truths about our God that help us understand who He is and how we are indeed created in His image.
One does not have to wade through the chapters of Exodus to understand that our God values appearances and creativity. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” God is ever-present in all of creation and is Himself the standard for creativity in this world. Sometimes it takes a trip outside our manmade suburban paradise to notice God’s handiwork. This summer I crawled through labyrinthine caves stretching miles under the earth. I traveled to Alaska, finding a land that hosts enormous glaciers, mountains and fjords replete with wildlife. Survey a remote Alaskan coastline and you will encounter all sorts of captivating life forms – some beautiful, some not, but always strangely intriguing. Something as simple as the annual journey of the salmon to their spawning grounds is actually a wonderful display of the intricacy of our ecosystems. I can’t help but marvel at both the fragility and the astonishing tenacity of life on this planet. We live in a world full of unique and spectacular wonders, a testament to our God’s care and design.
As humans fashioned in the image of God, aesthetics and originality comprise an important part of our everyday lives. We crave beauty, structure, and design. That is why places like IKEA exist. We admire creativity, and those video game designers that can craft engrossing virtual worlds for us to experience. We value imagination and people like J.K. Rowling that can tell a good story. Admittedly, I feel slightly guilty about spending money on aesthetic accoutrements or entertainment with so many poor living in squalor around the world. Yet while this must guide moderation in our spending, it is important to recognize that our quest for beauty also evidences the mark of God’s image in each one of us. God has given some individuals an immense capacity for brilliance and ingenuity. I spent last summer traipsing through Europe admiring the cathedrals, castles, museums, and gardens. These things remain a testament to that glimmer of the Creator in each human artist. I believe that at some level we all long to create.
Quite honestly, I do not know if this world came about in 7 days or several million years. I do not know what proportion of organisms came through microevolution versus macroevolution. I do not know exactly how and when the plates have shifted to create mountains and valleys. I’m not sure how many floods and ice ages have graced this planet. However, when I look at the beauty and complexity inherent in the untouched remnants of this earth it seems absurd that it could have all happened through chance. At the very least, it takes and immense amount of faith remove the Divine from the equation. When I admire the cathedrals in Europe, the innovation coming out of the Googleplex, or even the brilliance in some of my most promising students I am ever more convinced that there is a Creator and that each one of us bears His image.
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